Handmade gifts for the birthday girl

Both of my nieces love to get 'bits and pieces' for their birthdays and Christmas, and I enjoy visiting craft fairs and independent shops, so all year round I'm on the lookout for handcrafted gifts that they'll love. Websites like Folksy are also great for a browse in a rainy lunch hour. It's just like one massive shopping mall, but the difference is that everything is lovingly handmade. Fantastic for that unique gift!

As I've mentioned previously, it was my eldest niece Louise's birthday last week and this is the bits and pieces selection that she got this year. She seemed really thrilled with everything I chose.

I bought this gorgeous purse from Dinky Daisy on Folksy. The beautifully made cotton purse is fully lined and is decorated with crocheted flowers, embroidery and a sweet little butterfly charm. I love the delicate colours, and all the different textures and details.


It came really prettily wrapped too.


Hubby and I spent a great week in Polruan, Cornwall in June. As well as the spectacular coastline, fantastic gardens and charming villages, I love to visit the gift shops and galleries, looking for that special something that I know a friend or relative will adore.

This necklace came from one such shop - Bibi in Fowey. A great little shop selling an eclectic mix of accessories and gift ideas. The different shades of green mixed with the old gold look stunning, I think.


Louise loves her cuddlies, so as soon as I saw the sock bunnies from The Warren on Folksy I knew I'd have to pick one for her birthday. She loves pink too, so Checker Bunny and Baby Pinky seemed like the ideal choice.


But you don't just get a bunny in her sleeping bag, you get a postcard, badge and sticker too, with a request to keep in touch with the other bunnies back at The Warren via the Widget and Friends blog. I'm sure Louise will have great fun taking photos of Checker Bunny when she jets off to Australia soon.


And the last gift was made by myself - a tasty looking birthday cupcake, from a pattern in Let's Get Crafting! magazine (crochet edition). There were four different crocheted cakes to choose from, and the instructions were really easy to understand. I changed the colours to use what yarn I had available, and I mixed and matched the techniques to give an individual cake. I think the finished item looks absolutely gorgeous - delicate pastry, juicy fruit and luscious cream - Mmmmm!



I've already got one thing for my other niece's birthday, but I've got plenty of time to get a few other gifts as it's not Sarah's birthday until December.

And that's when Folksy will really come into it's own - no more trudging through the snow to go Christmas shopping, or braving cold winds and driving rain; no screaming kids and frustrated shoppers - I can just sit nice and warm and dry at home, with a glass of wine in one hand and a credit card in the other...