Favorite gifts to give and get

Hi everyone! I was asked by Amberlee to participate in a post about my favorite gifts on Giverslog. If you haven't been to her blog yet get on over there. It is a great place to get inspiration on gift giving, pretty wrapping, or to just look at all the eye candy she posts!

 These boxes are made from re-purposed paper grocery bags and 12x12 scrapbook paper.  If you want to learn how to make one just watch my origami box tutorial video here.


What is my favorite gift to give or receive? I have to say hands down it's a handmade gift!  A handmade gift says, I am willing to spend the time, whether it's time wrapping it beautifully, time planing out what the gift is, or time making the gift itself.  My most recent favorite gift to receive was a skull and crossbones blanket my mother made for my son.  I love it because my son is obsessed with skeletons, & I love it because my mom went outside her own craft style just for him. (She's not the scull and crossbones type at all.) :) I also love it because every night when I tuck him in, he is reminded his grandma loves him.
Thanks mom!

 One tradition that I do is I make a plush food toy for each of my kids every year for Christmas. As a kid I loved to play store or pretend cook. My kids are the same. My daughter loves pretend cooking. At three years old she professed the desire to be a chef, now at 6 years old she still plays with the food toys I make. Throughout the years here is some of what I have made, a 3 layered cake, brownies, chocolate cookies, pizza, spaghetti, and a popsicle. (I may be forgetting some.)

Pictured  below are the food toys I made last year.

Wrapping the gift, for me, is just as fun as making it. A wile ago I fell in love with the cute packaging I was seeing at the craft stores.  But I was unwilling to buy them, I was bent on figuring out some way to do it myself!  And I guess I finally did. This simple origami box has changed my take on wrapping and gift giving. I am obsessed! (Yesterday I even tried to make one out of a 3x3 ft piece of canvas... it didn't work.)
Pictured at the very top are of some of the first origami boxes I made. 

 Here is what I love about giving handmade gifts:

• planning 
• creating
• wrapping
• scheming
• sneaking around
• surprising
• creating a gift that matches their personality
• creating a keepsake or heirloom gift
• giving something totally unique

 Here is what I love about receiving handmade gifts:

•  the flaws of a child's handmade gift
• remembering the giver when looking at the gift
• the fact the no one else has one like it
•  the time & effort they spent on it

What was your favorite gift to give or get?
 
I like to link up with these link parties.