Want to know something crazy? if you plan to make holiday gifts for loved ones it's time to get going. You super crafty types are already well aware of this and have probably been making gifts since July.

The rest of us however just recently said goodbye to summer (and all the food preservation that involves) and are now ready to commit mental energy to a handmade holiday but are wondering where to start. Or maybe that's just me.

For some reason I simply cannot start planning Christmas gifts until I've welcomed fall. And now that I'm home from my trip I'm ready to start in earnest.

Problem is, I need to go easy this year and I don't have a lot of time to spend researching ideas on-line or otherwise. This is where I hope we can all help each other. 

Many of us crafty-inclined (I am not super craft woman but I enjoy making gifts with my hands) bloggers have posted how-to tutorials over the months and years on our blogs. What if we gathered these ideas together so all of us, bloggers and non-bloggers alike, wanting to make handmade holiday gifts can find a wealth of inspiration with just a few clicks?

This is what I am proposing to host here at FIMBY in the coming month.

I realize there are other blogs with Handmade Holiday inspiration (there are more to be sure but I haven't looked around enough to find them all). But what I'm hoping to accomplish here is a bit different. And hey, the more the merrier when it comes to sharing ideas.  

Here is how it will work. 

Step One - Write a Post

1. Bloggers wishing to participate write a gift ideas post on their personal blogs. The ideas are projects they have tried themselves. This way we know it's a doable craft that could be given as a holiday gift.
2. For each idea there must be a link to a step by step tutorial so other people see how the item is made. The blogger doesn't have to have actually written the tutorial (ie: you can link other people's how-to posts) but they should have experience making the item. This does not need to be a list of what you're making this year since you will want to keep that hush-hush.
3. Post deadline: Friday, October 29th, Monday, November 1st. Participating bloggers must publish their personal handmade holiday gift ideas post by October 29th, Monday, November 1st. This deadline is important because it gives me time to do my part (see below).
4. The post must link back to FIMBY, either the homepage or this post. 
5. Every blogging participant is entered into a draw for my gently used copy of Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule.

Step Two - Send me a Link

1. After you've published your post (which by the way does not need to be complicated, my personal contribution will only have a handful of ideas) send me an e-mail with the link to your post. You can use my contact form or e-mail renee at tougas dot net.
2. In your e-mail please include, if you desire, a 140 characters or less description of your post. Ie: Some people are sewy crafters and they might have "sewing projects you can make in 2 hours of less" type links. I will include these brief (I will enforce 140 characters, taking a cue from Twitter) descriptions with your link in my compilation post (see below).
3. E-mail deadline is also Friday, October 29th Monday, November 1st.

Step Three - Come Back to See Everyone's Ideas

1. On Wednesday, November 3rd I will publish a compiled list of participating blogs with the links e-mailed to me. Each entry will include the blogger's name, the blog name linked to the handmade holiday ideas post and the brief description, if one was sent. These will be itemized in the order I receive the e-mails, ie: if you're first to e-mail me your entry will appear first.
2. This compiled Handmade Holiday Grab Bag page will have a button on my side bar and I will feature it in my holiday posts November through December. If you participate I will do my best to send readers your way to be inspired by your unique ideas.
3. Posting this list of participating blogs by November 3rd gives us all time to maybe make a gift or two for our loved ones. And saves us the work of researching site after site looking for doable gift ideas.

Buttons are optional. I will have one on my sidebar till the end of December (it's up there right now if you want to take a peak). After November 3rd the button will link to that post with all the ideas. For now it will link here.

Clear as mud? Thought so. I'm a really visual person so here's what these posts might look like.

From your blogs:

The post on November 3rd here at FIMBY:

Get it now? If not, please ask questions. 

I'm really excited about the amount of ideas we might all generate working together. And I'm hoping you'll help me out with some inspiration for things I can make for my loved ones. 

Also, I would love it if you'd spread the word with a link on your blog even if you aren't participating. The ideas are for all to read, not just those of us writing the posts.