Homemade.

There is nothing sweeter then a homemade

gift.  I have been looking for opportunities to give as many of those as

possible lately. 

It is so fun to come up with a neat little gift for people that requires use of your hands and creativity. 

Okay so I don’t always come up with the ideas.

Sometimes I “borrow” them from all those neat bloggers out there, but I always manage to change it a bit or add my own flare.

Buying birthday gifts is one of my least favorite things to do.  Not so much because it is money spent, but because I always worry that it is money spent badly. What if they don’t like what I bought?  Then I have just wasted all this money and energy finding the “perfect” gift.

It seems like people treasure things more when they are homemade.  It makes them want to love it, plus they can’t take it back.  I do not do returns people.

Here are some of the gifts I have given lately.

This was for one of Stella’s friends.  Stella was invited to her Birthday Party.  Stella really wanted me to make her a skirt.  This is what I came up with.

I made her a skirt, a shirt with a transfer, and a hair accessory. 

This little project took me about 2 hours, but was well worth it.  Stella was so excited to give it to her.

I have also been making these pins.  Pins are all over the internet right now.  I have just taken what I like and adapted them.  Here are a few you might like:

I have also been making a lot of the zipper pins.  I love wearing these. They help add some whimsy to whatever it is you have on.  I have been making enough of these to have on hand for gifts.  They make perfect birthday presents.

… or you can add them to your gift bag.  It starts out  as decoration for your gift, and then serves a purpose as a pin for a jacket or blouse.

I packaged this little gift in a mesh bag that some onesies came in.  Never throw clever packaging away, you can always use it for something else later.  Once inside, I added some ribbon and the pin. What is inside you ask?

One more gift idea.

I found this idea here,and then I made them smaller.

The original Keep Calm and Carry On sounded so much more fun to me when I saw Jen say “keep calm and have a cupcake.”  If you know me, you know that saying fits so much better.

This saying I soon found out is floating all over the internet.  Google it.

So I adapted Jen’s idea of the pillows only I made this smaller version.

I designed this on my computer.  Then I printed it out on transfer paper. Then ironed it on, and stitched up the pillows.  I stuck a ribbon inside so that when I turned the fabric the right way I would have something to hang it from.

Then I sat down and enjoyed a movie with my husband while I stuffed them, and hand-stitched the small corner that I had left as an opening.

I made 8 pillows in 3 hours for $1.00 a pillow.  If I gave you one of these as a gift don’t think I am cheap.  I put a lot of love in these pillows. Heck! I am giving you permission to stop and have a cupcake.  Could there be a better gift then that?

Here is the one hanging in my house:

When thinking about your next gift… think Homemade. It really

does mean so much more.

Stay tuned for more about this little diddy.  Here is a sneak preview.  Yes, it has something to do with Easter.

Oh, and when I actually remember tomorrow to post “What I have learned Thursday.”

Ya, that will have to be called, “What I have learned Thursday when I remember to post it possibly Friday or next Thursday.. or…”

See you tomorrow.