Handmade Holiday: Heritage Cards

There is something about Fall which gets the home fires burning and the crafting started. Tonya from Plain and Joyful Living asked that we share our ideas for holiday cards.

For us this year, not only are we making or buying handmade gifts but we are also focusing on keeping family traditions and crafts alive by making a handmade heritage holiday.

We come from a family of very creative people. As the years go by, some of our cherished memories and talents are beginning to fade. To introduce the younger generations to the old, we are whipping up some family magic. The first glimpse of this enchantment will be when they get a view of "the heritage tag".

DSC_0255 

On the outside of the tag is the To: and From:, a photo of the person who originally came up with the idea. Also included, either on the front or the back, is a little tidbit about this person. What they loved to do and create.

DSC_0237 
 

Great Gram would crochet.

DSC_0240 

My Grandmother would make her famous chocolate cookies,

DSC_0242 
My grandma was five years old in this photo.

 while my dad would make us wonderful toys, inventions, and cartoons. All learned from one of our famous relatives, Oskar Lindqvist.

DSC_0241 
My great grandfather, newly in America.

Being a designer, my mom would make us wonderful clothes. This tag, however, is toting her incredible apple cake.

DSC_0245 
My  mom at 13 years old with the apples she grew.

Inside each gift will be a card which will have either the pattern, recipe, or instructions and a little bit more about the person along with some photos. By the end of this holiday season, my children will receive and meet a different side of their large and happy family. Plus they will have some great beginnings on a heritage album.

To see what other sorts of cards everyone is coming up with, head on over and take a look.


Comments

12 responses to “Handmade Holiday: Heritage Cards”

  1. Awesome valarie!
    I plan to make Ancestor journals for my kids this year for Christmas. I’ve been saying it for years but I’m serious this year. It will be in mixed media style with memories I will write of each person.
    BUT…I can’t put it on my blog for handmade holiday cuz they read my blog and the secret will be out! hahaha
    happy day!

    Like

  2. Great idea! I am working on making Hanukkah more thoughtful this year!

    Like

  3. dearest sweet Valarie, these cards are soo beautiful and very inspiring! I am loving this idea of a personal photo along with the gift tags! Im into holiday crafting now and these are such such fun to look at! Have a lovely merry happy week and love to yoU!

    Like

  4. What a terrific idea, Valarie! Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot lately, about how memories can fade despinte one’s attempts to hold onto them… In my case it’s been my Swedish grandfather’s tales of his life at sea. At the time it seemed like I heard the stories so often that there was no way I could forget, now I wish there was some tangible traces to hold on to. Your wonderful gift idea is a great way to pass along family history, and keep it.

    Like

  5. That sounds wonderful. Let us know after the fact on how they turned out. I can hardly wait to see them.

    Like

  6. Sounds great. What are you doing?

    Like

  7. Glad to hear your back to crafting. Hope you are feeling better.

    Like

  8. Hi Kate. Just write down everything you can remember. It’s a great starting point. If your grandfather was at sea he very well could have been part of the merchant sea church which kept track of all swedish seamen. Let me know if you need help finding that information. We had a few Svensk seamen in our family too.

    Like

  9. Thanks so much sweet Valarie!! Im on the mend and feeling much better today. It rained and the air is cooler. ๐Ÿ™‚ So glad! Love to you!

    Like

  10. woweeee. this is an incredible idea. I might like to dig up the past for my girls some day,though sadly there is not too much known about too many of our relatives. I think this is so wonderful, and your kids are going to eat it up. You get the great idea award of the day! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Like

  11. We are the same Amy – I adore Valarie’s tags but if I tried to do the same with what we know about our ancestors we might manage about half of one! A wonderful, wonderful idea though – It just makes me want to live in your family and be part of all that history xx

    Like

  12. I ADORE these!!! such a lovely idea ๐Ÿ™‚

    Like

Leave a reply to Jacqueline Cancel reply