Handmade Gifts with Blair Stocker of Wisecraft

Today we are joined by Blair Stocker from the blog Wisecraft. Blair shares the joys of watching her children create homemade gifts, year round, and it is a wonderful reminder that giving comes any time, in any form.

Emma made a set of nesting dolls as a gift, up in her Papa’s studio, while we were in Colorado. (One glimpse of that view out the window is a good reason to be hanging out in the studio.) There’s definitely been much hanging out in that room through the years.

Ian made a bowl out of junk mail and eco-paste (flour and water) and I can’t even begin to describe how proud he is of it. He surprised me last week when he came to me saying he wanted to make this, because in all the frenzy of preparing for our trip, I’d never had the chance to do my yearly nag talk with the kids about making things for others. Nothing had been made, other than their cards, and I was just chalking this year up to the one that got away. So the fact that Ian had this idea in his mind, and stood poised and ready to execute as soon as we had the time made me smile. My dear Ian, not the most enthusiastic crafter of the bunch (but really good at supervising the crafting). It puts him at quite a disadvantage in a handmade household like ours. Maybe he’s actually discovering his crafty side? I lost track of him one evening in Colorado, only to find him alone, in Papa’s studio, tearing up bits of paper and junk mail, prepping to make his bowl.

Sometimes I feel like I’m never heard, I know you moms can relate. Hopefully, giving small handmade gifts like these, as my kids are coerced inspired to do each year, gives them a real sense of pride and ownership. My dream is to not have to ask. A small Christmas miracle.

In return, we got some lovely handmade gifts too. Letterpressed art, a graphic novel.

Not available in any stores.

Thank you to Blair for sharing this beautiful piece. To learn more about Blair, see other great crafts, and be inspired, please visit her at her blog, Wisecraft