Looking for some gift making inspiration?

In our home a fury a gift making happens mid November and doesn't end until December 24. Everyone gets inspired and gets involved. Over the years we have all been surprised by each other's creativity, even our little brother John has made some amazing gifts. When he was ten, John told our Mama that he wanted to tie dye all his siblings t-shirts. And not just the one colour kinda tie-dye, but the multicoloured and vibrant sixty's tie-dye. After finding a lovely friend from WabiSabi to teach them how to do it, John and our Mama surprised us all that Christmas, with colourful tie-dyed wares.
One year I (Renee) walked into a knitting shop mid November and after feeling all kinds of soft and pretty wool, decided on a whim to knit all my gifts. I managed to whip up cowls and hats, finishing them all Christmas Eve. It took many hours of knitting, but was such a joy to see all of my family and friends wearing handmade items.

Last year Leah and Charlotte took a silk screening course, and made us all lovely silk screened and quilted bookmarks and pillows. They are so beautiful and original! Hand drawn images silk screened onto quilted pillow covers. We promise to show pictures soon. : )
What about you? Any creative gift ideas to share?

If you are looking for a bit of early inspiration to get cracking check out these amazing books:


Twinkle Sews is full of beautiful patterns that any stylish girl would love. From party dresses to lovely skirts and tops, this book has it all. It also comes with a CD and printable patterns for sizes 0-16.




Little Birds has over twenty projects that are sure to bring any child or child at heart smile. The projects are all sewn, quilted or stitched. The best part is that each one is by a different artist, and it links to their websites, blogs and etsy.




How to Make Stuffed Animals is a great book full of many projects that are much easier then you think. Sewing the stuffies is easy and great for beginners. This book has over eighteen projects, with patterns and detailed illustrations. Creating stuffed animals is a perfect way to use up any fat quarters or scraps of fabric!



The Party Dress Book is for all those ladies you know who are always looking for that perfect dress. If you aren't into sewing, this book along with a beautiful selection of fabric, makes for a great book for your avid young sewer. It has many different sewing tips and techniques, like how to make pintucks. All the patterns are included in the back pink envelope.