Little Boy Adoption Gift

I added a personalized dinosaur to the personalized lap quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Little Boy Adoption Gift

The order was simple enough. The customer wanted one of our double wedding ring lap quilts with custom embroidery, a typical order for our custom quilt company and wedding quilts. In this case, however, the recipient was a 6-year old little boy who now has a family through adoption.

Customers buy our custom personalized lap quilts and handmade quilts for a variety of reasons but an adoption is an extra special event. Being a big sister still at heart. I asked what did this little boy like, as if I didn’t know. I have two younger brothers and a nephew or two who went through this love affair with dinosaurs.

As the wedding lap quilt was getting custom embroidered, I shopped for a dinosaur. Not just any dinosaur, I wanted one that was smiling without first chewing on something, or someone.

In the meantime, our embroiderer asked about the size of the monogram letters. I imagined a little boy touching the letters now that he had a new name. Make them big, I said.

This little boy now has a new last name, made larger in this custom embroidery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

In one of the lap quilt corners, the customer wanted this lovely simple saying:

Perfect quote to add in custom embroidery to a lap quilt corner. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

By the time the custom personalized lap quilt was done, I had found myself one pleasantly-smiling dinosaur toy. I added hand-embroidered initials to the dinosaur so it was clear this was one very special toy.

After tying a ribbon around the dinosaur toy neck, the dinosaur snuck into the middle of the custom personalized lap quilt for his trip to his new home, and a very special little boy.

Dino is safely tucked in and ready for his trip to his new home. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The customer thanked us for “going the extra mile” but this is why we are here, I want to help you make custom personalized gifts for the special people in your lives.

On the gift card we added a sweet note from the customer: “the adoption took time, the love arrived instantly.”

We wish this new family, and their happy dinosaur, everything wonderful life has to offer!

Charlotte

Personalized Wedding Gift

The customer was very happy to get this gift-wrapped personalized wedding gift. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“Dear Charlotte,Greetings on this Memorial day week end.  I spoke to you on the phone, you kindly revised my order and via. Yesterday I received the throw. It is ideal as is the packaging.  As you can imagine, I do thank you so very much. I will indeed recommend you broadly. Further i intend to go to your website and “browse!” smile. Warmly, Mary Jo”

Personalized Wedding Gift

We love hearing back from our customers and this personalized wedding gift is a wonderful example.

The customer had never ordered online so she was a little nervous about placing an online order. We not only took down all of her information but made sure her gift was carefully wrapped with her personalized gift card.

Inside, one of our best selling wedding and anniversary gifts, a personalized Country Double Wedding Ring quilt in a lap quilt throw size.

What makes Country Double Wedding Ring Quilt popular is that it includes a nice range of colors in the patchwork rings, easily making this handmade quilt flexible in any room decor. In addition, the double wedding rings can easily be personalized with custom embroidery:

Love the caption on this wedding quilt, don’t you? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This versatile handmade quilt also has loops on the back so Country Double Wedding Ring quilt can easily be used as a quilted wall hanging. When not threaded through curtain rods, the loops sit against the back of the quilt.

So glad this made Mary Jo happy and we look forward to hearing from her again soon!

Charlotte

Personalized Gift Wrapped Quilt Card

I added this honey bee to the gift card for a beekeeper. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Personalized Gift Wrapped Quilt Card

There are so many ways to personalize a handmade quilt, from adding custom embroidery to personalizing the gift card with a photo or something unique.

All of our handmade quilts and gift kits are shipped with a free gift card. We also add a special gift card when we gift wrap and ship to a different destination.

In this particular case, the handmade quilt was a gift for a beekeeper so a little bee made its way to the gift card.

It would be something we would also add to a card on our custom beekeeper’s gift kit.

How does it look all together?

Handmade quilt gift-wrapped with the personalized card. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have to confess, this is my favorite part of shipping, the gift-wrapping and adding the personalized gift card with your unique message.

Charlotte

Crazy Quilt Stitches Gift Set

The thread snips will come in quite handy with the embroidery stitches in this book. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Crazy Quilt Stitches Gift Set

Crazy Quilt Stitches by Dorothy Bond is a wonderful brand new collectible book for the quilter and embroiderer. There are so many little things that make this laminated 6.5x6.3 inch book special.

First, it’s laminated, which means the pages won’t wear out from getting repeatedly turned.

Secondly, the spiral binding makes it easy to turn pages and keep them at the page you need them to copy the embroidery stitch.

Finally, there are so many interesting embroidery stitches that can be used on a crazy quilt design.

The crazy quilt was made popular during Queen Victoria’s time and made use of fabric scraps set in blocks at all sorts of angles. The blocks where finished with embroidery.

Here’s a more modern take of the crazy quilt concept, our Harvest Crazy Quilt:

Harvest Crazy Lap Quilt throw has some of the stitches in Dorothy Bond’s book. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Some embroidery stitches are classics. The daisy, for example, is a personal favorite and so useful for a variety of things including embellishment.

Dorothy Bond’s Crazy Quilt Stitches book features other stitches I have yet to try, which reminds me of bird feet.

Cretan is an interesting stitch I haven’t tried yet. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

On the back of the book copyright 1981, more embroidery inspiration for borders including butterflies.

Have to try the little spider in its web on the book back! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make this into a gift set, we’ve added brand new thread snips, which make removing left over embroidery floss easy once it is tied off on the back.

As someone who has embroidered for many decades, I would love to get this Crazy Quilt Stitches set as a gift!

Charlotte

Personalized Photo Book Marks

Personalized Photo Book Marks

Here’s another way to use the magnetic book mark idea for personalized gifts, especially if you need a last minute gift idea. Print off favorite photos and make them into a magnetic book mark the size of a card that can also be personalized inside.

I’m giving family members books this year and printed these photos off their Facebook page. I really like the one of the Beagles fighting over the purple food bowl, it well represents them!

I tested the size and these could also make nice Christmas cards. I would add a line on the back explaining what they are and cut them to fit envelopes if you plan to mail them.

Attaching magnet pieces inside turn these cards into book marks. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I also made one for myself from one of my favorite photos of my cat sitting in her window basket. Wouldn’t a whole set of cards that can be used as book marks come in handy? I’m thinking I need of set of cats in different poses.

Every time I see this photo it reminds me I need to print off more of the snow scenes to make book mark cards. I have a lovely set of photos from an early snow storm that would be nice to enjoy again and again.

Love this photo of my cat in her window basket. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

For avid readers on your gift list, a box of 8 or 10 different magnet book marks with a favorite saying written or printed inside would make a lovely gift for any occasion. Since making some of these for my own use, I find that I use them quickly and could use more!

Charlotte

Personalized Quilt Gift Tag

A fun touch with this gift quilt, the gift tag matches! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Personalized Quilt Gift Tag

There are a number of ways to personalize a gift quilt. The most popular way is to custom embroider a variety of things including someone’s name, special date, a quote or add a photo printed onto fabric.

When it is a quilt purchased by someone as a gift, we try to make the gift tag special and in this case, we managed to match the gift tag to the quilt itself. Our gift tag featured red trillium flowers, one of several wildflowers featured in our Cottage Wildflowers quilt.

The quilt is being given as a gift to a sister with a lovely dedication in the matching gift tag.

And the buyer?

They also get a special treat, do you see it packed in with the quilt?

Another surprise added for the buyer, do you see it? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

We included one of our honey seed saver packs, wrapped in plastic, as a holiday gift for the buyer.

Our honey see saver packs include Bluebird Gardens honey in a plastic container and small wood honey dipper; the blue mesh bag can be used to dry seeds, which then can be stored in the empty plastic container to plant next year. The more plants we have blooming, the healthier our bees will be.

We hope both buyer and gift recipient enjoy their gifts!

Charlotte

Framed Newspaper Article

Framed Newspaper Article Gift Idea

If you’ve look around at your local businesses, and been in business yourself, you know that starting up any business takes a tremendous amount of time and energy, so much so that something as simple as your ribbon-cutting can end up as a torn page out of the newspaper with your full intention of getting it framed to hang on your store wall.

That’s why getting the ribbon cutting photo of one of your favorite local businesses is a simple but thoughtful personalized gift.

We know how special people think our custom scrapbook quilts are with photos so anything that has someone’s photo can be made into a personalized gift.

In this case, it’s a local winery where I get to spend an evening every month or so with friends, enjoying a wonderful meal and learning what wine to pear with different dishes.

I added a white piece of paper to the back so we can all write a short personal dedication.

Once we all get to sign it, we will personally deliver the photo to the business with our collective thanks for all of the work the owners and staff put into their mostly monthly wine-pairings.

Sure it’s what they do as part of their business but having the ribbon-cutting article framed is something they probably haven’t had time to do yet.

Other new business owners have shared how much this meant to them so trust me, it’s a great gift idea that will be much appreciated!

Charlotte

Catnip Butterfly Cat Toys

Bob testing a pile of butterfly catnip toys. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Catnip Butterfly Cat Toys

When you live in a family that has dogs and cats, pet toys are on the gift list. For many years, I have made our family catnip toys with freshly-dried catnip from my garden and inspiration for the design from the garden as well.

Last year, my handmade felt catnip toy gifts were butterflies. I was inspired by working on Missouri’s Master Pollinator Steward program, a six-week course designed to help people interested in helping pollinators such as butterflies.

To make butterfly catnip toys, the design is simple. The toy needs the wings and a place to add the catnip.

Basic buttterfly catnip toy pattern made out of felt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Different-colored butterfly pieces ready to sew. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Stitch the black portion on three sides and leave one side open to easily stuff the dried catnip.

Add catnip to the center piece once it’s stitched on three sides. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These are so easy to make. Once stuffed, stitch the last side shut. Don’t stuff them too full, you just need enough to give the black center a little pouf or rise.

Here they are all finished and ready for a test.

Store finished catnip toys in plastic away from inquisitive paws. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

My family gift catnip toys are thoroughly tested by my cats. Actually I have to store them in plastic and place them on the top shelf of a cabinet to keep my cats from volunteering to test them.

Uh-oh, Bob looks like he wants ALL of them! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Fun to see the handmade catnip butterfly cat toys unpacked but Bob was not supposed to get all of them!

Charlotte

Butterfly Throw Personalized Gift

Different fabrics form the applique butterflies in this personalized gift.

Butterfly Throw Personalized Gift

An office colleague made this lovely butterfly throw as a gift and the simplicity of the design, and intricacy of the execution, is a good reminder that a quilt gift does not need to be - well, complicated.

The throw - a standard one is 50x60 inches - is a good size for a gift quilt. Throws can be used to curl up in and can easily be tossed over the back of a chair or used as a wall hanging.

Secondly, the theme was a universally-liked one, butterflies.

This butterfly is a cut out butterfly giving the insect more dimension.

The design could have stopped there but this quilter decided to add some interest in her butterflies by having them in different shapes. Some are solid fabric, others are cut-outs. The variety adds to the overall design.

This is one of the solid fabric butterflies up close in the custom-made butterfly throw.

When joined together, the butterflies make a wonderful visual message of beauty to a parting colleague and friend.

The butterflies were quilted in outline to finish their design.

The machine quilting was done on a home sewing machine so this was truly a custom, handmade gift!

Charlotte

Father's Day Gift for Mom

Mom's father's day gift included the prettiest handmade flower card in our collection.

Father's Day Gift Card for Mom

Every holiday we seem to have a customer who stands out with their thoughtfulness, creativity and ingenuity with their custom gift idea and this Father's Day was no exception.

This customer wanted to send his mother a special gift for Father's Day. She enjoys quilting so he selected one of our custom, one of a kind vintage sewing baskets with hard to find quilting and sewing "goodies," then asked that we add a special card.

And not just any card.

He wanted to make sure the inside had a very special message so he sent me the exact wording he wanted included, and asked if we could print it off and include.

After seeing the message, I looked for the prettiest of our handmade flower cards to carry this very special message inside:

Inside, I added the custom message sent to me to include. Now that's a personal gift card!

Now isn't that a thoughtful card and gift to send Mom on Father's Day?

Charlotte

Cat Gourd Gift

This little cat gourd birdhouse was missing an ear so I added one. Can you tell which one?

Cat Gourd Personalized Gift

My bee buddy David has this cat. Well, actually, the cat has adopted this family that includes my bee buddy.

Smokey, a black and white cat, had been hanging around David's house for a good 2 years before they were able to coax him close enough to pet him. Then one winter, Smokey moved inside and has since comfortably settled in, especially whenever he can find David's lap. The other two cats are also rescues but Smokey has made it clear now that he's inside, he has no plans to go back outside.

I enjoy hearing the adventures of Smokey as we head off on a swarm call or, better yet, wait for a bee colony to march into a hive box after we've coaxed the queen bee inside. So when I found this black and white cat gourd on sale at a local thrift store, I didn't have to think twice about picking it up for Smokey's family. The only problem was the little gourd cat was missing an ear.

I'm not a big woodworker so it took a little time to find a wood scrap to make a new ear and to check the real model out to see if his ears were all black or had any dabs of white on them. Smokey is not shy but I can't say he's very excited to have me coming around him trying to take a close peek at his ears, either. Luckily I had several pictures of him to check closely to determine that both ears were all black as I finished making the necessary adjustments.

Once completed, I left the finished cat gourd on the same deck chair where I first saw Smokey sitting. Seemed an appropriate way to mark spring's arrival, and Smokey's decision to permanently settle in. Welcome home, Smokey!

Charlotte

Personalized Book Gift Idea

One of my favorite gift books, it features a chapter a day focusing on the good and positive.

Personalized Book Gift Idea

I forget now who first gave me a copy of this book. It was years ago, when I was going through a very difficult time in my life, and the last thing I was doing was - well, focusing. As I started to read a chapter a day, I found myself thinking about the good things I had in my life, being reminded of how blessed I was. That little shift in thought the book reinforces helped me move past the overwhelming feelings of loss - that, and the good friend who gave me this book.

Since then, my original copy has been shared, and re-gifted so many times I have lost track of the original one. Now I pick up copies whenever I find them, keeping one in reserve for those times when I know the book can help someone else.

I had two last fall and now am down to none again. One copy went to a friend who lost her husband to cancer, and this copy was mailed to a friend who's husband had an accident that resulted in debilitating brain injuries.

Only this particular copy, and the accompanying book mark note, didn't make it to its destination. I received a notice from the Post Office a few weeks after it was mailed, with the original address label attached, saying the item had been lost. The notice also gave me instructions on how to file a claim and my first thought was, I have to drop my friend a note, she must have thought I was not thinking about her.

She emailed back quickly a thank you for thinking of her and said her husband had given her this book years ago but she had not read it. She found it in her family library and thanked me for giving her something to look forward to reading every day.

This is one of my many favorite chapters, this is one about the "world is too much with us."

A sample chapter, one that reflects how I feel some days, and how I focus on my blessings.

Over the years when I have mentioned this book, friends who have read it have smiled. The book sharing has created a supportive community of women who understand - the need for the book, the message of the book and the caring that goes into sharing the book.

Doesn't matter what book you share, I love sharing a sweet garden book about flower names. Now I have something else I can discuss with gardening friends who also enjoy knowing something about the history of flowers.

It's not the book that's so important, it is the sharing that connects us.

Charlotte

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

This rabbit on a pine cone is the latest addition to my little Christmas tree this year.

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

Giving, or receiving, Christmas ornaments with a personal subject or theme, is a wonderful way to give someone a very nice personal gift, especially if its someone starting their household graduating from college, or getting married.

A friend of mine started her son on a collection of ornaments when he was born, giving him an ornament every year and dating them. As he got older, he could refer to the ornament and ask about why he received the various ornaments by referring to the respective years. 

Although I don't have anyone I give an ornament to every year, I do add a date to the ones I give, as well as adding a location so the recipient has a memory jog when they see it. 

This is a good gift idea for last-minute shoppers because Christmas ornaments are usually still available if they can think of an appropriate theme for the particular ornament.

So it was with a smile that I unpacked this rabbit ornament sitting on a pinecone gift from a friend this week. The ornament has been added to my other outdoor-themed Christmas decorations and is a wonderful reminder that personalized gifts can be as simple as this little gift and will be appreciate for years to come.

Charlotte

Handmade Snowman Holiday Card

Doesn't the card snowman look happy to be hanging out with other snowmen on my mantle?

Handmade Snowman Holiday Card

Someone has been very busy, I thought as I slid the card out of the envelope. The smiling snowman dressed in blue was charming, the glitter snow covering the whole front of the card.

I checked the envelope and sure enough, it was a handmade card from a friend who has moved north but always liked getting Christmas cards. What a better prompt to get a card than to send one?

I can remember the days when the mailbox was packed full of cards. Over the years, I have saved some of my favorites to hang on one of my fireplace mantels. Now I am extra glad I did because cards are few and far between now.

One of the factors is cost. I was standing in the checkout line at the post office and almost gasped out loud at a $4 price tag on one card. The lady behind me chuckled. "Been awhile since you've bought a card," she said, more as a statement than a question.

At those prices, a card becomes a little personalized gift all by itself, I thought, passing up one of a dog holding a big stick with Christmas lights all over it. I know a dog that would bring me such a stick if he had not moved out west.

So thank you, Deb, for this charming handmade snowman card, it's going on my mantle with my other little snowman-related scene. It will be a part of my little mantle village for Christmases to come.

Let it snow!

Charlotte

December Gift Flower: Poinsettia

Poinsettia or narcissus are December's gift flower. Where I live, only poinsettia are easily found.

December Gift Flower: Poinsettia

At least in mid-Missouri, the only Narcissus anyone is going to find is either at a florist or forced to grow inside. It's winter, and most daffodils, and narcissus, bloom outside here in spring. So although some gift guides list narcissus as the December gift flower, the alternate is poinsettia, a much easier plant to find in the middle of a midwest winter.

The red colors on these popular Christmas plants for holiday decor are actually leaves that have been deprived of light and turned from green to red. These days you can also get poinsettias in white, pink and marble colors, products of a hybridizer playing with the teeny tiny center flowers.

Pink leaves tinged with white circle the tiny poinsettia flowers in the center.

Originally from Mexico

The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, who lived from 1779 to 1851. The son of a French physician, Poinsett was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico 1825-1829 by President James Madison. Poinsett had attended medical school himself, but his real love was botany.

Poinsett maintained his own hothouses on his Greenville, South Carolina plantations, and while visiting the Taxco area of Mexico in 1828, became enchanted by the brilliant red blooms he saw there. He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he began propagating the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.

Among the recipients of Poinsett's work was John Bartram of Philadelphia, who in turn gave the plant over to another friend, Robert Buist, a Pennsylvania nurseryman. Mr. Buist is thought to be the first person to have sold the plant under its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima. It is thought to have become known by its more popular name of poinsettia around 1836, the origin of the name recognizing the man who first brought the plant to the United States.

Poinsettias today are available in several colors including white as well as red and pink tones.

Take Extra Care When Buying and Taking Home

In Mexico City, where I lived early in life, I remember poinsettia trees in our backyard so they can grow quite large in the right tropical conditions. In other words, when you pick one up at the grocery store to take home, make sure to wrap it up in brown paper...no wait, better yet, take a blanket in with you and wrap the plant in the blanket to prevent it from getting exposed to the elements. I'm quite serious. Too many people have passed on half-dying poinsettias to me just because they were exposed to cold for a few minutes.

With a little care, diffused sunlight, and not too much water, these lovely plants can give you their red, pink and white leaves for many more holidays, and birthdays, to come.

Charlotte

November Gift Stone: Citrine

My favorite citrine earrings in silver with moonstones.

November Gift Stone: Citrine

Citrines remind me of the beauty of fall tree colors in North America. A member of the quartz family, citrines are hardy for every day wear and add a hint of elegance to any outfit.

Citrine is a transparent, yellow variety of Quartz, ranging in color from pale to golden yellow, honey or almost brown, and may contain rainbow or sparkle inclusions.

The name "Citrine" comes from the French word citron, meaning lemon. It was used as a gem in Greece as far back as 300 B.C., and because of its color, is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Gold Topaz, Madeira or Spanish Topaz, or Safranite.

According to Gemstones of the World, most of the commercial  Citrine on the market is heat-treated Amethyst or Smoky Quartz that produces an enhanced Citrine color, usually a deeper amber or orange-reddish shade. Although beautiful, I prefer the citrines that are closer to the gold tone colors. 

Most Natural Citrine is a pale yellow color. 

Charlotte

June Gift Flower: Rose

Bluebird Gardens hybrid tea rose in bud, perfect time to cut it for a gift.

June Gift Flower: Rose

It's so easy not to appreciate what it takes to grow a rose when one can pick up a dozen roses at the floral section of the local grocery store. Growing roses, however, is not easy, especially in Missouri. Our almost non-existent soil and variable weather conditions can stress the old-fashioned roses to the point of not flowering. 

Roses have been a traditional gift for as long as gifts have been given. Considered an edible herb, roses have been hybridized into a variety of forms including the perpetually-blooming Knockout roses, popular today in landscapes. 

When I think of gift roses, I think of hybrid tea roses, those long-stemmed, single budding flowers often associated with gift bouquets at dance recitals and sports events. During the Victorian Era, roses of various colors represented messages: white rose for peace, yellow rose for friendship and red roses for love.

Growing hybrid tea roses takes a little extra care, mulch, and patience. Since roses are June's gift flower, a reminder to pick it in bud form so the person receiving it can enjoy the petals unfolding.

Bluebird Gardens hybrid tea rose now in bloom.

And when they ask, did you grow this yourself? You can smile and proudly say, yes, I did. Enjoy!

Charlotte

Warm Heart, Warm Hands!

Sometimes my office is only a few degrees warmer than it is outside. When the weather forecaster said it was 3F, more like -7F with the wind chill, I knew it was time.

Opening the box carefully, I removed a gift from my sister-in-law; felted hand warmers with the cutest applique cats on the top.

Mary said she picked up a number of wool sweaters at a local thrift store and after washing them, put them in the dryer on hot. I have done so but not intentionally so it crossed my mind how many sweaters I could have repurposed.

Once shrunk, wool turns into a soft felt. Mary then cut a couple of holes for my thumbs.

 

She said they were easy to make; the biggest challenge was finding wool sweaters she liked. Well, it's more like finding wool sweaters she likes for hand warmers but doesn't want to wear herself. I understand, we have a hard time cutting up cute clothes for custom clothing quilts sometimes, too.

These live in a box because when I first received them, one of my cats left her own sleeping cats cat throw and decided to use these warmers as her napping spot.

We have reached a compromise. I’m now wearing the hand warmers; the cat is sitting in the box.

Charlotte

Homemade Bluebird Card

This was so sweet, a homemade thank you card left on my office desk by a co-worker.

The white card has corrugated brown strips at the top for the birdhouse roof, and a hole in the center for the birdhouse opening. What kind of birds would use this house?

Inside, a bluebird on a branch with unglued leaves helps deliver the message.

The back is stamped with the card maker.

Are you tempted to make your own homemade cards?  What kind would you make?

Charlotte

Sweet Wedding Party Favor Idea

Julie was looking for something special to put her handmade lip balm in for her best friend's wedding shower.
"Your strawberry pouches will be perfect," she said when she called.
The problem was she didn't know how many to order.
Even though she had sent invitations asking for RSVPS, guests weren't calling back. After a few phone calls, we had a number and Julie had her strawberry party favor pouches.
They turned out just right, don't you think?