It is that time of year again. Getting close to our anniversary date, I start thinking about gifts for Tyrone, my friend Katie’s birthday in September, my mother’s birthday in October, and my sister’s birthday in November. It is that slow uphill road that leads us all to Christmas gift-giving.

This year I am way ahead of the game. I found Katie an awesome Miller High Life clock at a yard sale in upstate New York, and have already gifted it to her. On a shopping trip with Katie, I found my sister’s birthday gift, and it is even very shippable to her new address in Valentine, NE.

The gifting season also means my birthday, and I get asked what I want. The truth is that I’m never that sure most of the time, but when I see something, I know, and usually I just buy it myself. It may be a piece of art or a tool or a piece of technology I’ve been wanting. Yesterday was one of those moments.

My favorite painters are bizarrely all guitar players and vocalists and songwriters who have been in a number of different bands: Jon Langford, Wendy Bantam, and former Guided by Voices band member Tobin Sprout.

Buying art can be complicated, there is usually a big upfront expense, followed by a necessary reorganization of wall space. I feel I’m finally at a time in my life where I know what I like, but the paintings I like were sold years ago. This brings me to prints. Yesterday I found out that one of my favorite paintings was available as a print!

The print is “Ten After Four” by Tobin Sprout. The original painting is a photo surrealistic. The watermelon at the top makes me happy, the General Electric stove reminds me of my childhood, but the painted metallic reflections is what really attracted me to the piece. Years ago, I printed out a really terrible copy from a gif online, had it laminated, and hung it above my desk at home and work. It will be so nice to have a real print.

After Thanksgiving break I got a craft bug and a cold bug at the same time. It is time for a post though.

First off: last night’s experiment took precedence over the bundle of gifts headed out to NY state this year. Saw an example on this blog page (the first two crafts). (WARNING: SENSE OF HUMOR REQUIRED) These toys are totally appropriate for fun-loving adults, and remind me of something my Aunt Jean would make if she didn’t have to make 20 of them for her Christmas Craft Botique.

So last night, I started teaching myself the fine art of Japanese Amigurumi. It is a form of tight crochet with small yarn and small needles, where the crochet stitches are so close together, that the object “stands up” and can hold stuffing. It is used mostly for doll-making, but is also used for making containers. Also for the crocheters out there, everything is done in spirals, not in rows. No pictures on that experiment yet, but judging from last night, it would take me about 5 hours to make one of the dolls above, so only a very special person is getting one, and one very special aunt if I have time after xmas.

Ok now back to the backlog. Here are some blurry-close-ups of some holiday gifts I’ve been making:

Nothing like working the last day before a holiday weekend with virtual snow globe conditions outdoors!

I have a bunch of projects lined up for this weekend, so I’ll say “Happy Thanksgiving” now and leave you with the second finished gift close-up picture in a series of 18 hand-made gifts this year:

Cast on my first holiday gift on Monday night.  Also sent out emails to a few people to do gift reconnaissance.  If you find some elves poking around the trunk of your car, I sent them!

I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do about posting pictures.  Maybe I’ll put up a few abstract ones.  The series on holiday gifts/ornaments from Aunt Jean should supplement this some.