Last year, many of you told me that you were
making or buying handmade gifts. Many of you also took
the handmade pledge. So, if you're in the market for a one-of-a-kind gift for a special someone in your circle of friends, I thought I'd round up some of the best handmade gifts I've come across, using, of course, my favorite purveyor of everything DIY and handmade,
Etsy.
While nine bucks is a lot of money to spend on a slice of pie for me to eat (read: gone in minutes), it's totally reasonable for these jumbo toy pieces filled with organic catnip.
Dish out this cute present for resident felines at Thanksgiving dinner (so they don't get jealous of their
lucky dog counterparts). I plan on eating some
pumpkin pie myself so I'm choosing this one, but
Catzilla Crafts' Etsy store "bakes" up a bunch of goodies including cakes, donuts, eclairs, and even (my fave) banana pancakes.
OK, folks. Start pooling your change because this is what I want for Christmas. I already have an "I Heart Cheese" T-shirt.
Somehow
Matryoshka dolls are still trendy after a year, but I suppose that's because they're so darn cute. I couldn't pass up the
Saidie Matryoshka Doll Ornament ($9), which will bring a bit of traditional Russian kitsch to your
Christmas tree this
holiday. The original Matryoshka illustration was printed with a Gocco onto linen fabric, hand sewn, and stuffed.
I just came across these
Animal Prints ($25) by photographer Sharon Montrose, and I'm totally smitten. The LA-based shutterbug snapped these real live animals, who mostly "live happily at a small California Zoo," perched in front of a white backdrop on hardwood floors. The details are truly amazing, and I applaud her for getting these zoo dwellers to stand so still!
In my house, we hung an advent calendar each year, made of miniature gift bags filled with candy. I think it's a fun tradition for children that fosters their excitement for Christmas — as if they weren't already bursting at the seams. Although it's obviously a religious tradition, the countdown calendars can be used for all sorts of celebrations, like birthdays or even the election!
When it comes to pumpkins, we often think of
jack-o-lanterns and
pumpkin carving at
Halloween, but the gourd-like squash is stylish all season long. There should be nothing preventing you from decorating with pumpkins until Christmas comes along . .
The Petek Guven
Mr. Casual Placemat ($49) and
Miss Noble Placemat ($49) are two cheeky characters well-trained in etiquette, who'll give your guests a good laugh before they're served the first course. Each placemat has two slits on each side which work as fork and knife holders; so unfortunately, the placemats cannot accommodate the silverware required for a seven course meal.
Laurie Mee and Carrie Siegel, the co-owners of
Two Trick Pony, create delightful card designs that are screen-printed by hand on 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled paper with water-based inks. I love the retro look of their designs, and the straightforward perfection in the cards' sentiments.
Since I'm in the middle of writing thank-you cards to our
wedding guests, my eye was particularly drawn to these
thank-you cards ($16 for six cards and envelopes).
I'm fairly
DIY, but not quite this much . . .
