Tag: gifts

Holiday Gift Guide for Artists: Creative Gifts They’ll Love

gift ideas for artists
~ Julie ~ Leave a comment

Finding the perfect gift for the artist in your life can be both exciting and challenging. Artists are a creative bunch, and they often have unique tastes and needs. Whether you’re shopping for a professional artist, an aspiring creator, or a hobbyist, this holiday gift guide for artists has you covered with thoughtful gift ideas that any artist would appreciate.

* Please note, some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support and it helps me create more great content for you to enjoy!

gift ideas for artists

Art Supplies They’ll Actually Use

Every artist appreciates high-quality tools, and you can’t go wrong with these art supply ideas:

  • Professional Sketchbook: A durable sketchbook with thick paper is a must-have for any artist. The Canson XL Mixed Media Sketchpad is perfect for everything from pencil sketches to watercolor.
  • Fine-Liner Pens: The Micron Pen Set is a staple for detailed illustrations and ink drawings.
  • Acrylic Paint Set: If they’re into painting, this Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint Set provides a great range of vibrant colors at an affordable price.

Tech Tools for the Modern Artist

Artists who blend traditional and digital mediums will appreciate tech-savvy tools that enhance their creative workflow:

  • Drawing Tablet: The Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet is an excellent option for beginners and professionals alike.
  • iPad Stylus: For artists who work on an iPad, the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) is a game-changer for digital sketching and design.
  • Adjustable Desk Lamp: Proper lighting is essential for any workspace, and this adjustable LED Desk Lamp offers customizable brightness levels to suit any project.
holiday gift guide for artists - art supplies they'll actually use

Organizational Tools for Creative Spaces

Help your artist friend keep their workspace tidy and inspiring with these practical gifts:

  • Art Supply Organizer: The ArtBin Storage Box is perfect for keeping paints, brushes, and other tools neatly stored.
  • Rolling Cart: A 3-Tier Rolling Utility Cart is ideal for organizing supplies and moving them around easily.
  • Paint Brush Cleaner and Holder: A tool like this Paint Brush Cleaner and Holder helps keep paintbrushes in top condition for longer while keeping them organized.

Creative Inspiration Gifts

Sometimes the best gift is something that sparks new ideas:

holiday gift guide for artists - bullet journal

Fun and Quirky Artist Gifts

If you’re looking for something lighthearted or unique, try these options:

Gift Cards for Freedom of Choice

When in doubt, let the artist choose their own supplies with a gift card:

  • Amazon Gift Card: Available in any amount, an Amazon Gift Card lets them pick exactly what they need.
  • Art Supply Stores: Consider a gift card to a specialty store like Chalkola Art Supplies (use code julie10 for 10% off) or Michaels.

Final Thoughts

Artists thrive on creativity, and the right tools and inspiration can make all the difference. Whether you choose practical supplies, tech tools, or quirky gifts, your thoughtfulness will surely be appreciated. I hope this holiday gift guide for artists has inspired your gift shopping this holiday!

Happy gifting!

Cheers,

julie signing off

10 Ways to Get Your Print on Demand Shop Ready for the Holidays

print on demand holidays
~ Julie ~ 5 Comments
print on demand shop holiday tips

The holiday season is nearly upon us, and for those of us who sell through Print on Demand it’s the most profitable time of the year.!

Today I’m sharing 10 tips to get your shops ready for the busiest shopping season, so you can sit back with a glass of eggnog and watch the sales roll in.

10 Ways to Get Your Print on Demand Shops Ready for the Holidays

1. Go though your older designs and update them with new and improved keywords and descriptions. Especially your holiday themed designs.

2. Add as many high quality designs to your stores as you possibly can, including different versions of your best selling designs.

3. Enable new product types that you might have missed from earlier in the year.

4. Create Hoilday specific designs.

Do some research to find out what’s trending for the current Holiday season and create some new artwork based on that. (Ex. Trending themes, colors or patterns). I like to use Pinterest for this.

5. Create templates and promotional material for big sales coming up, especially Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

society6 sale promo template example

6. Set up a promotional calendar to remind you of when major sales are occurring in your different stores so that you can promote them.

You could also add reminders on your phone to pop up on certain days to remind you to post something on that day.

7. Design some greeting cards and/or wrapping paper for holiday gift giving.

8. Refresh your shop banners and profile picture if they are looking a little out dated or no longer reflect your brand.

9. Create holiday themed collections in your shops. Society6, Redbubble and Zazzle all have this option.

holiday print on demand collection on Zazzle

10. Update your store profile description, collection descriptions, and just generally make sure everything written has been updated.

BONUS TIPS:

  • Take some holiday themed photos of your products to post on social media using your own household decorations!
  • Create custom holiday themed banners and profile pictures for the holidays. I like to add a Santa hat to my profile pic for some easy and cute holiday flair.
avatar with santa hat

That should keep you busy for a while, and then you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the Holidays.

Cheers,

julie signing off

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Ojo De Dios (aka God’s Eye) DIY Yarn Mandala Craft

ojo de dios gods eye diy yarn mandalas
~ Julie ~ 2 Comments
ojo de dios gods eye diy yarn mandalas

I got a little bit crafty this weekend and made these super fun and pretty Ojos De Dio (aka God’s Eye) ornaments, which are basically 3D yarn mandala weavings!

They are really easy, making them a great DIY project which can even involve your kids! Making them can be a nice relaxing activity to do while watching TV, sitting on your patio, enjoying a hot cup of tea, etc.  You get the picture.

Supplies needed:

  • 2 – 4 Sticks of any length (I used kabob skewers from the dollar store, and cut off the pointy ends)
  • Ruler
  • Pen
  • Glue Gun
  • Various colours of yarn (scraps can be used)
  • Scissors

Simply measure your sticks with a ruler and mark them in the centre, then use your glue gun to glue the 2 sticks together in a cross shape.  Let the glue dry completely before starting your weaving.

pink god's eye mandala diamond square shape

Step-by-step tutorial for the diamond style God’s Eye.

The easiest style of God’s Eye is a 4 sided, diamond shape design using only the 2 sticks, like the one above.

Step by step tutorial for an 8 sided God’s Eye yarn mandala.

For a more complicated design, use 2 sets of sticks, creating an octagonal shape. Don’t glue the 2 sets together, as you will attach them together using yarn.

These 8 sided yarn mandalas are still pretty easy to make, and once you get the hang of them you can easily create your own patterns! I love how mine turned out.

yarn mandala diy craft project kids
close up ojo de dios diy yarn mandala craft

These ornaments are really versatile.  You can make them from something as small as toothpicks, or even sticks you find outside and you can make them as big or as small as you want!

You can use them to decorate your walls, give as gifts, use as Christmas tree ornaments and more! Feel free to post other ways you use these in the comments section below!

Make sure you follow my blog for more creative inspiration, and to see more of my art and design projects in the future.

I hope you have a great week.

Cheers,

julie signing off