Handcrafted Gifts Become Treasured Keepsakes

I always tell customers that a handcrafted gift leaves a lasting memory for years to come. Namely Newborns has several clients who refuse to buy clothes or towels because baby outgrows them so fast. They only want stuffed animals , photo albums, or quilts - things that will last.

Even though I preach that handcrafted gifts last forever, I was still surprised to see that my oldest granddaughter was a testament to this philosophy. I was helping her with her homework last week and we both decided the room was too cold. Kate, quickly said, wait a minute Grandma, I will get us both blankets. She took out her stepstool so she could reach the top ofher closet. Then she pulled out two worn blankets and she proceeded to hand me one and wrapped her self in the other flannel custompink blanket with thecorner starting to fray. This was the blanket I had designed for her when she was first born eight years ago. It was one of the first products that Namely Newborns has customed from a crafter I met at a craft show..For years, I would borrowthis beautiful pinkblanket as a sample to take to shows so I could show customers the quality. My grand daughter always gave it to me , but first made me promise not to lose her blanket and to take care of it. She always called me right after the show to find when I was going to return her favorite blanket.

She is grown up now and I hadn't seen this blanket for over two years; it certainly was too loved and faded to be used as a sample anymore. I neverasked to borrow it anymore. But the blanket is not too worn to still be a keepsake.Kate keeps it hidden on the top shelf ofher closet for emergencies. For the times when she needed a little extra love or is too cold to sit and read. She keeps it hidden so that no one throwss it out thinking it was too old to be useful .

While we were sitting on the floor ofher bedroom on her new big girl area rug, I noticed under her bed another rug. It was pushed way back under the bed. This was the custom birth announcement rug that I had made for her the same year right after she was born. .It had her name and flowers in lavender and sage to match her nursery . Her big girl room is no longer lavender and sage, but hot pink. The rug no longer matches, but she still keeps it. I didn't say a word , but I smiledand felt my eyes tearing because I knew how important these handcrafted gifts were to her.

Other handcrafted gifts that are keepers include birth announcement pillows. A loved pillow can always be put in a m teenagers room or taken to camp. Baby Quilts and stuffed animals are also gifts that a child will never outgrow.