Wednesday 19 December 2007

Gifts

I was just at the mall today picking up a specific present for my mother in law (rice cooker), and the whole frenzied experience made me glad that there are so many other ways people are embracing gift giving this year. I guess the regular commercial shopping thing will never quite die out but I have noticed that it's just not cutting it for everyone anymore.


Many have taken the handmade pledge this Christmas, and I have noticed crafters getting involved with charity by donating handmade toys.

All these lovely softies were made by crafters and are going to Mirabel foundation. I wish I had known about it earlier so I could have been involved. but next year, right?

"The Mirabel Foundation supports children affected by a parents substance abuse. We thought it might be nice to give these kids some softie support too. Make a softie and send it to us. We'll pass it on to the Mirabel Foundation to distribute in December as part of their Christmas Toy Appeal. It will be lovely to have some handmade things to donate! You can post photos of your work on this photo pool - and even of your work in progress! Thanks for getting involved in our Softie Christmas!"

Click here to see more

For those who are looking for last minute gift ideas and/or ways to give to charity, OXFAM and Tear Fund have alternative gift calendars that allow you to donate to the third world. So why not give someone a pig for Christmas? or some school books, clean water, environmental protection, or.. okay you get the idea.
A friend of mine said "most people I know have everything thing they need and if there is something they want, they just go out and buy it. So this kind of gift is really good"


I didn't quite take the handmade pledge but I am happy to say I made and bought quite a few handmade gifts this year. I like the idea of the pledge but you don't have to be ALL OR NOTHING, in fact I think that attitude sometimes stops people from doing good.

here's a bag I made for my sister, with her initials. (Carling, if you are reading this, don't look! ... she never reads my blog so I think I'm safe:)


The LOVELY Nikki and I did a swap and this is the receiving end for me. Isn't it gorgeous! It's on the way to America for my niece's Christmas present. The quality sewing on this little number impressed me a lot, and I am thinking I got the better end of the swap, thanks Nikki.

And a little more receiving. This fabric used to be my Grandma's, in case you haven't been following along, she died recently and I was unable to go to the funeral. It was very touching that my family would think of giving this to me, my grandma loved to sew and they know that I do too. I intend to make some stuffed toys out of the blue and white fabric and give them to the great grand kids in the family. That colour blue was one of my grandma's favourites:)

hope you all the best with your shopping, my advice? avoid the malls :)

-kimberlee

12 comments:

Nikki Elisabeth said...

I'm with ya on the *mostly* handmade gifts. I seem to struggle with the men. :S Will keep thinking of ideas for my last minute pressie creation frenzy.

And pleased you are happy with the hoodie. I figured out how to work my overlocker properly the other day, so the sewing can only improve! (I think you were being overly nice with your compliment... straight lines and sewing don't really seem to go together with my stuff! ;) )

xox

melissa said...

lovely gifts for your family! that hoodie is so cute and i know your sister will love her bag. i'm with you on the no-malls thing- lucky for me, our city doesn't really have one. :)

Anonymous said...

What a great post! So often reading blogs is like reading a good quality magazine - this is one of those sorts of posts.

Have a lovely Christmas - it must be weird having hot Christmasses, K, but I hope you enjoy them anyway.

xx Helen

Anonymous said...

that hoodie is amazing!! I have been trying to do as much handmade as I can but have ended up doing fairtrade as well.
xxx Kate, fossage

amy said...

i love the bag! and no issues with you using 'empty pockets' :) sweet of you to check, i like to share phrases hehe. merry christmas!

Anonymous said...

A lovely post! I like the buy handmade, makes alot of sense. This year we have only bought for the kids so a nice stress- free- Xmas-pressie-buying experience for us!
How wonderful to have been sent all that lovely fabric of your Nan's - the idea of making toys for the family is so lovely. I've done similar things with my late Nans' clothing and curtains too.
Nice bag for your sis too!
:-)

Anonymous said...

The handmade toys given to my children are so much more treasured than commercial toys, it's a fantastic pledge!

Felicia said...

Merry Christmas :)

Unknown said...

We loved our Christmas gifts, dear daughter. Love that you put Grandma's fabric up - nice to see it again. Look forward to seeing the little creatures you will create from them. Take pics. and post them before you send them off please.

Love, Mom

My Happy Turtle said...

Kimberlee - thanks for spreading the handmade message for the holiday! I managed to go to the mall exactly ZERO times before Christmas this year. Although, I'm afraid I did have to buy some regular old mass production toys for the kids (It's asking too much to hold my 3 and 5 year old to my ideals). Anyhow, Oxfam is a wonderful charity. I'm glad you mentioned it here. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2008!

Victoria said...

So nice that you got your Grandma's fabric.
Happy New Year to you both!

Anonymous said...

Very gorgous fabrics, very great that family thought of you with fabrics. Great to be able to connect with your grandma that way.