Thursday, December 9, 2010

Handmade Gifts Feature ~ Handcrafted Toys

For those little ones on our list, there are always plenty of options available. It seems every corner store has some piece of plastic that could pass as a Christmas gift. Most of the time, these gifts will end up in the next yard sale and it always seems like a waste of money for me to buy them. Yes, we have the occasional Pez dispenser stocking stuffer (who doesn't?) and sometimes the odd plastic pet that the kids carry in their pocket for a couple weeks... but I enjoy buying natural fiber heirloom gifts for my kiddos the most. I feel like the natural fibers and the beauty of the toy have their own energy and their own tale to tell. When those gifts are handcrafted and made by someone that I enjoy supporting the wonderful feeling I get from seeing my kids play with them the feeling is tenfold.

There are many times where I make these gifts for friends and my children. But with all that is going on this year, I have turned to Etsy for my source of wonderful open-ended, heirloom toys for my Christmas gifts.

Finns and Flowers

Last year, Cyan got a beautiful doll house for Christmas. She loves it and she and Logan both use it daily. So this year, I looked around for a barn and horses made with the same type of tender loving care that her doll house was made with and I found Finns and Flowers!

Each of their beautiful creations are made with a level of thought that you just can't buy at a Toys R Us. Even their bio-line on their Etsy site says it all:

"We believe that children need toys that invite them to be active not only physically, but mentally as well. They need toys that are pleasing to look at and enjoyable to touch. Most of all they need toys that are fun and safe!"

This couple makes each wooden toy by hand and then finish them off with beeswax or linseed to make them as touchable as they are beautiful! I am so excited to have this beautiful barn under the tree for my girly this year.

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Wool Food Market

This is my friend Katie's shop. She has a toy talent like no other! Her wool food is beautiful to say the least and her Waldorf play quilts are STUNNING! They make a wonderful play space for the imagination of any child.

My current favorite item of hers is one she just put up:

This adorable chicken coop with a couple of Katie's perfectly crafted felt bitties is just about the cutest set I have ever seen! Couldn't you imagine any child having hours and hours of fun with this set? I am getting this set for my daughter for her ever growing wooden homestead. I have visions of being able to put this set away in a box somewhere when my children are all older and having it look just like this for my grandchildren when they come over.

Anyone else doing a handmade Christmas for their children this year?

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6 comments

Luisa said...

Oh how beautiful and fun. Makes me want to play too. I find the natural items tend to inspire my kids more too.

Anonymous said...

I am! So far I've knitted new hats for all four, and am working crocheting 4 gnome babies for stocking stuffers. The big present is a hobby horse (which I need to make five of. One for each of my kids, one for a "cousin") And that's the one that's got me worried. So I'm staying up late making them.

I even got my Mom in on this. She's made all three of the big kids Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Its going to be a great Christmas this year!

Val in the Rose Garden said...

@ aelfie - That sounds wonderful! Will you be taking pictures of this treasure trove of goodness you are making your kids? I would love to see a finished hobby horse! <3

Blessings,

Val

Michelle said...

I am too! I have made my son (10 months) a redwork Christmas quilt and I also bought him some bookends made from recycled gumtree branches. You can see both of them on my blog:

Redwork Quilt

Bookends

It makes me sooo happy when I hear of other people also trying to do handmade gifts for their kids!

Michelle
Snickerdoodle Creations

Brittany said...

Thanks for sharing the pictures of the adorable handmade gifts. I've been doing a lot of shopping on etsy this year. Love that site.

Jenny said...

We're doing a handmade Christmas over here. And I'm so happy to say "We" b/c I was sewing myself crazy and (secretly) praying my talented woodworking hobbyist hubby would catch my crafting bug. Well, he finally did, cutting my sewing needs in half by making beautiful candle holders out of wine barrel pieces. I wish I could post pics on my blog of his creations, but I'm new at blogging so most of my followers are the family members who will be recieving them as gifts. :) I'll post pics around the new years. I have posted a few things I've made for the kids. I LOVE the little hen house and am heading over to check it out now. Thanks!

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