The Kid’s Handmade & Thrifted

Did anyone find us here through the Kiwilog? I was pretty stoked to be featured over there on their parent blog round up with our One Small Change post from yesterday. Welcome to any new readers, I hope a few of you stick around 🙂

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Having 4 kids that swap gifts for the holidays, you would think they would get in to a making frenzy….. but the truth is….. they don't. Normally three kids will go in together to make or buy a gift for the fourth…. a total collaborative effort. Some are more crafty and others more thrifty and an occasional well thought out new item does appear.

Here is this year's line up……

The Eldest purchased a tea cup and saucer for each of his sisters from our local antique shop for a mere $5 each. (and a little help from the mama to pick out just the right ones) 

Miss Eleven went in on a book with her siblings for The Eldest. She bought a sweet little glass dog for her little sis from an antique shop we visited together. She also made lip balm and picked out some very thoughtful gifts for each of her friends in Minnesota at an Antique shop. An embroidered apron, a beautiful old tin and two tiny leather bound books.

Miss Seven sewed up a cute little i-pod holder for her big sis with minimal help from the mama. She was quite pleased to add a button from Great Grandma Pearl's button box.

All the big kids were in cahoots to make this project for Mr Three. A bean bag game. The girls & I embroidered some squares of felt. I sewed up a small muslin bag of beans for the inside and The Eldest sewed the bags together stuffing the mini bean bag in as he sewed. A little trim with some pinking shears and voila! A game for the little guy…….

I really love that my kids are embracing our tradition of making their own or buying thrifted items as gifts. Finding a thrifted gift is a treasure hunt for sure! But I can see them asking themselves "can I make this?" or "can I buy this used". It seems to come so very naturally for them and I truly hope this handmade thrifted appreciation of theirs will carry through to adulthood and inspire those around them.