Over the years I've saved many ideas in a folder labeled "Christmas crafting" in my Yahoo inbox. This one, a blog post from
Twelve Crafts Till Christmas concerning
Handmade Holiday Tips, is very, very helpful as we begin to plan (or continue to plan) our handcrafted gifts.
I'll let you follow the link and check it out for yourself -- and if I were you I would print out the post and put it somewhere safe, like my Christmas notebook. I think this is something I probably need to re-read as I plan my handcrafted gifts each year. There are eight incredibly helpful tips, including the need to be realistic about your level of crafting skill in various areas.
(And I would add to that the need to be realistic about how long a particular project is going to take you. Invariably I underestimate how long something is going to take.)
Another important thought is to consider your recipient. Yes, you love to craft gifts and most people love receiving something handmade. But others do not, so know your recipient. And then there is the matter of allergies and sensitivities when thinking about food gifts or anything scented. It used to be that homemade cookies or a loaf of bread were always a safe bet. Not so much anymore, with so many people avoiding wheat and gluten. So you can see that this tip is a very valuable one.
I'll be printing this out and putting it in my Christmas notebook. How about you?
Good points made about homemade items! I am very lucky and the people I do give gifts to, love the homemade stuff. The TIME factor is very high to consider. I make list the first of the year and as I see stuff but.....it comes around so fast!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! I like to give handmade gifts, but you're right, a lot of thought needs to go into the gift and the recipient.
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely. Great insight.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad this was helpful to you all. It certainly was to me!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Luludou! Hope it's helpful for your Christmas planning!
ReplyDelete