Posts Tagged ‘Christmas gifts’
Posted by terrepruitt on January 10, 2022
Seriously, if you are going to be crafty for Christmas gifts start early. There was one year I took the entire month of November, but I was doing a lot. This year I was just going to make something for two people so I thought it would be quick. I kept changing my mind, too, as to what I was going to do, but I was going to use some paint pens so I had thought it would be really quick. I always think that artist just sit down at one sitting and create masterpieces so I think I can do that same thing. There are multiple issues with that thought process, but the main two are REAL artists don’t actually do that, they may plan and do multiple drafts and I am not an artist.
I thought, since I was using pens that paint, I could just draw/write on my chosen surface and it would be quick, but as it turns out I don’t think the pens were made for glass. I drew and wrote and in some cases it disappeared by the time I was done with the other side. Multiple times – although, I was being really careful – I assumed I rubbed it off somehow. By the third or fourth time of redrawing / rewriting I was positive the surface didn’t touch anything so I concluded that it was just literally disappearing. So waiting until the week before Christmas was a huge mistake. My quick craft project was turning out to NOT be quick. First I had spent days redoing what I had done thinking that it just needed to dry. Then when it did kind of stay I painted a clear coat over it which completely erased portions of it. So finally I just threw in the paint pen and had to paint over everything with actual paint. The painting is not what takes so long it is the drying time.
Anyway . . . with the multiple tries and coats the ornaments are not what I was hoping, but the candle holders are ok. The multicolored sparkle of the glitter does not show up well in photos (that I take), but it is there.
Hopefully the late gifts will be well received. I believe both of the recipients were taught “It’s the thought that counts.” 🙂
Do you ever make Christmas gifts? What kinds?
In 2019, I had painted candle holders also.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Christmas 2021, Christmas crafts, Christmas gifts, glitter on glass, Merry Christmas ornament, paint pens, painted candle holders, painted ornaments, painting on glass | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 13, 2021
So these Christmas gifts might not go in the category of helpful . . .but maybe. A friend of mine gave me some nail polish recently that started an avalanche of nail polish “needs”. Since it is more expensive than I would normally spend on a bottle of polish – and I haven’t painted my nails in years! – I thought it was the perfect “ask” for a gift. And I recently fell in love with a purple pen which started an avalanche of me wanting colored pens . . . again . . . pens are not something we need so to me it was a good “ask”. I asked for a set of pens. I was telling one of my friends that I got them and she asked if there was anything I planned on doing with them and I had not. I was just looking forward to writing with them. When I had picked them out I hadn’t really paid attention to the fact that there were GLITTER pens in there. Yeah, I am a middle aged woman that gets excited about glitter pens. So that is one of the reasons why I was so excited by the recent idea of logging a daily task by coloring. I have a fun way to use my pens.
So . . . I feel so very blessed that I am able to really just get simple things I want for Christmas. When all my needs and wants are met, it is fun to be able to get some fun stuff.
Did you get any fun stuff for Christmas?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 2020 Christmas, Christmas, Christmas gifts, daily log, gel pens, glitter pens, Live Love Polish, nail polish | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 21, 2020
Last year a friend gave me a Bath & Body Works candle in a jar. It smelled so yummy I bought a bunch of them when they were on sale. But I have an issue with throwing “jars” away. Jarred candles feel much safer in that the flame is in a glass container, so I primarily purchase those type of candles (aside from tealight which I then put in containers). I just don’t like throwing the jar away. Last year I painted jars that I had from candles and gave them as gifts. But this year I am not seeing anyone and with a dance studio in our living room I didn’t want to take up the dining room table with crafts. But I did have those Bath & Body Works jars to deal with. And actually it started with a vase that I got for my birthday.
I always have pine cones as part of my decorations, but I don’t always put them all out. This year I stuck them in a square vase I had received with flowers in it for my birthday. I put a cork light in it and I really liked it. So I got the idea to fill it with Christmas ornaments and give it to my friend. I had NO idea what to get her and so I thought this would be nice. It is an really easy thing to decorate with and it has a pop. I had ordered pink and silver ornaments, but they sent me red and gold. The delivery had already been delayed so I wouldn’t have been able to get a replacement in time . . . plus the red ones were ok. But the pink and silver would have been awesome. (She’ll never know.)
So, I filled the jar with the ornaments to see how they would fit. Then I took them out and put in the light. I ended up doing that several times until I was finally satisfied. I didn’t use any glue so it was quite easy to rearrange things. Then I tied a bow around it and whamo! INSTANT light up Christmas decoration.
I loved it so much I thought about the Bath & Body Works candle jars! So I filled two of those with ornaments and cork lights. With these two jars I ended up getting new cork lights and they are pretty cool. They have different settings and a timer. Seems like they improve the lights every year.
So, I am super happy. I really like these decorations. I like to make stuff and I love to be able to recycle. And like I said, I think they have a big pop. Anything that lights up POPS to me.
I have a lot of Bath & Body Works candles to burn so I am sure I will fill the emptied jars with other things and give them as gifts. The possibilities are endless, they don’t have to be filled with Christmasy stuff!
I think these are adorable (yes, a little horn tooting), what do you think? Do you like to make gifts?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Bath & Body Works candle in a jar, Christmas decorations, Christmas gifts, Christmas giftsks candle in a jar, Christmas lights, cork lights, living room dance studio | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 17, 2020
You may surmise from my posts about my craft projects that I have made things for people for Christmas. My most recent post shows the two bottles I painted for two friends for Christmas. I enjoyed painting so much that I got an idea to paint bottles for a dozen friends and family members for Christmas gifts the following year. There are so many pictures of those bottles that it will take a long time to go through to figure out what to post. I have been putting that off for a long time, but the conversation with another blogger about crafts has motivated me to post the pictures of my projects. Originally I thought I would post as a project, but just like when I am cooking, I get so into what I am doing I forget to take pictures of the process. In regards to the multiple bottle project I will probably end up with fewer pictures then the first bottle post because I didn’t take very good pictures. Last year what I decided to paint was candle jars. We buy a lot of candles in jars and the glass is such high quality I can’t throw it out. I really enjoy painting (although I am NOT an artist) on glass so I decided to recycle the jars. As you can see my designs are very simple since I don’t paint well. It is more of a “something that brings me joy” than a “something that results in a beautiful object”.
Not only am I not a great painter I am not a great photographer so I didn’t capture all the sparkles very well, but ALL of the candle holders have glitter on them. Many of the designs were inspired by the recipients and, with one, the shape of the jar.
I have many more jars and bottles to paint. I hope to get some painting in this year.
Do you like to paint? Do you like to take pictures? Is crafting “your thing”?
Posted in Just stuff, Misc | Tagged: Christmas gifts, craft projects, glass painting, glitter on glass, painted bottles, painted candle jars, sparkly paint | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 17, 2018
This past Christmas I decided to make gifts for my family and some friends. I was painting (that will be another post or two) for the first three weeks of December. While I had my paints out I asked my hubby if he would mind if I painted our cat’s heart stone. As usual, just like when I am cooking, I didn’t think to take a picture of it until I was partly done. The first picture I had painted the green background and some of the blue flowers. That is when I thought to take pictures of it – AFTER I had already started – so that we could see the difference between the faded colors and the new colors.
The other picture shows the end result. It is nice to have the bright colors out in the yard. It also helped that my husband spent some time out in the yard gathering up all the leaves that were covering the stone. Our lemon tree drops a lot of leaves so in combination with all of the peanut shells we have in the yard, the stone was covered. It was covered AND faded so it was impossible to see.
Before bringing it it, my husband kindly washed it off, making sure to get all of the dirt off so the paint would stick.
I think I did ok. I am not an artist. I was just trying to brighten it up. And, that I did. I wasn’t going for shading or any depth. I do wish I would have taken a picture of it before I did any painting at all. But I just didn’t think about it until halfway through.
We actually have a lot of other things in the yard I would like to paint to help brighten them up. I mean, the reason we put them in the yard is because they were cute and colorful. Well, they fade after time so they need refreshing. I need to set aside some time to do that. We have a couple of walking stone sets that could use painting and several little yard decorations. Yup. That will be something I will do.
I like painting. I need to set aside some time in order to paint.
Do you have a hobby you would like to make more time to do? What do you think of Spot’s Heart Stone?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: bright colors, Christmas gifts, Christmast 2017, Grave stone, Hobby, painting, Spot, Spot the cat, Spot's Heart Stone, yard decorations | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 15, 2018
In my last post I mentioned family, friends, and both Nia and yoga students giving me cat things or things related to yoga this past Christmas. I received a lot of cute things. And I received a lot of thoughtful gifts. I want to share another one. (I know I have already posted about a few.) One of my students gave me a Gumby. Do you member Gumby? He is very flexible and bendy. She said it was because she called me Gumby, although I don’t ever remember hearing her call me that.
He has a tie-dyed shirt on! So cute! She made a tie-dyed shirt for him. She actually “tie-dyed” it. At first I thought she just found some material that looked tie-dyed and then she used it to sew a shirt. But nooooo! She actually used pens and colored the shirt making it tie-dyed. For those of you who have never taken one of the classes you might not realize that I wear tie-dyed shirts. They are kind of like my “uniform”. So this was super cute. It made me laugh. We were going to lunch the day she gave it to me and I had to bring it into the restaurant to show everyone. I also wanted to share it with you because it was so cute.
I also have some Gumby facts because this particular Gumby is a 50th anniversary edition Gumby so the packaging came with interesting facts listed about Gumby. I can say that I really didn’t know that much about Gumby. So these were things I didn’t know about Gumby.
-Gumby’s TV debut was on the Howdy Doody Show in 1956.
-Gumby got his own show that year. The Gumby Show.
-The Gumby Show aired from 1956 to 1968.
-By 1966, Gumby sales break all records.
-It takes 1,440 still-frame pictures to make 1 minute of clay animation.
-In 1988 100 new Gumby episodes were produced.
-There are 214 Gumby episodes in existence.
-Gumby’s first feature film was release in 1995.
So there. Now you know some Gumby facts.
Do you remember Gumby? Did you watch him on TV? Do you remember his side kick?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 50th Anniversary Edition of Gumby, Christmas gifts, creative gift, flexible, Gumby, Howdy Doody Show, Nia student, The Gumby Show, tie-dye shirts, yoga student | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 12, 2018
My family, students, and friends know me so well. I received such cute cat things and wonderful yoga related things this past Christmas season. Look at these super cute mugs. Such a bright addition to the kitchen. Now, if I could just get the Christmas stuff put away!
Here’s this week’s Friday Photo.
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: Christmas gifts, Christmas season, clowder, Friday Photo, kitty mug, Nia students, yoga students | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 13, 2017
While I was decorating for Christmas and making some Christmas gifts I was listening to Christmas music. I was listening to Pandora. I have a few Christmas CDs, but I thought I would listen to something else to see if there was any new stuff out there. To me it seems as if anyone sings they’ve done a Christmas album. Most often it is the same Christmas songs over and over. I have to admit that sometimes I like a new version of a traditional Christmas song. I can still like the old version, but it is nice to hear a new take on it. Well, this year on Pandora I was introduced to a Christmas album a couple of years old that had new-to-me songs on it. PLUS there are two versions of two songs that I didn’t even think I liked until I heard this group’s version. A couple of the songs I liked so much, I talked my hubby into an early Christmas gift of the album. The album I am talking about is Train’s Christmas in Tahoe.
First of all, last year was the first time – that I know of – that I had heard Joni Mitchell’s River (1971). And the version I heard I did not like. I think it turns out that I just don’t like any Christmas songs that particular artist sings on her album (2014). She has WAY TOO MANY dramatic pauses and they are WAAAAAAAY too long. Geez. It is to the point of annoying. So I thought I didn’t like the song. But I like Train’s version. Just now, before I typed this, I listened to their version then listened to the other artist’s version. I realized – as I FORCED myself to listen to the whole song -I had never listened to the whole song by that artist because I just don’t like it or so I thought. Turns out it is her version I don’t like. I need to listen to Joni Mitchell’s version to see how it is for me.
Then another song I have always really not liked until Train’s version is Happy Xmas (War is Over). I cannot tolerate John Lennon’s version of that song at all. That high pitched voice(s) on that track just really grates on my nerves. I am sure there are many out there that love that song . . . but I was so very relieved to hear not everyone likes it. I thought I was the only one. But I like Train’s version.
There is not one song on this album that I skip. And I was really happy to see that the album/CD has bonus tracks on it. It was purchased from Amazon so we had advanced access to it on Amazon music, but when the CD arrived it had more songs on it. Yay. Amazon music has 15 tracks, but the CD has 20! And one of them I don’t ever remember ever having heard. Have you heard of The Cherry Tree Carol?
What Christmas music are you listening to? What is your favorite Christmas song?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Amazon Music, Christmas CDs, Christmas decorating, Christmas gifts, Christmas in Tahoe CD, Christmas music, Christmas Songs, Happy Xmas, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell's River, new Christmas songs, Pandora, The Cherry Tree Carol, Traditional Christmas songs, Train | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 30, 2016
I know, I have done ornaments for the last two weeks, but I really love Christmas and all the decorations and my ornaments! Hardly anyone sees all our great ornaments so I am taking advantage of my blog and posting Christmas Tree ornaments! This will be the last one, at least that is the plan. Who knows, I might take a picture I love as I am “undecorating” and want to post it. I will try to refrain. But this is a NEW ornament. I received it as a gift and it is just so cute. She is BIG, but light, so it will be easy to find a spot for her on the tree every year. YAY! Love my new addition. So this is my last Friday Photo of 2016. I will be keeping this “feature” in 2017. This is also my LAST post of 2016.
Thank you for reading and liking. Thank you even more for commenting. I love interacting with readers. I wish all of you a happy and fun New Year’s Eve. And I wish all of you a GREAT 2017!
Happy New Year!
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: Christmas decorations, Christmas gifts, Christmas Tree, Christmas tree ornaments, Friday Photo | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 19, 2016
So do you wait or open? A friend and I were talking last week, she was saying that she was making some gifts and she was going to try to get them in the mail but wasn’t sure when that would be. She didn’t think she would make it in time for them to arrive at my house so that I could take them with me to the gathering that was planned with the recipients of said gifts. I suggested she send them to me anyway because that would give me and the other recipients motivation to meet again. Then I started laughing because I said if she sent them to me I would open mine right away. And she said, “You should!” Then we started talking about the practice of waiting to open or opening right away.
Unless someone tells me specifically not to open a gift until the actual occasion, I am going to open it. If it comes in the mail or they give it to me in person, I am going to open it. I am not one to wait or to expect others to wait. I think it is perfectly fine to open it right away. I get too excited to wait!
I know that some people like to wait. They think that if you receive a Christmas gift in the mail you should wait until Christmas to open it. I am not saying that waiting is wrong or that opening the present right away is wrong. I think it is between you and then giver. I think that whatever you want to do or however you feel – is right.
Because I like to open my gifts right away, I loved her response. She said, “You should! You should open it right away! Why wait?” And the enthusiasm with which she said it just made me laugh. I loved that!
I might have mentioned it in a post before – and this might even be “too early” for a lot of you – but one year my husband and I were in Fry’s Electronics and he saw something he wanted for Christmas. Perfect. To me, if someone can tell me what they want and I can get it — I love it. So I bought it. And we decided not to wait until Christmas to use it. Well, it happened to be October. So, yeah, that might be a little early, but it was awesome. It didn’t just sit in a box in the closet. We used it. We got three months use out of it before the occasion. It was a CD/DVD Jukebox. It is a CD/DVD player but it holds something like 300 hundred discs. We used it and we still use it!
So what do you think? Are you a waiter? Or an opener? Do you like people to wait? Or do you want them to open it right away?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: birthday presents, Christmas gifts, Do not open until, early Christmas present, excited to open gifts | 4 Comments »
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