Merry Christmas!

A Handmade Christmas - One

The final selection for this year's handmade Christmas is near to my heart. There would be no Christmas were it not for the birth of Jesus. Read the beautiful Christmas story here.

I love the different textures and the red tones that artist Kelly Lish combines in the print below. She captures the warmth of the birth of the Savior and a piece of the genuine love that filled that Holy night.

Red Nativity Print, Kelly Lish, $32

A Handmade Christmas - Two

My husband's grandmother taught me to crochet a few years ago.  I love all things crochet.  Okay, most all things.  Okay, a lot of things (after all, the internet is full of Crochet-Don'ts that are sadly unlovable).  I could easily spend a day on pinterest pinning crocheted stuff to my board.  So, naturally I love crocheted ornaments.  There is nothing about the circles featured below from the peaqo shop that I don't love.  I love the circles, the colors and I even love the way they are hanging on this branch.

Three Crocheted Granny Circle Christmas Decorations, Lesley Ann Gifford, $24

A Handmade Christmas - Three

The first step my grandmother took in decorating her house for Christmas was to add the Christmas pillow to the sofa in her living room. Also, she could always keeps poinsettias living longer than anyone else I knew. This pillow by bedbuggs reminds me of her. (Also see the Christmas Ruby Red Rose pillow, which could really be used year-round.)

Cranberry Poinsettia Pillow, bedbuggs, $26

A Handmade Christmas - Four

Gift presentation is important (to adults). Taking the time to wrap the gift precisely and with a touch of creativity is a lovely gesture. Hand made wrapping paper adds that little extra touch to brighten someone's day.

Hand Painted Christmas Wrapping Paper (25" x 30"), oscarandollie, $8.50

A Handmade Christmas - Five

Yarn crafts! Heartfelt Yarn Wreathes creates beautiful wreathes for Christmas or any other time of year. I loved the yarn Christmas trees below. They make excellent center pieces for homes with young children (meaning they can be safely knocked over!). While visiting the shop, be sure to look at the rest of the wreathes and felt flowers.

Christmas Yarn Trees (Set of 3), Heartfelt Yarn Wreaths, $25

A Handmade Christmas - Six

Pearle Northrop loves transforming objects into art pieces. Her Etsy shop contains a wide variety of items from jewelry to home decor. I love the dotted glass ornaments shown below. Also, be sure to see the Green and White Painted Ornament here and more lovely dots here.

Christmas Glass Ornaments, Pearle's Pretty Pieces, $75.50 (Set of 3)

A Handmade Christmas - Seven

It is very easy to get wrapped up in the chaos that holiday seasons bring. This print is a simple reminder to stop, take a deep breath and remember the sentiment of the holidays.

Be Merry-Golden Frankencense, Announced Design, $7

John Krasinski Visits Sesame Street

John Krasinski visits Sesame Street to explain the word "Soggy":

A Handmade Christmas - Eight

As the mother of a little girl, I can attest that ruffles are everywhere. Tree skirts are no exception. There are several great tutorials out there (this one is my favorite). Or, you can turn to Etsy. I selected the skirt below to feature because I love the effect the burlap fabric has on wooden flooring like mine. Also, my tree is a mix of our favorite ornaments collected over the years - both modern and traditional. The burlap is a nice representation of both. The price is a little steep, but hopefully it will last many seasons.

Christmas Tree Skirt (53" diameter), The Walnut Street House, $120

A Handmade Christmas - Nine

Bookity makes lovely ornaments for tree or garland out of recycled book paper. The ornaments below are my favorite, but also check out the Vintage Book Paper Hearts.

Paper Christmas Decorations, Bookity, $25 (set of 5)

A Handmade Christmas - Ten

Lisa Leonard creates beautiful metal stamped art. The Heart Ornament below is only one small example. While visiting her site, be sure to look at the rest of her decor and jewelry items.

Customized Molded Heart Decoration, Lisa Leonard, $32

A Handmade Christmas - Eleven

Beginning as a lesson in geometry, the Moravian Star now hangs as a beautiful symbol of the Advent season. I love the traditional white version, but this lovely patterned decoupaged paper mache version caught my eye.

Extra Large Moravian Star Decoration, KarenWatson19, $35

A Handmade Christmas - Twelve

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  Each Christmas season, I begin with the intentions of making decorations and gifts.  This year, Pinterest has filled me with ideas.  If only I had the time to execute each one!

In the spirit of crafting, this year for my annual Twelve series I decided to feature a handmade Christmas decoration for each day.  These talented artists sell their beautiful creations so that you can enjoy a little something handmade during this blessed season, even if you do not have time to do it yourself!

Let's begin.

Winter Christmas Wreath / Candle Ring / Centerpiece, kaleda, $30

Inspiration: 2012 - The Year of Tangerine

Pantone announced yesterday that Tangerine Tango(17-1463) will be the color of the year for 2012:

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Pantone describes Tangerine Tango as "a spirited reddish orange", and that it "continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward."

Flickr Roundup:

tesselaarusa

Brandon Godfrey

dead redhead

a²(w)

MommaD photos

prudence

Vermont Lenses

Carol of the Bells

Josh Wilson's multi-instrument rendition of Carol of the Bells:

Friday Find: STRÅLA Decoration

STRÅLA Decoration (angel), IKEA, $4.99 

Book Releases: December 2011

Releasing this month:

• Cannell, Stephen J - Vigilante (Shane Scully). (12/6)
• Clancy, Tom - Locked On (Jack Ryan). (12/13)
• Connelly, Michael - The Drop (Harry Bosch). (12/6)
• Cook, Robin - Death Benefit. (12/27)
• Cornwell, Patricia - Red Mist (Scarpetta). (12/6)
• Griffin, WEB - Covert Warriors (Presidential Agent, Book 7). (12/27)
• Hoag, Tami - Down the Darkest Road. (12/27)
• Hunter, Stephen - Soft Target (Ray Cruz). (12/6)
• James, P.D. - Death Comes to Pemberley. (12/6)
• Khoury, Raymond - The Devil's Elixir. (12/27)
• Koontz, Dean - 77 Shadow Street. (12/27)
• Nesbo, Jo - The Leopard. (12/13)
• Patterson, James - The Fire (Witch & Wizard, Book 3). (12/5)
• Shepherd, Sara - Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars, Book 10). (12/6)
• Smith, Alexander McCall - The Forgotten Affairs of Youth (Isabel Dalhousie, Book 8). (12/6)
• Woods, Stuart - D.C. Dead (Stone Barrington, Book 22). (12/22)