Handmade Christmas Gifts - Kitchen Chalkboards

For my handmade gifts this year, I made my peeps kitchen chalkboards from upcycled cutting boards. I made myself a prototype earlier this fall. I also burned myself making it but I was extra careful making these.

I visited 11 thrift stores to find enough cutting boards. I can tell you where every Goodwill, Salvation Army and Savers is in the Rochester Area.

Tina's chalkboard (lower right) is actually a pizza peel which works out because she loves pizza.

Each board has the shape outlined with the wood burning tool and then the chalkboard paint inside the lines. I included a stick of chalk rolled up in craft paper with each chalkboard. This one was photographed in my friend, Paulette's, kitchen. I hope all my friends enjoy them!

Handmade Christmas Gifts 2014

It's close enough to Christmas that I think I can show the handmade gifts for this year. My mom gave me a large piece of upcycled leather and we used it to make keychains for office mates, friends and family. Aaron cut the leather, dyed the inside, while I branded and riveted them together. I thought they were cute little gifts and was blown away by how much people loved them.

When my sister told me she wanted a Thankful Jar like I made and posted on my blog, I realized they might make nice gifts. I hope to see these full of good things for my friends and family by next year.

I made two custom gifts too. Our friend Charlie just got a Miata and we made him a diaorama featuring one. It's harder to find a toy Miata than you would think.

I also made my friend Liz a diorama featuring a black lab that looks like hers. It is also harder than you would think to find a small toy black lab! They both turned out really cute though.

Making Gourdon the Snowman

At last year's South Wedge Holiday Craft Bazaar the Gourdon the Snowman ornaments were really popular so I'm making a big gang of them for this year.

They look so funny laying on my tray waiting for the next addtion to their outfit.

Gourdons ready to take over the world.

I got some funny shaped Gourdons this year that made good snowman heads.

I took a few of the Gourdons out to my grandmother's holly bush for some beauty shots.

I love this squatty Gourdon!

Three wise snowmen.

These entire flock of Gourdons will be for sale at the South Wedge Holiday Bazaar on Saturday.