handmade gift ideas

It's funny that while I've been trying to come up with more gift ideas for the holidays, I've forgotten that I don't need to reinvent the wheel. I was going through my library of craft books looking for some inspiration (and to move my thoughts in a more leisurely direction) when I decided to give my own book, Home, Paper, Scissors, another look. Kind of silly I hadn't done that sooner, huh?

I almost decided against posting this because there are those of you that already have the book (a huge thank you!) or have seen it—but I think there are some (budget friendly!) ideas here that may help those of you in need of some inspiration. These are just a few of the 30+ step-by-step projects that you can find in the book.

Monogrammed Journals Set
This is a set of twelve books—one for each month of the year. How about giving this set to a new mother to record her first year experiences with her new baby?



Just a Note Stationery Set and Folder
This is a basic design, but imagine the ways you can customize both the stationery and the folder—endless possibilities. This is another project I think I'll be working on.



Pocket Photo Album
Here's another project that that lends itself to customization and embellishment (this is where I included a photo of my two little ones)—the right side has a pocket for extra photos or a card.



And lastly...
If you need ideas to wrap small gifts, there are instructions for making these bags and boxes in different styles and sizes. My favorite design is the yellow box, which was inspired by a little girl's toy purse.



If you're interested in a copy for yourself or to give as a gift, Home, Paper, Scissors can be ordered at Random House, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Paper Source among others.

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I had other plans and ideas for the blog this week but as I'm sure you can understand, things got a bit derailed this week. So bear with me while I catch up again. Meanwhile, thank you so much for all your kind comments on my previous post—I really appreciate them all. XO.