Free Sheet Music from The Mutopia Project

The day after Christmas is probably the hardest day of the year to come up with an appropriate stocking stuffer post! Presumably we're still so stuffed with turkey and ham and cookies and other Christmas goodies that a post about a food stocking stuffer is right out! And the last thing I want to do is think about shopping today!

In any case, here is something that I've wanted to post about as a possible last minute stocking stuffer, but I hesitated because I haven't quite figured out the file formats that you receive. But now that it's not "last minute", for this year, anyway, you have some time to explore this site and file it away for future reference if you would like. This is The Mutopia Project website, which provides free downloads of sheet music, mostly classical music that is in the public domain, but also some modern and contemporary music that the rights owners have chosen to make available. As of today, The Mutopia Project has 1,628 pieces of music available.

As with other "downloaded" stocking stuffers (digital stamps, free coloring pages, PDF patterns for crafters purchased from Etsy, etc.), you can either print these out and roll them up like a scroll for your recipient's stocking, or load them onto a flash drive for a stocking stuffer that does double duty. As I mentioned, the site takes a little getting used to; pieces may be arranged for voice, piano, string quartet, etc., and there are several file types, many of them zipped. But I still think it's a nice idea for the musician in your life.

What: Free Downloadable Sheet Music
Where: The Mutopia Project
How much (as of today's post): free!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

What Santa Brought Me in My Stocking Today:

• A Harry Potter Time Turner Sticker Kit
  
• Three Lego Star Wars magnets, including Princess Leia, Boba Fett, and (my personal favorite) an Imperial Guard
  
• Two Williams Sonoma paring knives
  
• A miniature box of Godiva orange creams
  
• A Barnes & Noble gift card
  
• A Williams Sonoma miniature spoon/spatula set on a ring
  
• A Golden Compass bookmark
  
• Vouchers for six Houston Aeros hockey tickets

Until tomorrow, Merry Christmas!

E-Books that Don't Need Readers

There's lots in the news about e-book readers these days -- Barnes & Noble is having trouble delivering their Nook on time, Amazon has had some problems with Kindle content, and so on. But if you're caught today without a stocking stuffer for someone, how about some e-books that don't need readers? Several e-book suppliers offer PDF formatted e-books, which can be read on any computer with the free Acrobat reader -- which means they can be read on almost any computer. Here are two sources for e-books that you can load onto a flash drive for one last stocking stuffers:

• Fictionwise has a handy advanced search screen that lets you limit by format, including PDF. Plus you can use the pull-down menus to limit by genre/category and publisher, and you can even fill in a price range. There are even issues of fiction magazines such as Asimov's, Analog, and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Prices vary, but many are cheaper than buying a paperback.
  
  
• I've mentioned Girlebooks once before -- this is a wonderful website that both sells e-books, and offers many for free, including lots of classics by women writers (think Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and so on). And it's a little thing, but I love that they give each e-book it's own unique "cover". I have gotten tons of free e-books from this site and I've even bought one or two. They're available in many format, including PDF.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!



What: E-Books that Don't Need Readers
Where: various websites
How much (as of today's post): some free, other prices vary

Sleep Shorts in a Tin

I hinted at these in my giveaway of stocking stuffers for men: sleep shorts in a tin. I purchased the giveaway pair -- G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra -- at Target, where I also bought a Christmas Story pair for my brother-in-law and a Transformers pair for a friend. Later at Kohl's I saw many of the same selections plus some new ones, including Guitar Hero, Budweiser, and Bud Light. (I bought the Budweiser ones for my husband's stocking because he just became an American citizen in November and I tease him that he has to drink Budweiser now!)

What I like about these sleep shorts is that there's a large selection to choose from (AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Tabasco sauce, South Park, Halo, and more); they come in a tin shaped to match the logo or product; they're fairly inexpensive; they're practical as well as fun; and they fit in a stocking.

What more could you want in a last minute stocking stuffer for men?

(P.S. The Tabasco ones would be cute for Valentine's Day, too.)

What: Sleep Shorts in a Tin
Where: Target, Kohl's, etc.
How much (as of today's post): $7-$15

Pier 1 Imports for Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

I'm calling these last minute stocking stuffers, because unless you're in a really small town, chances are you have a Pier 1 store close enough to get to in person. I got an e-mail from them today about last minute stocking stuffers, and I admit, there were several that I thought were quite nice, like the $2 sponge soap pouches, in which you put those little slivers of soap that otherwise are too small to be useful; the $5.99 octopus dish scrubbers, just because they're cute and funny; and the ocean swizzle sticks (on clearance for $3.88), perfect for a fruity drink so you can dream of the tropics as you're sitting at home during a blizzard!

The link below goes to their gifts under $10, which also includes cute fish soaps, assorted veggie dishes, and funny memo pads, including a "To Don't" list -- I like that one!

What: Last Minute Stocking Stuffers at Pier 1 Stores
Where: Pier 1 Stores
How much (as of today's post): under $10

Personalized Alphabet Flashcards

(My husband valiantly spent many hours yesterday and today trying to clean up the virus that had infected my computer, and we think it's mostly gone -- please excuse the lateness of this posting!)

JHill from the Mad in Crafts blog posted one of the best do it yourself stocking stuffers I've ever seen: personalized alphabet flashcards, using digital photos you've taken yourself. Apart from being warm, fun, and personal, these have the advantage of being able to featuring photos of people and pets your child already knows, giving them something familiar to attach to those mysterious letters! JHill gives detailed instructions here using picnik.com, a free photo editing software. I was able to whip up the above cat flashcard in about two minutes using Publisher and then SnagIt to grab the image and change it to a jpg, although I haven't tested it for printing yet.

So, putting together a whole set would take a little time, but if you can steal a few minutes here and there over the next two days and get them printed at Walgreens on the 24th, you could a very impressive last minute stocking stuffer! My only concern is that photo paper is a bit flimsy, so you might want to mount them on something a little sturdier, and of course that would take more time and more supplies. (JHill also points out that you could have fun putting together something for a bachelorette party or some other event.)

What: Personalized Alphabet Flashcards
Where: Mad in Crafts blog
How much (as of today's post): maximum $5.20 for photo printing at a drugstore, plus supplies for mounting if desired

DIY Hot Chocolate Kits

Yesterday I was rather alarmed when my computer started flashing a red and yellow warning at me, saying that it had been infected and all my accounts could be hacked and I should "click here" to fix it. Luckily I knew better than to "click here", but my husband and I are still determining how best to get rid of the virus pretending to be a cure for a virus. So I'm using my husband's laptop for this post. It has a tiny keyboard with no mouse, which I find very hard to use for any length of time, so today's post will be short, and (it feels like to me) a bit of a cheat since it will only be pointing to someone else's stocking stuffer idea. No pictures, even. :-( I feel like I've been electronically crippled!

Anyway, today's post is about Hot Chocolate Kits, which Heidi from the My Paper Crane blog made up for her child's classroom party favors. They're the perfect size for stocking stuffers, and would look lovely sticking up out of the top of the stocking. Basically Heidi used the plastic cone "bags" you use to pipe frosting, and filled them with one serving of hot chocolate mix, plus chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Then she tied them up with some festive ribbon, and presto! Click here to see the result (scroll down past the little gnomes, which are also adorable). Aren't these hot chocolate kits a perfect last minute stocking stuffer?

What: DIY Hot Chocolate Kits
Where: My Paper Crane blog
How much (as of today's post): (depends how many you make -- they should each be fairly inexpensive when you divide up the cost of the supplies)

Suncatcher Kits

This week, I'm going to try and feature only those stocking stuffers that you can either make yourself or buy locally, since rush shipping for internet orders would probably cost a fortune by now. Today's stocking stuffer is a general suggestion rather than a particular product: make-and-bake suncatcher kits, which come with a metal or plastic frame that you put little coloring crystals in, that will melt and form a smooth suncatcher surface. I had one of these when I was a child, of a graceful figure skater, and I loved that thing for years. I wish I knew what happened to it!

In any case, these kits should be available in most craft stores. I know I saw them in Michael's the last time I looked. They make a fun rainy day (or snowy day!) project for kids, as long as they're supervised since it involves using the oven. They also come in all sorts of shapes to cater to different interests: butterflies, unicorns, dolphins, and so on. I even saw a Star Wars Jabba the Hutt suncatcher kit, although that was a little more expensive. If you really don't want to brave the shopping crowds and you have Amazon Prime shipping, you can find some on Amazon that you can still get in time for Christmas with free shipping, although theirs isn't the best selection.

I hope everyone's Christmas prep is going smoothly! Those of you in the snow zones, stay warm and safe!

What: Suncatcher Kits
Where: Craft stores such as Michael's, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore, etc.
How much (as of today's post): approximately $3.00-$7.00

Magnetic Steel Vases

To me it seems odd to sell vases, even bud vases, in sets of five, but so be it. These magnetic steel vases from ThinkGeek.com are very striking, don't you think? They look as though they couldn't possibly remain upright, but the secret is a thin steel plate/base that you can hide under your tablecloth if you wish. I rarely use a tablecloth myself, but I think it looks just as striking with the steel plate visible since the plate is fairly small itself. And I always find single blooms in bud vases to be particularly elegant.

At $39.99 for a set of five, this qualifies as a Friday luxury stocking stuffer, but when you think about it, the five are only about $8 apiece before shipping. And since I have a mother, a mother-in-law, two sisters, and three sisters-in-law, it really wouldn't be too difficult to split these up among recipients for fairly inexpensive stocking stuffers. I also think a set would be a wonderful gift for someone who likes to entertain. Can you imagine how gorgeous a table would look with one of these at each place setting? (Again, five is such an odd number, though! Oh well....)

What: Magnetic Steel Vases
Where: ThinkGeek website
How much (as of today's post): $39.99 for five (about $8 apiece)

Skein of Yarn (with book as Paired Gift)

Every time I go into Michael's or another craft store, I drool over the pretty yarns, but I've so far restrained myself because I don't know how to knit! I will learn someday, but right now I'm concentrating on inkstamping and making greeting cards and art trading cards.

But if you know a knitter, a terrific stocking stuffer would be a single skein of pretty yarn -- with a book of one-skein products under the tree as a paired gift! A search on Amazon for the phrase "one skein" or "one-skein" brings up several books to choose from, all full of projects that need only a single skein of yarn. The one that really caught my eye was 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant, but there are books ranging from simple projects to glamour knits.

You should be able to get a gorgeous skein of yarn for under $5, and a book for less than $15, which means the total gift would be less than $20. Or, if your knitter already has a one-skein book, you can just go with the skein and have a stocking stuffer that's less than $5. Sometimes craft stores have $1 clearance skeins, so you could get a couple if you wanted!

What: Skein of Yarn (with book as Paired Gift)
Where: Yarn - any craft or fabric store; Book - Amazon or any bookstore
How much (as of today's post): $1-$5 for yarn; $12.32 for book (on Amazon)