For Christmas this year, I had absolutely no clue what to do. I wasn’t going back to Michigan for Christmas, so needed simple, ship-able gifts for everyone there. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right? Gift cards. And done. But that is such a cop-out gift for people who live in driving distance, that you will see, and so that was the real rub. What to get the coworkers, the personal friends, the family that will look at a gift card and sniffingly say “You can and should do better than that!” Well, okay, I really seriously doubt anyone but my mother would say that to me. But hey, it worked with getting my crafting on, so we’re going with it! 😛

I started plotting, because that is my favorite thing to do for gift-searching for my friends. I am a pretty darned good plotter, too, I must say. I decided that I like crafts, so I would do a craft of some sort. Then I started perusing the aisles in Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl’s and wasn’t really inspired until a friend & I went to the Southern Women’s Show and found a veritable craft heaven. I heard angels playing harps, choirs tra-la-la-ing, and even heard a light bulb turn on in my head. Somewhere. Okay maybe it was <b>all</b> in my head, but work with me here. Pretty please, with sugar on top. I decided to make personalized wine & pint glasses for all my peeps (no not the marshmallow kind). With a personalized candle holder or two thrown in for good measure.

My grandparents were coming down for Thanksgiving, a first-in-6-years event for me to share with them, so I really wanted to make them something that was easy to drive back but something they’d actually use. So I decided to make them a wine carafe & goblet set. They can use it for juice, wine, milk, water, whatever their hearts desire. Not something they’d buy for themselves, but would definitely use when their ***cough*** favorite granddaughter makes it for them. Hee. Hee. Okay, fine, when their first grandchild makes it for them. Even I couldn’t stop laughing at the absurdity.  Sue me for trying.

Next is my Aunt Donna, who always gets me such cute and unique gifts. What to get for an almost-graduating PhD from NC State?!? Why how about an NC State home-painted Mug, you say? Don’t mind if I do… Thank you for the thought. Go team.

And finally something for my Mom so she won’t feel left out. Dad would be fine, but Mom likes to get gifts (and really who doesn’t) that are home-made (okay maybe we don’t all on that distinction, but she’ll take yours if you don’t want them!). As a note, I get my craftical nature from my mother, who insisted on having a craft room while we were kids. Thank you Mom, I still think that saved my sanity many a day….and maybe yours too. So for Mom, why not a candle holder, something she can have on a random table (of which she has many) as a decoration.

I bought glass products from a variety of places (and I do mean variety), swiped them down with rubbing alcohol (again, dust bunnies may live there now, but not when I’m through with them!), and decided to get my paint on! ***does the painting dance*** (Use your imagination, if you’re still reading this by now, I’m sure you have a good one.)

So Okay, the remote. I can explain that, truly. I was watching a movie called “Beauty & The Beast” by this company called Disney. Maybe you’ve heard of it/them?!? Yeah, thought so… it’s a good’un. Especially when you’re trying to get your craft on, trust me.

So now to think up ideas. My grandparents LOVE flowers & birds, so that was a no-brainer. My aunt is at NC State and also loves flowers, and my mom (like me) is a good, loving Catholic mom. I also like drawing, freehand mimicry of a picture on a computer screen or book is a personal favorite of mine. Freehand is always preferable to tracing, but I have no shame in tracing when necessary. So I trace a lot of outlines and freehand a lot of innards. It works pretty well. Or so I thought. What do you think? Let me know!

G&G’s Carafe Set

Aunt Donna’s NC State Mug

Aunt Donna’s Candle Holder with candle (from Michael’s)

Mom’s Candle Holder with candle (from Michael’s also)

Next up: CoWorker Gifts! In the meantime, time for this crafty chica to hit the hay and catch some ZZZZ’s! Hope you enjoyed this, would love to hear from you! Thanks for reading, and playing along!

Craft You Later,
Beth