As the end of the year wraps up and I look back on the holidays and how I could have streamlined anything or simplify for next year, I am wondering : How do you manage your giving and receiving? I keep a giving list spreadsheet every year so that when someone mentions something they like in conversation or if I see a great blog post on a handmade project, I write it down and when it’s gift giving time, the task is hopefully a little less daunting. On the flipside, I rarely dig deep and think about what I really want until my family has asked so many times it’s too late. and that’s okay, I really don’t NEED anything. But I am human, so there are always wishes and since I have had time to think about it over the giving season, here are a few:

• Handmade Nation DVD : The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design, Documentary By Faythe Levine
• orange Divine Twine
• personal training sessions with Eley Wellness
• some sort of fancier Winter Boots {meaning more fancy than my Sorels, but I guess this wouldn’t fall into my Dottie Angel Challenge pledge}
• a Nikon D40 digital SLR camera
• one wonderful Merit Badge from Lee Meszaros on Etsy
• and of course I can never get enough vintage Wood Type

Simply wishes. on a list. My Granny always told me “you’re old enough for your wants not to hurt you” and that’s true. It doesn’t hurt to wish.

ps. one of my favorite gifts received this holiday season was a jar of homemade grape juice. My amazing friend & neighbor, Lina, started picking local grapes on the South St. Vrain back in August! I am also quite smitten with my punchcard to Mayama Studio here in Lyons and a facial from J.B. Skincare to revive my skin from the drying winter air.

Our series of vintage animal print notecards started with ZOO {zebra, lion, elephant, giraffe, penguin, monkey, kangaroo} and then we added MOO {cow, pig, goat, donkey, chicken, sheep, bee} but it seems that at least around Lyons, folks are really into chicken coops and beekeeping, so we’ve singled out these two and made a few notesets just featuring some vintage feedsack patterns and chickens or bees. If I get these two up in my Etsy/Shoppe it will be a Two Timin’ Tuesday miracle. Fingers crossed for me?

I don’t design or print a calendar as of yet, so each year I’m on the lookout for a fabulous fellow printer who does. There is some stiff competition out there and let me just give kudos to them all for already having them ready for the taking in October! This year I have my lovely friend, Lynn’s Satsuma Press calendar on the wall. This year, I believe the Seesaw designs calendar will win my heart. I just love the combination of colors and shapes. I like to spread the love and support as many friends as I can by buying handmade gifts on Etsy and keeping it local or handmade, or making it myself when I can.