Last year I made a pact with myself: to buy handmade or locally made gifts for family and friends in 2009 (and hopefully, moving forward into the years ahead.) I am happy to report that my success rate for this holiday season falls somewhere around 90%...not bad for the first year of trying to make a change.
Since I was little, I have always had an affinity for making my own gifts -- hand-spun pots, little paintings, photo books, bath salts & soaps, ornaments, coupons good for a homemade dinner, that sort of thing. My artistic side is always and often blooming, but as I got older, "lack of time" was always the excuse I gave myself NOT to make things by hand. It was just easier to buy something, even though I was always careful to make sure it *meant* something to the person I was giving it to. This year though, I wanted to be different. I would start earlier, I would be more creative, I would think outside my proverbial gift box, which truthfully wouldn't be that hard -- it's just a matter of keeping the momentum and not giving up to go stand in line at Target with the rest of the crazies.
So how did I do it? Well, as an Esty Super Fan, there was only one logical place to start. As you know from an earlier post, I designed and produced my own 2010 calendar this year - and opened my own Etsy shop in which to sell it. The calendars also turned out to make great lil stocking stuffers and glorified holiday cards, as I am certain many of you will discover in today's (or tomorrow's) mail.
Also, per my usual, I designed and created my holiday cards again this year (see below) - keeping it simple, but sweet. Both the calendars and the holiday cards were printed on post-consumer recycled paper stock with vegetable-based inks. The envelopes I used were 100% recycled craft paper (like paper shopping bags), and the cell-o baggies for the calendars are made from plants, and bio-degrade on their own in 60 days. So, Mother Nature, happy holidays from me to you.
With the bulk of my client and long-distance friends covered, I moved on to... the dogs. It may seem like such a simple task, but I decided I was going to bake my own dog cookies this year. And, joined by a drooling face in the kitchen, I actually succeeded.
So, back to that 90%. I knew there were going to be a few things I wouldn't be able to get on Etsy, or some items that I knew I wanted to get, which would never be 'handmade' in terms of its actual being (a specific CD, for example). But, the idea overall, was to support the arts (musicians), local shops, and fair-trade items. If you count all of that in, my grade might move up to 97%, staying just shy of 100% thanks to some ornaments I bought at Crate&Barrel...oh, and that box of candy canes from Target.
Lastly, one of the things I also wanted to do this year was create my own "interactive" gift tags (see below). With the obvious choice of "to:" and "love: erica", I wanted my gift recipients to know more about their gift -- was it handmade, did I make it myself, was it one of a kind, or a limited edition? Combining those with recycled kraft wrapping paper and natural twine, I feel content with a low-impact holiday season.
I head home to Connecticut this Saturday, and all I know is that the forecast calls for snow. Bring it on New England, I'm ready for a great Christmas.
Photos compliments of my new iPhone, which I'm still learning to use - and early Christmas gift from my one and only.
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 02:43PM 
