This year, inspired by Ginny’s Yarn along from Small Things, I would love to invite you to take the challenge and join me in a Handmade Christmas Craft along. On Thursday, I will post the first day along with a way for you to link any homemade gift you have made recently or in the past. The more ideas we share, the easier it will be to become inspired and make a handmade Christmas a reality.
Every Thursday I will post what I have made and you can link your gifts through a linky link on my blog post and share with everyone who reads this blog. Every Thursday I will also have a giveaway from among those who linked up and or left a comment (you must also be a follower of this blog or follow me on Facebook), so stay tuned for lots of handmade loveliness from many talented people. This will be a little handmade present from them (and me) to you.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, to take the pledge to have a handmade Christmas this year by giving those on our Christmas list a handmade gift.
Here are the rules:
1. Gifts must be handmade by you, or,
2. Purchased from someone else who handmade it, check out Etsy or Artfire, go to a craft fair, or,
3. Upcycled items such as thrift store, antique store or garage sale treasures. If this one is alarming to you maybe you should think about what it really costs to make something new, the energy to make it, ship it, house it and how buying something pre-loved is using a resource which has already made its impact. My brother asked me if buying someone a, basket counts, I said yes but buy a pre-owned basket, really could you really tell if you received a new basket or not and if it was new would that make it a better basket?
The point is to use your imagination instead of buying all the mass produced stuff at the mall which every store is going to convince us we need and will make our Christmas this year perfect. Shop at home first. If you are a crafter, you have a stash. Most of us crafters don’t even know all the stuff that is in our stash so instead of heading over to the craft store, shop from your stash first.
Even if you do not have a blog or have nothing to link to, Please post your ideas or what you will be giving to your loved ones.
I will of course be posting some of my ideas and projects to inspire all of you too. (hey most of my viewers are probably on my list so gotta keep it hush hush)
Here is the pledge:
I, state your name, pledge to:
To take a political stance against mass consumerism of Christmas
To give gifts that are unique, meaningful and full of love
To promote, encourage and celebrate hand-made You may not have the time to make all your gifts but I know you will be out purchasing them. Why not purchase a handmade gift from someone instead of somewhere.
Tomorrow, I will post more so come back!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or follow me by email at the top right hand of the screen to have future posts sent to you. Tricia (Crunchy Catholic Momma)
Love the red and white felt garland….Why am I making it more complicated than it is…it must be easier than it looks!!
What an incredibly cute row of mini-mittens! Did you make those? If not, where did you get them? I´d love to buy some handmade ones. I´m quite crafty, but time doesnt´seem to fit in knitting. I am all for handmade gifts, for years I made all of them, because I didn´t have much money. Now that I have more money, I still like to make as many gifts as possible. Because it gives me joy to make them, and it brings more joy to those who receive them than if I´d just bought something. Hopefully it does some good for the world in a non-consumer-way.Oh, wait, I just read your other comments. I´ll go check out the patterns!
Thank you so much for the mini mitten patterns! I saw these originally in Turkey and have a few that I use as Christmas ornaments draped over branches and have gotten more compliments on those mittens than anything else! Thank you for going to the trouble of finding patterns for me 🙂 So excited to start making these. Also, have been following you on bloglovin.
I love this idea! I had seen the idea floating around blogs last year, but ended up not doing it because I was not organized enough and was too last minute. But I've been really into hand making things this past year, so I already have lots of ideas in mind, and projects are already started. I can't wait to see what else you'll post 🙂
you've inspired me already!!! I'm making the little mitten garland!!! (My daughter has wanted an advent garland like that forever–why haven't I done it????)
JLR22, I hope you check back here for my reply : ) Here are two patterns (free ones) that I found. http://woolwindings.blogspot.com/2007/12/more-min… andhttp://www.fortheloveofyarn.com/Issues/06Fall/patterns/fall06_minimittens.shtmlHope that helps : ) If you make them I would love to see a picture!! Or, link up any Thursday!
I loved the mitten garland so much I looked it up using google image search to try and find a pattern or Etsy seller. Unfortunately it was from Anthropolgie (NA anymore) and probably cost an arm and a leg 🙁
Austerity, Good for you!!!! I am such a procrastinator that last year I did not start on gifts until a few days after Thanksgiving.
Katie, Etsy is such a wonderful place to support artists and you will end up with one of a kind gifts instead of mass produced. Post what you are getting ; )
I'll be there! I've cheated though, as I've already started my gifts ; )
I am a big fan of handmade. I am only marginally crafty but I love etsy!