My Christmas Finds!

Curious little Zoe, isn't she festive with her jingle collar?

Obviously I love handmade, there's no beating around the bush on that issue!  I wanted to share with you two items I recently purchased for Christmas gifts!  There's no worry either that any surprised will be spoiled since these gifts are for ME!  I fully take responsibility for the fact that I am IMPOSSIBLE to shop for so to spare my husband waiting in the long lines at the return counter I usually get my own gifts and tell him he bought them for me.  I use his money after all so it's not entirely untrue, right?  If you're thinking it's no fun that I spoil my own surprises it's not.  Not that I don't like being surprised on Christmas day, I just hem and haw over what I want and it takes me forever to pick out something and regardless I still razor blade the tape on packages to peek just like I did when I was 6 so there's no surprising me anyway :)  Tisk tisk, I know.  My ma was smart when I was little and used to pack the special items in bigger boxes packed tight with bags of rice so I had no way of guessing!  I will remember that when my own little one starts sneaking peeks!

I love the detail!

Anyway this year picking gifts for myself was pretty easy as I already had an idea of what I wanted!  I collect little vintage metal trinket boxes at flea markets and I have them all over the house.  I love them but they all share one flaw, they're small and I can't put much in them other than a few rings or so.  I have a cute piano shaped one on my bedside table that I have crammed full of necklaces that are my favorites and I wear too often to stash in my jewelry chest.  The hinge is a little busted but I still love it, it's just overflowing now!  So I'd seen some super awesome handmade glass jewelry boxes made by Kelly at Galeaz Glass in some treasuries I was also featured in in the past and I quickly bookmarked her shop!  I had this one here custom made just the way I liked and it turned out GORGEOUS!!!  I love the jewel like peridot color and it's soldered with copper foil, YES!  Now I can fit everything I need in it!  She does amazing work and does more than just boxes too.  I may snag one of her sun-catchers for my mom's birthday later on!

Next up I'm getting a new phone at the end of the month when my upgrade is due.  Thank GOD because my BlackBerry drives me CRAZY!  It's falling apart and I can hardly use it anymore!  Knowing that and also knowing that I want a new Droid 3 (I'd actually LOVE the Razr but a bit out of my budget, ok a lot out of my budget) I will need a new case for it as my Golla pouch I have now won't fit.  Instead of settling for some overpriced case I don't really like I thought I'd scour Etsy for that perfect phone case that I can also stash my license and credit cards in when I don't feel like lugging around my purse that somehow now weighs 10 pounds.  Oh wait, I have a kid, THAT'S why!  I wanted to find one with owls or some kind of cute birdie print on it and lone behold I found the PERFECT one for the perfect price!  Is it not SUPER CUTE?  I got this adorable pouch from Mariella at Juici Bags on Etsy!  It's nice and roomy and well padded too.  The cute matching button is actually a velcro closure so your cards are still secure but a cinch to get to.  The little handy clip is great for keys or attaching to your purse so it never gets lost.  As in I won't have to dump out the contents of my purse all over the sales counter to find it when I hear my phone ring or I need to get my Visa!  Ok I'm not quite that disorganized, but you get the picture.  She also makes more than just phone pouches; she makes iPad covers and a slew of iPod cases for various sized models.  All are really cute!

 

I just love all the wonderful things you can find on Etsy without having to wait in line at the stores and you're helping out another crafter every time you buy something!  Can't beat that!  Between Etsy and Amazon, I don't think I've stepped foot in a department store this year for gifts.  Sorry Wal-Mart but I just don't need you!  I hope you all have found wonderful treasures on Etsy as well, support handmade! ;)  As for the rest of my family I've made scrapbooks of Kaylie from Picaboo for the grandparents and I've made my own handmade goodies that I've shown in a past blog post (Kaylie made some too) and custom jewelry to give to friends and family along with cookies, lots and lots and lots of cookies!