I finally took the "Handmade Pledge," though we've been trying to move toward as total a handmade lifestyle as possible for a long time now. From what we've seen on the web, a lot of people seem to be moving in this direction. We didn't do as good a job of sticking to the pledge at Christmas as we would have liked to, but we did buy handmade Christmas cards off Etsy, and put together some wonderful gift packages for out of town relatives with a variety of handmade and local products. My husband and I also made our gifts to each other. It's the kids that sent us into a panic. It's hard to buy (or even make) handmade gifts for an eight year old boy. I don't know how to make LEGOs... yet...
But, everyone please note that Valentine's Day is on the horizon, and that's pretty much a grownup gift giving holiday. So this would be a great opportunity for all of us who have vowed to do better on our pledge to go 100% handmade! Start now, and build up you stamina toward next Christmas!
Here's a great start for handmade Valentine's Day gifts. My new friend Heather at "My Curly Red" makes amazing handcrafted jewelry, and here's a sample gallery of some of her work:
I bought a pair of earings for my daughter for Christmas from Heather, and I can personally attest to the beauty and quality of Heather's work. Her store, again, is located at http://www.etsy.com/shop/mycurlyred. She also has a blog at http://curlyreds.blogspot.com/. And thanks, Heather, for spreading the word about Peaceacre down there in Arkansas!
This week, local beekeeper Pam Allen, owner of Natural Creations (NaturalCreations.org), added her fresh local honey, honey candy, handmade beeswax candles, natural laundry soap, wildflower bookmarks, soy candles, and other items to the "Peaceacre and Friends" holiday store.
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Also new this week, I have added loose leaf China black tea, cinnamon orange spice loose leaf tea, and other bulk herbs for brewing into specialty teas or to make into tinctures. I still have lots of beautiful hand-knitted scarves and other cool stuff left -- but this is the last week I will be officially open before Christmas!I will be open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Noon to 6:00. If you have a specialty order, or you need to get in touch with me, you can email me any time at Peaceacre@ymail.com.
If you're looking for a perfect Mother's Day gift, check out Chippingstone Cottage, my sister-in-law's website showcasing her fabulous hand crafted ceramic pincushions and clocks. Here's how she describes her own work:My pottery is hand crafted in Vermont. Each piece is individually created and artfully decorated; therefore, no two are exactly alike.
The crafting of the pincushions has drawn upon both of my long-term interests; ceramics and the textile arts. The base is hand thrown from a white stoneware clay followed by decoration and glazing. The cushion is made from 100 % cotton fabric, lined with muslin and firmly stuffed with virgin Vermont wool. This pincushion may be displayed wherever you enjoy sewing.
I was lucky enough to receive one of her pincushions as a gift, so I know first hand the quality and artistry involved in everything that she does. And while you're there, be sure to check out the free whole wheat bagel recipe she has posted on her website. I tried it out recently. Its a simple recipe, and the bagels are delicious.
