Merry PlayStation Christmas from The Retired Gamers!

Last year, we bought a new Twinkly Christmas tree and we were so excited about it because it was our first tree we picked out as a family. After it was up, it went several weeks without a star. I actually couldn't find one I liked and they were all relatively expensive. At some point, I put up our LED PlayStation light we picked up at GameStop and it seemed to fit perfectly.


With this tree, we were also able to match the PlayStation colors and it looked really nice! (colors not pictured, lol)

This year, I decided to make some ornaments to add to the tree. However, I decided to do this after the tree was already up and crowded with ornaments. I decided it would be best to do a photoshoot rather than stuff them on the tree this year! They came out great! 

They're extremely easy to make it you'd like to make your own. I'll briefly describe how I did it and I'll even provide the template I made below.

Here's what you'll need:

-Glitter paper matched to the PlayStation controller button colors (found at Hobby Lobby)
-X-acto knife + mat to cut on
-String or fishing line to hang ornaments
-Ornament template (two sizes available)

Here's the paper I picked out at Hobby Lobby. I tried to match it as best as I could. I also made ornaments in alternating gold and silver! You can do any colors you'd like. I believe these were $1.59-$1.99.

Now, before you begin you can probably free-draw and cut these out just fine but if you want a more consistent and professional look and feel, the template is available to download here. I made two sizes for the template which are small and large. Print out the template page you'd like to use before beginning.

DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE HERE:


Turn the paper with the glitter side down and simply place the template on top. With a pencil, trace onto the glitter paper to leave an indent of the symbol. Next, on top of a cutting mat, carefully cut out the symbols. To cut out the circle, I actually used a tool called a Circle Spin & Trim which makes cutting out circles a breeze. It's not necessary to use because you can cut the circles out by hand, but I bought it to make other crafts with so I decided to use it in order to have a clean cut. If you're interested, here's the link  from Hobby Lobby and don't forget to use the 40% off coupon!


Finally, after all the pieces are cut add a string to each ornament and hang on a tree or garland. To hide the strings, I actually hot glued them on the back. 

The gold and silver were actually made in the small size and the colored ornaments were made in the larger size.


I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial and hope you can put together some ornaments of your own!

Finally, I'd like to share a photo of the topper I made. It needs some work but next year I have an idea to make it more sturdy. This will have to do for now. Merry Gamers Christmas!


-PEACH

Retired Gamers Gift Guide (2019)

If you're looking for a gift for that special someone for Christmas or any special day, look no further. Before I begin I should state that this post was geared more toward women because I’m essentially writing what I would like however all the gifts are relatively neutral and are suitable for anyone. I actually compiled this list by doing a late search for a Christmas gift for my husband, but I kept coming across things I wanted for myself. I actually made a Valentine's Day guide on my old blog and it inspired me to make an updated guide for 2019 for Retired Gamers because let's face it, not all women gamers want perfume and jewelry. Some of us just want games, controllers, and plushies. Browse around and enjoy this list, I did all the digging and searching so all you have to do is buy your special hunnie one of the items below and you'll be the talk of the town for being so thoughtful and caring with your gift selections. This list is 100% my own opinion and I'm not being compensated by anyone to share these links. I'm merely a gamer who knows what gamers want. I did not include the prices of each item because money should be no option on these particular gifts that will bring a lifetime of enjoyment.


Playstation Make-up Bag by Bioworld

This is great for putting in make-up if you wear it. I personally do, but I probably wouldn't want to put my make-up in here because I would want to preserve the bag. Make-up can get pretty messy. I would probably use it as a baggy to hold my loose change, phone, or a spare diaper. 

Where to buy:
Amazon.com 


Playstation Mug 

Perfect for hot chocolate, to display, or just to put cute pencils in on your desk!

Where to buy:
gear.playstation.com


Days Gone Deacon VS Freakers Statue

Are words even necessary for this one? Get this for your loved one and it will be the most epic gift they'll ever get in their lifetime. Although the price may seem a bit steep, the statue is extremely high-quality and the details are literally to-die-for! My favorite part about this statue is of course, a hyper-realistic Deacon St. John and the intense scene being captured with the stack of freakers in different stages of dying. The scene is captured so well that it actually feels like it's occurring in real-time. The gruesomeness is not over the top and overall it perfectly depicts an actual moment in time one might experience in the game rather than just being a simple unanimated pose. THIS ONE IS A WINNER!

Where to buy:
gear.playstation.com


Sweet Tooth Plush

I'm posting this one because I've been wanting it for quite some time now. I actually thought it would be cute to get for my son, but I realized it was really going to be for me if I did buy it. It's super cute and less-intimidating than real Sweet Tooth. It's a win-win! Any fan of Twisted Metal would be delighted to have this deadly baby Sweet Tooth in their collection. 

Where to buy: 
Amazon or Ebay?


Epic Lara Croft Tomb Raider III Statue

This is another no-brainer gift that will be so grand that no other gift given will ever match up to its glory. Classic Lara in one of her most iconic outfits is the perfect gift for any gamer who loves figures. It captures the Lara we all grew up with and is expertly crafted. Another pricey statue, but definitely a collectors item any Tomb Raider fan would love to cherish forever.

Where to buy:
Sideshow.com


RGB Gaming Keyboard

I'm listing this one because I actually have one similar to the one pictured above. I considered it a Christmas gift because my husband and I picked it out together around Christmas and I love it! It can be programmed to have lighting options of your choosing but I actually just do a multi-colored transition on all the colors. It's practical, functional, and something that will last for awhile. Definitely a good gift to give for someone who loves anything LED and colorful like myself! The brand I have is Tt eSPORTS and thats also what is pictured above.

Where to buy:
I bought mine at Best Buy but you can search for a number of different brands online or in stores. 

Death Stranding (PS4)

This is a game I have been wanting since the moment we caught our first glimpse of it in the eerie and mysterious trailer showing a clip of a strange world, X-files-type black oil, some type of fetus and Norman Reedus. It was compelling and intriguing and we needed it to release so we could play it immediately! Our hype wore out after waiting so long because we're Retired Gamers. We just don't have the energy to wait for games anymore because it allows us to think of all the unused, unplayed, unopened games we already own! So for this reason, we have not made the leap to buy this game. However, it is a game my husband and I still desperately want to play and after adding it to this list, I noticed it is now only $40 at Best Buy! NUTS! 

Where to buy:
Best Buy


Last but not least...


DualShock 4 Wireless Controller for PlayStation 4 - Electric Purple

This is actually something both my husband and I want. However, we can't justify spending the money on it when we have new, unopened controllers sitting in storage waiting to be played with. This is just one of the new colors released, but it's the only one I'm interested in. This color is outstanding and we've been waiting for a purple controller to come along for awhile. The trouble? We can't even find this in any stores! Too bad Black Friday came and went and this was nowhere to be found. If you are going to drop $65+ for a new controller, let it be this one! It will send any PlayStation fan over the edge!

Where to buy:
Any place that sells controllers!


I hope you enjoyed this guide for 2019! Although some of the items on this list are geared toward women, in reality anyone can appreciate the gifts above. What were your favorites? What are your favorite gifts to give the gamers in your life? Comment and let us know!