Handmade Gifts

I made quite a few of these caravan tree decorations, even one for myself.

The sections of these pot holders/coasters were hand stitched. I made them up on the machine with a backing and thermal wadding.

Handmade Gifts Received

I also altered a girls school shirt into a vet outfit for my Granddaughter to match the vet kit my daughter has bought for her. I used tea-shirt transfers.

 

Gifts from Arty Friends

I received these handmade gifts from friends, two scarves one of which was printed, a pair of oven mitts and a box which opened up to reveal wooden dolls with paint and fabric to decorate them. The picture below shows the opened box, and more of the printed scarf. Clever friends eh?

Gifts to Arty Friends

The gifts to my arty friends were all based on a kind of Russian doll, I'll explain more further down.

My gift to Gill was three cards of art buttons. 

I altered Graphics Fairy images for the backing cards.

For Helen I made some earrings, on one side the man and the woman on the other. I printed my artwork on t-shirt transfer paper.

 I gave Marian a hand painted brooch. After painting I stitched around the lines and edges on the sewing machine.

Vicky was given a hanging doll of herself, one one side I drew her features and on the other the original photo. I used t-shirt transfer paper again. This particular type came out quite plasticky but it may have been because I didn't read the instructions fully[doh!], but it worked out OK for the gifts, it may not feel good on a t-shirt though. I have done something else since and it was not quite as plastic like but not quite so shiny.

I also designed some wrapping paper and gift tags which I printed on my inkjet. I also made little boxes for the jewellery and covered them in the paper. Click on the images for a closer look.

The project was/is to do with culture and I chose to concentrate on historical fashion presented on a Russian like doll. These are some pages from my sketchbook, the start of the project and I used some of these pictures for the above gifts and paper.

Gifts from my Friends.

I went out for a meal with my arty friends and came back with lots of lovely gifts!

From Gill I got a fabric box, a pincushion and a vintage book. The pin cushion has a ring at the side so that it can be either hung up on a wall or used on a flat surface.

Lovely braid.

From Helen I got an apron with a row of appliqued Russian dolls. 

There is a stuffed doll that is detachable, this is a pin cushion.

From Marian two fabric boxes, new places to put my bits and bobs. Some of this fabric has Russian dolls on it too. 

And a lovely fabric with quotes...

From Vicky, a laser cut wooden reindeer which is a snazzy washi tape holder.

There is a lovely tape with postage stamps on it. The book with a silver reendeer on the front has squared paper within.

I've got some clever and talented friends eh?

I'll show what I gave next time.

Handmade Christmas Presents

I went out with some of my 'creative' friends last night and we exchanged gifts - handmade gifts of course. These are the goodies I got.

A knitted mug warmer with mug and decoration including hand made heart and embroidered button.  Also a chick and tag and cookie.

A handmade book with pockets for keeping bits and bobs.

A felted, layered Christmas tree

and a cute bone china brooch with a reindeer stamped on it

Lucky girl eh?

I'll show you what I gave tomorrow.