Tag: christmas

Another year…

On By Michel McDonaldIn Blog, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Well, another year has passed. I can’t believe time seems to be moving a bit faster every year for me. It seems like 2024 would still have another 6 months left, but no, it’s almost finished. 1 more day.

What have I accomplished in a year? Well, my Etsy shop was very busy this year, busier every month this year since I started. Mainly due to a single item though. A simple friendship bracelet.

I added a listing for lesbian friendship bracelets with the same designs I have for my rainbow friendship bracelets, but I used the lesbian pride flag colors. I also did the bear flag colors and that wasn’t as popular as the lesbian. So this is the bracelet that someone wanted. They sent me a message asking me if I could make this bracelet and they took a screenshot from the Disney+ show Agatha All Along. I said let me see if I can do it and I opened up my friendship bracelet designer program on my computer and figured it out. Of course I did have to Google the design and I found it right away. I just had to change the colors to these specific colors which are the lesbian pride flag colors.

After I sent this bracelet off to this person, I decided to add it to my lesbian pride flag friendship bracelet listing and wouldn’t you know it? Some other people did a search for Agatha all along friendship bracelet and they found it and they bought it and so many people wanted this bracelet. I added three sizes so that it could accommodate small, medium and large.

Two people from Germany bought one (each) and someone in Norway bought one and someone in Ireland wanted to buy it, but they couldn’t afford the shipping from the United States. I got sales on this bracelet in many states and after making it so many times, sometimes everyday, I had to remove the item from my listing because I was in agony. These bracelets take time to make and they take a toll on my hands and my back.

I will eventually make up a whole bunch of bracelets for that listing and I’ll make a whole bunch of the Agatha bracelet as well because I know people will want it again. And I’ve already bought the string for it and have cut it and it’s all ready to go, I just have to start working on them. But I need a break because I’ve been working my fingers to the bone on crafts this whole year, and my hands are about ready to fall off. Not really, but you know, jokingly.

So other things that I’ve been working on are Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas box cards as well as a Christmas Advent calendar and also I’ve been knitting Christmas stockings.

The Advent calendar went to my cousin for his son and of course the whole family could enjoy it because I filled it with so much candy LOL. The Advent calendar is from SVGcuts and the fireplace box card that you see on the left side is actually from simply crafty svgs. And then there are two Christmas friendship bracelets in the front that come from an Etsy shop called The One Eyed Artist.

The Norwegian Christmas stockings are from Arne and Carlos. I posted about the stockings a couple of months ago when I made them. I’m making more because I bought so much yarn that I don’t know what else I’m going to do with it other than make a ton more stockings LOL. I’ll probably be working on these until it gets too hot to work with wool yarn.

I’ve also been reading a lot more. I made it a mission to read everyday no matter what. Even if I just read one or two chapters a day, at least I’m reading. I did the Goodreads challenge this year and challenged myself to read 30 books and I exceeded that by reading 48 books. I’m still reading a book and was hoping to finish it to make my Goodreads challenge 49 books, but I don’t think I’m going to make it.

There is one book that I have that I would like to read. That is the entire Wizard of Oz story, but it’s all one book which means there are 15 books that will count as one book unless I decide to add the books individually on Goodreads as I read them. It will most likely take me forever to read it because this one collection in one book is over 2,000 pages and I think I’m going to need to read it in stages lol. So I will add each individual book to Goodreads as I read them.

I have a lot of other books in my Kindle library to read, so I have no shortage of books to keep myself busy with. I also have a lot of books in my Nook that I can read as well.

I’m not doing the New Year’s resolution thing because I think that’s stupid. Especially when a lot of times people never follow through with it. They always say I’m going to start losing weight and I’m going to go to the gym and then they never do and they end up gaining weight. I’d rather just do it if I’m going to do it. I did lose 75 lb in 2023 with ozempic, and then it stopped on Thanksgiving Day and 15lbs have come back on gradually, but I’m still doing ozempic and I’m still trying and I’m doing my best despite the constant junk food being put in my face and constantly being asked if I want to go to fast food places. I have the ability to say no, but I don’t seem to be doing that very well. So that’s something I have to work on.

I am having heart issues because apparently my pulse is too slow. It was 41 the other day at the doctor’s office and they’re sending me to a cardiologist. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. I checked my Fitbit watch and my pulse seems to be around 100, but then I checked my pulse on my blood pressure machine and it’s around 40 something to 50 something.  So, I guess my fitbit is not really telling me my true pulse rate. I’ll see what happens.

Well, Happy New Year and let’s hope that this year is a good year.

More Norwegian Christmas Stockings

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment
House and Julefugler Christmas stockings from Arne and Carlos.

I have made another Norwegian Christmas stocking from Arne and Carlos. I don’t know why the second one with the birds is bigger because I used the same exact knitting needles and the same yarn and I did the toe the exact same way and both of the stockings have the same number of stitches, so I don’t know why that one is bigger than the other, but I guess it doesn’t really matter.

In my previous post about the house stocking, I was saying that I did not like the toe nor did I like the heel, but it is growing on me. I wasn’t sure if I was going to do the same toe but it is in the instructions and I don’t want to veer away from that. So I just did the same thing with the birds and I’m working on their latest stocking which is a mystery stocking that they’re doing every day for November, from November 1st until November 25th, 2024. They’re giving you six rows a day, and when the stocking is finished, they will add the full pattern to their blog for free, and then in December it will go into their shop and you will have to pay for it. Most of their stocking patterns are $7, so I assume it will also be $7.

You can find them at http://arnecarlos.com and also you can find their YouTube channel with lots of knitting instructions.

I did buy a bunch of stockings on their website when they were on sale for $2.80, so I bought pretty much every stocking pattern that they have. There was one stocking that I did not buy because it had cars on it and I just don’t see myself making that for anyone.

There is enough yarn from one skein of each color to make these two stockings, and there’s still enough that I’m working on making a third stocking. So these stockings are actually a lot cheaper than I thought they would be to make. I like the green color that I’ve chosen as opposed to a darker green because I just feel like this lighter green gives it more of a vintage look.

The yarn was $5 each skein, and so far I have enough for three stockings, so that’s about $5 a stocking. The first stocking took me I believe 3 days to make and the second stocking took me a little longer because I had other things that I had to take care of. The stocking that I’m making now is going to take longer because they’re only releasing six rows at a time every day this month, but otherwise I’m sure it would have only taken me a couple days to make.

Because of this project that I’ve chosen to do at this very moment in time, I decided that I was going to also resume knitting my socks. I started making this pair of socks, I don’t even know how many years ago, and I didn’t finish it because the other two pairs of socks that I had made had holes in the bottoms and I started thinking what a waste of time that was making socks for them just to get holes in them. I told my aunt that and she said you know you can fix those and they are really easy to fix, so I thought well if I can fix them then I guess it’s not a waste of time. So I decided to continue making the socks. And since I finished making this pair, I started making the next design which I’ve already started and you can see in the left side of the image.

The sock yarn is called Premier sock yarn. It is really thin and they have so many different designs and I bought 8 different designs, and so far have made 3 pairs of socks. The top left, middle left and bottom middle are the ones I’ve made. Now I am making the top middle.

I decided that I will make the socks, but I won’t wear them unless it is a special occasion. This sock yarn cost me $8 a pair to make. They are $3.99 for just 1 skein which only makes 1 sock. That is a very good reason to only wear them on special occasions, because they are so expensive.

I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with the stockings, but I’m sure I will figure it out. I think it would be nice to just hang them by the fireplace this Christmas just as decoration.

My 2020 Christmas Cards with Cricut and SVG Cuts

On By Michel McDonaldIn Christmas, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I love having a Cricut Explore Air 2 because I can make awesome cards for many occasions. Here are all of the cards I made for Christmas, and 1 for Hanukkah. I bought these card SVG files from SVGCuts.com. Of course I had to use a red velvet background for these pictures lol. I added embellishments that I made with polymer clay. These are mostly all box cards, so they stand up on their own and are literally a box that fold flat. With the exception of the Hanukkah card and the Cardinal Skating card.

I took a picture of both back and front of all of the cards, but I’m just showing the front here, except for the stocking card, because I guess I just forgot to take a picture of just the front. I think the reason was because it wasn’t standing on its own on the velvet, but it did stand on its own on the table. And yes, the rocking horse does rock.

Here’s a note. If you’re going to make the same cards every year, make a list of who you are giving each card to so the next year you don’t send them the same exact card by mistake. I made all of these cards last year, with the exception of the Hanukkah card, I sent out a different one last year, and the pick up truck card was new this year. I sent out all my cards, but I didn’t have a list, so if someone got the same card, all I can say is oops. You won’t get the same one next year because I now know which one I sent you this year lol. Although, if you got a different one from last year, there’s no guarantee 2021 won’t be the same as 2019 lol. And that’s why Santa makes a list, and checks it twice. If only I had heard that advice last year.

Christmas in July

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment

Trim the Tree Stocking Counted Cross Stitch Kit
In 2010 I made some Christmas stockings for my life partner’s grand nephew’s Andrew, Jordan and Noah. Andrew and Jordan got the embroidered stockings and Noah got the felt stocking because he was a baby at the time and it was a baby stocking in my opinion.

These were all stocking kits that were given to me when a friend passed away. She was a hoarder who had TONS of craft supplies that she never used and held onto for decades. Those stocking kits (link above) were from the 1970’s and I’ve seen them recently on eBay for as high as $250 each. Not the felt one, but the embroidery stockings. I wanted to make Noah a more adult stocking in the same style, but I can’t seem to find any that I can afford, so I bought a counted cross stitch pattern instead.

I would much prefer to make the embroidered stocking like the one Andrew and Jordan have, because they are easy to make, but I will have to work with what I can afford in this case. So I sent my life partner an email with a link to a website called The Stitchery with the stockings in the search box, and he picked the one in the image at the top of this post. I think it’s a nice stocking for a child, but it doesn’t quite match the other 2 stockings, not that it has to match, but they are a family, and they should have stockings that sort of are in the same family of stockings. But, the stocking Noah has now isn’t in the same family as the embroidered stockings for Jordan and Andrew, so I guess it doesn’t matter anyway.

This stocking project will keep my brain busy and I won’t have any time to obsess over every little thing happening in the news that I see on Facebook, which is good because I’m close to having a nervous breakdown. Crafting calms my brain, and my heart, and I have high blood pressure so this will do the trick to keep me alive to see another day lol. Crafting has always been something that I’ve used to calm myself down. Everyone has their own coping mechanisms, this is mine lol.

Teddy bear C2C crochet baby blanket

On By Michel McDonaldIn Uncategorized5 Comments

My previous post was about a Betty Boop blanket I crocheted for my aunt, this it’s a baby blanket I made for My cousins son who is 5 years old. I honestly didn’t think he would use it for anything but like sleeping, so My mind wasn’t anywhere like a Linus blanket.

So he opened it on Christmas and he said “Oh, it’s a blanket.”  My aunt warned me that he’s 5 and he already has a blanket that he carries everywhere and nothing will ever replace it. That’s not what I was hoping for. I just wanted to make him a blanket, that’s all.

So later that night he was playing with his new video game in his parents room and I brought his blanket to him and he paused the game and said “I like your blanket, but I already have a mommy blanket that I use so I will probably use your blanket when I sleep in bed.”

LMAO I looked at him like hey no problem. My intention wasn’t to give him a Linus blanket, I just wanted to make him a blanket. How he uses it is really up to him, and it was cute and funny how he explained to me that he was basically going to use, but only on his terms.

I think he’s the cutest little thing and I hope to be able to watch him grow up, which it’s nearly impossible since I live so far away, but I’ll try.

Betty Boop C2C crochet blanket

On By Michel McDonaldIn Uncategorized18 Comments

In September and October I was crocheting a blanket made out of squares with many colors each with a black background. I was making this for my aunt for Christmas.

I was watching a video on YouTube and came across one from The Crochet Crowd that was teaching how to make C2C crochet, which stands for corner to corner. I thought it seemed interesting because you could make a blanket with pictures. I then thought hmmm… I wonder if they have a Betty Boop pattern, and I found one from http://www.TwoMagicPixels.com.

I started making this blanket right away. I had some white, but not enough, then found out the new yarn isn’t the same shade of white or texture, and I had trouble finding the right shade of skin for Betty, so I made a piece up to a certain point, then when I bought white I just started over fresh, and it took me a month to make this blanket.

I had to buy different brands because one brand didn’t have the same color for the skin, so the skin and the black, white and red are all different textures.

My Aunt loved it. I was hoping to make her a couch blanket because she takes a daily nap on the couch, like a ritual, but it’s way too big and heavy for a couch nap lol. It would probably be way too warm and she’s probably have to take it off after 5 minutes lol. Her bed is king size, the blanket is queen size, so that’s not good, but hey, I tried right?

Anyway, so yeah I learned a new pattern and gave an awesome gift.

Here is an example of how it’s crocheted along with the pattern next to it. It’s literally worked from corner to corner.

PS Vita Borderlands 2 Bundle

On By Michel McDonaldIn Games, PS Vita, PS4, PSPLeave a comment

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My partner didn’t know what to get me for Christmas, and I was dropping hints so big, I’m really shocked he didn’t get it lol. He finally did when I just blurted it out. A bit tacky, but whatever.

So he called Best Buy to find out if they had the PS Vita, and they said yes, so we got in the car to go and I told him that if truth be told, I honestly don’t want just the console, I’d rather have a bundle because it’s the same price, and you get a game AND a memory card. Best Buy only had the console, not the bundle. I looked on the Game Stop app and I thought they had the bundle, so we went to the mall and they said they didn’t have the bundle.

They said they just had the blue PS Vita, so we were just going to buy it on Amazon later, but I decided that I didn’t care about the bundle, I just want it, so we went back. They explained that I needed a memory card since the 1GB on board is used for the Vita OS, and it was too much for my partner, so we ordered the bundle to be shipped, and after shipping and the warranty, it came out to the same price lol. Oh well.

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The guy at Game Stop said Borderlands 2 will consume the 8GB memory card that comes in the bundle, so when we came home I bought a 32GB memory card for $62 and change, plus tax, plus shipping, and it will be here on Wednesday. The PS Vita will be here on Friday.

Today I went on the PlayStation app on my phone to see what games I already own that are compatible with the PS Vita, and it turns out I have quite a bit of games that will work. I listed them. I bought 2 extra games that I have many add-ons for that will work with the
PS Vita, so I figured I might as well have those games too. A lot of these games are on my PSP, but some of these games are only available for the PS Vita. I already own them, so now I can actually play them, and some of them I’ve played on my PSP, so I can play them again, but with an extra stick since my PSP only has the one stick on the left, and the PS Vita has the stick on the left and right.

PS Vita game list

I used to make PSP gameplay videos and post them on YouTube, and I was quite proud of them, but I stopped doing it because so many people made fun of the fact that my hands shake (I was born with a tremor in both hands, actually my entire body shakes). One or two people commented on how I was playing a game wrong since I wasn’t properly killing the monsters the way they would have killed the monsters. Talk about picking your battles. Dude, we all play games our own way, you play your way, I play mine. No one plays wrong. One person actually called me a pedophile. As if only children are allowed to play video games, give me a break. That was my deciding factor in quitting.

I discovered a device that you can plug your PSP into that will record your gameplay, which cuts out the need for a camcorder pointing at the screen, so no hands in the way, but I don’t know if it works with the PS Vita. If I can find out what other people use to record gameplay with the Vita, then I may consider doing that because I’d really love to record some videos again. I had so much fun doing that, and I love watching other people playing video games, so I want to do that again. If I need a device then I will buy one, but if you can do it directly from the Vita without the need for extra hardware, then I will do that instead.

So the 32GB memory card comes on Wednesday and the PS Vita comes on Friday. I wanted it so when I am in the living room, I will be able to play Destiny and Star Wars Battlefront using remote play, but I really want to play the other games like Borderlands 2 and some of these games I’ve listed. I will post again when it comes and after I’ve played around with it. Catch you on the flip side!

Black Friday at home

On By Michel McDonaldIn HolidaysLeave a comment

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Everyone loves a good deal, but who wants to camp out in front of their favorite store just to save a few bucks? Who wants to miss their Thanksgiving dinner aka family reunion only to get into fist fights over the last Star Wars Battlefront PS4 and possibly get killed? Not me! No way!

So here’s what I do, I just sit at home and wait for the Black Friday deals to come to my inbox. and then buy stuff online and have them shipped to me, or enjoy them instantly online. I mean sure, it’ll take awhile to get to me, but you don’t really need those things until Christmas day anyway, right?

This is what I saved on. It’s only a few items, but it’s what I wanted to buy.

I got an email from Choxi about 2 weeks ago telling me they miss me. I bought an iPad for my partner last year and I also bought a phone for myself. So the email they sent me was a $10 coupon. I looked at what they had on sale and what was featured, and I found this cool bed or couch table for my partner for $49. Thanks to the coupon, I only paid $39 and with $2 shipping it came to $41. I bought it for him because he spends most if not all of his time on the couch holding his iPad, and I figured he could just put it on this table at an angle and he can just swipe without holding it. He can also push it to the side when he starts to get sleepy. A couple of months ago he fell asleep and woke up to the sound of his iPad crashing to the ground on the hard wood floor. I can’t remember how much it was to replace the screen. This will prevent that from happening again, I hope.

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Yesterday I got a Black Friday email from Groupon advertising this pet carrier and more. I was telling my partner the last time we went out of town that if I had a pet carrier that was like a suitcase and backpack, we could bring her with us. I went online looking for something, but they were just too expensive. I couldn’t pass up $20, so I had to buy this.

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Finally, I went on my PlayStation 4 yesterday and saw that they had a Co-Op sale with some games I was considering, but I really didn’t want them just because they were on sale. Their sale is up to 90% with a PlayStation Plus membership, but I waited. Today I opened the PlayStation store and saw their Black Friday sale, and the game I’ve wanted forever was there, and it was a very reasonable price. It’s normally $99, but it was on sale for $40. I just so happened to have $41 and change in my account, so I bought it and I now have $1.74 in my wallet lol.

The game is The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. It’s the most expensive one they had. They had the one without all the extras for a lot less, but what’s the point when I’m going to have to buy all those extras later down the road anyway? I might as well buy the more expensive one while I have the funds in my wallet. And you can’t beat a $60 savings.

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This after I received an email from Microsoft telling me they are having a sale in the Microsoft store for apps, games, movies and music. It was a .10 cent sale. So I bought Imagine Dragons Night Visions album that is regularly $13 for only .10 cents. That’s pretty awesome if you ask me.

imagine dragons night visions

I got to have a Thanksgiving meal with my partner and I didn’t have to camp out for days in the cold with a bunch of strangers who would probably beat the crap out of me over $5., and I saved $172. You honestly can’t beat that.

PlayStation 4

On By Michel McDonaldIn GamesLeave a comment

Yesterday was a complete shock to me. My partner came in the bedroom as I was browsing my Amazon PS3 wish list to see if the price of the Lego Batman and Sly Copter bundle I wanted was still at $259 or if it had gone up or down. It was at $289. I didn’t expect him to say let’s go buy you a PlayStation.

I begged him not to do it because I honestly didn’t want him to spend that kind of money on me. I mean, it is a lot of money, why should he buy it? What have I done to deserve such a generous man in my life?

I told him that to be able to get the exact bundle I wanted, we would have to do research to make sure the store we go to has it so we don’t waste gas driving all over Bakersfield looking for something that doesn’t exist. He called GameStop and Best Buy and Best Buy had it, but Game Stop didn’t. I mean, 1 location did, but that was very far away from the house.

While we were driving to Best Buy, my partner told me that it doesn’t do you any good to buy the previous model just because it’s cheaper and because it connects with your PSP. In a year when they come out with the PS5, they will probably stop selling the PS3 games and you won’t be able to buy new games. I don’t know if that will happen, but it is a good point, and originally I wanted the PS4, but decided on the PS3 because of the price and the fact that it connects to my PSP. But I would have liked the PS4 instead, so that’s what he bought me.

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The PS4 that I got wasn’t a specific bundle. They had 4 games on the box, and I assumed I got all 4 games, but it said 4 games pick one. I couldn’t decide because I don’t normally play the games they offered. The choices were Destiny, FarCry 4, NBA2K14 and Little Big Planet 3. I don’t mind Little Big Planet, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t really get into it, meaning I’d probably fall asleep. I asked a gaymer Facebook group I am in and they couldn’t give me a straight answer, and it wasn’t just because they were all gay gamers lol. Some said Destiny, some said Far Cry 4 and some said Little Big Planet. I watched some gameplay videos on YouTube before I asked for Destiny and Far Cry 4 and they both seemed to be the same style of game, shooter, which I don’t really care for, but I decided on Destiny because it’s like a future space game, which I love.

I was looking at the PlayStation store and found Lego The Hobbit and saw that it was only $39.95. Well, I already had $9 in my PlayStation wallet and they gave me $10 in the box, so it only cost me $20 out-of-pocket. I also bought 2 add-ons and 2 bundles for $1.99 each.

The final game that I got was DC Universe Online. I have played that game on my PC and loved it, so I knew I would love it on my PS4. I actually love it more on my PS4 because of the game controller as opposed to using my mouse and keyboard to play. I created a “flash” type of character and was zipping around the game so fast.

So I finally have my game console, and I am so happy that it is a new one instead of an old one. I love it and I will have fun with it.

Games I am hoping to play on this is the new EverQuest Landmark and the new King’s Quest when that comes out. I read that EQ would be coming to PS4 in 2015 and I also read that King’s Quest is coming back and I saw some of the graphics and they look amazing. I’m not sure if KQ will be computer only or if it will be computer and console, I want to buy it either way.

I have a PS4 Wish List on Amazon with some games I would love to buy and some hardware like a camera. I hope to be able to buy the camera soon so I can use it for exercise.

‘Tis the Season

On By Michel McDonaldIn ChristmasLeave a comment

christmas coupon

Every month I try to make a coupon for my Etsy shop to give people a reason to buy my craft items, on top of my already low prices. I am always adding new items, like this month I am creating packs of 4 pairs of studs for $8. I currently have several of those already listed and more to come. Of course I still have the single pair of studs with your choice of color 1 and color 2 for the new low price of $2 a pair.

My Etsy shop items make great stockings stuffers. The friendship bracelets are a nice gift to give to someone, the studs are super cute, if I do say so myself. I wear mine every day. The coasters are adorable and they last for years. I am still using the same coasters I made more than 10 years ago. My keychains are a nice addition to your keys. They help you identify which key ring has which keys.

I am still in the stage where my sales have not paid for my materials, so it would be awesome if people would buy my stuff so I can make a profit so I can buy Christmas presents this month. I don’t want to have to just give away my craft items, I would love to be able to pay off my credit card so I can buy presents. So you buying something to give as a gift, or keep for yourself, helps me give gifts and pay for my materials. It’s a win-win situation.