Handmade Holidays

Kate,
I love this time of the year. It's all about family, cuddling by crackling fires, baking yummy goodies, good spirits, and best of all, giving. Each year my goal is to make gifts for everyone and each year I seem to come short. I run out of time, energy and ideas. This year I've done much more planning and preparing, in hopes that this holiday season will be a handmade christmas. I can't reveal all the gift ideas I have, since many of my gift recievers will read this blog, but I plan on making matching pajamas for the us and the kids (I have already started on V's!). I'm working on an advent calendar and I'd love to be able to make V and R matching christmas outfits. And of course, there are the knitted hats I've had on my to do list for a while now, which I'm still waiting to pick out yarn for.

Anyways, I have a dilema in regards to my handmade christmas plans. I love making gifts and I love getting handmade items in return, but I'm not sure everyone on my gift giving list enjoys handmade. I sometimes question my list of gifts to make, unsure whether all the energy put into it is worth it. I know my family really well, or atleast I like to think I do. In the past we have done handmade gifts to each other. I'm still new to my husbands family (even after 6 years dating and 4 years of marriage!), and don't know them as well, so it's harder to pick out appropriate gifts (and Greg is no help with ideas). It might just be easier to pick up something for the store. I've already questioned making the fabric dollhouse for V after seeing an adorable wooden one from Melissa & Doug toys. I picked up the wooden dollhouse, but still think I might finish up the fabric one too.

Ultimately I still hope to make much of the holiday season about family, giving and handmade crafts.

I think we need another craft day or multiple craft days soon!
Laura