Now that it’s officially December, there’s only one thing on everybody’s mind: Christmas, and more importantly, Christmas shopping.
Whether you’re a kid who’s working on perfecting your list or a parent who’s trying to check off every last item, these next few weeks are sure to be a mad scramble for the majority of the public.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
It’s an old (and somewhat cheesy) saying, but the best gifts are often the ones that come from the heart, and what better way to show someone you care than by making them something with your own hands? Making a gift is usually cheaper and certainly more creative than going to some big chain store and buying something off the shelf, and you don’t even have to leave Concord to get everything you need. It doesn’t just have to be gifts, either – you can also get crafty and create your own decorations, cards and even gift tags to attach to all those presents.
We stopped by Art Plus (249 Loudon Road) last week and found that they had all kinds of supplies that are perfect for creating your own Christmas gifts, decorations and cards.
Perhaps more plentiful than anything else at Art Plus are holiday-themed stamps for making your own Christmas cards. There are dozens of designs to choose from, including things like snowmen, pine trees and pine cones, reindeer, wrapped presents, kids playing in the snow and, of course, the Jolly One himself.
If you’re going to make cards, you’ll need some sort of cardstock to apply the stamps to. Luckily, they also have dozens of options for card material at Art Plus, with several different designs, colors, sizes and textures to choose from.
If stamps aren’t really your thing, you could also try some stencils. There are many different Christmas-themed metal stencils to choose from, which you can use to make cards or decorate your own wrapping paper. The stencils might take a little longer than the stamps, but to some, that’s the whole point.
There are also some fun items worth checking out, such as the grab bags by the front counter. Each paper bag contains $50 worth of rubber stamps for just $10, the only catch is that you don’t know what’s inside the bag until you buy it (although the general theme of what’s in the bag is written on the front, so you’re not going in completely blind).
For those who like their crafting supplies all bundled up, there are several kits available as well. One kit has everything you need to make paper ornaments, another has the supplies for a banner-style garland, and another kit will help you make ornaments that look just like stained glass. Regardless of the skill (or enthusiasm) level of the crafter, there’s something at Art Plus that everyone can use.
Apart from all of these Christmas-specific items, you can also find loads of painting and drawing supplies that you can use to create your own works of art to give as gifts or hang up in your house. It’s all about how creative and artsy you are, and how serious you are about taking the holidays into your own hands – literally.
Art Plus has already held its final crafting class of the year, but don’t let that crush your Christmas spirit. If you’re new to crafting or if you just need a few pointers or ideas, ask someone working at Art Plus – we’ve always had nothing but informative, friendly, helpful interactions with the staff there, and we expect they’ll be able to offer you all the guidance you need.
Now get out there and start creating those Christmas masterpieces.
