Chit Chat: Made with Love

When it comes to gift giving, I love to take a homemade approach. The gift could be for a birthday, Christmas, or a just because gift and I believe that homemade gifts work in all of these occasions. I like to be thoughtful in my gifts for others. Whether it is a homemade gift or a store-bought gift, I want the gift to be something the receiver will love. I want to get others gifts that they can enjoy and gifts that they will actually use. When purchasing for someone else, it doesn't matter what I think about the gift, what matters is what I believe the person I am buying for will think. Sometimes when searching for the right gift I think "I would love that, but ________ probably wouldn't use it." In those instances I know that the search has not ended yet.

I like to give homemade gifts because they are specially made for whoever I am gifting them too. Homemade gifts show you have put thought and care into planning and making the gift. I think these gifts show the gift receiver just how much you care for them, because not only did you devote your money for supplies to make their gift, you have also devoted your time into creating the gift. Homemade gifts usually require more time and effort than store-bought gifts. Not to say that store-bought gifts aren't special. I think as long as you find an item that the person will love and use then you have made the right chose.

I'm not the world's craftiest person or the homemade gift giving queen, but I have several skills that I fall back on when making homemade gifts. My family and I have always been known for our candy-making and baking abilities in our area. When making things for potluck dinners or community get-togethers we don't have to put much thought into what to make because we usually have people calling and requesting specific dishes. Requested most often is our Chocolate Fudge Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Ganache or our Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Filling. So baking is usually an easy way to make a homemade gift for someone for us. These gifts are appreciated and loved. How do you feel when you receive a homemade gift?

I have also learned some about quilting and crocheting. One Christmas I crocheted almost everyone I know scarves for their gifts because I had just learned this skill. My dad still wears his to work on cold Winter mornings. Scarves are about all I can make when it comes to crocheting. I would love to learn more about this but don't have anyone to teach me. A little over a year ago I started attending a sewing/quilting group because my grandma had always loved quilting and had made everyone quilts and I wanted to learn this art. I'm not very fast at it and I do mess up frequently, but I enjoy quilting. I have only made a couple for gifts so far. I have to start plenty in advance to be able to finish these. I given my little sister a single wedding ring quilt that I made before she got married, I made a baby quilt for a good friend, and I have made a quilted throw for my great aunt and one for my grandma. Right now I have three quilts started and I want to finish them all so that they can be gifts for people later this year. I have the quilt top done for one, almost done for the second, and I'm just starting on third.

Tracy and I have started sharing DIY projects on Wednesdays a couple of times a month because we are trying to make more things for ourselves and for others. In these projects we have mainly focused on home decor items because everyone wants a beautiful home. My two favorites of our DIY projects has to be the Kate Spade Inspired Glittery Stud Earrings and the Glitter Jewelry Dish. Both are in the picture above. What do you think?

So this year I am going to try to make this the year of giving mostly homemade items or at least every gift I give will be accompanied with a homemade item. Do you give many homemade items? If so, what do you usually make?


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