Homemade Gifts this Year

The downturn in the economy certainly had a silver lining this holiday season. It seems that our family, and many others, simplified this year, focusing on family and the true meaning of Christmas. Even our gifts were more thought-out, and, in many cases, handmade.

Here is a gift I made for my sister, Beth. Her home style is primitive. She had always wanted those decorative balls you find in places like TJ Maxx or Marshalls. They come in a variety of materials — ceramic, glass, beaded — and are usually showcased on a platter or in a large bowl. I'd been on the hunt for some to fit her decor, but was finding nothing. So I went online and found an online primitive shop that sells fabric, in this case fat quarters for quilting. I bought several fabric squares, some styrofoam balls, and then ripped the fabric (so the strips would have slightly frayed edges) and wound them around the balls, securing with straight pins. It was an easy project, and she loved the outcome!