Return to Sender

"Soulmate seeking! Can you go through life and never really find one?"

This is one of those times where mixed feelings were creating those little moments where a devil is perched on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Should I or shouldn't I, mixed feeling # 1. Since this is a true story too fantastic not to share I've decided to do it here and now...

Old love letters are delicious through and through so when someone (who shall remain nameless) bought a bunch of 30 year old vintage novels it was a juicy surprise to find a little something, something waiting inside. A picture postcard to be exact covered in black scribbles. At first we discounted it as the usual "wish you were here" notes between teachers (they seem to have had all the fun around here) but no!. This was much more in a heart sinking sort of way and even a tad twisted.

In short someone gave someone else a novel on Soul mates only to have said book returned to them with a "Dear John" letter stuck inside! Mixed feeling # 2, talk about the ultimate returned gift. Mixed feeling # 3, one almost feels envious that an everyday sort received something so passionate, painful as it must have been. The unaddressed, unsigned letter tucked inside reads:

Finished the book. [name of book]. Soulmate seeking! Can you go through life and never really find one? I'm convinced that one can really be in a situation in which partners just keep going but don't know why. Probably from not knowing what use there is to put joy in life. Stagnate. Wanting more - afraid to step ahead, afraid to leave behind - attitudes.

I'm not a very good soulmate. Bringing unhappiness to others and myself. It's a lonely existence. Why go on? Someday - a different time and place - a time to do it again. I'll be someone else. Thanks for loving me. It's the fork in the road. What if?

Love me forever, even secretly - it helps me dream.

Something to think about on so many levels.

Image: MAM for Gave That

Objects With Purpose

What's your purpose today?

Ianthe Kabakov has created these darling candles that double as hard perfume... yes this concept alone made me salivate. The thought of a huge container of hard perfume lasting for eons. It also made me feel better about rubbing candle wax on myself for fragrance purposes. When you light Objects wit Purpose the wax melts enough to rub onto your skin. Out of the four scents available right now (Flight or Fight, Dahlia, Lawn Bowling, and Asher) my favorite is the juicy, fruity Dahlia. The lychee almost smells like mango and the tea rose is squeaky clean. The miniature Dahlia in its little cloth gift bag is remaining with me (I hope).

Image: MAM for Gave That

Giveaway: Sam's Club Box Tops

Lucky Charms? Truth serum: my cereal of choice every time. So for August I had to get lots with the added benefit of helping local schools through the Box Top for Education Program. For those of you in the US, now until the 13th of August, when you upgrade your Sam's Club membership to the Plus Membership level you will get a certificate good for 150 box tops.

Sam's Club, General Mills and myblogspark have given me yet another giveaway for you! Now until August 23rd enter to win a $25 gift card to Sam's Club by emailing me: gavethat@gmail.com with "Sam's Club Box Tops" in the subject line and let me know what's your favorite cereal to nosh on. Open to the US. 1 entry per person, home.

Editor note- Sam's Club, General Mills through myblogspark provided me with gifts cards, Sam’s Club Plus Membership Upgrade, this giveaway and information. Big merci!

Big congratulations to Amy who was randomly picked to win the Sam's Club gift card!! Thank you everyone who emailed me to enter... who knew there were so many fellow cereal noshers out there along with moi. Feels good.

Image: MAM for Gave That

MOR

Australia's MOR has been on my list for a while now, mostly due to the time they spend crafting sumptuous packaging. Above is one of MOR's classics, Marshmallow. The scent is incredible and perfect for any vanilla lover. Toasted, musky, husky, wrap me in this sweet, candied rose petal scent come fall and winter.

Another more recent collection is Nordica which has been picked up by Anthropologie. Love, love the reuse potential of the packaging and the give as is style. The little wooden cutout dangling from the jugs handle is going to be my next bracelet.

The two scents are Freia and Dala. Dala is a full on old garden rose scent with something very herbal poking through (the mistletoe perhaps) and while many fruity ingredients are also mentioned, roses and lots of them stick about. Freia is filled with all sorts of citruses from pink grapefruit to clementine. Thoroughly fresh and unisex it's my favorite. All are very pungent and as decadent as its wrapping.


For more MOR see my post on their line of egg shaped gift soaps.

Image: MAM for Gave That

Birdkage Aprons

What I'm wearing: The Birdkage Madison A-Line apron

So many Bar-B-Q's, so little time to procure hostess gifts but this is going to be my new secret stash just in case gift. Coming in these cute reusable bags is a new line of aprons by New York City based designer Courtney Kivela called Birdkage. I am personally in love with this vintage looking Madison print and the A line really makes it look like you're wearing a skirt (just a note that the strings hanging down are from my shorts not the apron itself!).

The other clincher was Kivela's own words, "I used to paint a lot, and I'd always wear a bib apron,... With all the paint marks and bright splashes, it became like my custom-printed apron. There's a feeling of comfort and a crazy kind of magic there that I wanted to recapture." Yeah, that resonated with me big time. Birdkage!

Image: MAM & Magda for Gave That

Boxsal

Sometimes (OK a lot of times) I have issues with keeping recycling cardboard shipping boxes, especially when they're all decked out like this one here and here. How to find a new use quickly? Well with that in mind these boxes by Boxsal blew mine. Eco-friendly picnic boxes by a team of creative types at Three Blind Ants. Pretty obvious there is some genius going on at that place! Love their photography too.

It seems like so many ideas can spring from these boxes. Surprising someone at work with a picnic inside, giving the briefcase to a lawyer friend, hiding an ipod inside the boombox...

Image: Boxsal.com

Drink Me

These gift tags to go about your wine bottles are darling... thank you Sara Rossi for sending some over! Pick some up for yourself at the Drink Me Tags site.

Image: MAM for Gave That

John Derian's Ephemera

Wait... John Derian does gift wrap?

For the longest time I've been wanting to wrap a gift that looked like something John Derian would make. Taking a piece from his collection that hangs prominently (and lovingly) on my wall as inspiration I saved up some brown paper, scribblings, rubber stamps and butterflies printed from here (Coloring Castle). Using some color pencils I scratched away. The strategic imperfections are the best part of Mr. Derian's work and something I'm never short on around here, the imperfection that is not necessarily strategy.

Well that's when I find out that John Derian Co. actually sells gift and tissue papers... when did this start? How did I ever miss this? Is that Italian Script gift wrap incredible or what? Look at all the mistakes? Genius! Best of all if someone points out some wrinkle or flub you can say, "pfffft, that's supposed to be there... I'm channeling John Derian!".


Image: MAM for Gave That | John Derian Gift Wrap & Tissue Paper johnderian.com