'Tis the season to be giving and I've Got Crafty Blogger Links for you!

The Impatient Crafter
Madge shares another simply stunning ornament idea you can whip up in a flash!

The Crochet Dude
Drew continues his tradition of themed gift wrapping by having a Blue Christmas this year.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
The fastest festive reindeer necklace ever! Perfect for holiday party crafting.

Layers Upon Layers
There are lots of projects that can be done in time for the holidays, even at this late date!

Cross Stitch at About.com
Use the free back stitch motifs for quick ornaments or stitch several together for a larger project.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Holiday Guerrilla Marketing Tip for Crafty Princesses - Don't forget that so important and handy business card this holiday season.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen shows you a few more quicky Christmas cards she made from old cards and things. Stop by and get some ideas for yourself!

About Family Crafts
Using these free printables, you can make your own cards, party invitations, favors bags, place cards, napkin rings, gift tags, and much more to help celebrate Christmas!

And I wanted to add one more link from Sherri over at About Family Crafts. It was designed by Maureen Morrissey.

It is for a Tree Branch Menorah that I think is a great idea!

 

Now on to day 14 of our:

15 days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways!

Simply leave your answer to each day's question in each day's comment section and we will randomly pick a winner of a book from each day's commenter. You can enter every day but you are only eligible to win 2 times! (You can go back and answer previous day's questions. We will be drawing the winners after the first of the year.)

14. Why is handmade is important to you? Where do you get your ideas?

My Answer: I think making things is important to me because I love getting something made by someone else so by that rational others will appreciate handmade items as much as I do. Well the first place I get ideas is the world around me and the second place is books! I grew up with tons of books around and then my first job was in a library, so I guess you could say I am an official "book worm" although that term generally refers to people who "read" books I have to confess I mostly just look at the pictures! I do read the words too , but I love the photos!

Be sure to read the comments of others, maybe you can pick up a good idea or a new place to find your inspiration!

Comments

[wendy]

Handmade is important because it shows you've taken extra time for the gift. I love getting handmade items from my friend (she's a great knitter). My ideas - they come from lots of different places: books, magazines, surfing the web, visiting art galleries

[Doreen aka LuniLadi]

I think handmade is important to me because it is a gift of TIME (the thing I have the very least of!). I know the time and care that went into the gift. Plus I thnk something of the crafter is always transferred into the handmade item. It's unique and always reminds me of the person who made it. Ideas...like you, from books, also from seeing other artwork, the web. Sometimes an idea just pops into my head though...and I think "Oh I should make that!" lol

[Christy]

Handmade is important because it's orginal and normally cheaper than buying something. I get my ideas mostly from the Internet and books at the library. Right now I'm into making jewelry!

[Sherelyn Nichol]

Handmade makes me think of simpler times when we didn't just go out and buy whatever we could find. When you make something, it is special for the person that you are giving it to. You put thought into what they would like and time into making it. It is a gift that will be treasured.

[julie m]

handmade is important to me as a way to show the idea of the gift is personal and special. i get most of my ideas from books and the internet and then it sort of takes on its own life from there.

[Heather]

I think handmade is important as you have shown you have considered the gift more if you have to make it yourself (I mean you are more likely to source out appropriate colours symbols etc) I am sure I am not the only one who finds it impossible to buy for some people ;)

This ihas come out sounding so wrong ;(

[Tamara]

I have to admit that handmade is important to me for mostly selfish reasons. I need to -- have to -- create and I can't possibly keep all the stuff that I make for myself. LOL! Plus, I love seeing the delight in a person's eyes when she opens something that I made just for her (or him). It's such a good feeling to to be able share what I have made, and if I'm very honest, to have my efforts appreciated, validated in a sense, by someone else.

I get my ideas all over the place. Sometimes, it's from nature. I especially notice color combinations that shouldn't work, but do and then try to combine the same colors in what I'm doing. Sometimes it's from things I see in stores or catalogs. Sometimes a bead or a stamp or a piece of fabric takes my breath away and I have to have it and make it into something. The library is my best friend, especially the 745. aisle! And I get wonderful ideas from other crafters, at shows, at Web sites, in magazines, and at blogs. I've been crafting for a long, long time. I've started selling a few things here and there, nothing too serious yet. But I'm just now venturing into the online community and I'm thrilled at the sharing and generosity I'm finding!

[Josie]

My friends are very creative and I love the one of a kind gifts/items they create. When I have something handmade it makes me think of the person who made it. Handmade items also inspire me to be creative and think about my own crafting projects and ideas.

[Gayle Richmond]

So much love is woven into handmade gifts. When I am going to make a gift for a person, I like to sit quietly for a few minutes reflecting on my relationship with this person so I can make the gift uniquely theirs. I love to receive handmade gifts for the same reason. I know that love went into its making.

I get ideas everywhere but mostly from wonderful people, like yourself, that share so openly in their blogs.

[Carrie]

Handmade is important to me for the same reasons other people here have said, plus one big one: it saved my sanity after I lost my first baby to a miscarraige. In a deep depression, I found I could not read a book or watch a movie, but yearned to work with my hands. I went to a charity knitting group (Mother Bears) and someone taught me enough to get started knitting. It really helped me to focus on something else besides my grief, and it was very satisfying to have a thing done at the end.

I get a lot of my ideas now from trying to recycle or upcycle or whatever the word is now. I try very hard to find uses for differenct packaging materials that would otherwise go straight in the trash heap. I'll save things for a long time, not knowing what to do with them, and suddenly I'll get an idea! And by then I have 20 of the thing so I can make not just one but a bunch and share them with friends!