Blog Party Sunday - Show Off Your Handmades

Welcome to our Blog Party Sunday. We would love to have you show us what you are crafting.

You are allowed to add 3 links to your shops or your blog.

The rules are simple:
1. Follow our blog
2. Handmade items only.
3. You may list up to 3 items each week.
4. Family friendly items only.

The success of this link party depends on the participants so spread the word to your friends, visit the shops,  post about it on your  blog, in a forum or on your favorite social networking site, grab the button and put it on your blog or website.
Just click on the Add Your Link button below and add your items.
And if you would like to add a link to the party you can grab this button below.

<a href="http://www.byyourhands.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/ByYourHands/blogparty.jpg">, </a>

Today's Featured Shop -- Vintage Hare

Today's featured shop is Vintage Hare.    Cheryl specializes in Folk Art Bunnies and Rabbits, Whimsical storybook critters and other animals, along with OOAK Raggedy Ann Dolls and other vintage inspired and primitive inspired home decoration items.

Primitive Snowman on Old Mill Bobbin

Primitive Winter Christmas Holiday Canadian Goose Shelf Sitter

Primitive Gingerbread Raggedy Ann Rag Folk Art Doll with Gingerbread Man

Primitive Grunged Sam the Snowman

Be sure and visit Cheryl's shop to see all her handmades.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageHare

Witches Stitches Making the Giftwrap part of the Gift

We are all so busy this time of year so this week’s post is going to be a bit short, but fun.

As it gets closer and closer to Christmas we are all getting gifts for the special people in our lives. I like to make the gift wrap be just as much fun as what is in the package.  Wrapping paper is expensive,  I rather use the money I would spend on paper on another little gift. Here are a few ideas for some fun and interesting gift wrap. These ideas match the gifts I am giving. I will let you know what I am doing and maybe you can use some of my ideas or it may get you thinking to come up with some of your own.

1 – My 5 year old grandson loves anything with dinosaurs. I bought him some small dino animals, dino cup, dino pez, (remember those!), dino t-shirt  and a few other little things. I also got him some dino washcloths for the bath. I wrapped each little thing in a washcloth tied them with ribbon and placed them all in one box. I then used the t-shirt as the wrapping paper for the box. Instead of tape I used ribbon.

2 – My daughter has been making magnet boards and selling them at our local antique and craft mall. So I bought her some supplies to make more and because she uses fabric I wrapped the supplies in fat quarters then tied with ribbon. I then placed them in one box and used a yard of fabric for the wrapping paper. I used ribbon instead of tape.
3 – My middle daughter lives in NY state and it is cold up there. She trains race horses and that means a lot of outside work.  It is so cold up there so I always send her cold weather items. I placed them all in a box and then I found a lap blanket with horses on it. I used this for the wrapping paper. I figure on a cold night this will come in handy. During the day when she is at work I am sure her very spoiled cat will sleep on it. ;-)

4 – My son is so hard to buy for. So for him it is a gift card. He also loves crazy t-shirts, so I will use the t-shirt for wrapping paper. I will get him a few shirts and roll them up with the gift cards rolled inside. Then I tie them up with pretty ribbon.

5 – My youngest daughter is my hippy child. I got her a cloth shoulder bag and filled it with items and put a bow on top. 

6 – My two year old grandson loves the movie cars and he loves hats. I got him a hat and filled it with a few toys and of course pez! I then tied it off with a ribbon. He will love it.

I am sure you get the picture. If you add up what you pay for paper you can add a bit more to the gift. After paper just gets tossed away!  I would love to hear some ideas from you all. As always any questions just give me a shout.  Enjoy Faith

Handmade Spotlight - Reindeer Games

Check out this awesome selection of reindeer items. You can view this entire treasury by Clicking Here, or you can click on each item to see it in greater detail.

Folk Art, Reindeer in Christ... barbsheartstro... $25	Primitive Rudolph Reindeer O... happyvalleypri... $8
Primitive Holiday Wood Sign-... scaredycatprim... $8	On Sale Primitive Christmas ... Rabbithollowpr... $29.71
Primitive Reindeer Ornies --... ButtonsInTheAt... $19.95	Santa were ready...sign, wal... loisling $18
Reindeer Woodcarving lmdickie1 $26	Santa and Reindeer Pillow NancysWorkshop $60
Completed Cross Stitch Primi... Stitchcrafts $20	Wooden Reindeer Ornament RomaLandWoodcr... $8
Ronnie Reindeer Christmas De... scarecrowcabin $35	Flying Reindeer Ornament, Ch... ToleTreasures $6.5
0002 snowman and reindeer EP... countrylanefol... $6	Rudolph Ornament Kit Wool Fe... woolhearts $3
Christmas Soap " Reinde... DaisyKays $4.5	Reindeer Ornament OccasionalGift... $10

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Christmas Thumbprint Cookies

Now that all the festivities of Thanksgiving are over...and I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday....it is time to focus on Christmas. If you are like me I am days and days behind schedule! Along with all the other hustle and bustle of the Christmas season I like to make cookies for my family. So this week I would like share my recipe with you for Thumbprint cookies. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour (if using self-rising flour omit salt)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
candied cherries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Work in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into 1-inch balls.  

Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white; roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet; press thub deeply into center of each. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet and add candied cherry in thumbprint hole. 

Top with icing of your choice. I use powered sugar frosting. Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies. 

Hope you enjoy them and happy baking! 

Colleen :)

                                                                    

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog