Handmade Show & Tell

My, my...what a busy group of elves you've been this season. I was thrilled to receive so many emails with pictures of handmade gifts you've been making this year! Here's a sampling of ten gifts (randomly selected) that I hope will inspire many more of you to take The Handmade Pledge. Be sure to click the following images so they will open in a separate pop-up window.

"I made these mixed media holiday cards with Evolon in the center (imaged was stamped when Evolon was wet creating a resist) and Yupo underneath.  These were sprayed with color washes."- Joanna van Ritbergen

"This box was made from a pattern in "Embroidered Boxes" by Janet Edmonds.  I did my own thing after enlarging the pattern.  I lined it with blue satin. I used a white satin base for the outside covered with different fabrics and threads and thread painted in silver.  I then sewed it up by hand."- Jackie Russell

"This year I am making framed "Birds" for my sisters in law (all six of them!).  This series of  post card sized birds is created using  raw edge applique technique and building a collage on Timtex.  My designs are primarily from photographs and are all original, with over 30 in the series completed so far."-Vivika Hansen DeNegre

"I made this little fabric and paper piece for my sister.  It is of her son and it measures 9 inches x 11 inches.  I am just a beginner sewer and still need to figure out the hanging part for this piece."-Audrey Hernandez

"This is my original design; a quilted doll that I'm making by the bunches for the holidays.  It's quilted, beaded, and embellished with heat set crystals, and very easy to make out of a quarter of a circle."-Cheryl Sleboda

"One of my hand-made gifts is a notebook (small legal pad) cover created from brocade, a man's silk tie and raveled threads from silk dupioni, all done on an embellisher machine.  I've put the finishing touches on the notebook with some embroidery stitches, beads and the art doll face."- Julaine Lofquist-Birch

 

"This is what I made for my sister-in-law for Christmas. I began this three sided basket in Larkin van Horn's workshop using my printed fabrics, fibers, dryer sheets and beads. I will fill it with chocolate truffles! Merry Christmas!"- Linda Rael

"This Holiday gift is a bag made from felted wool, free motion quilted, lined with cotton, and embellished with Stewart Gill Byzantia paint. I made the handle on a Marudai. The beads are polymer clay."-Marie Johansen

"This sardine can was painted, embellished and a quote says: Godess of the frozen northland makes you glad you are a denizen of the Southwest. Made for a transplanted northern friend."-Shari Adkisson

"Here is one of my Christmas tree table ornaments. Various fabrics , some stenciled with gold paint then cut into different size circles and made into suffolk puffs. These were threaded onto dowel glued into a cotton reel. Then the trees are decorated with beads, sequins and a star on top. They are a quick, fun and my friends and students love them. Happy Christmas from sunny Australia."- Wendy Scott

Great going! For all of you artists out there, if you could receive a handmade gift, what would it be? I have bookmarked so many Etsy sites...if I get any dough for Christmas I know where I'm shopping!

Comments

[Lisa]

Very nice projects! Especially love that cute puffy tree. If I were to get a handmade gift, I think I would want a quilt. (Yes, I'm ambitious!) I don't know how to quilt myself, but I would love to have one.

[Joanna van Ritbergen]

Thank you! I'm so excited to see I was selected. There are so many lovely ideas. Warm wishes to you this holiday season!

Joanna

[audrey h.]

How exciting to see my little piece amongst all of these beautiful inspiring creations. They motivate me to keep practicing and learning. Each piece is so lovely and unique. Thank you for sharing all of these.

[Claudia]

Where do I find the other items by Sue Bleiweiss; see page 83 in Quilting Arts Gifts. Thanks, I love the teapot and I want to see more.
Claudia