Simple Homespun Christmas Gifts and Decor from my home to yours

There are just 15 days left until what might be the strangest Christmas you and I have ever known. And although that seems so soon, there is still enough time to continue on with a homemade theme for your presents and decoration or begin right now with the ideas I have for you in this, the last of my blog posts for 2020. So may I suggest, a mince pie and a cuppa or a cheeky little tipple if it is indeed that time in the world for you and feet up whilst you join me as I offer, homespun Christmas gifts and decor ideas just for you…

This years oddities have left me paring down a great deal of my life, something I have been more than happy to do. You may recall I set out this year long before we had encountered Covid – 19 wishing to simplify my life where I could. Little did I know there would infact be more of a need to do just so than I had first anticipated. Two lockdowns and continued social distancing measures have seen many of us retreating into the sanctuary of our homes and spending more time in still and quiet than perhaps we are used to. For the most part, the M’s have been lucky. Little Miss continues to build a thriving new business against all odds and Master M graduated his university course and came home to work with Mr M on other peoples homes and our own. He starts his first job in the industry he studied his degree for in January and both Mr M and I remain mindful and extremely grateful both our hardworking children are doing well in these challenging times. Mr M himself has busily continued his work when Covid restrictions allowed and the long and much awaited renovations on our home finally started and progress well. And I have continued the privileged position of making my crafts and writing stories to you whilst keeping the home going and offering support to the family where I can.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been some awful days much of which I haven’t shared simply because I have wished for this space to be an escape for us all. And this year more than ever I have welcomed an enormous number of new subscribers and readers, more than I truly dreamed I ever would and a great many of you have felt comfortable to share your comments and your own takes on my crafts than ever before. Please know I so look forward to hearing from you and seeing your creative spins and remain extremely grateful to you, for joining me here each week.

Although I like to think when you join the all-inclusive Whitewood and Linen club you catch up on all the posts which have gone before you, I doubt somehow this is true. So today I thought I would look back at my stats and see which posts you have enjoyed and pick from those, a selection of gift ideas for friends and loved ones, ideas for dressing your festive table and a selection of simple and inexpensive Christmas decorations for your home. This blog is three and a half years in the making and there were quite a few homespun Christmas gifts and decor ideas to choose from, so let us begin with…

Gifts. And I have selected two paper based crafts, two fabric and two dried flowers, together with two wild card favourites. Paper first and this delightful letter writing gift set was a big hit and continues to pop up in the search engines these days. My set is made with writing paper; it works well with cards and postcards too. The second paper based craft is the recent quick and simple money pouches to hold gift cards, cheques and cash if this year you are gifting money. Yes you could bank transfer; these look so much prettier though.

Choosing two fabric gifting ideas was not easy since there are quite a few stitching posts to ponder over here. Focusing on crafts to start and finish in an afternoon or evening, I thought these vintage fabric brooches and these fabric key rings could be two winners. Again, those who received these as gifts were delighted.

If like me you dried a great many of your own summer garden flowers, the smaller variety look quite charming when pressed into candles. The inexpensive shop bought pillar or dinner variety work well. And these delicate flower hoops take so little time for such a whole lot of impact.

And my wild cards and always firm favourites, are these fabric covered matchboxes – which also look wonderful dressed in festive card or thick paper and these scented firestarters. Together or individually they make the perfect hostess gift should you be venturing out at Christmas; similarly the matchboxes team up perfectly with my decorated candles too. And when it comes to wrapping your treasured gifts, these simple ideas keep the homespun theme in mind.

And what of your Christmas table? There is still time to dye a tablecloth if you don’t have the right colour following this tutorial and your dye colour choice. If however you are more at home with natural dyeing you could use this method which I am hooked on and in the New Year I promise to bring you more natural dyeing ideas from last years Christmas present which I have not poured over nearly enough. And surely no festive table in the land is complete without one of the most viewed, liked and recreated Christmas crafts on this blog, the eco-friendly Christmas cracker. If you are not comfortable with a needle and thread by nature, no matter. Get creative with the craft glue and embellishments from your stash and add your very own creative spin to plain and simple shop bought napkins.

And finally for this years homespun Christmas gifts and decor ideas, take a look here and here for suggestions to help unleash the festive home stylist in you. Decorating our own home is my very next enjoyable task.

Time now though for a Christmas break from the blog. I shall be back on Thursday January 14th 2021. I don’t expect The M’s to be all feet up for this holiday since we are knee deep in dust and debris but I do hope it to be a happy time. Which, by no strange coincidence, is exactly what I wish for you and yours. Please stay safe until next we meet and may I wish you a very Merry Christmas dear reader, from our home to yours x