Talk Crafty To Me Dedicated to all things handmade

Lets face it… when it comes to giving handmade, girls are easy. It’s the men on the other-hand that are a little more difficult to make for. But, never fear, we’ve got some great gift ideas you can make for the special men in your life.

1. Bacon infused Vodka: I don’t know a man alive who doesn’t like bacon. Combine that with booze and you’ve got a winner on your hands.

2. Bay Rum Aftershave: Give your man a manly smell with this Bay Rum Aftershave. Get the recipe here.

3. Mustache Etched Pint Glasses: These would make a great gift for the beer lover on your list. Check out this tutorial on how to etch glass to see just how easy it is.

4. Beef Jerky: Another classic manly gift. Package it up in a nice jar and you’ll surely put a smile on your guy’s face.

5. Bicycle Brake Clock: Does your guy love mountain biking and all things out doors? Why not make him this bicycle brake clock for his office so he can count down the hours till he can hit the trails.

6. iPad Sleeve: A handmade iPad Sleeve doesn’t have to be cutesy or girly. Use rugged and durable fabrics like wool and leather to create a sleeve that’s functional and masculine.

7. BBQ Rubs: Does your guy love to grill? Here are some easy recipes for yummy rubs, complete with downloadable labels.

8. Black & Tan Beer Soap: No lavender and rose petals here… this soap is all man.

9. Typographic Coasters: Skip the lace and doilies in favor of cork and plywood with these typographic coasters.

10. Screen Printed Tie: Spruce up a plain tie with unique screen printed designs like these ones from Etsy seller 20twenty. Or check out this screen printing tutorial to learn how to make your own.

December is officially in full swing, and it’s time to start talking gift ideas! First up in our handmade gift ideas series are gifts for her! Whether that’s your mom, or your sister, your girlfriend or your bestie. We’ve put together a list of easy gift ideas you can make yourself that are sure to impress any woman on your list.

1. Personalized Coffee Sleves: Cute and reversible, the perfect gift for your coffee loving bestie!

2. Rosette Bracelet: A great accessory to dress up jeans or any outfit for your fashionista friend.

3. Stamped Metal Jewelry: A crafty yet stylish way to express yourself, and your friendship.

4. Handmade Lip Balm: Got lots of girlfriends on your list? Lip balm is an inexpensive gift you can make in bulk.

5. Homemade Bath Salts: What girl wouldn’t love some homemade bath salts to help unwind after a busy holiday season.

6. Stenciled Mugs: Dress up plain dishware to reflect your friend’s style and color pallet.

7. Monogrammed Tote Bag: Encourage your family and friends to say goodbye to plastic with this personalized tote bag.

8. Knit Cowl: Spread the love, and warmth this year with a cozy knit cowl.

9. Matching Apron & Tea Towels: Got a foodie on your list? Why not make them an apron with matching tea towels. Check out this screen printing how to.

10. Ruffled Throw: Give someone a bedroom makeover with this unique ruffled throw.

11. Spoon Rings: Looking for a way to recycle extra silverware? How about turning them into rings?

12. Paperclip Earrings: Super simple and super cheap, these paperclip earrings are also super cute.

13. Fabric Clutch: A girl can never have too many handbags, and this easy to sew fabric clutch is no exception.

I was cruising the archives of etsy’s blog and came across these adorable camera cases made by Hine, a Vancouver based artist who also does stop motion animation. Each one is a unique piece of functional art, handmade with felt and button embellishments. They are so cute, they make me wish I still had a compact camera not just my DSLR.

- Hine’s Etsy Site
- More stuff from Hine

In honor of my second favorite non-holiday holiday, here are some lovely green finds from etsy.

1. Beach Balls – Genuine Sea Glass Cage Earrings
2. Lucky Charm – Green Opal, Sterling Silver Necklace
3. Olive green cable beret
4. Irish Beer Soap
5. Dark moss green leather shoulder bag
6. Hand-knit Cowl
7. Limey – Thin Enameled Bracelets
8. Wool Felt Flower Necklace/Pendant
9. Cotton Cluch

There’s a fantastic tutorial over at sew mama sew for a handbag made from a fat quarter. So simple and easy you can make one to match every outfit.

For those of you who aren’t quilters or don’t know what a ‘Fat Quarter’ is here’s the basics.

Most quilt-weight cotton is 44″ doubled over on a bolt. A yard is 36″, which means that a regular quarter-yard ends up being one long skinny piece measuring 9″x44″.

For a fat quarter, you typically cut half a yard from the bolt and then cut along the fold leaving you with two pieces measuring 18″x22″. Or one full yard cut into quarters.

Basically a fat quarter offers you more flexibility, especially when dealing with large prints. Many shops sell pre-cut fat quarters with coordinating solids making them super easy to work with. If you haven’t previously worked with fat quarters, once you do you’ll start seeing the endless possibilities for them.

I love headbands, and though recently I haven’t had much need for anything more than just a simple band, I have fallen in love with a few beautiful pieces from some very talented young women.

First up is Naomi Reid Davis. Living in a tiny studio in NYC, Naomi recently opened her etsy store ‘taza & the prince‘ where she sells individually crafted headbands. She sold out the very first day she opened but has been working hard to restock, so if you’re interested in a specific design be sure to let her know.

http://taza.etsy.com/

Next is the dynamic duo from ban.do. Jen and Jamie, two L.A. stylists who launched their collection of ultra-glam headpieces last summer. All pieces are handmade, and many of them are one-of-a-kind. They’re big, bold, sweet and romantic all at the same time. Spotted on Zooey Deschanel at the Grammys and also the winner of Daily Candy’s Sweetest Thing of 2008 these pieces are sure to add a little bit of flare to your life.

https://www.shopbando.com/

Last on the list is Hollywood A-list fav, Jennifer Behr. Her collection is handmade in her Brooklyn studio and has appeared multiple times on Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester, a.k.a. Blair. Unfortunately not all of us can be An Upper East Side Princess… These headbands are a little on the expensive site, but the fabulously crafted pieces are definitely turning heads.

http://www.jenniferbehr.com/

These beautiful handbags were created by Zelaya Design, a family run business in El Salvador. Their line of clothing, handbags and accessories are made from biodegradable and renewable materials, such as cotton, vegetable dyes and upcycled fabrics, wood and leather.

They take their inspiration from traditional Salvadoran culture, nature and contemporary life, with an emphasis fair trade values.

To view their entire collection visit www.zelayadesign.com/