My favorite gifts are handmade gifts. I love when Brett builds me something for the garden. I love receiving home made fudge and cookies from friends and neighbors. And this year I hit the jackpot with gifts from my daughter Camille. She is in her second year of ceramics at school; loves it and is talented to boot. I took ceramics in high school as well and, while I loved the class, I was far from talented. This year she gave me matching coffee mugs, a couple to-die-for vases and small bowl I will use for prep work in the kitchen.
AND ... I made gifts too! I watched
Michaele's tutorial and tried felting soap. It was easy and fun and the results were pretty. I ordered felting wool from a small family farm in Massachusetts,
Cranberry Moon Farm, that raises Leicester sheep. I like the idea of supporting small farms instead of going to the store and buying there. The wool was beautiful.
I bought some soap and got to work. I had to be sneaky because I was including Brett in the recipient list so I made the felted soaps on a day he was at work and then put them in the greenhouse to dry.
I love the color of the natural fiber. I used the light colored wool for soaps for the girls: my mom, my daughter, and Brett's son's girlfriend.
I used the dark wool for the boys: Brett, my dad, my son Kyle and Brett's son Scott.
The soaps smell wonderful and they are so soft. I love the idea of having the soap and wool together like a built in wash cloth. I hope everyone uses their soap .... and that they hold together. ...kind of worried about that part.
so cool that you used michaele's tutorial! :)
ReplyDeleteAnnette! I love the felted soap. You did a beautiful job....wow! You can't beat homemade anything. Sounds like you are winding down a bit. Hope you and Brett are sitting by the fire with a big glass of wine.
ReplyDeleteCatching up on your Chrstmas and I have to say, I'm as worn out as the pups! Lol
ReplyDeleteThe soap is wonderful, I never heard of felted soap before.
Have a wonderful new year,
Felted soap is new to me. The wool is wound around the soap? They look very interesting and soft. I really like homemade gifts, too. I got some delicious chocolate-covered pretzels from a student and his mom. Way better than store-bought!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I put together some picture frames this year. We had some nice pictures from Hawaii and wanted to share them. I also had a nice photo of the barn owners on their horses together.
The soaps are very attractive. You could build a scented decor with them. The wool needs to be voluminous enough to never fit down the drain, no matter what. I don't think my Kamikaze husband could be trusted with one, unless I wanted something to write about for my blog.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! Isn't it fun and satisfying to make these? I told my older girls that I was going teach them how while they are here. One said "just as long as it isn't anything like knitting".
ReplyDelete