21 Gifts for the Naughty

Tags

charcoal, Christmas, coal, gift giving, gift guide, happy holidays, humor, present ideas

Is someone on your Christmas list naughty this year? Go beyond the lump of coal gag gift and give them a true gift of coal!!!

Buy them some hand-crafted charcoal soap. Try Black Magic Soap from Ole Mill Soap Co.

For natural tooth whitening and oral care, gift them some My Magic Mud.

For help brighten a dull winter complexion, give them Freeman’s Charcoal & Black Sugar Mask.

Give the gift of the purest water they’ll ever taste with a Berkey Water Filter system.

Make them a delicious homemade treat with this Christmas Coal Candy recipe.

Cure their stinky feet with charcoal shoe insoles or charcoal shoe fresh pouches.

Give the gift of cleaner air with a charcoal air purifier.

Purchase charcoal pencils for the artist.

Carved coal figurines or charcoal sketches will add a flair of drama to any home decor.

A bookworm would appreciate a copy of Moving Mountains by Penny Loeb.

Lemony Snicket’s The Lump of Coal would work for a young bookworm.

Try by Coal Cracker Culture… Harold Aurand for the history buff.

Hand-crafted lump of coal earrings work for the fashionista.

This lump of coal ornament makes a cute Christmas gift.

Give the party animal in your life activated charcoal capsules to help them detox after the holiday season.

Zetta’s Coal Camp Recipes cookbook by Sandra P. Aldrich or Coal Miner’s Gourmet Cookbook by Dolores A. McCorkle and Cecelia. Clarkos are perfect for the home chef.

For the meat enthusiast? How about a luxury charcoal smoker and a copy of Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifest by Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay?

XOXO,
Young Wifey

PS – This list was complied by a coal miner’s daughter-in-law.

 

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Crochet Infinity Scarf

Tags

Crochet, gift, gift giving, infinity scarf, scarf, yarn, yarn craft

This past year, a former student lost her mother. I was already in a mentor position to this student and now even more so, as she continues to heal. I wanted to do something extra special for this teen. Hopefully, it helped to ease the first Christmas without her mother.

Crochet Infinity Scarf

This was past of our gift giving conversation:

Wow! You got me an infinity scarf?
I made it.
You made it?
Yes.
You made it? You made me a scarf?
Yes!
How?!
I crocheted it.
You made me a scarf? You. Made. Me. A. Scarf?! I love it! I love it! This is awesome!
<Big tight hug>

I used heather grey yarn (one of our school colors) in a v-stitch to make this infinity scarf. Then, I used slip stitches to connect the ends. I love how it turned out and hope to make more in the future.

This has absolutely been one of my all-time favorite gifts to give.
What was your favorite gift to give?

Crochet Swaddling Blanket

Tags

baby afghan, baby blanket, baby gift, baby shower, blanket, gift, gift giving, handmade, handmade gift, yarn craft

Friends of mine are due to have a baby next month. I purchased a gift off their registry, but needed to include something more personal and handmade. Earlier this week, I attended their shower and presented them with this crochet swaddling blanket. They have talented friends and received many wonderful homemade gifts.

I used a double-stitch, Lion Brand Baby Soft Yarn in pistachio, and size J crochet hook. 71 stitches across and 43 rows created this ultra soft and light-weight blanket. I hope their baby loves it. ❤

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Graduation Gift

Tags

afghan, blanket, family, gift, gift giving, graduate, niece

I became an aunt very young in life. I remember making presents for my eldest niece at summer camp and in art class. She graduated from high school last month, and we’re extremely proud of her. Her graduation present was an afghan that I crocheted for her. I used Monet colored yarn and a double crochet stitch.

I’ve been working on her blanket for several years. I’m in trouble since next year we’ll have two more nieces graduate!

XOXO,
Young Wifey

12 Days of Christmas

Tags

12 Days of Christmas, Christmas, Christmas cheer, Christmas countdown, countdown, gift giving, tradition, twelve days of Christmas

I knew I missed my 12 Days of Christmas Countdown in 2012… but what I hadn’t realized is that I missed 2011 also! 

In the past, I’ve avoided a Christmas cookie countdown, since so many other bloggers have already used that idea. This year, I decided that I would use that idea, but with a twist. I’ll be using Nanny Florida’s cookie recipes! I may not be posting recipes daily, but I plan to have 12 of her cookie recipes posted before Christmas Eve! Check in tomorrow for the First Day of Christmas…

Nanny Florida’s Christmas Cookie Countdown

2010’s Christmas Countdown – On the twelfth day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me her Espresso Jar Candle, Gingerbread Man Ornaments, Fleece Blankets,Bottle Cap Magnets, Fleece Sphere Ornament, Button Wreath Ornament,Christmas Mouse Cat Toy, Melted Frosty Ornament, Crocheted Fan Bookmarks, Crocheted Snowflake Ornaments, Wine Glass Charms, and Glass Globe Ornaments…

Melted Frosty Ornament

2009′s Christmas Countdown – On the twelfth day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me her chocolate Christmas fudge, chocolate bonbons, coconut clusters, cranberry almond bark, chocolate amaretto cherries, pecan turtles, raspberry chocolate truffles, gingerbread fudge, peppermint bark, dark chocolate peanut butter balls, cracked glass candy, and her peanut butter fudge recipe…

Cranberry Almond Bark

What type of Christmas Countdown would you like to see next year?

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Red Mickey Mouse Coat

Tags

baby blanket, blanket, Crochet, crochet blanket, gift, gift giving

While growing up, I spent a lot of time with the three beautiful little girls that lived next-door to my family. Not only did I frequently baby-sit them, but we spent time together every single day. We even went on our family vacations together. Yeah, our families were that close, that they were our family!

I’ve watched them grow up from little babies into young ladies, and one is soon going to be a mommy. Her little boy is due to arrive this December, and I crocheted him a small pale blue baby blanket (using a v-stitch). I can only hope that he loves it as much as she once loved her red Mickey Mouse coat.

V-Stitch Detail

XOXO,
Young Wifey

French Chic Wall Art

Tags

art, bathroom, crafting, crafts, gift, gift giving, gift idea, home decor, monogram, postaday2011, powder room, wall art

Two summers ago I met a woman selling her work at a local craft/art fair. She had some cute framed pieces where she had layered a bold silhouette image over a page from an antique book. None of her pieces appeased me, but I did appreciate the artistic concept.

I’m working on a French Chic powder room makeover and I wanted to create some wall art that would give it a personal touch. I had planned for this piece to be in that powder room. However, since I used a monogram, it looks really good in many different rooms of our home… Decisions, decisions.

Step 1
Type a personal message and translate (optional). Print in a lighter color on aged paper. Or tear a carefully selected page from your favorite novel, script or sheet of music.

Step 2
Choose a silhouette in a bold or dark color and print centered on top of script page. Try using The Graphics Fairy for great ideas.

Step 3
Add matting and frame.

Voilà! Ready to hang and enjoy!

I translated a poem about marriage into French and choose a curly font in a light color. I printed this in a light color on a natural colored piece of paper. I printed darker color D and used a black thin-tip marker to track over a few piece, I wanted to make the monogram dual-tone. Then I add the white matting and bronze frame! So easy to make, that the decisions are the most difficult part of the process.

These would make great Christmas gifts or wedding gifts for a newly wed couple!

If you could choose a page from any novel or script, what would you choose?