More than once, from more than one person, I have received hand-knit dishcloths. They are wonderful! I use them, think of the giver in love and gratitude. One person included two sewn together to be a hot pad, love it.

My young catsitter gave me a painting she did of our two cats, sitting looking at the moon, with their tailw entwined in a heart. She was 11, and the small canvas hangs happily in my kitchen by the cats’ dining area.

Handmade Beaded earrings. They were given to by a neighbor who was moving, with such a sweet note. It really touched my heart.

Not handmade, but I’ve enjoyed a set of coasters that hold a small photograph. The person who gave them to me personalized them with photos of our friends at various events.

How handy are you? My cousin’s husband gave us a bottle opener he made. It’s pretty awesome. The penny pops the bottlecap. See the ”plug” in front of it? That covers a magnet, which has two purposes: it holds the bottlecap so it doesn’t fall, and it attaches to the refrigerator door! (pen shown for scale)

We have received, and given, artisan gifts that are always nice. I have several pieces of pottery for cooking and serving, a letter opener.

Of course, fleece blankets, the kind tied together, are always useful. The cat has taken over my favorite.

Can't think of much I've been gifted that was handmade, but home made things I have given that were well received have been chocolate almond bark, cookies, lavender sachets, aprons, tote bags, breads, spice blends and cake mix.

Wooden bird house, Monogrammed satin pillow case, wooden Tomkin, Three crosses painting, color traced photos, Tulip clock, polished, cut quartz earrings,

Paintings, ceramic bowls, orchid pots, ceramic sculptures, hand-painted ties.

I've made a lot more gifts than I have received, and most of them were made of fabric, such as shirts, skirts, dresses, pillows, bedspreads, napkins, tablecloths, etc. I used to paint fabric and then make clothes and other items, such as curtains, from this fabric, and I also used to paint T-shirts. I've also given watercolor paintings that I've done as gifts, and those were well received.

A wooden birdhouse my great uncle made. I think it was mostly for the kids. Wish I still had it but it was up on top of a pole when we left our old house.

A quilt made by my oldest and quite mad quilting friend for a "significant" birthday. But my family is pretty artistic and crafty and handmade gifts - all great - from them include ceramics, a crocheted dress, a knitted afghan, a needlepoint pillow and a NW tribal art carving of a dancing bear. That one is a very close runner up to the quilt!!

Hand made food is about the only thing I appreciate. I don't necessarily share my friends' taste and I don't need any more stuff. But I'll always enjoy food. That's also the only handmade gift I give, apart from woolies for the grandchild.

I agree with FLoraluk. As a sewer/crafter, I make sure I know that the person would appreciate and enjoy an item I am gifting. My DD received many homemade blankets that were not practical when she had her babies.

She also received a large birth announcement cross stitched type of thing that is not anyone's current taste. Maybe a few decades ago. Another family member is making more pieces for them and gifting them unframed. Now the recipient needs to pay to get them framed and display them, when it is not their taste.

If the family member is clueless enough to give an unfinished--neither framed nor made into a pillow---piece your daughter can be too busy to get around to taking it to the frame shop.

I received two gifts from KTers that mean so much to me. One is a beautiful quilt made by Wanda who has since left the table and the other is a sweet little cloth bag that snaps closed from Cathy.

I don't share my friends' or family's taste in hand-made food, and so that is not a good gift for me. However, I have (reluctantly) given some of my smoked Chocolate Habanero sauce to a few people (one was one of Kevin's co-workers), and they wanted to buy refills from me, but I was never able to make enough of it.

You really have to know people's taste in order to give them food, I think.

Less so for food, I'd say, than objects. Visitors don't expect to see their cake on the mantlepiece whenever they visit.

Oh, gift giving is fraught with perils! I opt out of being on either end of that game.

Hand made things can be a real albatross around the neck of the recipient and the social dynamics that it sets in place can be an unwelcomed dimension to a relationship.

NO, just NO!

Unless you have something really special that comes from your hands......... and, most of us dont, really.

Why spend the minutes of your life trying to find something for a gift that no one needs, or probably even wants? I am so completely done with all of that!.

Back in times where people had less, a gift may have been more appreciated. But, in our modern lives, most of us have so darned many doo dads already.

Friends and family have come to know I love homemade jams and preserves. I dont need other "stuff" anymore.

I once gave a friend a holly log for her husband who does wood turning. It was helpful to me to get rid of it. In return I received, unexpected and unasked for, a bowl made from the wood. I hate it and consequently a gift meant to please me just makes me feel bad.

The best I received is the wooden inlaid tray...it's beautiful and so nicely done.

While not made by the giver, it was custom and I love it...she took the bottle of wine I served at our dinner (it was cobalt blue) and took it to an artisan who pressed it into a serving dish and it came with a serving knife. I love it...such a nice memory of our time together!

Gifts I have made include blankets, hats, cowls, scarfs, needlepoint coasters, baby sweaters and booties, gnome, decoupaged decorative plates, vases, beaded ornaments. I haven't but have thought about making note cards (for old ladies who still send them) using one of my photos. I have made calendars as gifts though in the past using my photos.

Many people I know are craftspeople, so I have gotten a variety of wonderful handmade gifts over the years. Yarn goods, warm sweaters and blankets and the like. A lot of sewn items, probably a best was my second wedding dress, but I also dearly love some of my lounge wear. A smattering of woodworking goods, mostly furniture or kitchen useful with a few trinkets and jewelry. A goodly bunch of ceramics/pottery items. Glass, some of it more functional like drinking vessels, some pretty like jewelry, hair goods, beads. A bunch of hair goods of various materials. Beadwork, needlework, some precious metalwork. Bits of ironwork, leatherwork, weavings of different materials, a tad of random stonework of various kinds. Couple nice pairs of boots/footwear. Some other haberdashery and featherwork. A small handful of musical instruments. Food, lots of food- and lots of brews too. Wine, beer, mead, some other things. A couple nice teas, though more often those have been kind of meh. A nice variety of personal toiletries, though a few of them have been misses with the scent in them. A bunch of garden goods over the years, harvest and plants, homegrown seeds.

My wedding invite suite for my second wedding was handmade and a wonderful gift. The puffy fabric scrapbook from my first wedding not so much, heh. Art can be hit or miss- we have gotten some neat art and some investment art. We aren't fond of the investment art, heh.

I often give food. Sometimes plants or garden goodies. Beadwork, sewn things, needlework.. hair goods. Probably some of the better stuff has been things like embroidered gauntlets or monogramed linens, or a suite of wedding jewels. A couple miniatures have been greatly appreciated. Holiday ornaments have been, but I haven't made any in years. I was pretty happy with an embroidered on leather piece I collaborated with another person on. The person who received it has been wearing it for years :)