Day 1 of 2011 Holiday Gift Guide + Giveaway

(Hi! If you are a regular reader of my blog, this is a fun link to send to your loved ones – a gift guide to aid them in shopping for you. 🙂 There will be 6 days to this guide with this being day 1. I did this last year and have already had a few husbands emailing me asking for ideas for this year.  So here it is…)

I know it can be hard to pick out crafty goodies for us crafters for Christmas. You never know what we have or exactly what we want. So I am here to help.

If you really want to make us smile on Christmas morning, get us a few crafty tools – ones that can be used over and over again. Many of these goodies are inexpensive… which I know is hard to believe with the usual high cost of our hobby.

So, I am here to help save the day. Here are some goodies I know your favorite crafty loved one will adore. These are tools that I LOVE. If you are interested in the price or where to easily get them, just click on the links for each. I listed a lot, so hopefully you will find something to suit your crafter. You could also take this list to your local craft store – they are always helpful!

And! I was telling that sweet Heidi at Simon Says Stamp that I was going to do this post again this year and she offered to hook you hubbies/loved-ones up with a deal. You can get 15% off everything listed here, in addition to their normal free shipping for USA and Canada for orders over $75 and worldwide free ship for orders over $300. Woohoo! No code is needed. Just go HERE to find all the gift ideas.

Let’s get started…

This gift idea is one that will last crafters a lifetime. Why? Because this bad boy has 400 yards. That is a lot, but May Arts Twine can be used very often for a few reasons. One, it is inexpensive. Two, it adds texture without bulk. Three, it goes with any style of project. Always the perfect touch. I recommend the Natural color, but also like the Ivory and Brown. (Click HERE for more info.)

This is one of those tools I thought I could live without… until I got one. Nothing helps with heat embossing as much as this Powder Tool dude. Definitely worth the $5. (Click HERE for more info.)

So for years many of us have been using the original (and very awesome) Corner Chomper that rounds 1/4″ and 1/2″ corners. A definite must-have. And now there is the NEW Chomper that rounds smaller corners – 1/8″ and 3/8.” Between these two, you are set. These are much better then other rounders because it rounds thick stuff easily and can be done after a card is complete, even if you have embellishments in the way. It rocks. (Click HERE for the original Chomper and HERE for the new one.)

OK. This is it. The Silhouette Cameo. The ultimate gift. It is pricey, but worth every single penny and I promise you that. This blows away any other electronic die cutting machine in each and every way. And you don’t have to be computer savvy to use it – it is extremely simple. It cuts fine detailed images and you can even print colored pieces then send it through your Silhouette to be cut. So if you really want to make your crafty loved one happy on Christmas morning, this is the ticket! You will thank me. 🙂 Here is a video showing a bit about it. (Click HERE for more info.)

I will admit, there are a lot of inks out there and many of them are great. But few can compare to Distress Inks. These inks are unique in that they blend well and react with water, making them excellent for techniques and a must-have for stampers. And now there is a new product out called Distress Stains and they are just as fun and just as excellent to have in your crafting arsenal. There is one Distress Stain that stands above the rest – the white Picket Fence Distress Stain. It is incredible. Here is a video that Tim did explaining these products. (Click HERE for info on Distress Inks and Stains.)

Sometimes the best tools come in the simplest form. This White Uniball Signo Broad Pen costs less then a Stabucks coffee and is so much tastier. This white pen is unique from the others – it is vibrant and doesn’t start to run out on you mid-word. Wouldn’t it look so cute tied in the bow of a package under the tree? Hee. Oh, and the silver pen is just as fabulous. (Click HERE for more info.)

Us crafty folks love getting together with other crafty folks to learn a few new things. However, that isn’t always possible for everyone. So I introduce to you the perfect solution: Online Card Classes. I have been leading these classes with Kristina Werner and lots of guests. We keep it all simple, straight-forward, practical and “organic” (as a good friend of mine said – love that). You can come back and see content anytime. We have a few online class options right now:

• Summer Card Camp – This class includes 8 videos and 45 card ideas, along with color inspiration, techniques and more.
• Inspiration Showcase – This is a technique-driven class jam packed with 16 videos! The class shares the creation of a technique canvas, along with 32 card ideas. You will walk away from this class ready to try many new fabulous techniques.
• Holiday Card Boot Camp – This class has 19 videos and 32 cards. And although all the cards are holiday themed, the techniques and ideas will work all year round.
• The next class will be announced soon. Stay tuned.

If you sign your loved one up for a class and then later find out she already took it, no worries. We can move her into a different class. (Click HERE for more info.)

So this idea seems a bit silly. A ream of paper? Really? But Neenah white cardstock is the best ever. It works really well with Copic markers (more on that another day), Distress Inks (mentioned above) and everything else. This is the only white cardstock I use. (It just makes more sense to have one that works for everything, right?) You can go for the big momma ream or try a smaller pack. This paper is delicious. (Click HERE for more info.)

Ok, I will admit. This isn’t the most exciting present. But if you are looking for another small stocking stuffer or decoration for a package, this could work! Simply put, the T Square Ruler is useful. It is handy for lining things up when creating pages or cards. Another must-have. (Click HERE for more info.)

If your loved one is a crazy photo-taking scrapbooker like me, this idea is perfect for you. Why not do an online photography class? There are two I love.

The first is Clean Color from Erin Cobb. This class is amazing – a complete workflow video tutorial designed to show you the perfect image editing process. I can’t recommend it enough. (Click HERE for more info and an intro video.)

The second class recommendation is the December Daily Photography Workshop from Maggie Holmes. This month-long class goes along with the very popular series from Ali Edwards and would be a perfect early holiday gift.

And guess what? Maggie said I could give away a spot in this workshop! Just leave a comment here by Sunday night for your chance to win a post in the December Daily Photography Workshop! Good luck.

So there are some fun holiday gift suggestions. See you tomorrow with 10 more!