Christmas Gifts

It has been a family tradition with my in-laws to prepare a christmas gift list that we can share to everybody months before christmas. My list this year is mostly beading books as I don't have much of them - just started collecting more of them this year. I didn't expect to get all the stuffs I listed but oh boy, my in-laws plu DH pampered me. I just told DH the other day that I must have been really good this year coz Santa granted my wishes. So, to shorten my post, I'll try to focus on beady related stuffs!

This book (1000 Jewelry Inspirations) was not in my original list, but when we had a shopping spree in the city, we dropped by at Barnes & Nobles - I had to grab it so MIL included it in my gift list. As my way of thanks to her, I grabbed all the books she picked (plus a Yoga DVD) and I included them in her list.

These are the stamping tools I picked at HF, also from the same trip above. Though I knew I'll get these, my excitement never ceased. I've always wanted these since early this year but I knew christmas is the best time to have them.:) These are just some of her gifts to me. She also got me beading and embroidery magazines subscriptions, plus some $$$ for after christmas shopping. Thanks to MIL for granting my wishes!I've been enjoying some of SIL's gifts since October - 5 tickets for musical shows in the Civic Center (done watching 9 to 5 and Mary Poppins). She also got me a couple of jackets from Younkers (both brown - leather & curdoroy), a pair of jeans from Cold Water Creek, $50 ebay GC, and these books: The Art Of Beadwork by Valerie Hector, The Art Of Beaded Beads by Jean Campbell, The Art & Elegance Of Beadweaving by Carol Wilcox-Wells, Beading On Fabric by Jean Van-Horn, Zulu Inspired Beadwork and Shaped Beadwork by Diane Fitzgerald. I've always wanted to have these books... and since my birthday is in the first week of January, I thought I won't have them 'til then. So imagine my surprise when I open the big box of books! Thanks to SIL for her generosity.

The Santa in my household let me open the box on the 24th... remember this post? Anyway, the content of the said box are as follows: nylon threads, beading wires, beads, and adress labels. DH always knows what I want. LOL One day, he went to Hobby Lobby without my knowledge and got me & MIL some GC from there. He must have hid the cards really well coz I didn't saw them 'til it was time to open presents. He also got me a bunch of antique & vintage jewelries, and a 1.5TB external hard drive that I picked myself on Black Friday.

The weather tomorrow will be super nasty so me & DH decided to dink around in town today. I lost count how many stores we went to... but we managed to grab some shirts on sale at JCPenney and when I saw these pair of earrings, I knew they're perfect for MIL - I had to grabbed them as well of course, moreso, they're on sale. I'm planning to put some beadworks with them to match my Margie And Me entry as they'll gonna be after christmas gifts.

I got a GC from Walmart so we had to dropped by there too - where I got some bronze findings (eyepins, headpins, earwires and toggles)... then DH found a couple of books on sale for MIL - another after christmas gifts.

We also dropped by at K-Mart where I got some hair accessories for my nieces & me, Hyvee where we got some bargain groceries & chocs for DH, Dollar Store where I got a great assortment of glass mosaics to be used as cabs... and our last destination was KFC - Can you tell we were worn out to cook? LOL And this metal puncher was waiting in the mailbox when we got home. It has been in my list for a while so i got it for myself. I gotta say that most of what I earn this year from my embroidery business went to purchasing jewelry making stuffs - so hopefully, I can justify the expenses next year by creating more jewelries!

Charity wise - I thought we missed sending our yearly donation to the (American-Indian) Lakota Tribe in South Dakota but DH said he did it last month, just forgot to mention. For some reason, I love this tribe... I feel like I have a connection with them. I didn't do as much charity works as MIL this year, but then she's the most giving person I know. On our way back from our shopping spree, SIL mentioned how she delivered a truck load of clothings and toys at a non-profit organization in the city and some girls "christmas wishes" were yarns and knitting needles. MIL immediately asked SIL how much she has to pack as she has boxes and boxes of yarn in the basement. SIL also shared that when they were opening the letters of kids from the NPO she's donating goodies (she's not working there, just trying to help out and grant kids wishes), some would request for socks only... and there she was expecting jeans, jackets, etc. It's just so heartbreaking to hear stories like that.

Anyway, it would be great if we could be a good samaritan once in a while... or better yet, all year round! It has always been my motto in life that "THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE YOU RECEIVE". Giving doesn't have to be in kind... there could be homeless kids or old people nearby that you can help by doing some volunteer works.

As a breadwinner back home, I seldom (as in super seldom... LOL) get gifts in kind coz I'm the one buying gifts... not to mention, I have 30+ godchildren to buy gifts too. To me, it's more than enough to see them smile when they open their gifts - kids and olds have always a special spot in my heart. I always feel they are the ones who needs extra attention and needs pampering.

Have A Prosperous New Year All!