Happy New (handmade) Year!

Wow! I didn't actually expect that to be my last post of 2009 but it all got a bit hectic. Ahh well, new year, new start.

Every year for the last few year I have attempted to make Christmas presents and buy more from Etsy and Folksy. I start with the best intentions; I write down what I have seen and want to make/buy for people but every year I run out of time and end up running to the shops with the masses because last posting date has long passed.

This year however, I did manage to buy some handmade gifts and I think, a couple of those gifts and their lovely sellers deserve a mention.

I found these 'Make your own sock monster' kits when they were featured items on Folksy. I thought they would be ideal for Jack. He loves making things but most are aimed at girls. This definitely appeals to boys though!

Kate is also a lovely seller. She was really helpful and emailed me with sock options and the monster kit was posted quickly.

Jack loved his kit and wanted to make it on Christmas Day! We managed to hold off making it for a while because we had friends to stay and went to stay with friends then because Lou had dissolved into floods of tears and demanded that she make a monster too so yesterday, after a trip to town to buy some more socks, we made these.....

This is Jack's. He didn't want him to have stuffed ears so we tied them in knots. He likes it which is the main thing. Apparently he is called Mr Drawers.


This is Lou's. She is called Sid. Yes, Sid is a girl and Lou tells me that she is going to have a flower and bow on her ear.

I'm not the good crafty Mummy that people seem to think I might be when it comes to crafting with kids. Don't get me wrong, I let them make a mess and do things for themselves but I do itch to 'make things better'. Generally by doing it myself. This time I was a good Mummy and let them get on with it, making the legs and ears the size they wanted them and making them look how they wanted them. We had lots of fun and I think we will make more but I might buy some ready-made ones from Kate for presents because I don't think I am cut out for the monster-making business.

The next great seller is The Cotton Potter. My Aunt is one of those people who has everything and needs nothing. I never know what to get her. I had a light-bulb moment one night as I was trawling through my favourite items on Folksy and decided that one of Emma's vases would be great for her.

The only problem was that the night I finally decided to buy something, was the day that Emma had closed her shop for Christmas. Damn. I sent her a message, begging her to let me buy it asking if it would be possible for me to buy something from her shop. By the next morning, I had bought this lovely jug vase and Emma had taken it straight down to the Post Office, on a Saturday as well. It was wrapped so nicely that I didn't want to unwrap it but I took it out, admired it then put it back in its lovely wrapping and gave myself a pat on the back for finally finishing my Christmas shopping.

I am definitely going to be buying more of these vases. They are such a good idea and a great way to use jam jars and tins as vases. They are really well made and so pretty. I just need to choose which one I want ;)

If one of your New Years Resolutions were to buy handmade, take a look at this blog written by the lovely Kate at TwinklySpangle. I can see I will be buying lots more handmade things this year.