Boring Recap of Some Gifts I Gave This Year for Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone. I hope everyone enjoyed time with family and friends whilst celebrating the holidays. I have been spending the last couple of days recuperating from a minor surgery which was had on the eve of Christmas. More details on that later; when I am feeling better (not a big deal).

I regaled a story regarding a gift from Christmas past a few weeks ago. It is no secret that I have always thoroughly enjoyed giving gifts no matter how dorky the gifts I choose to give are. I wanted to share a few of my favorite gifts that I gave this year. Now that Christmas has passed, and with the exception of a few stragglers everyone has received their gifts. 

I have always enjoyed hand making gifts. I have never really been the artistic sort but I like to try to step outside of the box and put a little “me” into the gifts I do give. I have a family member who very much likes "The Wizard of Oz." I thought long and hard about what to get this person. I certainly wanted something that was different. I started brainstorming ideas, and then began to search around on Etsy.com. In no time I had come up with an alteration to my original idea that seemed doable. I like to think that I was the first person to come up with this sort of idea, but I wasn't. And what I found on Etsy was far better than what my mind had initially conjured.

Behold The Wicked Witch of the East bookmark

This was before I had added a few finishing touches which took away from the fact that these legs both look like left legs/feet. My final product was a bit better but I neglected to snap a photo.

I fashioned the legs and shoes from clay. I felt so odd doing this, like some sort of strange foot fetish person. I molded and molded until I felt the stumps looked somewhat human. I then cut a few slits in the top of the legs for the bookmark part to be inserted. Next I baked the legs, waited for them to cool, then painted them with acrylics. I finished up by gluing glitter on for the shoes and gluing the bookmark in place. 

Next I present to you... The turtle brigade.

I hand painted all of the bastards, took forever...

With all of the extra clay I had purchased from the bookmark I began manufacturing turtles. One of my best friends loves turtles so I made hers first. I was so delighted with how it turned out that I wound up making a few extras to give as gifts also. They are pretty small, about the circumference of a penny I suppose. Feeling adventurous??? See the video below, which I used to teach me how to make the turtle. I just used white clay however and painted it after it baked. 

A couple of elephant paintings for my cousin's twin girls :)

The canvases are like two and a 2.5"x2.5" so even with the easels they only stand a few inches tall

Finally, I wanted to share that I found an original 1983 version of the Care Bear from my story a few weeks back that I mentioned above. I purchased him off eBay. He is being shipped from the UK as we speak. Unfortunately he did not make it here in time for the holidays, but I am quite sure my sister will be thrilled to receive him.

At long last... To make up for all those years ago!

Anyway... Making home made gifts is kind of embarrassing and things do not always turn out the way that I expect them to. I always think about that episode of "The Office" where Michael is getting ready to leave with Holly and he gives everyone a goodbye gift. He makes this scarecrow thing for Oscar and then laughs at how shitty it is. I guess sometimes that is how I feel lol :)