12 Days of Christmas: A Gift Guide

For the first time in the history of the adult ‘ME’, I have all my Christmas shopping done before the first of December. I’m not gloating – just sharing my shock and awe. It probably has something to do with not leaving my house more than once per week for the past nine months. The thing is, no one else is really doing much of anything either so I focused this years’ holiday gifts on the concept of not just staying home, but doing so joyfully. Here are 12 gift-giving ideas celebrating the year of the homebody and small independent artists/crafters.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me ~

A Paint-By-Number Canvas

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The old-school paint by numbers are now modern and so much fun. My Sister-in-Law sent this Pink Picasso Peony PBN Kit to me earlier this year and painting it is very zen-like. You don’t have to think about composition or stress about color choice. Just put on some music, pour a modest glass of wine (so I stay in the lines-ish) and voila’ . . . my own masterpiece. This is a great gift for someone who likes to make things but claims, “they’re not creative.”

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Two Pop-Up Houses

These pop-up villages are sure to bring a smile to anyone who receives them. They arrive perfectly flat and in a matter of seconds you have an instant village (no tools required). Furthermore, just add a battery operated tea-light and you can just imagine the cozy fireplace crackling inside. I have the Christmas Village Hollyberry n’ Gold (thanks Mom!) and I absolute love how it pops up, illuminates, then folds flat to store. Additionally, these collections don’t stop at just Christmas! As the seasons get closer, check out the PopUpVillage Etsy Shop for Valentines, Easter and Halloween Popup Villages. Gorgeous!

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Three Face Mask Lanyards

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By a show of hands, how many of us have had to return to the car because we forgot our face mask? I saw you – your hand went up and so did mine. Regardless of where you stand on the face mask issue, donning a mask is part of today’s reality. These handmade face mask lanyards are a must for those busy days of running errands. Jamie at Woven Raven hand-ties each lanyard and adds stylish touches like beads and charms. Worn like an eyeglasses neck strap, these gorgeous lanyards are both fun and functional. I love how the charms look like earrings when your face mask is on! Jamie’s work is impeccable and she does custom orders too.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Four Handmade Notecards

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I am a sucker for a good artist story and this one fills my heart. Sienna, of SMK Designs by Sienna, is a very talented fourteen-year-old who is running her own small business to pay for the upkeep of her pony. Her sweet note cards are each a piece of art on their own and I LOVE supporting such a hardworking lady. Shipping is prompt and Sienna handles every detail of the transaction with grace and talent. A notecard trio would make a fantastic gift for a teacher, hairdresser or special neighbor – or buy yourself a set because who doesn’t LOVE getting a handwritten note on a pretty little card. I do – just sayin’.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

FIVE GOLDEN PANCAKES

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Christmas time is full of baked goods and digesting bread is a difficult thing for many of us. Darrold and Marty Glanville of Sunrise Flour Mill have just the solution. A bread flour that not only produces delicious baked goods but is easier to digest than today’s processed and hybridized wheat.

We produce single source, organic, heritage flours using a renewed milling technology from the 1930’s called the Unifine mill.

~Sunrise Flour Mill, north branch, MN

In addition to an array of flours, Sunrise Flour Mill offers a WONDERFUL 7-Grain Heritage Pancake Mix. I like cooking these hearty cakes a little on the thinner side so the edges crisp up a bit. Yum! Pass the syrup please. Normally, I do not eat bread because of digestive issues but so far, I’ve had none of the usual problems with the Sunrise flour and mixes. Pair this pancake mix with some specialty syrups for a unique gluten sensitive gift idea.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Six Flashlights Flashing

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Many of you may be thinking, “Hmmmm. A flashlight is an odd Christmas gift.” Actually though, It’s a fantastic idea because. . . everyone needs one at some point in their life. The Fenix E03R 260 Lumen Flashlight is even better because it is super small (like a car faub) AND is rechargeable with a USB port. Think nieces and nephews, mail carriers or babysitters. You can make their year Merry and BRIGHT.

BONUS: Click HERE for the FREE Merry and Bright Gift Tag print out.

To cute up the tag I simply used a 2″ craft punch for the background paper and a 1.75″ craft punch for the tag. Add a little ribbon, a charm or two and you are set.

Easy peasy.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Seven Posca Pens Painting

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Kindness rocks are one of those art/craft projects that just makes the world a better place. As the creator of the rocks, you get to exercise your creative muscles. As the giver, you experience excitement and the recipient? – well, their day has just become significantly better. It truly is more fun than you can ever imagine painting a rock would be.

The very best pens to paint kindness rocks are the Uni Posca Paint Markers. They cover beautifully, don’t tend to spurt and can be refilled. They also are a little spendy so most rockers start out with the basic 8 or 12 pen set. The two sets below offer something completely different. One has soft, pastel, natural colors and the other offers a pop of glitter.

Consequently, these are my two favorite ‘accessory’ sets and I always get them in the fine point tip. Any rock painter would be super excited to receive them. If you want more information on the Kindness Rocks movement and how to paint rocks, check out my Kindness Rocks post or my Kindness Rocks Video on the Crafty Composition YouTube channel.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Eight Wine Charms Charming

These Shrinky Dinky Wine Charms are the funnest (I know, not a real word) things to make. You can spend an afternoon coloring and then watch the magic happen when you pop the plastic into your oven. I made these for my Skinamarinky Shrinky Dink post a few years ago but I’ve been dying to do them again.

You can buy the stuff for yourself or, put together a kit for a Christmas gift. I guarantee y’all will have fun. Additionally, you can get sheets that run through your ink jet printer if you are more a fan of digital creating

OR you can get the traditional clear sheets that you will color with colored pencils.

Don’t forget the jump rings and wire .

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Nine Books Worth Reading

If I had to think of all the “things” I enjoy the most during the winter months, books would have to be at the top of the list. Curling up with a good book is so magical; it transforms you for a brief time and broadens your perspective. That’s why books make such a good gift. Here are two of of my personal favorites and seven from my “want to read” list.

• Peony In Love by Lisa See (favorite)
• Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan (favorite)
• The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann
• The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
• Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
• The Hidden Girl & Other Short Stories by Ken Liu
• Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
• Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Ten Needles Stitching

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Tamar Nahir Yanai is a gifted artist/crafter in Israel and her embroidery designs are the sweetest! I’ve done several of her kits and just love them. for example, I finished the one below a couple months ago and it is now framed and hanging in my craft room.

Notedly, shipping from Israel can take some extra time but the cost is only about $4. You can order the kits with or without the embroidery hoops and the floss and a needle is always included. Additionally, you DON’T need to be an embroidery guru as her kits only use a handful of different stitches and she gives you a card with instructions for each type of stitch. Super easy!

Order Tamar’s kits (and super cute note cards) through her ETSY shop. Remember, busy hands are happy hands.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Eleven Cookies Baking

It certainly wouldn’t be Christmas without Christmas Cookies. We always drop a plate-full around to our neighbors. These are the absolute best sugar cookies EVER and I have a funny little story about how I discovered them.

The Gift of the ‘Rue’ Cookie

So, as you know, we recently moved to Tulsa, OK. One night, our doorbell rings which is odd because we know NO ONE here yet. It is my sweet next-door neighbor and she has a plate of these amazing sugar cookies. She places the plate in my hand and proceeds to apologize for her dog barking in the mornings. I honestly hadn’t noticed but I can’t refuse a plate of cookies so I take them and we say good bye.

After dinner, we each have a cookie . . . and then another. Oh My GOODNESS!! Now I’m thinking about pounding on my neighbor’s door to demand MORE COOKIES. – “You know, the dog is a little loud”. But we’re adults here. Instead, my husband and I begin to plot how we can make their dog bark in the morning. Surely, if the dog continues to bark their will be another plate of cookies, right?

Well, my mama taught me you can never return a plate empty so consequently I found myself walking to my neighbors a few days later with some fresh baked zucchini bread. Her son’s outside so I hand him the plate and say, “Please tell your mom that your dog really doesn’t bark that much.” He responds, “Yeah Rue can’t hear a thing so she barks at everything”. And to that I say, “Rue?” and he says, “the dog” and I say, “oh, we named her Cookie.”

The END

Recently I asked my neighbor for the “Rue” cookie recipe and she said it’s from the blog, Julie’s Eats and Treats. However, she does use a different frosting recipe. Believe me when I say you will want to make them just the way my next-door neighbor does.

My Next-Door Neighbor’s Frosting

• 1.25 sticks of unsalted butter
• 3/4 cups shortening
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

Your neighbors will LOVE you!

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ~

Twelve Tags of Gratitude

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I love the idea of using these thankful tags on a package or to wrap a box of homemade cookies. This year has tried ALL of us. No matter where you stand, we have all struggled with parts of 2020 and remembering what we have to be thankful for is the single most important task.

So, thanks for the roof over my head, the food in my belly and the people in my heart. Thanks for books to read and cookies to bake; for crafts and the joy of being creative. Above all, these are the things I am grateful for every single day.

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I’m also thankful for you – my readers. Thanks for your comments, clicks and shares. Thanks for your encouragement and giving me something to do with my time. Mostly, thanks for just being you and showing up here. Y’all are truly a gift to me.

AND finally, we have a song to sing . . . you know the tune

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

12 Tags of Gratitude, 11 Cookies Baking, 10 Needles Stitching, 9 Books, Worth Reading, 8 Wine Charms Charming, 7 Posca Pens Painting, 6 Flashlights Flashing, 5 GOLDEN PANCAKES, 4 Handmade Notecards, 3 Face Mask Lanyards, 2 Pop-Up Houses, and a Paint by Number Canvas.

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