Valerean

My guy has a terrible time finding affordable shoes. He prefers to wear sneakers, and I was successful at thrifting a beautiful pair of Nikes for him at the end of summer. So I tried to do it again for his Christmas present, and eventually bid on and won a pair of Reebok sneakers. They don't have a mark on them, which suggests they were a display pair donated by the store. I looked up on the Reebok website the name of the sneakers from the box they came in, and besides finding out they were super nice, I learned that they retail for $83.99 . That made me extra happy, because I thrifted them for $13.00. :) Merry Christmas to my guy!

For my first try at making my own reusable gift wrap I hauled out some dollar store fat quarters. This first try I'm making how I think it should work, by sewing two pieces together and using the finished piece just like paper wrap. All dollar store FQs are not the same size, however, so I trimmed them to match first. After sewing them together and pressing them, I had a decent sized rectangle of wrap. These two blind date with a books are already wrapped, but I just need them to try out my idea. And it worked! I folded it slowly around the books, keeping the fabric neatly tucked as I wrapped, and secured the end with a butterfly brooch. I tried making a traditional furoshiki just out of the green fabric, with mixed results. It would probably work better with a synthetic fabric (also explains why most furoshiki are polyester.) Finally I made a pouch out of some scrap flannel fabric, which I simply tied shut with a ribbon. If I add a little bag of d...

There have been many holidays when my budget simply did not stretch to buy gifts for everyone in my life, especially when I was young. I would try to make something by hand, but I didn't always have the materials or time for that, either. So here are some ideas for gifts you can give that cost nothing but a little (or no) effort: Babysitting: Family or friends who have kids are usually always in need of a babysitter, especially when they need to holiday shop. Offer to babysit for free for them as your gift to the parents. If you're looking for something to do with kids as entertainment, make easy/kid-safe Christmas ornaments while they're with you. Drive: My guy and I celebrated Christmas last year by going out for a drive with no destination in mind; we just wandered. We ended up hiking in a beautiful park we found along the way. If you've got a car and a little gas, you can do the same with your recipient (also, offering to drive them around to run err...

Today we're going to talk about unusual gifts you can obtain or hand make for cheap. Since thrifting online over the past year I've learned that certain stores like Kohl's donate shoes they have on display after the stock is depleted. I've gotten two pair of sneakers that were new with tags (one still had the plastic diplay insert still in it) for a tenth of the price I would have paid for them retail. Thrifting is also how I got these brand new $78.00 Reebok Jorie LT Athletic Slip Resistant Work Shoes for my guy but only paid $13.00 for them. Now, how is that handmade? It isn't, but it did take up a lot of my time. I had to watch the shoe listings on ShopGoodwill.com for about a month, searching and checking them every day to see if I could find a pair of shoes for him that were new, in his size and well-made. This wasn't a problem for me because I'm on the computer for work every day anyway. Then, at the end, someone else bid on them. The othe...

Every year I make food gifts for our neighbors. It's a way to show appreciation for them with a gift they always appreciate during the busy time of the holidays when they don't often have time to indulge in a nice dessert or snack. I usually do a dessert that is unusual, and every year I try a different recipe, which I test first on my guy. Last year my food gift to the neigbors was French Silk Pie ; this year it's going to be coconut and vanilla macarons (note: these are not easy; I practiced all summer to get mine right.) I've done a lot of interesting dessert recipes out of old cookbooks, too, from an apple strudel with a dusting of ground walnuts to authentic gingerbread with lemon sauce (if I can find online links to recipes for those, I'll add them to the post.) Some of my decidedly obnoxious opinions on food gifts: Find out first if your recipient has any medical conditions or allergies that prevent them from eating certain types of foods. You woul...

I promised to show you some ideas for handmade gifts, and I'm going to use for examples things I'v actually made as gifts. Upfront disclaimer: I try to make most of my gifts every holiday season, and I regularly thrift gifts, too. It's a way to avoid spending too much during the holidays, which is always a good thing. With the first idea the packaging is actually the gift I made. Someone will be opening this Christmas is this pair of Ray Ban sunglasses from a Thred Up fun box with a quilted case I sewed for them. I found the free pattern for the case online here , and it only took an hour. I had on hand all the materials, too, so it cost nothing but my time. You can find an inexpensive fun pair of sunglasses for less than $5 at Wal-Mart, or even cheaper at Dollar Tree. This linen junk journal I made back in September was a 100% recycled project, as it has a cover made from an old stitch practice piece, a vintage kitchen towel for the lining that I had on han...

For my first quilting project in December I'm working on a holiday gift bag for my brother-in-law, who we'll be visiting this month at his assisted living home. I'm trying to make it as cheerful as possible, and will fill it with sugarfree treats as he's also a diabetic. I really am trying to be cheerful this year, too, in keeping with the promise I made last year. It's tough, as I'm not really into all the hoopla. So I'm focusing on making my gifts special, and using only reusable gift wrapping like quilted bags and furoshiki wraps. So far so good. Since we won't have any visitors this year, and plan to stay home and celebrate by ourselves, should be quiet. Yes, I am knocking on wood right now. In other news, the one friend I made in the online quilting community whom I thought was a kindred spirit has stopped answering my e-mails (three that I sent over the last month have gone without reply, and that's my limit for bothering someon...

Since I griped yesterday about the holiday gifts I don't want, here are: Ten Things I Do Want for Christmas Coffee: I have all the tea I can possibly drink for the next year, but I actually don't have much coffee. I don't need a big package of it, as I drink only two cups per day. If you can find an interesting variety for cheap, I'd love to try it. DVD Movie or Show: I love historicals, mysteries and nonfiction documentaries about history. You don't have to buy this one, either, if you have a movie or show on DVD you're done watching, pass it along to me. Holiday Book Date: Here's the easiest gift ever. Go to a thrift or used book store, buy any book that you think I'd enjoy reading (the cheaper the better), wrap it in plain brown paper and write "Blind Christmas Date" on the outside. If you can't afford a used book, give me one you already own. One Yard of Fabric: This is a gift I often exchange with quilter friends ...

I'm going to try to make or thrift all of my Christmas gifts this year, but I know my family will go out shopping for new stuff. I am always grateful for any gift, but I think this year I will first give them a list of: Ten Things I Do Not Want for Christmas Anything Containing Sugar and/or Carbs: I will be immediately giving them to someone else because hello, you've forgotten than I'm a diabetic again. Exotic Teas: I do love trying new things, especially as hot beverages in winter are nice. However, I'm still working my way through 2023 Christmas's and 2024 birthday's teas. Let me finish those first. Fuzzy Holiday Throws: I actually like these cheap minky-like throws, which are super soft and definitely warm. Problem is I own about five right now and three are Christmas or winter prints. Jewelry: I wear a bracelet every day to remind me which hand is weaker at the moment. I have about a hundred of them, too. Occasionally I'll wear ...

This is a story that starts out very sadly, so if you're depressed by the holidays you might want to skip the first part. Back in 1979 I was in military basic training during my first Christmas away from home. Because we were poor and our parents had major relationship and addiction issues, and we belonged to a strict religion, the holidays were always pretty unhappy at our house. My mother had been very angry with me for joining the military without her permission, so I didn't expect even a Christmas card from her. Instead she sent a box of oranges to me to share with my squad, and a little stocking filled with her homemade fudge. That was the last time someone made a Christmas stocking for me. In the 44 years since then I've always put up stockings for my family and filled them with treats. I even made new stockings for everyone a few times. Each Christmas I would wait to see a stocking hung up for me, but no one ever did that. The stocking you see up there w...

I always buy myself a little got-through-Christmas reward every year; it's a tradition that helps me cope with the stress of the holidays. I really needed this ritual this year, too. My budget is always $50.00. This year I decided to try thrifting what I wanted with the same budget, and first bid on and won this vintage floral brooch collection for $9.99, or about 55 cents each. My next thrift was this bundle of twelve McCall's Quilting magazines. This is my favorite quilting magazine dating back to the eighties, and I don't own any of these issues. Cost: $7.50, or about 62 cents each. Finally I needed a few more colors of yarn for my 2024 calendar crochet blanket, so I bid on and won this 22 lb. lot of colorful yarn for $11.99, which works out to 54 cents a pound. Altogether I spent $29.48 on the three lots, which is well within my annual budget. :)

It's that gift-giving whether you like it or not time of year again, so here are: Ten Things I Don't Want for Christmas Booze: We don't drink, and have not for the last thirty years. I do not provide alcohol for guests or allow them to bring it into my house. I don't regift unwanted booze. I have one half-bottle of white cooking wine that I use to make Bistec de Palomilla (Cuban steak with onions), by the way, and I'm not going to let you drink that, either. Candy: Did you know there is no cure for diabetes, and that I still have it? Yep. I'm also back on the meds to control my blood sugar. Please notice these things. Cookbooks: I own about fifty now, including all the really good ones for diabetics and vegans. I've also run out of space on the cooking bookcase, to which some of my sewing stuff has migrated. It's also not a very subtle hint. If you want me to feed you, just ask, but don't passively-aggressively whine about my av...

Now that fall has arrived I'm starting to plan things for the holidays (my motto this year is keep it very, very simple), but I'm really not ready for it to be October the day after tomorrow. Time has dragged quite a bit over the course of the pandemic, but for the last year I've stayed busy with work and my art, and that seems to keep me from watching the calendar. It feels as if yesterday it was July. How can it be October? Things are going quite well at the day job. I should finish up my current novel series next week, and then take some time off to think about the next one. Our holidays will be quiet with just the two of us, but I have a couple of birthdays before the end of the year for which to make gifts. I've finished one and have to start the second now. I'm only making one Christmas gift for Katherine, and I'll make a meal and a cake for my guy as we've agreed not to buy anything for each other (hopefully he sticks to that.) I have thr...

For Valentine's Day we decided instead of buying gifts for each other that we would get take-out from our favorite German restaurant and have a nice dinner together at home. Out of idle curiosity I looked back at my archives from last year to see what we did. Turns out we had dinner at the same restaurant with Kat. :)

Since everyone loves these apply apple (yes, I'm this brain wrecked) turnovers, I made two trays of these as my holiday gifts to our next door neighbors. This one is waiting for the folks on the right of us to get home from work. I think food is the best gift. I also give a printed copy of the recipe and note anything that I do differently. In between baking I've been doing laundry and writing. Still have about 1100 words to go for my quota today, but I'm on track to finish the next book by January 1st or so.

Ten Things I Do Not Want for Christmas Anything Cute, Pink, Yellow or Sparkly: I can't be polite about this anymore. Also, I'm almost 60 and I should be exempted from cutesy stuff now. Please make a note of this. Christmas Decor: How much don't I love the holidays? Hint: I didn't unpack or put out anything that I already own this year. Clothing: I pretty much live in T-shirts and leggings now. Have plenty. Also? Everyone forgets that I'm 40 lbs. lighter now, and the XL stuff looks like I'm dressing in a garment bag. Covid-19: Duh. Exotic Teas: I love tea, and everyone knows it. Of course this means they go out and find the weirdest teas to gift me, like the one to improve my blood pressure (honestly, tasted like dirt) macha green (horribly bitter) and chocolate orange something (I can't even.) Let me buy my own teas, I beg you. Fabric: I still have enough to last me until I'm deceased. My only new year's resolution is ...

Over the last week Cole's face started swelling on the left side, with the bulge going up and down. We went to the vet this morning to see what was causing it. I was pretty sure it was an infection (cancer isn't that fast). Sure enough he has an abcessed tooth, possibly two, so antibiotics now and surgery to pull the tooth/teeth and drain the abcess next week. Then he'll probably have to wear the collar of doom until New Year's so he doesn't scratch at his face. See what I mean about my rotten luck during the holidays? At least it's fixable, so I'll consider that a gift from Santa. Added: The day after my car battery died we found out we have to rebuild the transmission on our pickup truck, leaving us with one very old vehicle to use until the 20th. On the 19th my guy also has his next round of skin cancer surgery. Dear Santa, please stop with the bad luck now, that's all I want for Christmas, thank you.

As the holidays approach us with all the subtlety of a sledge to the head, here are Ten Things I Do Not Want For Christmas Alexa or Anything Alexa Related: I use VRS all day to work. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is talk to more devices. Bath Products: I've arrived at that age when getting in and out of the tub is actually a little dangerous. Also, I have an entire drawer filled with the stuff that I haven't used from all the Christmases past. Booze of Any Kind: I haven't had a drink in thirty years, and people still try to give me alcohol during the holidays. If I can't find a responsible drinker to pass it along to, all that overpriced wine is going to deodorize my sink in January. Crocs: Quite possibly the most unattractive shoes ever created, Crocs are also what I see just about everyone in Wal-Mart wearing while they're buying barrels of lard, sacks of those cheese puff balls, and cases of no-name beer. So not really where I want to go w...

I think the first week of NaNoWriMo went well for me. I got my words down, and fell back into the groove of the story. I only had one time where I didn't make quota, and made up for what I lacked in the next session. I'm not feeling any burn from working on work and fun stuff each day. Quite the contrary. What I'd hoped -- that this would help recharge me creatively -- is one of the side effects I'm enjoying. It's also just nice to be me again on the page. In other, unrelated news, this arrived: I bought this vintage sewing basket from eBay, which I plan to clean up and turn into a holiday gift for my daughter. She likes retro, and this is definitely that. It's in good shape, and stuffed with notions. A lot of notions! She won't need all this stuff, so I get a couple presents too.

I finished Oliver's Halloween treat bag just under the wire last night: The face didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but I thought for my first big applique it was all right. Happy Halloween!