Making or giving handmade gifts

This summer, I decided to make all of my Christmas gifts. Each  of my handmade gifts has to serve a practical purpose; a hooked rug, a quilted pillow stop, a scrapbook with special photos, or coasters. Why coasters?  This summer, I broke a beautiful metallic blue mug.  Broken and jagged pieces from my mug will be transformed into a coaster.  I like the idea of making new gifts from found objects.

Will you give  gifts this year?  If so, consider giving gifts from Global Fair Gifts and Crafts.  Free Trade Gifts and Crafts offers opportunities  for craftspeople from developing countries  to sell their crafts and improve their lives.

Visiting a local store, I recently purchased a Nativity scene made in Bolivia from Jacaranda seeds.  It measures 2.5 " by 3.5".  Here is the close up view.

The same scene is sitting to the right of the larger Nativity  scene. This scene is pretty small.