The Art of Homemade (The Friday Archives)

Still no crafting on the home front due to RSI complications.

The good/bad news is I'm starting back at work next week. I'm not sure I'm ready, but I guess I'll never jump out of bed saying "Yay I want to go back to work!", but you gotta put on a brave face and give it a go. Besides I have a few medico's in my corner if it all goes to shit.

Anyhoo - what's a craft blog without any craftin'?


















So here is a bit of show and tell - Friday Archive style. I'm not sure I can commit to this meme because I think most of my back catalogue (that has photos) has already been shared.
And I might not be able to do anything artistic for a little while yet (unless I dig real deep into that A2 folder hiding behind the couch... trust me, we DON'T want to go there)

So an addendum to my "handmade oath" is that I always make my own cards.






















I've been doing this for a few years - initially because I'd always forget to purchase them (and decent ones are always so expensive).






















My earliest card making foray was in my pre-teens - having forgotten to get tags for the Christmas presents my brother and I had bought, I made a little foam stamp in the shape of a Christmas tree and used watercolour paints to ink it. Well the tradition kinda stuck, and each year I'd think up new styles and colour schemes, that almost took more time and effort than the gifts themselves.

Now the family doesn't buy Christmas presents but does a Kris Kringle style make or bake which suits me fine (though I think some members of the family might be sick of my biscuits!).






















Integral to the gift giving for me now though is the card making. I'm ashamed to say (Dr Jimothy avert your eyes) I've even sent off gifts late because I couldn't get the card right.

Shameful.

Talking of delays, this rule was not relaxed for our wedding invitations either. Eight weeks out from the big day (ie. Christmas) I was too busy printing and sewing invites that no-one received Christmas cards last year. My bad.






















I've been experimenting lately with cut out style cards. I'd love to develop a small range and get the them professionally cut (RSI issues necessitates getting them made) with a view to sell, but I wouldn't have a single clue about how to do this. If anyone has any ideas - please let me know.






















As you can see I'm also a fan of using fabric as wrapping. To me it is the gift that gives twice (especially when the recipient is a craftster who I know will put it to good use).