Last-minute gifts: one of a kind and personalized

Last-minute gifts and inspiration

Get some inspiration for last-minute Christmas gifts: it is fun and easy to personalize your gift by just adding some specific lettering or making up a set of something you know that person prefers.

I think that last-minute gifts make up a lot of Christmas fun. For people like me who do not have all their family within reach, that is the best part of Christmas. I love making gifts, creating greeting cards and giving gifts. I wish I had more money, so more people could get their gifts and feel happy about them.

Last minute gifts
Rustic elegance

Mixing up styles is fun, Too! It looks festive and natural!

Last minute gifts
Simple, lovely, elegant, chic

Cozy indoors and let it snow outdoors

Last minute Christmas gifts
Christmas art, the perfect touch

Everything comes together and lots of fun, work, inspiration, love and hope!

Enjoy!

22 Replies to “Last-minute gifts: one of a kind and personalized”

    1. Thanks, Irene! If I will get some people walk in here, that will happen. Pictures do not show correctly the sets, but it’s some display. I find it very difficult to take photos of shiny things, especially with artificial light. It was very dark for a while.
      Have a very merry Christmas, Irene! I hope your New Year will be happy, filled with love and healthy!

    2. Thank you, Inese. I have challenges taking photos of gemstones too, they are also shiny and need a special light to look good.
      Wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful and healthy new year.

    3. Thanks so much, Irene! Everything the best to you, too! May you have a very warm and wonderful Christmas time and Christmas!

    4. I forgot to mention they moved the appointment for tomorrow. I don’t know what to expect. It feels I should have this surgery, let’s see what he has to say. That is the main thing right now, when that is settled I can probably relax for a while and make preparations before the surgery. I’m just afraid because it went so wrong the last year. I’m not really too excited about that. Sigh. So, yes, there is no point in guessing. The future will show what happens.

    1. Thanks! I thought this would fit the forest theme. Nature and forest, since birds love that, and so do I.

  1. These were Beautiful Inese.. just beautiful and brought a real homely feel to Christmas. Love what you have done here. I also paint cones, and have a basket filled with them by the fire at Christmas..
    Love your paintings and the twig frames, what wonderful ideas.
    Have a really wonderful Christmas and sending you best wishes for the New Year, May it be filled with good health and Happiness Love and Joy..
    Love and Peace..
    Hugs Sue <3 xx

    1. Thanks, Sue! I appreciate these kinds words and your warm thoughts!
      I have no special plans for Christmas.
      I am cautious about the New Year, I will see the surgeon tomorrow, they changed appointment.
      I hope you can look forward to a great New Year, so, lots of of joy, love, happiness and pleasure!
      I wish you very merry, cozy, lovely and great Christmas! The love will be there to hog you.
      Thanks again and everything the best!

    2. Thanks, Sue! I know you have a good heart!
      Well, I wish that was more widespread.
      Within 5 years of so-called treatment, the Canadian doctors have managed to totally destroy my health.
      I don’t even want to talk about this.
      I have practically no choices and no options with the local health care.
      I have to work towards that I get to Latvia for a treatment, they might be able to save something.
      Christmas sales did not create any income. I worked hard for the last 3 months, but I have no idea why nobody ever walks in in this place. Lights are up, decorations are very good, the art looks good, but nobody stops and walks in. I was wondering about that, too. If I were like walking by, I would just check out what is in an artist studio and gallery just out of curiosity. Not even that much. It’s need less to say I am not happy about this.
      I do not have a tree this year yet and obviously did not get a chance to do any gift shopping.
      So, I will be just doing nothing this Christmas.
      I would like to do online classes, but I need lights for that. This place is so dark. I checked out what one can get and probably I will need these so called circle lights which they call Diva light that puts even brightness in the area and does not create shadows which is crucial.
      How did I manage to get so far? I mean how did I miss every possible chance to get back to health?
      I start to really regret relocating here. I lost myself, I lost all income, I lost the social status.
      I was having good jobs in Latvia with my 3 Master’s degrees. I do not know what I was thinking about.
      Having no job isn’t a joke. I cannot even do waitressing or similar with my conditions, I mean, I cannot do anything physical. It would be also hilarious that former college teaching force and scientific editor works in some catering place, let’s say as a cleaner. Funny, I managed to also destroy this side.
      I believe my art is good and it has become even better over years, it’s just so that nobody needs it here.
      I do not know how and what I will do next year, but if I want to live I have to manage to do something. Something quite serious.
      The most feasible thing is trying to renew the Latvian passport at first. I will need to fly over there to do that. I cannot renew it now without being physically present.
      So, right now then I have to first work towards the flight and fees that relate to documents. This causes headaches already, but I have to just do that.
      I know you will probably celebrate, so enjoy your celebrating season, have a very merry Christmas and a very healthy, wonderful and blessed New Year!
      If I will get something sold, I might also just put up a small tree. It’s quite unlikely, but I would love that. I will also give as a gift a painting to one old friend who lives within an hour driving distance. She usually likes them.

    3. Dear Inese,
      I wish I could wave a magic wand and your problems with your health would be healed.. Such a long long process you have been going through.
      And we do not need a tree to celebrate Christmas, what you did with your studio is beautiful
      I hope that all things come into better alignment for yourself.. Try to keep on the positive side of your thoughts and Trust that your passport will be sorted and then take one step at a time..
      I am sure your friend will love your gift… And that is what Christmas spirit is all about.. Giving with Love.
      Sending you my thoughts for Christmas and the New Year.
      Love Sue <3

    4. Thanks, Sue! Well, that would be great. Human body is an extremely fine-tuned extremely complex thing. When we are affecting one small part of it, numerous other parts get affected. The cure now would need to include genetic editing. One helping step would a surgery without complications.
      Believe me I have tried to stay positive and so on, but when I receive a notification that they cannot accept new patient after waiting for 2.5 month, when the surgeon I was sent to let’s me know after 2 appointments and more than 2 months waiting that he cannot do it and I need to look for another surgeon, when I try to get a new doctor and when they say the first appointment will be at the end of March and that is not a treatment yet, that’s just to get to that doctor, when everything is now put off for unknown time, when I am taken away any chance to do something about this, I cannot help, I fall in a total depression. There is no end to this waiting and waiting. Medications are ending, pain gets worse, winter requires wearing footwear, and that is just bad. It’s like to these doctors I am just a medical record. Has anybody tried to cure me? The answer is: no.
      Latvian Christmas isn’t Christmas without a tree, that’s so to speak minimum. I can not eat much or so, but I have always had a tree. I will see.
      Realistically, I simply feel completely exhausted.
      I cannot afford to do nothing, but there is no way I can do anything when I’m feeling that bad. I became allergic to aspirins, too, meaning, I cannot take Ibuprofen or Advil for pain. That’s pretty much all we have here.
      I need to start making money fast because if I want to fly in June or so, I should buy a ticket in March. Then I would need to fly again in the fall. That’s 5000 roughly. Credit card is done, so, that’s no option. Papers would be some 400 Euros, and then for the fall, I need the test and surgery payments. Can I do this? I’m not sure. I will try to manage pain better, but that requires absolutely no sitting at computer or painting desk. Maybe I could handle 1 hour a day. I cannot go much outside while we need to wear boots, however, I am wearing some without closing the zipper. We have very much snow at the moment. It looks nice, but that’s all.
      The basic thing is: I am not suitable for capitalism. I can create things, but I find it extremely hard to get paid for that. I do not fit in here. I’m just very different. Real Latvian. Honest, too honest maybe, no small talk, very pragmatic, very educated, very much down to the Earth. That is harming here where everything is based on pretending one or another thing. My honesty is pathological, but that’s unfortunately reality. I am a Leo born in Dog’s year. Next year is my year. I am fearless, and I am afraid of nothing when it comes to telling truth. That harms me in Canada, like big time.
      I need to eat something, it’s already noon.
      Ok, have a great Christmas and wonderful New Year!

    5. All I can do is sympathise with you Inese, and hope that you soon get the healing you need.. It really must be so depressing to keep being put back like this.
      Sending LOVE <3

    6. Thanks, Sue! I just have to find a way making more money, that’s all. It’s not happening with art, but I can take on some writing. I just refused quite a lot of jobs because I couldn’t handle the pain. I am working on it.
      Not getting a cure is depressing and even more so because Canada’s health care tells me they cannot do anything about it. They damage me and they they say: sorry, that’s it. I cannot just leave it as is because like I said before I would love to still do something with my life. Hopefully, I can be better next year, but I’ve been saying this every single year for a while. If I won’t get abroad, I don’t know. Buy lottery tickets? I have no idea, I tried, but never won.

    1. Thanks, Diane! I think the problem is too many gifts because I would love to do everything which I used to do back in Latvia: sewing, decorating, painting, drawing, house plant growing, cooking, etc. I’m good at that, I know because of so many years doing this. I actually started taking orders for making other peoples’ outfits when I was 12. I’ve done wedding dresses and jackets, suits and blouses, dresses and gowns. Decorating, sewing, gardening and good taste comes from my mom, she has it all. Days are too short, I cannot get done everything I’d love to. I’m also Latvian, and Latvians are famous for creating things. We create everything we need and even more.
      Unfortunately, I hit the wall in Canada because it doesn’t seem to be selling too well. Actually, I cannot get people to walk in in person in this place. Once they do, they are surprised and don’t want to leave, but getting them in is very difficult.
      So, yes, I need to be doing way better. I will need the surgery overseas because this is going nowhere. 5 years and still the same. I have to work even more and try to raise enough money by at least fall being able to get there. I had 6 months treatment here with no results in 2006, went to Latvia, healed in 2 weeks, it was 8 months treatment in 2008 here, went to Latvia and came home healthy after 2 weeks. It’s the health care which is bad and very slow here.
      I have no plans for either Christmas or New Year, it’s just me and my husband. He has to work a lot. If I will have a chance I will put up a tree, I don’t have it yet. I miss the gift shopping, but I will leave it to other years.
      Merry Christmas to you, Diane, and all the best to you and all your family in the New Year!

    2. There is obviously some things in healthcare that are definitely lacking in North America. A cousin of mine has cancer (I’m not sure of the kind) but he goes to Germany to get treatment and comes back home … and when it flares again he goes back to Germany again. I wonder why it is…. likely regulations or expense … Anyway… may some of the joy and peace of Christmas be with you and your husband …. Diane

    3. The health care is completely different and much more advanced in Europe. They do perform some high class exemplary surgeries and treatments in the leading Canadian hospitals, but that is something which is not available to everybody. Waiting times here are absurd. Surgeries are planned in Latvia, too, but the time frame is more reasonable, and for those who do not need complete coverage from insurance, it can be a very short wait. My Latvian passport has expired and I was very silly not renewing it this fall when I was there (always money!!!), but I can tell you that compared to how things are done in Europe, it’s here like some 50 years behind. They do not kick one out after a surgery, especially, if it is more complex. Much more monitoring and I’d say sticking to Good Clinical Practice guidelines. I was extremely surprised how surgeries are done here just in some walk-in room which is not sterile at all. There is no prevention. Lots of medications here simply do not exist. Treatment once started is finished over there, it’s not like here: see you in 1 month or even 2 months. It’s an active treatment with or without hospitalization. While I was in Latvia I thought health care could be better, but when I compare it to what it is in Canada, I must say I was too critical. I find that many Canadian doctors are … not up to the industry standards or even way below them. Nobody ever listens to or allows patient to say anything here. They sort of treat one as some kind of a total dummy and make clinically wrong decisions based on nothing. I mean, there is no active treatment here. I go to see the doctor, then I wait for a month, then I see another doctor, wait for a month: that is not a treatment. During all this time the condition changes every hour. That is why it’s been 5 years and I cannot say anything is better or fixed, but I am definitely much worse than I was before they started to treat me. I am afraid. I am afraid that nobody wants to do anything until things deteriorate.
      In Germany and in Latvia (Latvia has cyber knife, too), there are some alternative cancer treatments, I believe that’s why your relative goes there. They do not kill patient that much as with chemo and radiation, they use instead targeted cell destruction, special herb diets, etc. These treatments have better survival rates and practically no side-effects. Some Latvians also go to Germany. The clinic I would go gets 3D prints of any missing parts from Switzerland, would that be bone, skin, cartilage, whatever. They match it up to patient’s DNA. There are practically no rejects, that excludes host-versus-graft disease which kills quite a few people after receiving transplanted parts. That clinic is advanced one and they can cure any skin, fracture, bone, tendon or similar conditions. If I was lucky to get money, I would finally be able to walk without pain and the look wouldn’t be as bad as it is right now. Not to mention that my treatment would last 2 weeks tops instead of currently 5 years, and that’s not even an end of my treatment. No doctor here is interested in getting me better, they comply with the main textbook, but they do not even try to make me healthy again or return some function, or decrease pain.
      Christmas is a time of joy and peace, I will certainly try to find it in my heart.
      It’s just so that I feel lost, neglected and I mean nothing to the Canadian health care system. They just don’t care whether you live or die, you lose some function or not, as long as appearances are kept.
      Merry Christmas to you, Diane and thanks for all good wishes!

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