More Handmade Goodness

Whose ready for some more HOMEMADE Christmas?!?!

I know *I* am!!!

When I took on the task of a completely homemade Christmas, I did so knowing I didn't want to just make some universal gift and thrust it into arms saying "HERE! LIKE it." I wanted to be deliberate and thoughtful, creating personal gifts that would not only have the receiver pleased-but also knowing that I *knew* them. For that reason, finding the project ideas took nearly as long as completing the projects. (well, maybe not-but it did take a long time!)

Probably the gift I love most of all this year is this one:

The Soma Square.
It is basically a bunch of cubes glued together to make pieces which, when appropriately placed, makes a cube. It looks mild-mannered but let me tell you~this puzzle is REALLY challenging!

I love it because I think it is a perfect gift for guys (and those are hard to come by) and because I find it terribly clever. I LOVE that it is challenging but also drives determination. And finally~I love it because my husband has been playing with it ever since I made it. I SHOULD have made it for HIM. (He has since found SIX solutions to the puzzle!)

This gift requires 27 wooden cubes, glue and PAINT (if you want to paint it). The directions for making the pieces are here.

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Have you yarn-workers out there heard of Ravelry?
"ummmm...who HASN'T??"

HEY! WHO JUST SAID THAT?! Well, I joined up and found a few great patterns to use for Christmas (and A LOT of projects queued for later!).

Another guy gift: A HAT

crochet pattern found here (At Ravelry)


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And ANOTHER HAT (this time, with EARFLAPS) :

This pattern, too, came from Ravelry.

(Did I mention it is free to join?)

My goal was not to go buy MORE yarn but to try to make many of these gifts with supplies I already had on hand. The "recipe" calls for Jiffy Thick N Quick but since I didn't have that, I used TWO strands of yarn.

I have never done that before so I feel mighty proud of myself.


Mattie was kind enough to model them for me. My, he is a looker.


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Sick of crochet yet?

Here is super cute neckwarmer.

I simply chained the width I wanted and loosely (and with a big hook) single crocheted enough rows until I had the length I wanted.

Well, I WISH it could have been a wee bit longer--but the skein ran out so this is as long as it gets.

Love it.

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Here is another fabulous gift I am excited about. I made necklaces out of some of my photographs and since I didn't want to give anything away for the worthy recipients, I *HAD* to make one for myself too. (To post HERE)

This is my most favorite picture of myself. Taken about an hour after giving birth (taken by me) it perfectly conveys to me the emotion and utter peace of new birth and motherhood. This photo evokes passion in me like no other photograph ever.

I love it.

And NOW, I can wear it!

Merry Christmas to me!!! (From: ME!) hehehe

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Speaking of photos:

How about some MAGNETS? I made these with twist-top beer bottle caps that I have been saving every time Matt pops one off and rare earth magnets so they are SUPER strong. I put a clear resin over top of the photo and MAN-that is some GNARLY stuff. Phew.


I want to make some of these for my OWN fridge, but I think I will wait until summer-when I can do it OUTSIDE to escape those awful resin fumes.

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And last (for now) but not least:

I post this idea especially for you Riahli (sorry it has taken me so long!):

A perfect gift for the kids to get in on~ SOAP!!

These are SUPER simple to make.

You need a container of glycerin soap (at A.C.Moore for $9.99 but you KNOW that 40% off coupon comes in handy right about then...), a plastic cup or soap mold and a small toy of some sort.

You can make these fancy with glitter, food coloring and scents if you would like, but you certainly don't HAVE to.

The toys I used were squishy bugs from the dollar store. I have made them before and my kids had a BLAST with them. Once the soap gets used enough to grab a "piece" the squishy bugs stretch and pull out of the soap and create the COOLEST FOSSILS ever.

REALLY!

(Yes-we are homeschoolers.)

You melt the chunks of soap, stir in the coloring, glitter and scent (if you like) and then pour into the mold. Wait a minute or two and then place your toy in there (face down). When it is hard plunk it out of the molds and admire them!

That's IT!

Easy peasy!

Here are some that I made this past summer (sans food coloring and glitter).

and THAT'S All Folks!!!

(for nnnnnoooooooooooooowwwwwww)

:-)