in which our plucky heroine offers notes about useful and desirable gifts...
I've been participating in Duchess Daegmar's Sekrit Santa gift exchange for a number of years now. Most of what will make a real difference in my life are not things, but the gift of experiences, time, and the sharing of resources... because time spent together is the best gift of all, whether helping with household tasks or out adventuring in the wide world. Alas this year we are still afflicted by the plague, so still staying separate for safety. Since I have spent the last several years doing major decluttering; it is actually pretty difficult to find objects that fit the stated requirements: "keep the exchanged gift either handmade and/or homemade, or if purchased to be $25 or less." It seemed a good idea to provide both general guidelines to what I like and do not like, as well as a modest annotated list of assorted Useful and Delightful things:
Random wishlist notes:
My favorite colors in general: The kind of blue that you get from indigo: nightsky and dark denim. The greyish color of natural linen. Taupe. Grey. Soft dull turquoise. The dark black brown of some kinds of undyed sheep wool. Bittersweet chocolate brown.
In general, food is not a Fjorlief treat. Our plucky heroine does not particularly like chocolate, and is very allergic to cherries and hazelnut. I particularly do not like scented things, and am very allergic to cedar.
I love handmade gifts, particularly those of the wooden, ironwork, glass or textile sort. My SCA life is mostly as a Norse/Slavic style person, so narrow handmade trim suitable for early period garb is always useful, as are period style lampwork beads. I mostly do not collect things, in particular I don't collect acorn kitsch, even though the house is named Acorn Cottage...
In general, food is not a Fjorlief treat. Our plucky heroine does not particularly like chocolate, and is very allergic to cherries and hazelnut. I particularly do not like scented things, and am very allergic to cedar.
I love handmade gifts, particularly those of the wooden, ironwork, glass or textile sort. My SCA life is mostly as a Norse/Slavic style person, so narrow handmade trim suitable for early period garb is always useful, as are period style lampwork beads. I mostly do not collect things, in particular I don't collect acorn kitsch, even though the house is named Acorn Cottage...
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Annotated wishlist items that are less than $25, in no particular order at all :
some textile tools, small helpers for sewing or knitting: This rainbow set of knitting stitch markers would be better than what I am currently using, and this needle gauge would be equally useful. I've never tried out the Clover "wonder clips" but see them used a lot in online technique demonstrations, when pins are not an option.
this sharpening set would help keep some of my tools in good condition...
I loved these albums years ago, when I had albums, and a stereo system to play them on... though those have long been lost in the mists of time, I do have a CD player that could probably play this combination of It's A Beautiful Day, and Marrying Maiden
Wake The Dead's combination of celtic-style instruments and arrangements, and Grateful Dead songs, makes me really happy. Any of the three CD's would be a nice addition to the Acorn Cottage library: Wake The Dead, or Buckdancer's Choice, or Blue Light Cheap Hotel
Michele reminded me that this rare flavoring "fiori di sicilia", is worth the effort of tracking it down
>I have been struggling too long with a not-very-good small plastic ladle, I think that this silicone 4T ladle would be a lot easier to work with and a good addition to my kitchen tools...
this sharpening set would help keep some of my tools in good condition...
I loved these albums years ago, when I had albums, and a stereo system to play them on... though those have long been lost in the mists of time, I do have a CD player that could probably play this combination of It's A Beautiful Day, and Marrying Maiden
Wake The Dead's combination of celtic-style instruments and arrangements, and Grateful Dead songs, makes me really happy. Any of the three CD's would be a nice addition to the Acorn Cottage library: Wake The Dead, or Buckdancer's Choice, or Blue Light Cheap Hotel
Michele reminded me that this rare flavoring "fiori di sicilia", is worth the effort of tracking it down
>I have been struggling too long with a not-very-good small plastic ladle, I think that this silicone 4T ladle would be a lot easier to work with and a good addition to my kitchen tools...
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Another place to look is my Etsy wishlist
Even though Etsy is more and more a manufacturers marketplace, there are still some handmade goods to be found there, as well as assorted useful tools for sewing and makerie
some rather more spendy things, in no particular order at all:
It would be helpful, once space is cleared in the carport, to acquire or build some sort of small footprint shed/cupboard to store the garden tools in, which are currently loosely stacked against the house wall. Of course that is predicated on actually clearing the carport.
I could really really use a scanner/printer that was compatible with my laptop. I don't know enough to even begin to look into what might be suitable. I need to check with those in my circle who are more tech knowledgeable than I am. In the Before Time, it wasn't so terribly inconvenient to go to the local copy store. Now, not so much....
It would be a very good and necessary addition to the infrastructure here to acquire an extension ladder, or at least a substantial regular ladder. One that is long enough to reach the gutters, and the attic hatchways... must needs do a bit more research as to what would be best... two different friends have mentioned that the recombinant style ladders have worked well?
a raised bed structure for gardening...
Overall, there are several areas of life here at Acorn Cottage that would greatly benefit from helpful attention, in the someday when we can all be in the same places again, help from those with stronger backs and possibly vehicular transport. As mentioned, the carport would be a happier place if it was reorganised and some of what is there and not needed went away. The backyard really needs yardwork done to make it less overgrown and possibly more level, which would make putting in raised garden beds easier. The several years that Mindy et al helped with the yardwork here were the best that the outside of the house ever looked. I have some but not all of the bits needed to make a new chicken house, which is necessary before acquiring new hens; still need to acquire some small lumber, 1x2s and 1x3s mostly. Weeding, always weeding, the side yard in particular. Clear out the gutters, ugh. And in the next year or two, the house needs exterior painted, and the roof will need replaced.
I will be adding to this list as I think of possible things that would be both useful and beautiful additions to my home and life...
some rather more spendy things, in no particular order at all:
I love the yarns from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. maybe this Portland Puddles colorway in their "Twisted" yarn would make some wonderful gloves and a matching cowl... or for something more neutral, this Obsidian colorway. Another yarn I really love is Madeline Tosh, which has such inspired colorways. I particularly like their Whiskey Barrel, the pleasing combination of neutrals, chocolate brown, and indigos meets so many of my wardrobe tickyboxes...
It would be helpful, once space is cleared in the carport, to acquire or build some sort of small footprint shed/cupboard to store the garden tools in, which are currently loosely stacked against the house wall. Of course that is predicated on actually clearing the carport.
I could really really use a scanner/printer that was compatible with my laptop. I don't know enough to even begin to look into what might be suitable. I need to check with those in my circle who are more tech knowledgeable than I am. In the Before Time, it wasn't so terribly inconvenient to go to the local copy store. Now, not so much....
It would be a very good and necessary addition to the infrastructure here to acquire an extension ladder, or at least a substantial regular ladder. One that is long enough to reach the gutters, and the attic hatchways... must needs do a bit more research as to what would be best... two different friends have mentioned that the recombinant style ladders have worked well?
a raised bed structure for gardening...
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Overall, there are several areas of life here at Acorn Cottage that would greatly benefit from helpful attention, in the someday when we can all be in the same places again, help from those with stronger backs and possibly vehicular transport. As mentioned, the carport would be a happier place if it was reorganised and some of what is there and not needed went away. The backyard really needs yardwork done to make it less overgrown and possibly more level, which would make putting in raised garden beds easier. The several years that Mindy et al helped with the yardwork here were the best that the outside of the house ever looked. I have some but not all of the bits needed to make a new chicken house, which is necessary before acquiring new hens; still need to acquire some small lumber, 1x2s and 1x3s mostly. Weeding, always weeding, the side yard in particular. Clear out the gutters, ugh. And in the next year or two, the house needs exterior painted, and the roof will need replaced.
I will be adding to this list as I think of possible things that would be both useful and beautiful additions to my home and life...
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