3.30.2009

Handmade gifts...

...let's face it, I'm a sucker for anything handmade. I appreciate all of the gifts I've been given, whether handmade or not, but there's something about someone taking time to make something especially for you that is just plain special. Cases in point...

A nursing cover made by this lovely lady and with Amy Butler fabric to boot. I seriously could have something made in every single one of her fabrics, they are just that fantastic. My favorite part of this cover is the strategically placed section of boning inside the upper seam. It allows the cover to stand open just enough for mom to monitor baby while feeding...brilliant.

Childhood friend, Jill V, took this oft repeated nursery quote and jazzed it up with some rather special scrapbooking paper & supplies. It even has a little birdie on it...thanks to Grandpa Bob's shelf in the nursery, it is already on display (the shelf & beadboard, by the way, is another handmade gift. Thanks Bob & Sharon).

Oh, and this dress...in Amy Butler fabric...do I even need to say how I feel about it? Thanks to Grandma Sharon & Aunt Jill for the purchase from this shop. If the baby is a girl this will be worn to Ben & Kelly's wedding. If it's a boy...see below:

Yeah...doesn't get much cuter than this either. More Amy Butler. Also purchased here.

Oh and these lovelies. Sewn by master seamstress & childhood friend, Laura B. In the nursery fabric even. Love them. But wait, there's more. Do you see the "Learn to Sew" lace up cards in the picture. Yeah...can't wait to teach our Wee Bee how to use those! And if it's a boy...um...I'll probably still teach him how to sew using these cards...just don't tell John :)

But moving on to my Fast family...I don't know if I've really made it clear how talented & creative my family really is. Obviously my Grandma Net is a master seamstress & quilter, but her children inherited her fine motor skill flair as well. My Aunt Debbie is just like my grandma, excellent with all things sewing related. My Aunt Lori is pretty much good at it all, although her craft of choice is knitting. And my dad, can be a jack of all trades himself, at least when he wants to be. His 2 favorite things to do are restore old car engines & work with metal. He has a shop behind his house and custom built all of his metal cabinets. It looks pretty professional to say the least.
But, beyond my dad's generation, my cousins Jenny & Julie are bursting with creative talent as well. Jenny is a fantastic seamstress (She actually taught me how to sew my first pillow almost 4 years ago with some of her fabric remnants...remember that, Jenny?) and Julie can sew & crochet with the best of them, but lately she has been dabbling in graphic design. Either way, handmade items from these folks are always a much anticipated treat! See what I mean...
The shower invitation...courtesy of Julie (this picture really doesn't do it just, but it will have to suffice).

The "wee bee" bib...courtesy of Aunt Debbie (it just couldn't be any cuter)

And this sweet little 9-patch blanket & dipes/wipes case...courtesy of Jenny. Isn't it perfect?!
So there you have it. My most recent handmade gifts courtesy of family & friends. Thanks to them all for their thoughtfulness.

4 comments:

JHNickodemus said...

I hear ya about all that Amy Butler! She is my new favorite! Forget Kaffe Fassett Ill take Amy any day! Too cute! All of it!

Meredith Crosby said...

As the mother of twin boys I am excited to see the little boys outfit is just as cute as the little girls.......that is a great compliment, for I would always shop for my boys while passing jealously the cutie pie little girls section. God Bless you in whatever the sex, healthy is all that matters!!!!

Litchfield Family said...

i just found your blog, and i totaly covet all you home made gifts for the baby. i am also prego due early june and im trying to get this creative :)

Katie said...

Glad to see many share my passion for handmade :)