Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids

Hi, everyone! Today, I am featuring handmade Christmas gift ideas for kids. To view each item on Etsy, click the highlighted link below the image. Just two shops this week, as everyone is getting ready for a busy holiday season.

For me, I am adding holiday inventory weekly, if not daily, and marking items down to my Clearance/Sale section. I am offering free shipping on all domestic orders of 35 dollars or more.

MspDesignsUSA, offers the cutest quilt pattern blocks.  This one is adorable, for the princess in your life.

New in my shop, Missy69, are painted tshirts for kids.  This one is a red tshirt, with butterfly and blooms

I Love Nativity Ornaments

Are you ready for Christmas? I have just a couple more gifts to wrap, and one has not been delivered yet. That is kind of annoying three days before Christmas, but I should have ordered earlier. I have had some stressful life changes, over the past month. It was both relieving and stressful. But, now it looks like it was a good thing. All things happen for a reason, I truly believe that. If you follow this blog, then you know I am quite sentimental about Christmas ornaments. I am always looking for new ones to create. I have several ideas already working for next year. I have already begun thinking of Easter and Valentines Day too, lol.

Collecting sea shells, when we go to the beach, is one of my favorite activities. Sometimes I can only find really small ones, though, and I have to buy some at my local craft store. They are already cleaned and bleached if you buy them. Anyway when I saw this ornament idea in my head, it was amazing. The nativity on a three shell scene. So, this morning I got out my shells, and painted them. I can see where they need just a bit more touch up, but that is OK, they are not completed yet. I have to figure out how to attach them. I tried my glue gun, which normally holds anything, but apparently either it is old and not heating enough, or my glue sticks are bad. At any rate it didn't work. Then I tried Super Glue. That didn't work either. Someone on FB said I should drill a hole in them, but I am afraid they will break. I might have to do that though. I am going to see if I can wire wrap them first, and then attach to each other with jump rings. I think that will work. I have completed several other items as well, that I just have to share. Then, I have a few that need completing, lol. I have had 5 Ebay sales this month, so far, no Etsy sales though. I am in the process of making my Etsy store for new products, and made to order. I may also list my paintings there, that have not been listed more than 4 times. Two of the Ebay sales were handmade items, and three were not. What do you think of my Nativity ornaments?

 If I don't get back before Christmas, and I might not, Merry Christmas to you in whatever language you may speak it in. May your day be merry and bright.

New in My Ebay Store Baby's First Teddy Bear and Blanket

These are the two colors I currently have made up. These are available in my Ebay store. The first one is White and Mistletoe yarn. The second is Purple, Blue and Cream. The teddy bears are about 8 inches tall, with the matching blanket. Perfect for little hands to hold and drag around with them. Crochet blankets are exceptionally warm and last forever. Check them out in my Ebay store. 

2 New Ebay Auctions and Unique Handmade Resin Butterfly Christmas Ornament

I have added the neon pink baby girl cocoon with hat, and the orange and cream baby blanket to auction format, in my Ebay store. You can view items in my Ebay store by scrolling to the bottom of this blog, and view the widget. The widget does not show all items, so be sure to click an item to go directly to my store.


The item below is a unique large heart shaped resin Christmas ornament, with a lovely peach pink and black butterfly with glitter embedded. These will last forever, and make great gifts for the butterfly lover in your life. I offer free USA shipping, always, everyday of the year. If you got questions, you can ask them here, or on Ebay.

Happy Halloween Now Get Ready for Christmas

Halloween is almost over, and that means it is time to get ready for Christmas.  I am promoting buying handmade items for the holidays this year.  I am sure there is something for everyone in the world of handmade.

I just finished the cutest teddy bear last night.  It was my first attempt, and I love it.  I was going to give it a santa hat and sell it that way, but I decided to make a baby blanket to go with it, and list them together.  Baby's first teddy and blanket, so cute.  I won't share pictures until the blanket is done.

I tried the wire wrapped ring tutorial, that I shared a few days ago.  That was not a real success, lol.  It ended up being a pendant, lol.  I will share that one after I complete the choker that will go with it.  It is a luscious brown like Smokey Quartz, and big and bold.  Love it!

Stay tuned for all those items to be shared.  Be safe if you are out and about tonight.  We will be going to a Fall Festival later this afternoon.  I have to work tomorrow night so no Trick or Treating this year.

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday!  Make this year the biggest turn out ever for the midterms, and vote, vote, vote!!!!!!

Painted Snowman Coasters and Painted Snowman Wooden Garden Stepping Stone

As you can see I put the poinsettia painted wood slice into the ground, yesterday. Last night I finished painting the next one, a snowman at night, with snowflakes. That one still needs to be sealed before I can put it in the ground. I will be making a water garden, hopefully in the Spring, and these are a nice touch. I think I am going to make them as made to order items in my Etsy store, but first I have to see how they hold up outside in the elements.

The set of three snowman coasters, is available to purchase in my Etsy store. They have been sealed and are ready to ship. There are only three, because that is all I could get from the tree of that size. They are hand drawn, and hand painted. Check them out in my Etsy store. Wonderful gift idea. I offer free USA shipping every day of the year, and a free layaway service.

Getting Ready For the Holidays and Some Odds and Ends

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  So, this blog will be changed to all pink for the month of October. 

As you probably know the holidays are quickly approaching.  I have been racking my brain feverishly thinking of all the things I want to create by then.  I don't think I have enough time, lol.  I just finished a crocheted orange and black blanket that I absolutely love.  I used a different method for changing colors and it was so much easier.  It will be in my Etsy store tomorrow.  I must tell you if you are a Cincinnati Bengals fan, or love tigers you might want to check it out.  My goal, eventually, is to make a crocheted blanket in every color combo for every football team. 

To help my readers, and followers on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook, I will be doing a flash sale every day until December.  There will be a different special each day.  To ensure I do not attract re sellers, my jewelry pieces will not get drastically marked down.  Sorry, but if there is something I can't stand is someone buying something they did not create with the soul purpose of selling it for more.  My Twitter is @melissasjewelry, Pinterest is iaminterested, and Facebook Melissa's Menagerie of Stuff.  Look me up and follow along.  I will not be posting all the flash sales here on this blog, so you will have to follow along in one of the other places.  It will show up on the Facebook widget on this page, so you could still visit this blog and find it easy enough. 

Speaking of jewelry.  I was so happy to see some of the jewelry casting sellers, that I used to buy from on Ebay, selling on Etsy.  Though I am currently learning new ways to create jewelry, I have always loved and been drawn to traditional settings.  So, I will definitely be making some new pieces using those traditional settings.  Just not sure when, lol.  I guess you will  have to visit this blog often and find out. 

I have noticed one thing, about Etsy.  There is a whole group of people who do not think that making jewelry with traditional settings is handmade.  Trust me I can tell you hand setting gemstones in those settings is for sure handmade.  Maybe I don't melt the silver, and then cast the setting myself, but I do hand set the gemstones, and it is not easy, and it takes a long time to learn how to do it too.  It is a craft, and if they want to be rude so be it. 

Blue Seashell with Turtle Coral Resin Christmas Ornament

I have probably mentioned this before, but I love Christmas ornaments. I have ornaments given to me, from my mother, from when I was a kid. I used to buy a new ornament each year for my kids. I only stopped because we had no room left to hang any more ornaments on the tree. However, now I have two trees, lol, so ornaments are on my mind again.

 This ornament, designed and created by myself, is a seashell I painted blue, then added the turtle bead, some coral roses, and some dried flowers, and then filled in with resin. I used a hot glue gun to fasten the loop for hanging. This is available for purchase in my Etsy store. Be sure to check out all my awesome ornaments. I offer free usa shipping, and a free layaway service too. Give a special gift this year, that won't break your bank account.

Orange and Yellow Mums and Bunny Art Solar Garden Light

Be sure to visit my Etsy store, to see all my items available for sale. I try to get them all onto this blog, but it doesn't always work out that way.

 I only have one bottle left, for the garden solar lights. I think I will put a Sugar Skull on it with some Ancient Tangle Doodle Art. Stay tuned for that. Yesterday, per request of my daughter, I did a bunny sniffing some garden flowers. You can see the results below. The bottle will get a solar light in it and be added to my garden. The painting is available for purchase, in my Etsy store. I offer free USA shipping on all items. Free shipping for paintings only applies to the painting, not framing. Please read my listings carefully.

 I think I will be returning to my first love, soon, setting my gemstones in traditional settings. I will continue with resin, crochet and painting too. I just really miss making the gemstone jewelry.

Team Support and Promote Pink Theme

This is an Etsy team Support and Promote blog post. This is only the second team post we have done. This time the theme was pink items. Please browse the pictures, and visit each shop for more details on the items.

Girl's Maroon Crochet Headband with Resin Heart and Pink Flower.

Pink and White Crochet Baby Blanket

Ecrater and Etsy Sale, Buy One Get One 50% Off

Today only, buy one item either from my Ecrater store, or my Etsy store and get the second 50% off.  This sale will run until 9 PM tonight only, and then it expires.  Both items must be bought together, and either from Etsy or from Ecrater.  The sale item must be of equal or lesser value.  Visit my Ecrater store and shop now.  Or, visit my Etsy store, to shop now.  Share this post, so others can get in on an awesome deal too. 

Day 2 Sale Panda Bear Original Painting with Frame

My item for day two, is this signed and dated original Panda Bear acrylic painting with the frame. Click the link to visit my Etsy store and purchase. If you don't prefer Etsy it is available for the same price at Ecrater. The sale price is only valid until 9 PM Eastern time on 11/30/2013 so don't dilly dally.

Veteran's Day Sale in My New Ecrater Store

I have only gotten nine things listed, but today, until 9 PM Eastern time all items are 25% off.  Since I don't know how their checkout cart looks, I will give several options for getting the amount off.  First you can checkout, using Paypal, enter code Vets13 and I will reimburse you the 25% off.  Second you can contact me here on this blog, email me at melissaruede@yahoo.com, or contact me on Facebook, tell me the item you want and I can deduct the 25% and then you can cash out.  Since this store is brand new to me, I am learning as I go, but rest assured that with a Paypal merchant account you are buying from a safe seller.  Just new to Ecrater.  Here is the link to my Ecrater store, just click it.  I have jewelry and crochet items right now.  More to get up soon.