Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with huge long lists of random stuff.  Most of my presents were small and simple, but there’s a few particular items I got that I’m very excited about.

I always prepare an Amazon wish list for Christmas and my birthday, so most of my gifts tend to be books.  I really want to get more into sewing and eventually designing my own clothes, so this year I focused on sewing reference books to help me polish my skills.  Check these out:

The top book is obviously not actually a sewing book, rather it is The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style.  I like to have inspiration around, and this book is excellent for it.  The Sew Everything Workshop and Sew U both deal with the basics of garment sewing.  Some of this will be repetitious for me, but I’ve mostly learned to sew by reading and interpreting patterns, so I like having books that will give me a thorough review of the basics as well as take me to the next level.  Sew U Home Stretch deals specifically with sergers and knit fabrics, which is an area of sewing that I’m particularly weak in.  I’m really looking forward to using these books as a “student” of garment sewing.  I’ve been so fed up with a lot of what I’ve been finding in stores lately, so I’m excited about making and customizing my wardrobe.

I also got a lovely pair of Florida perfect shoes.

Yes, they are Crocs Mary Janes.  I realize that Crocs can be as controversial as Uggs in the style world, but hear me out.  One, I always wear the Mary Jane style.  I think that these look more feminine and less “garden clogish” than the regular Crocs.  Two, these are my uber-casual shoes, on the same level as flip-flops.  Trips to the beach, the park, Busch Gardens, running weekend errands, around the house, etc.  I don’t wear these to work.  But they are uber comfy and I enjoy wearing them.  I think even Crocs can be stylish if you enjoy wearing them and feel confident in them (and recognize when casual is and is not appropriate).

I hope everyone else had a wonderful holiday!