her handmade gifts

For many years now, the kids have watched me knitting, felting, baking and otherwise crafting Christmas gifts for various family members and friends. And every year when they ask me what I want for Christmas, my typical answer is something along the lines of "whatever you want to make for me". I always get the sweetest gifts that way, especially when Paul gets involved in helping the children make a gift for me (like last year when he took them to a bead studio and helped them each make a necklace for me).

Now that Elizabeth is almost 11, she really can make some pretty neat things on her own. She was just gifted a beading loom from my brother and his family, and she has really taken to making cool beaded bracelet designs. She began thinking of the family members who she might make a bracelet or beaded key ring when she decided she needed to make a list of all the crafting talents she has and a list of family members who might like a gift from one of her talents.

One of the other crafting items on her list was a potholder woven on her potholder loom. She only had enough loops left for one potholder design so she requested I buy more loops this week.


She also designed these knitted headband/ear warmers which are really a hat knit in the round then cast off when it was time to decrease. She thinks those might take too long to make for too many people so she's saving those for the end of her Christmas crafting endeavor.

Also on her list, but we still need supplies or she hasn't had a chance to begin, bead buddies, crocheted bracelets (which she dyes with food coloring and vinegar), dipped and rolled candles and origami animals. I think she has a great plan, and she's very dedicated to crafting as much as possible over the next month. I can't wait to see everything that she accomplishes!