We began our family’s season of Thanksgiving-Birthday-Christmas-Birthday-New Years-Birthday with a little chat. I gently informed my boys, now 11 and 13, that this year they would be responsible for the making or buying of Christmas and birthday gifts for each other, Mom, and Dad. The days of “Here, I got this Lego set for you to give your brother” are over. They’ve made beautiful gifts for each other in the past and I wanted to encourage them to do so again. Be thoughtful. What would the recipient really want and enjoy? I offered my assistance (Dad helped them make my gifts) and any materials they wanted to use from my studio stash.

The Younger came up with the idea to make T-shirt throw pillows for his brother’s new bedroom. Outgrown Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back tees were the perfect thing! He used my sewing machine to sew the bottom and sleeve hems closed, then stuffed it through the neck opening with fiberfill. I sewed the neck shut for him. They look great on the bed or with the beanbag chair in the reading corner.

The Older took on the challenge of the Cuddly Bantha project from the Star Wars Craft Book. He did the machine sewing and the stuffing while I helped with the hand stitching. The instructions for this project were a little “light”, but between his knowledge of Banthas and my knowledge of sewing, we got the job done. On Christmas morning, I’m not sure which son was happier, the giver or the receiver! Both were filled with joy when this cutie was unwrapped. What a great feeling.

The Older also made me this beautiful felt lined duct tape eyeglasses case for my newly needed (ahem) readers. Perfect!

The Younger designed and stitched this sweet little owl tissue case for my purse. Such character…I adore it.


A little handmade gift to myself is this hand stitched iPhone case that I’m still working on. The case is perforated and can be cross stitched any way your heart desires! My heart desired to make it up as I went along, with whatever floss I could find! Good thing I have those readers, the stitches are tiny!

One more handmade show and tell! My 11 year old niece was recently bitten by the sewing bug. Hooray! I decided to whip up a little sewing kit for her, including one of my classic cupcake pincushions, thread, pins, buttons, rickrack, felt, measuring tape, scissors and a needle book. I had gotten a cute little tin purse as a freebie at a quilt market event and it became the perfect container for it all. My husband customized it by painting it with some hammered finish paint.

My niece made me this sweet embroidered napkin for Christmas (from the Cute Stuff book) and gave many other hand stitched goodies to other family members. It was very thoughtful and it made everyone so happy. Craftiness abounds. Best holiday ever!

Did you have a handmade holiday? I’d love to hear what you made or received.