Staff Crafts: Who Has Started Their Holiday Gift Making?

Quick poll: is it ever too early to start your handmade holiday gift projects?

If you’re ready to put your holiday crafting hat on, we have a beautiful new series of classes this month taught by Courtney and Cobrina in the theme of “Home Is What You Make It.” These projects feature materials you can easily find in and around your home and might ring a bell of nostalgia or help you to create a new tradition with an updated and modern look.

photo collage of various handmade projects being made, like fabric scrap ornaments, knotted macrame pantry bag, salt dough ornaments, bees wax candles, fabric gift wrapping, flower boughs

Have Creativebug staff members started their gift-making yet? Let’s find out!


Liana, General Manager

A child brushing orange paint on a pie tin to create a monoprint
a child holding a mono print he made by painting orange onto the back of a pie tin
bird's eye view of a child looking up while siting at a wooden table covered in orange pumpking paintings
a large window on the side of a house displaying several monoprints of orange pumpkins

Liana and her family are still enjoying the orange glow of their pumpkin-y palette. “We did some Halloween monoprints using cake pans! And we’ve been hanging Caleb’s holiday artwork in our entryway window for all to see.” This is beyond adorable and looks like such a fun craft to make with your kiddos. Possible snowmen in the future?

Ivy, Marketing Manager & Alena, Customer Success Manager

a white and green blown glass pumpkin on a wooden table
a white and yellow blown glass pumpkin sitting on a wooden table

Ivy and Alena are part of our team based in Idaho. Last month, you saw Alena’s blown glass pumpkins that she made at Boise Art Glass. We love that Ivy joined her, and here are their beautiful works of art.

Cobrina, Artist Coach

a fresh flower bough hanging on a white door
a fresh floower bough hanging upside down, wrapped in purple ribbon

Cobrina recently arranged these two gorgeous door bouquets, one for her house and one for her parents. The real treat is that you can learn how to make your own in Cobrina’s class “Botanical Boughs for All Seasons” launching November 22nd.

Katrina, Art Director

a colorful knotted rope wall hanging against a white wall
three handmade felt catnip toys in different prints and colors, shaped like cat heads
a handmade dog portrait ornament sew with felt

“I haven’t done any fall crafting this year but here’s some past projects from last year I’ve worked on for holiday gifts. Rope wall hanging, felt catnip toys, felt dog portrait ornament.” Wouldn’t it be fun to also try making felt portraits of someone’s favorite fictional character or celeb crush?

Tyffany, Digital Designer

four mini quilts on a table sewn with scraps in different colors and prints

“I made some mini quilts using scraps from my stash. I might use them for gift giving to gift wrapping. They will be really easy to send in the mail for a little holiday greeting.” There is so much magic in using your scraps to compose little pieces of art.

Erin, Growth Marketing Manager

black jeans folded on a table with orange and cream hand embroidered flowers embellishing the top of the waist
black jeans on a table with orange and cream hand embroidered flowers on the top of the waist

Erin is the newest member of the Creativebug team, and discovering what she makes is such a fun way to get to know her more. She embroidered a field of flowers on the back of her jeans. That placement is so cute!

Stephanie, Content Editor & Artist Coach

a photo collage. on the left: part of a hand crocheted sweater in dark gray yarn on a wooden surface. on the right: a mint green sewing machine covered in a clear vinyl sewing machine cover

“I’m crocheting my first sweater (I’ve knit one before), and it sort of feels like a mystery as far as final fit, so stay tuned. Also, I purchased my first sewing machine a few months ago, and my first real sewing project was this vinyl cover. Everyone on the internet made it sound super easy, but it was definitely a challenge for this newbie. That bias tape covers all your sewing sins.”

Faith, Content Editor

small child with curly blonde hair in an autumn grassy field wearing a dark grey striped tunic that was sewn from an adult sized tunic

“Mica is only wearing dresses now so instead of buying her new ones, I’m chopping up clothes I don’t wear anymore and sewing her these. Plus I use the existing hems, which saves me a step!” Genius! Now everyone wants Faith to teach a class on this.

Courtney, Editor-in-Chief

photo collage of colorful handmade quilts with serged edges, some are displayed flat and one is folded and tied with a ribbon

Courtney takes us back to her fall projects from 2020. “I had just learned how to use a serger and I made/finished these quilts just so I could serge the edges.” There will be times that a fun new tool will determine your next make! And a cozy quilt is always such a special gift idea for those who will truly appreciate all that hard work and love.


As you can see, we aren’t all quite there with the gift-making yet. If you haven’t started either, well, we’re in this together, and there is definitely still time!

Stuck for ideas? Check out our Holiday Crafting Headquarters which has enough inspiration and projects to take care of everyone’s wishlists.

a holiday display of handmade goods like a knitted mini hat garland, and apple pie, watercolor holiday cards, confetti, and gold and silver embellishments