A last minute Christmas shopping gift guide featuring disabled and Covid cautious artists
Most of the items these people make are $50 or less, and a lot of stuff is just $5-10!
You’ve got about two weeks left to do your Christmas shopping. Admittedly, I haven’t finished my Christmas shopping yet. I’d mention Hanukkah here too, but it took place earlier in December this year, so it’s too late for that. But you still have time for Christmas!
Here’s just a quick post because I want to boost people who do really amazing work. A lot of us have bought things during our Christmas shopping this year that just benefits really evil corporations, and I’m guilty of that too. But it would still be beneficial to support some people who aren’t wealthy and aren’t evil corporations, but talented artisans who make and sell items the people on your list will probably enjoy. These gifts are more original than a PS5 or a new iPhone, and a lot more affordable. And you’ll be supporting Covid cautious people who don’t exploit the labour of others.
I have personally bought items from some of these artists earlier this year, so I can vouch for the quality of their wares. Plus you can buy everything in this post online, so you don’t have to go out to a shopping mall or big box store with the air full of Covid.
Bibipins
Bibi is a Black, queer, and disabled person. They’re very nerdy with their love of anime and cosplay. Bibi makes and sells a wide variety of items. Some of which are stylish disability aids, and others are simply stylish.
Visit their site here: https://bibipins.com/
Here are some highlights.
Bibi is obviously a Sailor Moon fan. Check out their apparel, which includes tank tops, shorts, and sleepwear with galaxy starlight and rabbit in the moon motifs. The “Ableism Sucks” tank top is especially badass.
Clothing – Bibipins
Bibipins is a fun and lively brand that takes inspiration from plants, magical girls, cosplay and nerd related things.
One thing that really sucks about many physical disabilities is that standard issue disability aids can look boring and beige, or even ugly. Bibi comes to the rescue! Their compression aids are really pretty. There’s lots of stuff with rainbows, rabbit in the moon designs, and starry galaxies too.
Compression Items – Bibipins
Bibipins is a fun and lively brand that takes inspiration from plants, magical girls, cosplay and nerd related things.
I’m especially impressed by Bibi’s pins. Their sliding scale pins are a really cool concept. A slider can be adjusted to show what your current 0 to 10 status is. Some of them say “Pain Scale,” “Exhaustion Scale,” “Anxiety Scale,” “Fucks Given,” “Existential Dread,” and so on. So there’s plenty of stuff here that both disabled people and abled people can relate to.
There are also pins in more standard form factors featuring Pokemon references, Sailor Moon references (of course), and my favourites are the ones that say “Mask Up.”
Pins – Bibipins
Bibipins is a fun and lively brand that takes inspiration from plants, magical girls, cosplay and nerd related things.
AngelaMarieArt
Angela Marie Morton is one of my favourite Covid cautious people on Bluesky. We originally followed each other on Twitter, but we all know what happened to Xitter.
Anyway, Angela has a Redbubble store that’s full of mugs, postcards, art prints, pillows, phone cases, and various other items that feature her original art. And I really vibe with her art, there are a lot of traditional Japanese themes as well as just pure children’s story book illustration style cuteness. I’m almost 40 and I’m sure I’m not too old for that stuff.
https://www.redbubble.com/people/angelamarieart/shopShe explained the reason for her art shop on her blog:
“In late 2022, my husband and I had a brainstorming session regarding the future of my creative endeavors. One rainy Sunday in December, over our afternoon tea, we went through the work I had produced during the year. I'd had a few people express interest in buying pieces, after sharing them on social media, and we both felt it was time to seriously explore ways of making my art available for purchase, but were unsure of which platform and method would be best for our situation. I had done research in the past, but nothing had seemed to be a good fit, for one reason or another.
In early January of 2023, we decided to take a closer look at print-on-demand sites, specifically Redbubble. It looked promising and fit our specifications so, after more detailed research, and a bit more discussion, we decided I should try it. I spent a couple of weeks getting things organized and set up and, in early February, launched my shop. As it turns out, I quite enjoy designing products, and it is rewarding to see my pieces as prints. It is also exciting to have a shop to direct people to, if they are interested in purchasing any of my artwork.”
One of her many designs simply says “Wear a Mask,” which is an extremely important message these days.
https://www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/Wear-a-Mask-Mask-Up-Masks-by-AngelaMarieArt/144008887.EJUG5CateSJewels
My friend Cate makes really beautiful handcrafted jewellery that’s actually really affordable, considering all the time she spends crafting them.
CateSJewels - Etsy Canada
Shop Natural Stones. Exquisite Designs. by CateSJewels located in Washington, D.C., United States. Smooth dispatch! Has a history of dispatching on time with tracking. Speedy replies! Has a history of replying to messages quickly. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher
Some of her items are grouped into collections, like the Resort 2023 collection: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/CateSJewels?ref=yr_purchases§ion_id=42094574
There’s a Fall 2023 collection that’s actually appropriate for any time of year: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/CateSJewels?ref=yr_purchases§ion_id=43403658
And even a Holiday 2023 collection:
CateSJewels - Etsy Canada
Shop Natural Stones. Exquisite Designs. by CateSJewels located in Washington, D.C., United States. Smooth dispatch! Has a history of dispatching on time with tracking. Speedy replies! Has a history of replying to messages quickly. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher
I haven’t been paid to endorse these crafters, I’m just enthusiastic about what they do. Hopefully they can forgive me for using their images to promote their stores.
Here’s a bonus, more self serving mention.
My new books for computer nerds
Yes, I’m going to take the liberty to promote my own stuff too.
My latest title for O’Reilly Media is Hacker Culture: A to Z.
It’s available now in both paperback and eBook formats. And soon it’ll be available in audiobook as well.
Here’s the official description:
“Hacker culture can be esoteric, but this entertaining reference is here to help. Written by longtime cybersecurity researcher and writer Kim Crawley, this fun reference introduces you to key people and companies, fundamental ideas, and milestone films, games, and magazines in the annals of hacking. From airgapping to phreaking to zombie malware, grasping the terminology is crucial to understanding hacker culture and history.
If you're just getting started on your hacker journey, you'll find plenty here to guide your learning and help you understand the references and cultural allusions you come across. More experienced hackers will find historical depth, wry humor, and surprising facts about familiar cultural touchstones.
Understand the relationship between hacker culture and cybersecurity
Get to know the ideas behind the hacker ethos, like "knowledge should be free"
Explore topics and publications central to hacker culture, including 2600 Magazine
Appreciate the history of cybersecurity
Learn about key figures in the history of hacker culture
Understand the difference between hackers and cybercriminals”
For the computer nerd in your life who’s learning to do something really specific, I recommend my new title for Packt, Cloud Penetration Testing for Red Teamers.
It’s available in both paperback and eBook. Whichever format you get, there are links to download my video tutorials for my cloud pentesting exercises.
“With AWS, Azure, and GCP gaining prominence, mastering their unique features, ecosystems, and penetration testing protocols has become an indispensable skill, which is precisely what this pentesting guide for cloud platforms will help you achieve. As you navigate through the chapters, you’ll explore the intricacies of cloud security testing and gain valuable insights into how pentesters and red teamers evaluate cloud environments effectively.
In addition to its coverage of these cloud platforms, the book also guides you through modern methodologies for testing containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes, which are fast becoming staples in the cloud ecosystem. Additionally, it places extended focus on penetration testing AWS, Azure, and GCP through serverless applications and specialized tools. These sections will equip you with the tactics and tools necessary to exploit vulnerabilities specific to serverless architecture, thus providing a more rounded skill set.
By the end of this cloud security book, you’ll not only have a comprehensive understanding of the standard approaches to cloud penetration testing but will also be proficient in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities that are unique to cloud environments.”
So Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and please “for goodness sakes” make sure everyone tests for Covid before you eat your Christmas dinner with your family maskless. And wear a respirator whenever you’re in public places, especially on airplanes and buses!
Kim Crawley, buttondown.email/Crowgirl, @crowgirl.bsky.social, @crowgirl@hachyderm.io, linktr.ee/kimcrawley