Christmas Craft Club Anyone?

This is the first time I've been around family in many years. Daughter and I have been collaborating on Christmas gift baskets, with each of us creating little handmade items to be included. She crochets. I knit.

Yesterday I took over my latest creations for her opinion and she brought out hers to share. We ooed and ahhed over each others accomplishments and it gave me an idea.

Remember the cookie parties, where everyone brings several dozen homemade cookies to swap? So why not do the same thing with handcrafted items? Guidelines could be set up way in advance as to how much time and money should be put into each item and the types of items everyone might want so nobody wastes time making things that wouldn't be well received.

In the real world, now would be the time to go to craft fairs or check Craigslist to see what other crafters are doing. Make new contacts, set up some guidelines, like how much the items cost to make, how long they take to work up, how many to make, etc. In January you could have a "kick-off" party to get things going and all the details worked out. 2 or 3 more "progress" parties could be held throughout the year, then the swap party would complete the process.

This could all be done online, too. No matter where I hang out on the Internet, there seems to be a corner for crafters. Make a few posts here and there and you could make a whole lot of new friends and find another excuse to keep Christmas alive all year long.

Just look at all the crafters and hobbyists we have at OLA.

I would love to swap for some of these doilies from KornKountryTreasures. (I already have one and I love it.)