Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Handmade Homemade Christmas

A little felted owl, fingerless mitts and cowl...all for me :)

All the hand knits ready to be wrapped for gift giving

Reece's new kitchen, made with love by Justin

Orange spiced soap...it smells heavenly

Peppermint lip balm

Lemongrass, lime and wintergreen body butter

Living simply, in tune with the seasons and close to the earth.

These are words I think about often. I hold them close. I use them to help guide us as a family. I say them out loud when I need to remember why we live the way we do.

And it is these words I think about as we approach the season of giving and sharing. Over the years our gift giving list has gotten very small. We have stopped the excessive buying of the past. We have stopped giving just because and give because we care, really care. We give because we want to. We give gifts we have made, with special thought about the person receiving it. We keep the season simple, but filled with the things we love....time together, family, love, nature, giving and sharing.

With that in mind this Christmas is no different than last Christmas, it is filled with lots of handmade homemade goodies for those we love. It feels oh so good to make something from scratch and share it with those who are special to us.

It may not be the Christmas everyone dreams of, but for us it works. It feels right for our little family.

Joining in with Ginny and Nicole.

49 comments:

  1. I do love everything in this post! We were are finishing up some homemade things as well. The kitchen set is beautiful. My brother is making the girls something similar. Homemade is the best!

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    1. Thanks Kathleen. I totally agree, homemade is the best.

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  2. That lip balm looks so pretty :) The felted owl is adorable and I have followed you along as you knitted up each Christmas gift this year. You have the gift giving talent :)

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    1. Awe, thanks Karen. I have so enjoyed making everything this year.

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  3. So heavenly! It's great to see it all come together. Great job!

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    1. Thanks Amy. Yesterday when I took it all out to take pictures, it was like wow, it all came together perfectly. Such a great feeling.

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  4. Just fantastic Kim! It feels so good see so many home made gifts! Our season will be filled with lots of homage stuff as well. There will be a post to come after solstice as I can't take pictures of them now with out girls seeing everything.

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    1. Thanks KC! It has been a blast getting it all ready. It is tricky taking pictures, Reece was in bed when we brought his kitchen in to get a picture...we were being sneaky :)

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  5. What lovely gifts! I know the recipients will be thrilled.

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  6. Everything looks so beautiful! I especially love that wooden kitchen! Very nice! :)

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  7. Look at all that goodness! I love your body butter. It looks amazing.

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    1. Thanks Amber, it is pretty amazing, I use it everyday :)

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  8. look at what you have done!!! so much goodness. love it!

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  9. Oh my gosh - look at these lovely gifts! Everything is beautiful - what lucky recipients! :)

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  10. Thanks Ami. I get all my supplies from www.newdirectionsaromatics.ca based out of Mississauga.

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  11. Kim, you have been so busy!! Such beautiful handcrafts. Your friends and family are blessed!

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  12. i am impressed by all the homemade goodies! They look absolutely wonderful! And way to go, making everything more simple :)

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  13. Ooooh - I love, love, love this post. It's just so...beautiful and heartwarming. Simple is beautiful - it's the way forward, definitely. Oh - how lucky the recipients of these goodies are!

    PS - what recipes/books/references do you use to make the goodies? Any recommendations?

    xo

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    1. Thanks Renee. You are right...simple is beautiful in so many ways.

      The body butter is loosely based on one from Amanda Soule's book Rhythm of the Family. I used it initially and then changed some things up a bit to make it my own. The lip balm has just been experimenting with some different recipes I found online. Mix and match until I found something I liked. Soap, I referenced the book Soap Making the Natural Way by Rebecca Ittner. Hope that helps.

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    2. Thanks so much, Kim! :)

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  14. Beautiful! You guys are so talented! Happy Holidays!

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  15. I love this post!! So much beauty. I bet Reece will play with that kitchen for hours and hours; and that body butter sounds delectable!!

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    1. Thanks Carrie. I sure hope he plays with it for hours and hours :) The body butter is awesome, I love it!

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  16. Yes!!! I often am unsure as to how some people will react to homemade, hand made things. Overall they are received with the joy they were meant to bring. These are lovely gifts Kim, really lovely.

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    1. I know they will be received well, our gift giving list is small and the people on it are very special, and like handmade homemade :)

      Thanks Jennifer.

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  17. Well that looks just perfect! All the knitting you did- I am in awe! And those body butters look just right. What lucky recipients!

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    1. Thanks Mandi. The knitting has been going on since July, little bits here and there to make sure it all got done.

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  18. Wow Kim, what great gifts. I am inspired. Many of my ideas fell by the wayside this year, I think I will need to start early next year, maybe January!

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    1. Thanks Gretchen! An early start is always good...you can bet I will be thinking about next Christmas as soon as this one is done :)

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  19. Kim, this is beautiful. Wishing you health and happiness. xxoo Julie

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  20. what a FABULOUS stash Kim. lucky friends/family of yours.
    i also love that you made yourself some gifts, yay to an owl! lol

    healthy, happy, memory-making holidays to you. x

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    1. Thanks Monica. Oh yes, the owl, I should have known you would have liked that :)

      All the best to you too! xoxo

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  21. What a gorgeous set of gifts! Wishing you a very merry Christmas x

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  22. Wow, I am so impressed! The cowl you made for yourself is so beautiful. I've been meaning to find a pattern for one myself and love the cabling on yours. I might have to give it a try. And that kitchen! Lucky Reece! You all make him such amazing things. And all of the soap and balms and such? Impressive! Enjoy your homemade Christmas with those you love most. They are all lucky to have you, but I think all of us that come here to your space are pretty lucky as well. :)

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    1. Thanks Sara. The cowl pattern is from Amanda Soule's book The Rhythm of Family, super easy pattern and it knits up quick.

      Your words mean a lot, I am so happy to have this space, I have "met" a lot of truly wonderful people. I am grateful for all of you :)

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  23. That kitchen is amazing. What a wonderful gift. I'm sure he will enjoy it for many years to come. Happy Christmas to you all x

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    1. Thanks Anna, I am sure he will, I am really excited to see what he thinks on Christmas morning :)

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