Have you ever experienced looking for a gift for a close friend and finding nothing close to his or her personality? Perhaps, handcrafters would’ve seldom experienced that. Giving handmade and personalized gifts would not only make cross out “gift hunting” from the list. It would surely make the receiver feel special.
When buying a handicraft as a gift, you get to avoid monotony. Imagine how many people would be buying or giving the same gift you bought for your friend? When buying from handcrafters, you get to support the artist and the industry itself. Handcrafters could also personalize the gift making it unique compared to mass-produced gifts.
There are also handcrafters who make crafts out of recyclable materials. This would be a great gift idea if your friend, family or whoever will receive the gift is eco-friendly. If not, then you could still promote green practices.
Handcrafted gifts do not have to be limited to woven baskets, there are different handmade products which are ideal gifts. Soaps, candles, hand-woven cloth, pottery, ceramics, crocheted items, jewelries, house wares, paper goods not only greeting cards, wall hangings, and woodworks.
What makes handcrafted gifts so charming, is that it could be a result of a tradition, an inspirational story and the labor that the artists gave in making the item. They could be very simple, but it becomes appealing because of the emotion placed or directed when making the item.
Handcrafters may find crafting easy, but how about those who are just beginning to learn the art of craft making? What about those who are interested in making their own gifts?
-> Start easy. If you are making a handmade gift for the first time then look for items which can be made easily. What’s great about technology is that everything is within your fingertips. The internet is a great source of information. You could easily find “how-tos.” These sites would list the materials needed and the steps to follow.
-> The websites or guide book that you are following can sometimes be too complicated or the design may not be your taste. Customize according to your abilities and ideas. The purpose of handmade gifts is to provide memorable items that project the receiver’s and your personalities.
-> Make sure that you have the materials before starting. It takes more time if you have to stop in the middle of the project because you have to buy aor look for specific material.
-> If you are not that confident with your crafting skills, then try making a sample of the project before making the actual gift. You get to practice the making process and even think about what you can adjust or change. Remember what areas you encountered problems.
-> Make sure that the wrapper or packaging of the gift would suit and enhance your handmade gift.
The reason why we give gifts is that we want to make a person happy, thank them, and let them know that they are special. Giving unique items from handcrafters are definitely a great way to express our messages.
