Five on Friday Gift Edition!

 Hi everyone! 

We are having crazy weather here. There is ice on the roads and walkways, and slide-offs and accidents all over the place.  So if you live in Indiana, be careful, and drive slow.

We are actually under a yellow weather advisory...I don't know exactly what that means, but if your weather is like ours, you don't want to get out and Christmas shop!  So

I thought for my Five on Friday I would help you do some local (to me), hand-made, Christmas shopping. 

First up...I ordered these ornaments for the shopping trip girls.  Since our shopping trip was the weekend before Thanksgiving, and they've already opened them, I thought I'd tell you about Cristin Marie.  I don't really know her, but I met her at the IUK craft show.  She had a booth with some pretty cool stuff, and it all had hand lettering.   She does all kinds of things, old windows, doors, wood, ornaments, etc.  If it can be written on, she'll do it.  And I think she is reasonable in her prices.   These ornaments make great stocking stuffers.  You can follow her on Instagram at cristinmarieco.  She is having a give away right now too, until midnight tonight, so hurry and sign up. 

Second!

Hand made skin care products made by a friend of mine.

 This hand made soap is great.  I love the way it feels on my skin, and the different and creative scents she uses are very light.  Not strong like some soaps. She also sells skin creams, shampoo, conditioner, lip balms, shaving soaps and oils, face elixirs, beard oil and mustache wax. And  I love the very professional way she packages her products.  The salt scrub comes in a test tube!  She has very reasonable prices as well and can be found at kissofhoneypurenature.com or on facebook at Kiss of Honey

Third

You've heard me talk about Patti Beck many times as she is a friend of mine and makes very unique pottery pieces.  If you are looking for an unusual hand made gift, or a stocking stuffer, get in touch her.  She has all kinds of garden critters, fairies and gnomes,  and ornaments, but the one thing she is known for are her Santas. She creates a different themed Santa every year. People come to her open house way early and stand in line to get the years Santa.  She can be found on Facebook at Herbs & Clay Pottery.

 

 Fourth

Kokomo, Indiana has an opalescent glass shop that I usually go to during December, but I've completely skipped it this year. I love looking at their Christmas glass. I'm going to try to get there this week if the weather allows.  Anyway, the Kokomo Opalescent glass shop has been around since the 1880's and it used to be visited by the one and only Louis Comfort Tiffany.  They have all kinds of unique items made right there in their little factory.  I've blogged about the tour I've taken there before, and it's definitely something I'd do if I were you, and ever visited Kokomo, Indiana.  In the meantime check them out online at www.kog.com or facebook at Kokomo Opalescent Glass.

 They not only do stained glass, but they also do blown glass, and beads.  And they offer classes.

 This is one of the Christmas tree oil lamps I bought from them several years ago.

Fifth!

Some crafty ideas from me!

I made some hand warmers and put a very cute mug and some delicious Starbucks Hot Cocoa and Kraft Marshmallows in a bag.  All to keep you warm on a cold night.

 I had a cookie exchange with the crochet group I'm in, which I think is a fun idea because then you can create gifts for neighbors out of the different cookies you trade each other.  Or do what we did and eat them yourself! (embarrassing)

I bought each person in our group a large bag at TJ Maxx for 1.00 - it's kind of hard to see in the picture but it has the coffee mug on it with the candy canes-yep that's a bag. I got them the bag to put their cookies in.

 I put their cookies in a baggie, and put that inside this cardboard sweet shop house that I bought at the dollar store.

 And I got them a gift that went with the cookie exchange theme.  This novel is about a group of women that have a yearly cookie exchange, and it also has cookie recipes inside.  I got them an oven mitt, bakers twine,

 and a copper cookie cutter.

Just look at all of these delicious cookies and the very unique containers they put them in.

 

 Another gift idea I did this year, which is too late for you to do now, but right after Christmas is a great time to start on this for next year.  I started collecting last summer.  I wrapped 24 gifts,

 and rather than numbering them, I just put them all in a bag and gave one bag to my sister and one to my cousin.  They get to open one present a day until Christmas.  This is another TJ Maxx bag and I thought it was perfect for an advent gift.

 And if you're feeling a bit crafty, and have some old frames laying around, here's a quick gift idea.

I painted this picture frame Christmas red.  You can buy a small bottle of acrylic paint for $1.00 or so.

After the red paint dried, I lightly brushed the red frame with a dry brush and some black paint to make it look like the black came through the red.  It makes it look like the frame has been painted that way forever.

 My Shug took a piece of plywood and cut it to fit the frame and I painted it with chalkboard paint.

Then I added a little Christmas saying.  Don't make fun.  I'm not the writer that CristinMarie is, but I hear she is giving lessons in January.  I might be able to do a better job, but this was my first go with it and I haven't had time to mess.  I've been shopping, entertaining,  wrapping, crafting, and decorating. 

 A quick and easy way to making bunting.....

cute out Christmas material with pinking sheers...

fold the top over some thick yarn....

sew.

I made them with my nieces (above photo) and put them in the advent calendar gift for my sister and cousin (below is cousins pic)  Told ya I've been busy doing Christmas!

 And of course, if you crochet or knit, themed dishcloths, potholders, hot pads are always a good idea

and are great projects for crochet group. 

That's my five on Friday "gift edition!"  I hope you enjoyed it and if you are looking for some gifts but don't want to go out, go online and visit these places!

I'm joining Amy over at Love Made my Home with Five on Friday.  Make yourself a hot drink, click HERE, and take some relaxation time for yourself and visit other bloggers.  There are so many creative and interesting bloggers out there. 

Stay safe,
Cindy