Monday, November 9, 2009

Handmade Holidays

Our first Handmade Holidays post is up and running.  Share your thrifted or crafted gift or decorating  ideas on Mr. Linky below:>)

I have a couple quick and easy (and best of all cheap!) ideas for some really great gifts this Christmas.  With so many feeling the bite of the tanking economy, it is only smart to give our friends and relatives a little bit of our time and ingenuity and some really memorable gifts from our hearts and hands!  My first idea is a thrifted find straight from the greatest source of treasure there is, that's right, good old ebay.  I found a mixed lot of silverplate (38 pieces!) for the paltry sum of $10.  That's a lot of gift potential for very little money!  How about some wonderful home made jam wrapped up with a silverplated spreader?   A pretty gift that can be used lots of different ways.  Gae at Cherished Hearts at Home asked if I had any ideas for gifts that boys could make, well what about a rustic tray like the one shown here?  You can find the wood plank at Michael's and with a coupon it is very affordable.  The handles are beautiful twisty lilac wood that has been cut and screwed on from the bottom. I am sure that you could find some great twisted wood of other kinds too, just make sure it isn't poison ivy! The screw holes are covered with self adhesive cork dots. Imagine this presented with a loaf of home made bread or an assortment of cheeses.  Cute!

These sweet dangles are made from vintage screw back earrings. I will be posting a tutorial for these later this week. Find the vintage earrings at garage sales and flea markets, or maybe grandmother's jewelry box! The sterling hooks can be found at any good craft store and they cost a little over $1 each.  You can do this without any special jewelry making equipment, just a pair of needle nose pliers. My daughters are 19 and 21 and they love the repurposed vintage earrings I have made for them. They wear them all the time and have received lots of compliments so this is something that would be a great gift for any age and they are one of a kind!


Now it's your turn!  Share your handmade gift and holiday decorating ideas with Mr. Linky below.  Please link only to the post that shows your thrifted or handmade gift or decorating idea , and please don't link up until you have finished the post :>) Lets all have fun with Handmade Holidays!

33 comments:

  1. Kathy!! This is such a wonderful post!! My goodness and I just adore handmade gifts! The idea of the jam and spreader is just wonderful and that trays is a fabulous idea!!!!!! I LOVE it! You are so creative and this is one of the best posts I have seen! I am looking so forward to your tutorial! Thank you for sharing this!
    Love ya,
    Amy

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  2. Oh, I am going to have so much fun coming here on Tuesdays. I LOVE that tray. How smart you are to turn those earrings into dangles. I can't wait until next Tues. to see what you come up with. Thanks for the inspiration. laurie

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  3. Really GREAT ideas Kathy! Handmade gifts are so special...especially such nice ones as these!!

    :) T

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  4. I have a treasure trove of mixmatched silver. Oh the fun I can have as long as you keep coming up with ideas!!

    The earrings will be darling. I always overlook the screwed in type for lack of desire to wear them. Think of them selling like hotcakes after your tutorial!!

    Thanks, Kathy!!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  5. Wonderful ideas Kathy! This is going to be so much fun. I wish I could participate, but at the moment painting walls is taking up all of my time. Because of that I really appreciate any info on homemade gifts and saving money this holiday season.
    xo
    Penny

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  6. Great ideas Kathy!! Now to go put on my thinking cap and come up with something to share!!

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  7. YAY MOM!!!! You're awesome, and isn't Dad the BEST making that gorgeous tray? I tried to send you a video, but yet again, it would not work, so I'll have to try again tomorrow. I love you! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
    ~Victoria

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  8. Kathy,
    This is such a brilliant idea. I have my post published, and I look forward to seeing all the wonderful ideas. I love your gift ideas. Thank you for hosting such a meaningful and creative event.
    Karen

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  9. Kathy what great ideas and such a fun post
    Alison

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  10. Amen to the earrings idea! lol I'd take another pair with joy! ;) lol I love it when people at work tell me they want my earrings and I get to look at them and go "hmmm. sorry to hear that. they're one of a kind. good luck finding some as cool as mine!" hehehe ok so i'm not mean enough to say something like that, but it definitely goes through my head! haha Thanks for your help with the doll project yesterday. :) I had fun with you!

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  11. This looks like fun, but I'd have to show old treasures I've done as we just got back from vacation.

    Oh, forgot, have some things i started on vacation. I'll try to finish them up and share them.

    Blessings and have fun everyone!!

    Barbara jean

    PS

    Did not read all info.
    is it just one day a week? every week??
    thanks

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  12. These are just beautiful Kathy. You and Earl are a talented team!
    I linked to my gift tags...thanks so much for doing this. It is a great idea!

    xo,

    annie

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  13. What wonderful gift ideas. I can't believe the many lovely screwback earrings I've passed up at yard sales, but not anymore. I'm looking forward to your tutorial.

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  14. Great gift ideas! I love the bling jewelry! Have a blessed day!
    Gwen

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  15. Tried hard , but I cant get the link on my blog to work with yours.

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  16. Hi Kathleen!
    I am popping over from an invite from Blondie's Journal. How fun is this? I so love the tray you suggested for Boy's to make. I think it would be a lovely idea for my grandsons to make one for their Mom for Christmas. It would be so beautiful given with a set of linen napkins. You could even mod podge an old looking card onto the tray,or embellish it on the corners with little charms. You have my mind going for the afternoon.

    Thank you so kindly for sharing with me today. I have signed up to follow your blog. I don't want to miss the next showing. Please pop over and say hi. I would be so honored if you would sign up to follow my blog as well.

    Have a beautiful Tuesday. Country hugs, Sherry

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  17. HI KATHLEEN,
    IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO FINALLY MEET YOU. I HAVE SOME DEAR FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN GREYLING MICHIGAN. PATTY HAS BATTLED BREAST CANCER. I JUST LOST MY ONLY DAUGHTER TO CANCER ON OCTOBER 23, 2009, AND SO YOUR BLOG WILL REALLY HELP ME AS MY CRAFT PARTNER WAS MY DAUGHTER. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL YOUR IDEAS. I WILL JOIN AS A FOLLOWER EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT I WAS. I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO STOP BY AND VISIT ME AND DRINK A CUP OF TEA AND WAVE GOODBYE TO FALL. I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO EXTEND THE INVITATION TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN MY BLOG.
    YOU ARE AWESOME
    ANGEL HUGS
    DEBBIE

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  18. I love handmade and I'm still figuring out what I want to make this year! Thanks for sharing.

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  19. I would LOVE LOVE that tray if I had it!!!!! And I LOVE LOVE the earrings you made that I have....oh! your idea about the silver spreader YES!!! I'd be so much more happy than with a store bought item...
    I think I am giving some thrifted gifts...because they are good and why not?

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  20. Hi Kathleen!
    What a cute place you have here. And what a fun party. I would love to join in!

    XOOX
    Jen

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  21. O, Kathy..I am so far behind on everyone's blogging..been doing lots of baby sitting and just not much time on the computer.
    This is a wonderful idea and can't wait to see all the ideas. I am so not crafty but I have a few things I might can share. Sorry I missed today but...maybe next Tuesday.
    xo bj

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  22. Your are on to some wonderful ideas. I have thrifted silver and screw back earrings! Thank you, Kathy!

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  23. I love your creations! It's so much fun to make things, isn't it! Thanks for hosting this little party. Linda

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  24. I just found about your home made event from Blondie...
    I have something to post on Fri..Should I wait till next Tues or do it on this one?
    And how are you enjoying MY pumpkin Pudding??
    Kathleen Lynn Grace

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  25. Hi Kathy....what a great idea for the holidays...I love that tray...it so goes with my house...I have to have the Boss outside looking for twisted wood...
    Can't wait to see what else you come up with!

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  26. Love this! V and I will be meeting tomorrow night and Saturday to work with my little niece and her granddaughter for some handmade Christmas doings! We will post about them. I agree with you--a lot can be done without spending so much money as we usually do at Christmas! C

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  27. Ohh fun! I'm excited to look around at the links. And that rustic tray is awesome! I live in Colorado too, so it is very fitting.

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  28. Great ideas. Thanks for thinking of it for us. Love that tray idea. It'd be great for a rustic Thanksgiving or Christmas. Mimi

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  29. Hi Kathy!! My what a small world it is!! I have been admiring your adoreable pillows when this sweet young lady started working with me. After a few weeks of working together her and I were talking toniht about your pillows. it wasn't until then that we figured that I worked with you daughter, Lauren!!!

    She is the sweetest young lady!! Must be a reflection of her wonderful mother!!!

    Loretta

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  30. Hi Kathy!! My what a small world it is!! I have been admiring your adoreable pillows when this sweet young lady started working with me. After a few weeks of working together her and I were talking toniht about your pillows. it wasn't until then that we figured that I worked with you daughter, Lauren!!!

    She is the sweetest young lady!! Must be a reflection of her wonderful mother!!!

    Loretta

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  31. I can't wait to see everyone's ideas! I love my earrings that I got from you and always get tons of compliments on them!

    Manuela

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  32. I would love to join in the fun of Handmade Holidays. Is there a certain day that I would need to post? Could you please leave a comment on my blog, telling me when and where and how? :). I love handmade, specially holidays, so I know I would really enjoy this. Thank you so much..CC

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