American ’s Handmade Store

Creating Christmas gifts by hand is always a winning gift idea for anyone you may be close to. These are especially loved by parents and grandparents, because they appreciate and understand the time, attention, and love that went in to making the gift.

Here are a couple of easy things you can hand make and give to loved ones as Christmas gifts this year…

1. Your picture. But not just any old picture.

Find a nice block of wood that’s a little larger than the picture you want to use. Sand that piece of wood down smoothly, then coat it with a nice stain color. You can leave the wood natural too if you’d prefer.

Next cover it with a few coats of clear sealant. When the last coat has started to dry, it will become tacky, or sticky, so it will act like glue. Place your picture centered on the wood and press it down firmly. Make sure there are no air pockets underneath.

Let this dry completely for several hours, then cover the entire thing - picture and all - with another few coats of clear sealant or finish.

You can use a family picture for this project as well, and you can even use a much larger piece of wood and create a whole collage using multiple pictures.

Once the project is fully finished, you can attach a small wire or cord to the back for use in hanging, or you can buy an inexpensive hanging hook from a craft or hardware store.

2. Ornament pictures. This idea is done almost the exact same way, but the main difference is you’ll make Christmas tree ornaments out of your pictures. Just buy some flat, light weight wood pieces at a craft store, or by some plywood and cut it into the shapes and sizes you want.

Then put small wallet sized pictures on them using glue or the finish mentioned above. You might even paint these in different colors first, then apply the pictures over the painted wood. This gives them a “frame” of their own within the shape of the ornament.

Dril or punch a small hole in the top of the wood piece, then thread some pretty matching ribbon through for hanging.

Tags: Christmas, crafts, family, gift ideas, hand made, handmade, home made, homemade, picturesChristmas, crafts, family, gift ideas, hand made, handmade, home made, homemade, pictures

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You have probably heard of alpaca yarn, but why should you use it in your next
knitted or crocheted handmade project? Seven reasons. It is softer, warmer, stronger, and more lustrous than sheeps’ wool, hypoallergenic, hand washable, and comes in 22 natural colors.

Let’s take a look at those seven reasons individually.

1. What makes alpaca softer? The low micron count (a measurement of
fineness) means the fiber is soft. Animal fibers have scales on the outside
of the fiber. Alpaca scales are smaller and overlap less than wool. There are fewer scales in alpaca as compared to sheeps’ fiber. This makes alpaca smoother. Smoother yarn means less “itch” factor.
Therefore, alpaca is softer than wool.

2. Alpaca fiber has microscopic pockets that trap air creating excellent
insulating properties. This makes alpaca warmer than wool. Seven times
warmer!

3. As strong as synthetic fibers, projects made with alpaca last a long time.

4. Your projects will shine. Due to the smoothness mentioned above,
alpaca yarn has greater luster than wool.

5. Alpaca contains no lanolin. Most people allergic to wool are allergic to
the lanolin in sheeps’ wool. So, people allergic to wool can pretty much wear alpaca
with no problems. No lanolin makes alpaca lighter in weight than wool, too.

6. Your project made with alpaca yarn can be hand washed. No need to
dry clean.

To wash an alpaca garment, fill a tub or sink with lukewarm water and a small amount of liquid dish soap. Put the project in the tub or sink and let it soak for 20-30 minutes. Drain the water and gently squeeze the garment. Remove it from the tub or sink. Do not let it stretch. Refill the tub or sink with lukewarm water with a small amount of white vinegar. Let it soak for 20 minutes. Drain the tub or sink and gently squeeze the water out of the item. Again, take care not to stretch the garment. Place it between towels and squeeze out excess water. Lay it on a flat surface and let it air dry away from direct sunlight.

7. Although alpaca easily takes dye, there are 22 natural colors to choose from. What could be more organic than using only natural colors? No need to worry about dyes bleeding or fading.

For a truly special, durable project than anyone can wear, why not give alpaca yarn a try?

Tags: alpaca, alpaca yarn, crafts, crochet, crocheted, crocheting, handmade, knit, knitted, knitting, yarnalpaca, alpaca yarn, crafts, crochet, crocheted, crocheting, handmade, knit, knitted, knitting, yarn

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