Shopping Secrets - Hand Made Goodies

I know a lot of talented women.  I am crafty at heart but lousy at execution; I've never knit anything that fit the person for whom it was intended. I have good handwriting, but calligraphy escapes me.  I am envious of those whose brains create items their hands can concoct.  I invite you to meet three women who fit in that category.

Mei-Mei was featured last year, but her stuff warrants another look.  She spent some time in the hospital a while back, and came home with a suitcase filled with those comfy socks with the sticky patches on the soles. Wanting to give back to the medical community which tried to fix her problems, she made upcycled toys for the hospitalized children, and then she went to Etsy and began to market her wares.

She made me a Lisbeth Salander doll, to celebrate my triumph over adversity. She'll make you a custom piece, too. Just tell her I told you she would.

Know somebody who's going in for a knee replacement?  How about this one, replete with boo-boo-bandages already in place?

Perhaps you want a personalized Who's Whose - these are baby safe and would be perfect for a new little one's first holiday season.

 Cardinal de Briccassart is part of the Baby Budgies collection, and is okay for infants to gnaw on.

Is the name reminding you of someone... something... but you just can't place it?

Think Thorn Birds..... Richard Chamberlain he's not, but that's okay.... a girl can dream.

Sold as a set, this Alien Family was created as homage to Mei-Mei's obnoxious next door neighbors.

 Need a gift for a bunch of kids? This might just fit the bill.

 

If you're like me, gift tags are the best part of the holiday.

I like choosing the ones that fit the recipient best.

I shop on December 26th mainly to buy the fancy ones at reduced prices.

This birdhouse/gift tag/ornament can be personalized with baby bracelet letters.

You must know someone who loves to see her name in lights. 

Mei-Mei is dealing with the aftermath of Sandy; shopping at her Etsy store will bring her joy and probably counts as a good deed you've done for a Super Storm Survivor, too.

I tried to promote MOTG's floral cards last year. This time, she's got an Etsy shop up and running.  She's uploading fifty different floral delights, each one taken in her own garden.  Little Cuter calls it Mary's Fairy Garden, and it's hard to disagree.

 Can you see the beastie in the center?

 

 She's a Master Gardener, and it shows.

There's not a speck of mold or rust or caterpillar teething on any of her petals.

 Not only does she find black and white butterflies in her garden, she gets them to sit still while she takes their picture.

Personally, though, I'm captivated by the sunlight reflecting off the center of the purple blossom.

The cards are a 4 x 6 photo mounted on 5 x 6.5" ivory cardstock.

Each card is made to order; you choose the blooms you love and she prints them just for you.

The label is signed by the artiste herself.

 They are $2.00 each. Paypal or money order only, please.

 

Finally, let me introduce you to Barbara Waldman Lester, a high school friend I rediscovered after intersecting with bullets. She sent a "hi, how are you, do you remember me" email from Nashua, New Hampshire and I've been reveling in the wonder of her creativity and talent ever since.

 

Some of her work is delicate, like this pendant with a tree. 

 Some of it feels alive, like this heron.

Some of it is just magnificent, like this Picasso-inspired piece.

And some of it is just gorgeous, like this bowl.

 If, like me, you are delighted to find anything at all that is Hanukah-related, this menorah should make you very very happy. 

It would make a perfect house-warming gift.

Her website has so much more - barrettes and candle holders and earrings and this suncatcher

  which makes me smile each time I look at it.

 

There are jewelry sets and more Judaica (stuff that relates to Judaism, for those who have just been confronted with a new word) and plates of all sizes and descriptions.  Barbara will do custom work, too. 

 

If you've been keeping up with the program, you should be ready to open your wallet and start to fill in the blanks on your lists.  Remember, the goal is to be finished with your shopping before December 1st.