Handmade Christmas Gifts
Christmas seems to sneak up on me every year. I get ideas for gifts sometimes months in advance, but then I have a hard time making myself work on them or buy them ahead of time. Handmade gifts are especially near and dear to my heart. This is how I got started making soap! If you haven’t heard my story, it was back in November of 2002 that I made my first batch as a Christmas gift for my two best friends at the time. I got hooked, and the rest, as they say, is history.
One year, I made miniature Christmas trees out of those prickly pods from the sweet gum tree, a string of white lights, and some chicken wire. I spray painted the pods gold (in my basement without ventilation as my husband likes to remind me!) and hot glued them to the chicken wire that my husband shaped into a cone which was about 18 inches tall. I think I must have poked the lights through last, although that detail is rather fuzzy right now. When I was finished, I wished I had made one for myself!
This year is no different. My project of choice is crocheted beaded socks for my girls. I got my inspiration from the neighbor girl who has several pairs. I think her mom buys them off ebay. Sure enough, after doing several searches online, I found a pattern. Not that I’m really following it. I chose some “fuzzy” yarn to attach the beads which really covers my mistakes rather nicely. My friend Summer offered to buy some from me for her daughter. Maybe I should be taking orders!
What gifts do you like to make for Christmas? Or where do you like to shop for handmade gifts?
November 15th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Your sox are adorable, is it difficult?
This year I want to make everyones Christmas stocking to hang by the fireplace. I’ve planned on it several years but this year I’m going to give it a go.
November 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
No, they really aren’t hard. I’m not an expert crochet-er, and you can pretty much fake your way through it with the fuzzy yarn and it still looks good. I’m sure I’ll post pictures of the ones I’m working on after they are finished.
Christmas stockings are great! I made those too… What will you make them out of, Michelle?