My love/hate relationship with handmade gifts - Page 2

[nascarbebe]

I'm so picky that when I do get a handmade gift I'm all you shouldn't have...no REALLy, you shouldn't have. I am a professional artist and crafter though but I rarely give anything handmade away because I think my style is too quirky.

Handmade items I've gotten and loved:
- a cute khaki scarf
- a gorgeous blue/khaki quilt at a baby shower

Handmade items I've hated
- Native American hand woven rug my mom bought at a reservation (hated the colors)
- a Black Mammie toss pillow that my MIL gave me but I thought was racist (I eBayed it)
- doilies my mom keeps crocheting for me
- sunflower-themed quilt (I love real sunflowers though)
- Oak wall thing that holds blowdrier and curling iron (too country...puke)
- country-looking coiled fabric trivet that smells like cinnamon when you put a hot pot on it.
- probably many more I can't think of because I got rid of it already

[bigeyes]

Originally Posted by nascarbebe

- Oak wall thing that holds blowdrier and curling iron (too country...puke)

Doesn't anybody make one of these without the pukey cutesy heart cutout? In something other than oak?

[dbsam]

Although I would show appreciation for any gift, homemade or bought…I think it becomes a problem when the gift giver gives no thought of the recipient. I had a friend who mass produced junky homemade gifts every year. Everyone rec’d the same thing. She cranked them out with the intent of them being inexpensive and easy to make – it was too obvious. (Of course this could also be done with store-bought gifts.) It seemed like a waste and the spirit of giving was missing. I kept everything for a while then threw it out. One year it was a two foot high country snowman made from batting. She went crazy with the glue gun!

I think you can make or purchase a nice gift with the recipient in mind and keep it within any price point. (I will add; I enjoy shopping for or making and giving gifts. But if I know someone would prefer not to get a gift or if it would make them uncomfortable, I don't buy for them.)

[funkygranolamama]

This thread gave me a light bulb: how about a post-holidays-my-handmade-gift-sucks swap?

I love consumables, too, if the person knows what they're doing. I got some apple jelly one year that tasted like gin. EW...

[normajean]

Originally Posted by dbsam

Although I would show appreciation for any gift, homemade or bought…I think it becomes a problem when the gift giver gives no thought of the recipient. I had a friend who mass produced junky homemade gifts every year. Everyone rec’d the same thing. She cranked them out with the intent of them being inexpensive and easy to make – it was too obvious. (Of course this could also be done with store-bought gifts.)

Oh that is my mother...not homemade but she buys everything at Costco, she looks for the cheapest thing that "will do" instead of something the person would really want and her focus is more on feeling obligated to buy gifts than it is on really wanting to give a gift to a person.

I'd really rather people do nothing than do it because they feel obligated, especially when they make it so obvious.

[crunchy_mama]

I really love homemade things, but seems I don't get the things I want. I woudl love my mom to make quilts or blankets for me. I would love some good homemade granola, cultured foods, healthy whole foods that arent sweets and I don't do a lot of condiments.

I do not like to receive sweets of any kind homemade or otherwise. My mil always gives me this homemade relish she buys and although I think the stuff tastes decent enough it has an insane about of sugar and what the heck am I supposed to use that much relish on- we don't do hotdogs. I would love to receive some nice bath stuff or candles- made with natural ingredients- but I cannot stand stuff that is perfumed. I cannot even have it in the house it makes me sick. I can tolerate things scented with essential oil or that smell like food.

I would love some aprons, homemade dishrags, homemade babyclothes. there are about 500 wood working items I would love my dad to make me, but he is always so busy.

I abhor anything country- hearts, blue, mauve, teddy bears, kitschy stuff. I hate anything fadish- dh's whole family latches on to every trend- currently it is everything french and paris- on principal I don't want anything they would like. I am a person who likes antiques.

[Leta]

Hmm. I don't think that it's a good idea to give people stuff that is intended to decorate their home for them, handmade or not.

I generally love handmade presents. I have been asking MIL to crochet us a blanket that will fit our bed for about 2 years. I would also love a sweater for me, or some wool diaper covers for our little peanut.

(I am kind of over afghans. I don't crochet or knit, but I can't imagine it's harder to make a blanket of dimensions that fit a bed than it is to make a blanket of odd dimensions.)

My dad is making playstands for DD. I would love it if he'd also make her a toy box, or make us a chest for the foot of our bed.

[bigeyes]

I never cleanse mine. I rotate decks frequently, and occasionally take an entire deck and just rap them on the table to sort of clear the energy if I think of it.

[momaste]

Originally Posted by funkygranolamama

This thread gave me a light bulb: how about a post-holidays-my-handmade-gift-sucks swap?

Yes, please!

[Mallori]

I consumables.

I the wool mittens and socks my MIL knits.

I getting recipes for things I have complemented on.

I anything that reflects the way that person sees me, or a reflection of that person themselves.

The only things I really hate are things that were thrown together to be cheap, or to "just get something." Those rank up there with thoughtless store-bought stuff. Honestly, i'm not into gifts, if you can't afford it or just plain don't feel like getting me something, I'm ok with that. Sit down and enjoy a tea with me on the holiday instead.

Speaking of which, my favorite gift bag is a book, a couple of biscotti and some tea, maybe some bubble bath thrown in, even if it's homeade, and the book is thrifted.

[Mallori]

Ohhh....one more...a coupon for a block of BABYSITTING time.

[EFmom]

Most of the homemade gifts I've gotten are candles and bath stuff. I don't do candles (hate them) or baths. I usually toss the stuff after a month or two of shuffling it around.

[CandyApple]

Originally Posted by bigeyes

Doesn't anybody make one of these without the pukey cutesy heart cutout? In something other than oak?

Ha! I'm not sure, but the same one floated around our house til our first big decluter round!

[bellabear]

I really love consumable homemade gifts. I love making them, too. It's a labor of love

[bellabear]

Oh, I don't care for the country stuff, either. Just not my style--pretty, though.

[hibana]

I like getting homemade soaps/candles, alcohol, foods (especially non-sweet things), layered jars (with instructions for cookies, etc) thoughtfully chosen arrangements of things from a local market (ie basket with a few small jars of jam or relish) and things I can't make for myself (crocheted, etc)

I don't like home decorations, unless it is a live plant.

I give home-made food items, local jams/relishes/soaps/candles/cheeses, woven rag placemats and carpets made by me with the person's individual style in mind, and sometimes sewn items. I'd like to get into quilting, but I'd want the quilts to be bed-sized, which would mean lots of work for very special people.

[nascarbebe]

Originally Posted by bigeyes

Doesn't anybody make one of these without the pukey cutesy heart cutout? In something other than oak?

yup, mine had a big cheesy heart right in the center. If it wasn't for that dang heart I would've sanded the whole thing and painted it black.

[wombatclay]

Stuff the heart opening with paper/cardboard, etc.

Cover the opening with drywall tape or similar product.

Cover the whole section with plaster, drywall mud, earth mud, craft putty, or similar.

Paint black!

[nitemarehippygirl]

this isn't a huge issue for me, as i am usually the hand made gifter, not the giftee. one thing i try to keep in mind, even if i am mass producing things, is how to personalize them so they will reflect the recipient. last year most people got crocheted scarves from me, but they were all different. hunting bil got a camo one, biker bil got an orange and black one (harley davidson colors), niece that likes orange and pink got an orange and pink one, etc. i actually got a a great response from the recipients, and saw them wearing their scarves throughout the winter. this year, i'm tie dyeing lots of stuff, but again, in particular colors that people like, and with the understanding that most of the people wear tie dye anyway(lots of them were requests.). for those that i was unsure about, i asked. i guess so far it hasn't been a negative thing for me because i'm not making home decor items, or wacky holiday decorations, or crazy sweaters.

i would love recieving home made baby stuff, bath stuff, yummy sweets, useful stuff like knitted or crocheted dishcloths or hot pads, i even like the fleece blankets, i'm really not too picky.

i will say that several years ago an aunt went to a lot of trouble to crochet a large, elaborate blanket in the oddest colors ever (orange, yellow, white, green, brown, and black, i think.) she knows i like sort of "retro" stuff, and i guess that was the look she was going for. it looked like someone vomited up the 70s. i did have to give that one away. lol. it actually sort of made me feel bad, like wow, if she thinks i'd love this, she must think i have really bad taste...

[nascarbebe]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

Stuff the heart opening with paper/cardboard, etc.

Cover the opening with drywall tape or similar product.

Cover the whole section with plaster, drywall mud, earth mud, craft putty, or similar.

Paint black!

Where were you 7 years ago when I got that thing??? It's long gone now