If You Can Bead, You Can Make...

Working with beads is a great way to make beautiful things. They can be sparkly accents on handmade or storebought objects, or the beads themselves can be made into a gift. Craft stores carry a wide selection of beads, and of course there are stores specifically for beads as well. My favorite online source is ArtBeads.

Beads give this knitted necklace an elegant twist
(project and photo by Ravelry user Speattle, pattern here)

This purse is fully lined, giving it more durability and ensuring nothing will slip out the holes between the knitted stitches or the spaces between the beads.
(project and photo by Ravelry user Speattle, pattern here)

Jewelry, ornaments, and decorations are the easiest gifts to make with your beading skills. You have to think carefully before making a toy or heavily-used item out of beads; the beads might break, fall off, or get in the way of a "more practical" item's use. But a gift doesn't have to have a use beyond being beautiful for it to be appreciated.

My dad taught me how to make these bells. This YouTube tutorial is similar, although we use twelve 8mm faceted beads for the beginning circle and she uses the 3x6mm oat beads (the third type of bead is 4mm pearl beads; I've found all at JoAnn and other craft stores, and online on Etsy and eBay). A written pattern very close to how we do it is here.

Left and right are jewelry pieces my sister-in-law made for me to wear in my wedding (left; I commissioned her) and hers (right; I was a bridesmaid). Middle is a set my best friend made me for Christmas.

Not strictly beading, but similar--a coworker of my husband's makes dreamcatchers uses feathers she finds at their workplace, owl, crow, and northern flicker in this instance. This is hanging in our kitchen.

A selection of Christmas ornaments I've been given by various friends with beaded accents

You don't need to be a beading master to enjoy it. Kids can get in on the fun, too.

My cousin made this for me when were teens. My kids play with it now.

There's a certain charm to these creations of my two- and four-year-olds.

Beads as accents or the entirety of baskets, keychains, clothing, curtains, accessories, jewelry, wall hangings, frames--they can add a touch of beauty, elegance, fun, or whatever you want. With so many kinds of beads and charms, your imagination is the limit.

Gifts for Saying Thanks

Most of the time, a thank you note is enough acknowledgement for a gift (depending on your relationship with the gift giver and the occasion, thanking in person or by phone call, text, or email can also work). Some gifts are so appreciated that you might feel compelled to go a step beyond.

THANKS FOR THE GIFT; HERE'S ONE FOR YOU

For example, someone once gave us a car. It was a time we really needed one, and the previous owner wouldn't even let us pay for the check-to-buy inspection he insisted be done. We were obviously incredibly grateful. To show our gratitude, we sent pictures of our kids and the car "going on trips" (i.e.; being used as the previous owner had hoped) and I knit a blanket in the previous owner's favorite colors, sent with a letter about how much of a blessing the car was. Before we were given that car, I also knit a blanket for a couple who loaned us their car when they were on a three-week vacation. Their vacation matched up nicely with some appointments that would have been difficult to manage on the bus.

Handmade additions to thank you notes are often a good way to go. A batch of cookies, some homemade bread, useful household items like potholders; they're little ways to show you appreciate the extra effort someone took to do something really special. I especially like handmade things if I'm given craft supplies. A few times, I've been the recipient of someone clearing out sewing or knitting stashes. Making someone a small thank you gift from the supplies is my way of showing that I can put the supplies to immediate use. Even a picture of something I've made with the supplies can brighten the giver's day.

Generally, I would give something back to whoever gave me the supplies, but sometimes showing how I'm paying the gift forward is even better. For example, when my grandmother-in-law gave me her yarn supplies, I integrated some of her crochet swatches into Christmas presents for my nieces and nephew, her great-grandchildren. She really appreciates knowing that they have keepsakes of her.

If you're not up to making something or you don't think the person would appreciate it, gift cards are always great, especially for restaurants. It's a way of saying that since the person made your life easier, you're returning the favor.

THANKS WHEN TRAVELING

Hostess gifts are fairly common whether you're going to a friend's house for dinner or staying at someone's house for a few nights.You might want to bring along a dessert or appetizers to go with the meal. Whenever I spend the night at my parents' house, I bring dinner--usually lasagna. Bottles of wine are a classic go-to. If you're not sure whether alcohol is appropriate, you might want to pick out some food item your area is known for or locally made soap or candles (especially if the thank you gift is to thank a hostess when you're visiting from out of town). When we took a road trip around the country, we brought things like smoked salmon from Seattle to friends and relatives in other states who we stayed with. 

If you're gone for a while, you might have someone watering your plants, collecting your mail, or taking care of your pets. On a different road trip, we brought back coffee from Yellowstone National Park to thank the friend who took care of our cat while we were away. 

Gift cards are also great; enclosing one with a thank you note doesn't even require an extra stamp on the envelope.

THANKS FOR WEDDINGS

For wedding attendants, common gifts include jewelry (especially if it's to be worn at the wedding), alcohol, or paying for some or all of the attendants' attire or travel, and there are other ideas too. My dad was best man at a few weddings, and one couple passed out books about home maintenance. About four decades later, Dad still references that book. 

You might want to give something to the wedding officiant too, or other people involved in setting up the wedding (of course, the professionals are also getting paid, so they are getting some compensation). I opted to make a blanket for the priest who married us and sent it on our first anniversary, but in my case, it was the same priest who had also baptized me, given me first communion, and had been at my confirmation. He's a family friend.

Many weddings also have some sort of memento for guests to take home. My two personal favorites I've seen are coasters that fit theme of the wedding (check Oriental Trading Company for good bulk rates) and candy stations, where guests can fill bags of sweets which are usually color-coordinated with the wedding colors. The last wedding I attended had this, and the snacks were nice for the plane trip home.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND TALENT

When an era is coming to a close, be it a retirement, the school year ending, the big theater production having its last performance, or whatever else it is, it's natural to want to show the people who made it all worthwhile that you appreciated it. A card or collection of cards from everyone, a picture everyone signed, a gift card everyone chipped in for--it doesn't have to be extravagant. Having been a coach, I can say that knowing I helped my athletes learn something new or enjoy a season means a lot. 

Many people like to recognize service workers at the holidays: letter carriers, regular hair stylists, sanitation workers; anyone whose services you rely on to make your life easier. I like to get small gift cards or little treats. During a hot stretch last summer, I put some cold drinks in a cooler for the waste management people, and when it dropped below freezing for several days, I left hand warmers out.


Again, in most cases the thank you is thanks enough. There are times though that you receive something truly moving, or you want to find a way to show how important someone is to you, and a little something extra feels right.