Last year, I decided that I would make personalized Christmas gifts for my nieces and nephews (or as I like to call them, niphews). That didn’t happen so this year, I made it happen! I am an aunt of 12 and one of the ways that I show my love is by giving gifts. I am “that” aunt so I try to make sure that I give them something that they will like.
For the older kids, I decided to design mugs with things that they geek about! Each kid is a fan of various games, sports teams, and franchises. In the end, I had Wolf Children, Superman, Minecraft, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Seattle Seahawks to work with. I took about a week to plan, research, and design each mug. I was able to work on them after work while listening to music.
http://www.mygeekparade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_1539-1.mp4
(So art. Much draw)
Drawing on the mugs took a lot of work but the one that I am probably most proud of is the Minecraft mug because I had to make so many lines! Drawing a straight line is nearly impossible for me! I wanted to include the pixelated elements from the game so I had to scour the internet for a good pattern. Thankfully, I was able to follow a template to draw the Diamond Pickaxe.
For the little ones, I went with pillows. One is a huge Minnie Mouse fan and the other loves Thomas the Train. Although the last time I made a pillow was in 2004 for home ec, I felt like I was competent enough to replicate my B+ project.
To be honest, I was worried that I would mess up everything and/or the kids would not like them. With every stitch and with every line, I was worried about the finished product being trash. But as I worked on each piece, I was able to focus on that particular child and their awesome qualities! I felt like I was at the Build-A-Bear workshop adding my soul to each gift.
Over the years, I have learned that gift-giving does not have to be extravagant. You don’t have to gift the latest toy or the most expensive item in the store. It does not matter if you made the gift or if you purchased it, you took time to put a smile on someone else’s face. When it comes to my nieces and nephews, I try to make that happen as much as possible. 🙂
Geeky Christmas Crafts Last year, I decided that I would make personalized Christmas gifts for my nieces and nephews (or as I like to call them, niphews).