Rainy AL Package!

Morning everyone! On Saturday I had mailed off a package to my friend in CA for Christmas. I call it the rainy AL package as we are having the strangest weather lately. It's cold, it's warm, it's rainy......I think someone needs to tell weatherman that it is December!

This year I bought several books and a whole lot of little things for her package. I usually buy small gifts throughout the year that I think she'll like and I'll squirrel them away for her birthday or Christmas :P



Books:
1. Big Book of Crystal Beads
2. Vampire Empire: The Rift Walker by Susan and Clay Griffith
3. Heartless by Gail Carriger

In my Halloween package, I accidentally got her the third book in the Carriger series when she had read that already. I blame my overtaxed brain when in a bookstore. I grabbed the wrong volume off the shelf! LOL I made sure to get the right volume for her package this time >___<

I gave her the first volume of the Vampire Empire series in October and she liked it so I got her the second volume for Christmas. Who doesn't love a vampire who loves cats?!

I found the beading book at the bookstore while I was browsing through their craft section. My friend loves to make jewelry with crystals so I thought it would be perfect for her. I even saw a pattern that I thought would make a wicked brooch in there!



Small gifts:
1. Owl notepad
2. 'Crush' soap
3. Postcard tin
4. Hand painted porcelain Christmas ornament
5. Flower stationery set
6. Card making kit
7. Pocket word games book
8. Panda beanie hat
9. Strands of red crystal beads
10. Panda charm

Who doesn't need stationery and notepads? I always seem to get some sort of stationery item for her packages. I think we've outgrown our Sanrio phase, even though I will admit that I smile when I get one of her letters in the mail written on Sanrio stationery :P

My friend is a panda lover so the panda beanie hat was a must for her package. I found it at Target and thought it was perfect. Downside, it doesn't get cold where she lives in CA. LOL She'll have to take some skiing vacations!

I found the panda charm at Hobby Lobby. I know she doesn't bead with charms like that, but I thought maybe she could use it as a keychain decoration or something of that sort. In November, I went to the MR&GS and bought some strands of red crystal beads from a vendor there. Perfect for bracelets and jewelry for her family and friends for the Chinese New Year.

I bought the porcelain ornament at the Port City Craftsmen Christmas show this fall. It is hand painted and glazed by a lovely 87 year old lady who is in charge of the Bay Area Porcelain Artists group in Mobile. It is a beautiful art form and I'm glad that there are people continuing that type of artwork.

I thought my friend would love the 'Crush' soap. It has a great smell! I bought the word game book as something she could keep in her lab coat pocket at work. She could take it out and get a few games in while on break :)

I hope you loved your gifts! Have a great holiday with family and friends! Much love from rainy AL.