Thursday, January 19, 2012

Craving the stuff that's made with love

Remember when you were a kid and a holiday approached and you desperately, urgently wanted to buy cool gifts for people?

"Just make a gift," your parents insisted. "It'll mean more."

Admit it. You thought they were full of crap.

The older I've gotten, the more I've realized my parents were right. Homemade gifts do mean a lot, particularly the ones that show the giver has been paying attention.

When Making Waves debuted last summer, my gentleman friend made me something special:
Admittedly, not all women would be thrilled at receiving a gift emblazoned with the word "bitches."

I am not most women.

In case you're new to this blog, you should know that every book I've ever written has a working title. Making Waves will always be Piratebitch in my mind. My March release, Believe it or Not, will never be anything but Psychicbitch to me. My new active fiction release with Coliloquy may be marketed as Getting Dumped, but I don't think my editor and I have ever called it anything but Dumpbitch.

If you can't tell from the photo, the bitches plaque is adorned with little metal knobs. Each knob represents a book that's either scheduled for publication or brewing in the back of my brain. In fact, he handpicked each knob to match the book's theme. The day that book is released, my gentleman friend commemorates the occasion by draping a new silk scarf on the designated knob.

You may notice I'm so touched by the whole thing that I didn't even make a knob joke or speculate whether he intends to use the scarves to tie me to the headboard.

Seriously, isn't that the sweetest, most creative gift ever? I wore my new Dumpbitch scarf to work yesterday and kept touching it and smiling.

Of course, my gentleman friend has a bit of competition in the creative gift-making category. I recently had a message from reader Toni Sinns asking about my favorite colors and whether I'd mind if she crocheted something for me. Naturally, I insisted she didn't have to do any such thing, but if she wanted to, I'd be delighted by anything with blues, greens, or purples.

Here's what showed up earlier this week:
Yes, it's my very own, customized, monogrammed, crocheted beer koozie. How many of you have your own customized, monogrammed, crocheted beer koozies?

Exactly.

Well, I guess if you want one, you can check out Toni's online store. I have it on good authority she can crochet more of these, or whatever else your little heart might desire.

What's the coolest homemade gift you've ever given or received? Please share!

And stop coveting my beer. And my koozie. And my scarves. And my bitches. And...

9 comments :

Laina said...

My best friend draws and I have 3 of her amazing drawings of my characters.

Matthew MacNish said...

I thought beer koozies were mostly for cans, but I must admit, yours looks awesome.

Sarah W said...

The coolest homemade gift I've ever given or received?

My kids.

But a close second is the mulberry wine that a friend makes. It's late summer in a bottle.

Patty Blount said...

The best homemade gift I ever got was a hand painted plaque featuring my new baby's birth statistics shortly after his birth back in '95.

It was painted by my former boss's wife. I still have it because she took the time to paint the baby to look like my baby, complete with full head of dark hair and the chubbiest cheeks ever. :)

Chris turns 17 TOMORROW (sniffs) and while he still has the dark hair, he is so far from chubby, it's a bit worrisome.

Skye said...

Ah, I only covet your gentleman friend. What a keeper!

I'd forgotten that you named your books "X bitch". Cool scarf hanger plaque and awesome, awesome, awesome with the whole concept and the scarves and all!

My best and favorite handmade gift was the child-sized hutch my grandfather made for me when I was 3. It has little plate grooves and everything! I still have it, although it's a bit worse for the wear at this time some forty-mumble-mumble years later. :)

Anonymous said...

So glad you like your koozie. I don't think anyone has ever made me a home made gift. But I make them for my family all the time. Out of all of them I've done this far I have to say my favorite to give was a scrapbook to my grandfather. It actually made him cry and he wanted to show it off to all his friends. I was so happy and proud of the work.

Lindsay said...

I just got tears in my eyes over the cuteness of the gentleman-made gift. Love you guys!

TAWNA FENSKE said...

Laina, what a cool gift! I love that!

Matthew, I'm sure it would work for cans, but I kinda like the bottle thing. Will have to try both!

Sarah W, I'm ashamed to admit I've never tried mulberry wine. That sounds interesting!

Patty, awww, that's sweet!

Skye, he's definitely a keeper. Very creative indeed!

Gracielou, thanks again for the koozie. I adore it!

Linds, and to think, you played a role in orchestrating this whole romance. Just don't go thinking that entitles you to my beer koozie, bitch.

Thanks for reading, guys!
Tawna

Sage Ravenwood said...

I was into Barbie like most little girls. One year I complained non-stop I didn't have enough Barbie clothes for my doll.

That year for Christmas my Mom gave we a wooden box. If you put the box on it's side lengthwise and opened it up you had an instant closet for Barbie with rods to hang clothes on both sides. Inside there were a couple dozen dresses and outfits for Barbie. All hand made, not the store bought outfits that were so popular at the time.

At first I didn't know what to make of the outfits. Years later I realized the love and time that went into that gift and none of my friends had clothes like that for their Barbie and always wanted to play with mine. (Hugs)Indigo