Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Handmade Gifts Given...


Do you love handmade gifts?  My family while growing up always made our gifts for each other and our friends.  My Grandmother, Mother, Sisters and I would each sew or crochet or knit or craft each gift.  My Grandfather and Father also were wonderful craftsmen and worked with wood to make cherished gifts.  It is the way I was taught.  A gift is much more special when you take the time to make it.  Buying from the store is not what we did.  Money was short yet somehow we gathered supplies and created.  I am very thankful for those teachings and beginnings.
 

So to carry on that tradition I make most of the gifts I give.  Here is a watercolor card I recently sent to a dear blogging friend who has her birthday on my exact birthday...of course she is much younger however we still share a wonderful Virgo Sister bond.  I used really good materials in hopes of a better result.  My watercoloring is not the best but with using my stamps for the outlines I think the result is sweet.


Here is a recent bracelet I put together.  Simple grey pearls with some very high-end Swarovski crystals.  This photo is horrible but I think you can see the simplicity of the bracelet and my favorite magnetic clasp for self closure.


This is a set I recently made and gave to another friend.  This is the lightest weight necklace made from "railroad" yarn/ribbon.  It is crocheted and has layers of lengths to give it fullness. I kept this one very simple as the recipient doesn't do fussy.  Some crystal earrings I put together complete the set.
I felt I needed to let you know I haven't been a total slacker in the creative department this year.  I am never as fully happy as when I am in my wonderful studio making something for someone.  It gives me solace to share my skills I was so fortunate to learn from so many before me.
Falling into Autumn here and the weather is just right.  Warm days with cool nights.  We are still having smoke from the horrible Yosemite Fire, a closer fire and now a new fire near San Francisco.  I pray for all to be safe and spared losing lives and homes.  This is just the beginning of our true fire season.  We did have some rain but I would welcome lots more to keep our forests hydrated and not so terribly dry as they are.  It is said that we buy wetter lumber at the store than our forests contain.  Come on rain...
Autumn breezes (Spring Blossoms for across the world) and may you create with joy and pure bliss...
I adore your comments and look forward to reading them and your posts.  This community is such a big hug!

13 comments:

  1. I love homemade gifts. It upsets me that today gifts are so commercial. When someone takes the time to get to know my likes and makes me something heartfelt, that's a good friend. I wish we would go back to the older traditions.
    You have made some Beautiful gifts and your friends are lucky to have you in their lives.
    Stay smoke free and cool!

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  2. What beautiful gifts, Sherry! I especially like the bracelet you made, as I treasure the one you gave me. They're quite lovely.

    I hope you're off to a great week. It's hot here, so I'm busy inside. Tag is right here, keeping me company.

    Hugs to your house from ours.
    xo
    Donna

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  3. Sweet Sherry , you are so right in the handmade gifts being so much more worth recieving !! I love to make some myself, too...
    Your card and bracelet are so beautiful..love the sweetness of the bracelet,- and your yarn necklace looks wonderful too, with the matching earrings.
    I dearly hope you will not be affected with the fires, and that they will not be bad this fall!!
    Hugs, Dorthe

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  4. Oh wow, your handmade gifts are amazing!! The watercolor card is beautiful!! The bracelet is gorgeous!! And the necklace and earrings are stunning!! What fabulous and thoughtful gifts!! Have a great day :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  5. They are lovely gifts and sew much better than the standard 'gift card'! We are noticing that we are dry here, or at least the water table isn't up to its usual.

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  6. I grew up in the same era with the same home made values and I still agree, home made means more. Even when my kids were growing up I made home made cakes that I decorated nicely, but not like the stores do. My kids friends still remember the cakes, that was such a big deal to them, but for us it was just birthdays as normal. Your gifts are beautiful and so much more valuable because they include a piece of your heart. I will pray for rain. ~Diane

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  7. You are a lovely lady who shares her talents...friends and family are lucky to have you in their lives....and I'm lucky to call you my blog friend...I touch my 'angel' every day!!

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  8. That's how I was raised also! I cherish homemade gifts, and I love making presents for my family. I guess I'd better get started for this year's Christmas giving!

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  9. I love the grey bracelet and I love magnetic clasps. I am so with you, when the rest of my life is falling apart, nothing makes me as having as creating! Oh, I hope the fires stay controllable this year!!

    Carol

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  10. you have been busy with these creative gifts, I am sure they will be treasured. Wish my off spring were interested in craft, one does do paper craft but the other no interest, neither has the granddaughter who is 15, such a shame they no not what they are missing.

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  11. I agree that homemade is best, and your creations are gorgeous. Love the story of how you all grew up making all your gifts!

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  12. Handmade gifts are best though there are still some people who don't appreciate them. If it's not expensive, they it isn't worth having, so they think. I don't believe handmade has to be perfect. It just has to be made with love. The scarf and earring set are really lovely. Best wishes, Tammy

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  13. I love handmade gifts too. You are so thoughtful to take the time to make such beautiful gifts for your friends.

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