Handmade Holidays

So... it's officially November. Less than two months until Christmas which is making me freak out a little. I have decided to make myself a list of all the handmade gifts I hope to give this year and set a schedule of when I will make them. I am sticking with simple gifts. No one will be getting a quilt from me, I just don't have that kind of time. But I can make a wall hanging or two, and a few market bags!

In my family we only give gifts to the children. We decided awhile ago that if buying or making something for a grown-up will be a hindrance to buying or making something for one of the kids then we just shouldn't do it. Many folks are in the same boat that we are, and are struggling financially. Christmas can be more stress than fun, and it shouldn't be that way.

If you can sew, there are all kinds of things you can make that will be wonderful gifts that take very little time or money. Today, November 1st, is the first day of the 5th annual Handmade Holidays over on the Sew, Mama, Sew blog. All month long they will have new projects and tutorials of things that you can make as gifts for everyone in your family! Of course, not everyone appreciates a handmade gift, and to them I say "NO GIFT!!!" because I'm just mean like that.

I urge you to check out Handmade Holidays and challenge yourself to make a handmade gift for everyone on your list. Even something as simple as a coffee cozy to go along with that Starbucks gift card you give your co-worker every year, or whatever! It will be wonderful and you'll be amazed at how many people gasp and say "you made that?!?! How awesome!"

And because a blog post isn't complete without a photo, here is a totally unrelated picture of my kiddos all dressed up in their Halloween costumes last night: