“What’s the best present you’ve ever received that was handmade by the giver, not store-bought? Tell us what made it so special.”
I have been blessed by gifts created by the hands of family throughout my life. The beautiful baby dresses in the photograph were hand sewn by my grandmother and great-aunt. I had to include the red dress my father bought for his new little girl too. It’s not handmade, but it was chosen by him for me.
One of my recent handmade gifts is this unique journal my cousin gave to me on a recent visit. I treasure it and the goodwill and love shown to me by her gift.
Years ago, when I married, another cousin gave me a notebook filled with her hand-written recipes. You can see the evidence of a well-used recipe by the remnants of sugar cookies across the pages.
Sometimes the presentation of a gift is graced with a handmade treasure…as in the case of this Christmas tag crafted by my mother. The portrait is of her great-aunt Bridget Cavanaugh McCue, a beautiful lady who lived at the turn of the century.
My life has been filled with handmade treasures: quilts, clothing, afghans, furniture, what-not boxes, dolls, doll clothes…the list is so long I could never recall it all. I am blessed.
The greatest blessing these handmade treasures have instilled within me is the desire to create gifts that are handmade and contain a bit of my spirit. I have been blessed by the love of my family since the earliest days of my life.
