“101 Gifts You Can Make at Home” and The Name Pennant

Yesterday, thanks to Craigslist, I scored a wooden porch swing from a lovely woman moving to Colorado. It will be fabulous in my new barn studio, inspired by the studio home of Shauna and Stephen of There’s Something Hiding in Here. As I was driving back from town, I stopped by the recycle are of the dump landfill and rummaged through a few boxes of junk. Here is my 25-cent purchase of the day:How cute are those Mini Merchant cards by Current?! I lived in Colorado Springs as a kid and remember fondly touring the Current Greeting Card Factory with my elementary school.

I snagged a cool yellow school tag and some transparent nylon thread. But the big find was that dandy little 101 Gifts You Can Make at Home by Phyllis & Noel Ficarotta from 1968. I think it was one of those little grocery store check-out stand books. I LOVE the groovy felt family name banner design on the front cover. I couldn’t resist scanning and Photoshopping it out from behind the beach hat sun bonnet.The instructions for the Family Name Banner are followed by instructions for Name Pennants. This reminded me of one I’d made ten or so years ago for the a Family Tent Flag Challenge with friends we camped with annually. I made this pennant pretty much like the book describes machine-sewing rather than gluing, and I stitched a triangle of chipboard between two layers of backing felt to keep the pennant rigid for hanging on a pole.

The pinecone was likely inspired from something I’d seen somewhere, I really don’t remember coming up with that on my own. (Could have, who knows?!)This pennant hangs in my son’s lodge-themed bedroom. I think a family or kid’s name pennant would be a really fun gift if you’re looking for something unique. I just might have to reproduce that SMITH banner into something fun to go with my green studio sofa!

For well over 101 gifts you can make at home, visit MY DIY page!

I’ll leave you today with an exerpt from 101 Gifts You Can Make at Home:

The gift created by the hand is a gift from the heart. In these days of mass-production, the hand-crafted item becomes more precious than ever before. Even if it is less than perfect, it has a quality you cannot buy in any store. It is made with love. It is made for one particular person. It is very special – there is none like it anywhere. And it gave you pleasure in the making, as well as in the giving.