Handmade gifts

A beautiful currency

My family think I am a little bonkers and they might well be right. I have my own ‘handmade’ business, yet at this time of year, you are more likely to find me working on handmade gifts for family and friends. You can never get enough handmade. In a world that has a deep love affair with the ‘immediate’ and the ‘instant’ I am proud to wave the handmade flag. Last week I shared my favourite handmade winter projects and this week I thought I would share some of my favourite handmade gifts.

This wee coaster was for a friend who writes and always has a hot chocolate on the go at this time of year. I added cinnamon powder inside so that, as it warms, it releases the scent. Autumn is her favourite season and this was easily achieved with a little bit of rubber stamping and some simple stitching.

For another friend who loves to write I made these story tag cards. The idea is very simple. You write a tiny story or the start of a story on each card and hang them in your creative space to inspire. The edges were made using washi tape. You can’t have too much washi tape either.

I gather seeds throughout the year and store them in handmade seed packets made from small brown envelopes. I then bundle them up and gift them to family and friends at Christmas ready for the new year of growing.

Soy wax melts are a perennial favourite and I even take requests for these. This box was made for my mother a couple of years ago and scented with essential oils of orange and cinnamon. So easy to make and such a lovely gift.

This was also for my mother. It was a broken brooch from her mother that I somehow managed to acquire over the years. I put a backing of wool on it that I had hand dyed and gifted it to her at Christmas. She recognised it immediately so that was very rewarding. Not all gifts have to cost a fortune.

Herbal drying wreaths are another real favourite. All gathered from my garden and the recipient lets it all dry before storing them in air tight jars ready for cooking with. A beautiful thing to make at any time of the year as the plants allow.

Last in this offering are handmade dream pillows. Drawing from the years of knowledge held by the North American Indian communities these dream pillow contain herbal recipes that provoke different sorts of dreams. They have been a signature make of mine for years. But I save some of my most beautiful plant dyed fabric for special folk in my life. As with everything I make, special attention is given to finishing details. These tiny finishing details make such a difference.

I hope you like to give and receive handmade gifts. Let’s keep flying the handmade flag. Until next week, Fiona x

Thank you for popping by to support my work. Thank you to the folk that have bought me a coffee. I am saving those funds to literally buy coffee on our next van trip so that we might support local businesses as we travel. xx