Shopping for the Perfect Christmas Gift

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, the next major gift-giving holiday is Christmas, less than a month away.

It's often said, by Christians and non-Christians alike, that Christmas is a time for giving. It is usually thought to be following the tradition of the Three Wise Men (or Three Kings) who brought gifts of Gold, Frankincence and Myrrh to the infant Jesus  - a kind of Christening Present or even a forerunner of the Baby Shower!

But it seems to be true that we all like to give - and receive! - gifts to celebrate any kind of High Day or Holiday; birthdays, of course, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and all the other feasts and festivals celebrated by religious and non-religious folk alike.

For instance, the Jewish festival, Hanukkah, comes before Christmas, in early December. 

So, as I've been so busy, making Collections for my Zazzle stores that I haven't had time for any new artwork, here are just a few ideas for Hanukkah Gifts and Greeting Cards:

Click on the image below to see the full Collection

Hanukkah Gifts and Greeting Cards
by Flutterby Designs

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As you get older,

Your Christmas List gets shorter.

Not because you want less,

But because the things you want

Can't be bought.

At my time of life, I'm in a position to confirm that!

My perfect Christmas List would start with 'more time with my family' and continue with things like: a more equal society, where everyone's voice is heard, politicians who behave like grown-ups, an end to global poverty and pollution, a cure for cancer, a world free of the fear of terrorist attacks and the ravages of war . . . I could go on and on!

But while none of those things can be expected in my Christmas stocking, I continue to try to assemble a little list of material things I'd like to receive. My aim is to make the Christmas present-buying decisions a little easier for my nearest and dearest and to avoid a situation where unwanted gifts are either returned to the store or donated to a charity shop!

Looked at from a purely logical point of view, maybe we should all give one another gift vouchers or money to choose our own gifts - and sometimes that is the best solution. 

But imagine how our Christmas Trees would look, without their intriguingly-shaped, festively-wrapped packages and parcels! And if we've all stuck faithfully to the 'Christmas List', there's far less temptation to prod and poke the parcels, to try and guess what's inside - surely part of the excited anticipation of Christmas for children of all ages!

So while the Christmas List may have its advantages, it's always nice to add some little unexpected gift, as long as you choose it carefully - it doesn't need to cost a lot of money as long as it's something to make the recipient's face light up as they unwrap it, something to show you really know what will make them smile.

With that in mind, I've put together some Collections of gift ideas in a wide range of prices and to suit all ages, gifts that you won't find in the High Street! 

Many of them can be personalized with a name, initials or monogram. Some of them are ready for you to choose your own background colour and customize by changing the scale of the pattern or rotating it for a completely different 'look'.

Go ahead, experiment with the 'Customize' button and create a truly unique and personalized Christmas gift!


Click on the images below to see the full Collections.

Gifts for Kids -

'Skating Penguins' Gifts 

Penguins
by Flutterby Designs

'Fish in the Sea' Gifts

Fish in the Sea GiftS and Greeting Cards
by Posh & Painterly

Gifts for the 'girliest' Girl -

'Candy Floss' Fashion and Accessories

Candy Pink Fashion Accessories
by Posh & Painterly

Gifts for Lads - 

'Faux Snakeskin' Fashion and Accessories 

Snakeskin Effect Gifts for Men
by Posh & Painterly

Gifts for the Home -

'Indigo' Gifts for the Bedroom and Bathroom 

Indigo Bathrooms and Bedrooms
by Posh & Painterly

Fashion Gifts 'for Her' - Accessories and Apparel

'For the Love of Lilies' Fashion and Accessories

Lily-of-the-Valley Fashion
by POsh & Painterly

Gifts 'for Him'

Plaid and Check T-shirts and Footwear for Men

Plaid High-top Shoes and T-shirts for Men
by Posh & Painterly

 
'Heffalumps' Gifts for Men

Gifts for Men - Elephants
by Posh & Painterly

Gifts for Grandma -

'Rosy Posy' Home Decor Gifts 

Rosy Posy Home Decor
by Posh & Painterly

Gifts for Grandpa -

Coffee Mugs for Men

Gifts for Men - Coffee Mugs
by Posh & Painterly

In my experience, buying gifts for men of all ages - once they get into double figures - is the most challenging of all!

So I very much hope you found something here to fit the bill! 

And next month, I shall be looking at some of the reasons why it's so hard to choose a gift for a man - and offering tips and suggestions to make it a little easier! 

So be sure to pop back after Christmas - and in the meantime, why not pay a visit to my other Posh & Painterly blog, where I post a brand new Collection every day of the week!

Till then -

- and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous
 New Year!

October Work in Progress

The only real signs of Autumn in my little back garden!

When I started selling my greeting cards online, a 'marketing guru' friend warned me that I would spend 80% of my time promoting and only 20% creating.

She was just about right, except for the fact that the 20% has turned out to necessarily include a lot of other tedious tasks in order to get my designs on products for sale! In recent months, this has been particularly true of Zazzle, where my sales are greatest. There have been changes to the 'rules' and changes to the website that all entail hours of work for the designers. All part and parcel of selling online but it means that time in my attic studio has been very limited again.

Thankfully though, there is some creative work that I can carry on with in spite of spending so much of my time on my laptop doing necessary 'house-keeping' jobs!

I've just finished reading Andrew Marr's 'A Short Book About Drawing'.  In fact, although it certainly is a 'short' book, it covers a lot more than drawing. I suppose that's inevitable because of the blurred line between drawing and painting. 

For instance, even in a 'painterly' soft pastel like this one of Hereford Cathedral in the Autumn, I feel I am drawing rather than painting throughout the whole process:

The most important thing I took from this very interesting book was the reminder to draw something every day! 

And because my drawing doesn't always consist of trying to make an accurate representation, but often it's something more like doodling, as long as I have plenty of paper and pencils to hand, that is something I can happily catch up with while I'm watching tv - especially if it's the World Cup Rugby as it helps to relieve the tension!

Here's one of my recent 'doodles'! 

Of course, if I'd set out to draw a village, I'd have gone about it totally differently. 

For one thing, I wouldn't have started with the church. I'd have begun with the school in the foreground and built up everything else behind it. That would at least have helped me get the perspective right and avoid paths and roads that go nowhere! And what on earth is that bush doing, growing out over the pavement (top right) and into the road?! 

But it's in the nature of a 'doodle' that it isn't planned, it kind of grows organically and takes on a life of its own, ignoring constraints of things like perspective and practicalities. That bush - or is it a pile of manure? - could become the starting point for a story about village life! 

My 'village' will get filed away with all my other doodles and maybe one day it'll be the starting point for a design - maybe not! The main thing is that I enjoyed it - and it lowered my stress levels during a nail-biting rugby match on tv!

Meanwhile, it's still incredibly mild for the time of year and the trees are late changing their colours. 

Trees across the road from my house changing colour at last

We had a very wet August and September and now, in October, there's hardly been any frost so I expect that has something to do with it.

My walk to the shops through Bailey Park is lined with beech and oak trees and in other years, the oaks have begun to change in late August, the magnificent beeches in September. 

This year they've only just got going!

If you click on the 'Thanksgiving' collection below, you'll see some of the cards and invitations I made from photos of those trees in previous years -

Thanksgiving
by Posh and Painterly

One of the very positive changes this year has been Zazzle's introduction of 'Collections'. 

I tend to design patterns in 'collections' in any case. But it's great to be able to break down my collections even further, grouping them according to products or occasions! I still haven't finished my 'Periwinkles' collection - greeting cards still to be added - but here are all the coordinating periwinkle patterns on 'Periwinkle Gifts for a Bathroom and Bedroom' -

Periwinkles Bedroom and Bathroom Collection
by Posh and Painterly

It's impossible to walk through the shopping areas of Abergavenny this Autumn without noticing that plaids and checks are still filling the windows of the clothing shops and boutiques. 

On a sunny day, it's hard to get a photo of a shop window without reflections but here are a couple that didn't do too badly -

Inspired by this continuing trend, I've gathered together all my fashion products with plaids and checks in this 'collection'. (Zazzle have just introduced canvas shoes for us to decorate with our designs so I hope to add some of them - as soon as I find the time!)

Plaid Ties, Tees and Tank Tops
by Posh and Painterly

Although I haven't had time to create much new art this month, I have been busy creating 'Collections' and building up my other blog, now called 'Posh & Painterly' to avoid any confusion. 

Each day, I'm posting a new Zazzle Collection in the hope that the blog can become a useful shopping resource for anyone who likes my style of Art and Design. Six days a week I'm hoping to provice a new 'Collection' to browse! 

Posh & Painterly

blog 

- it's all about style!

So please pop over and take a look - you might even find some ideas for Christmas presents amongst them (even though the flowers in my back garden make it seem as if Christmas is still a long way off!). 

Annual Godetias and Pot Marigolds, grown from seed
- nearly November and still in bloom!

Christmas Market #2 - Galumptious Goodies from all over the World!

Today more artists and designers from all over the world present samples of their exclusive 'Galumptious Goodies'  to make your Christmas shopping more enjoyable!

Beginning with:

Countrymouse Studio from British Columbia, Canada

I create watercolor paintings of birds or animals. Love of nature drives me to create and humor makes the journey worthwhile so if you love nature and have a sense of humor you should enjoy your shopping experience. 

My store has unique, customizable giftware: T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, travel mugs, stickers, tote bags, shoes, ornaments etc.

Countrymouse's Zazzle Store

  

Custom Watercolor Dragonfly Kindle Keyboard Cases by countrymousestudio


.......

Diana Ting Delosh from New York


Diana is an illustrator living in the suburbs near NYC. She loves animals and nature which is why they are the subject of many of her whimsical ink and watercolor illustrations.

Diana's Zazzle store

2014 Animal Fair Calendar by deloshdesigns

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Mi Jung Lee from Seattle, Washington

I am a surface pattern designer living in Seattle, Washington.  I love to create designs with a unique feel for beautiful living.  Antonio Gaudi, Parisian iron work and Spanish tiles have propelled inspiration for much of my work.

Mi Jung Lee's website

 

'Swish' Coffee Mug


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Carol Allen Anfinsen from Florida, US

I have had a lifelong career as a freelance writer and a second career as an artist. I sell prints, giclees, greeting cards and originals online.   I have also been an avid Popeye collector and adore the charming characters and toys created by King Features Syndicate, Inc. If you’re looking for something fun and unusual for holiday gifts, try an Olive Oyl Puppet, or an original inlaid Popeye Puzzle or a bendable Popeye doll. Christmas and Valentine cards are also available in my Etsy shop.

Carol's website

Popeye and Olive Oyl

1978 Twister Dolls

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Boriana Giormova from Sofia, Bulgaria

CUTE and STRANGE CREATURES

I draw funny creatures and design stuff. 

I have two wonderful kids which inspire me and I love to read books and to play video games.

Boriana's Zazzle store

Evil Christmas Bug With Present Cards by borianag

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Andrea Rincón, from Mexico, living in Spain

Hello!! My name is Andrea Rincón, my friends call me Anchobee. I’m a Mexican designer living in Spain. I’m passionate about surface pattern design and illustration. I would describe my work as hand drawn, contemporary and bold, organic patterns. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy doing it!

Anchobee's website

http://www.posterjunkies.com/product/anchobee-honey/

.......

FLORALS by FRED from Southern California

I’m a 50 something retired municipal worker who decided to do something with a lifelong passion, photography. I enjoy many different styles of photography, florals and landscapes are a specialty. Choose from a large variety of floral and landscape posters, wall art and canvas photo art, T shirts, greeting cards and many other products to enjoy and treasure for years to come. I also take requests.

Fred's Zazzle Store

Merry Christmas Snowmen Card by FloralbyFred

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Jessica Lewis from Swansea, South Wales

I am a Graphic and Surface Pattern Designer who loves traditional crafts like knitting and crochet. I particularly like creating items for little people and each item is made to order with love and care. I like tea and Ballroom dancing when I'm not curled up with a crochet hook.

   Jess's Etsy Shop

Toddler or Baby Cute Crotchet Bear Hat in cream and brown

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Sherry Harris from the High Desert of Los Angeles County, California

I'm a stay at home grandmother, awaiting the arrival of my first great-grandson any day. I've been married for 41 1/2 years to the same man. I have two children and six grandchidren...five on earth and one in Heaven. I sell Digital Collage Sheets for Busy Crafters. I find images so they don't have to. I've been selling digital collage sheets on Etsy, Artfire and the Website for over five years as well as greeting cards, as below. I've been a crafter since childhood and love helping others find what they need.

Snowman Christmas Card by kreativesentiments
 

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Fliss Braham from the UK

I am a digital designer; my work is on many products, phone cases, fashion bags, wedding and party invitations, art posters prints, personalized gifts and more. I have designs in many styles but tend to go for quirky, cute and whimsy; think it must be because I am still a kid at heart.

Fliss's Zazzle Store - Flissitations

Cute Carol Singer Snow Scene Company Holiday Cards by Flissitations


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Judy Adamson from Abergavenny, Wales, UK

I am an English grandmother, living in beautiful Wales and enjoying working as a self-employed painter, illustrator, surface pattern designer and blogger. 

Even after nearly four years of selling online, I still find it ridiculously exciting to see my patterns on products in stores such as Zazzle! My newest store, 'Posh & Painterly' focuses on shopping by 'collection'. If you see a pattern you like but it's not on the product you want, just contact me through the store and I'll create what you need in double quick time and at no extra cost!

Posh & Painterly on Zazzle

Giftwrap Magenta, Blue, Purple Stripes Pattern Gift Wrap Paper by poshandpainterly
 

I hope this selection of Galumptious Goodies, brought to you by artists and designers from all over the world, has given you some ideas for your Christmas shopping!