handmade gifts (part two)

We are going to continue today's handmade gift theme with a quick look at "homemade" things. This is a section I would love to expand *greatly* for next Friday, because I know it will be useful to so many readers. So if you have anything to contribute, por favor...

The time we spend making things for other people is time well spent. Period. But it also makes good economical sense in a lot of cases. The costs of pulling off a big event are always higher than we'd like them to be, so why not offset some of that expense by making gifts?


Expert crafter Kirsten Earl is in the process of planning her upcoming wedding. As a staffer over at Martha Stewart TV, Kirsten has many homemade ideas to share. Below are the lovely handbags she is personally making for each of her bridesmaids.

And here's the good news...Kirsten has just opened an etsy shop where she is selling pattern and kits for her creation.



When Breck Hostetter started planning her Massachusettes seaside wedding, she went to eBay to find vintage postcards of the town. She then made enlarged color copies of her favorites and decoupaged trays for the members of her bridal party.


NPR contributor Gretchen Wilson moved to Africa three years ago to pursue her radio journalism dreams. When she came home last summer to attend her best friend's wedding, she brought with her a quilt she made out of local textiles she found in a Johannesburg public market. I love this gift in particular because it really tells a story. :)




Send in your great homemade gift ideas here for next Friday's post!