Book of Shadows

Infatuated with all of the gift sets that come housed in faux books. This one by favorite Modern Alchemy comes stuffed with sought after candles inside. This one has Brothel a berried Peru Balsam scent, Secret Society which is thoroughly herbal and lemony, Tincture of Winchester which incredibly enough smells like a freshly fired gun mixed with smokey Piñon, Cake Walk purely a straight up vanilla birthday cake and Salem smells like a sooty fireplace or something having been charred.

Candles: Modern Alchemy & Memento Mori Black Skull Candle
Old Book: Paper Blanks journal
Coasters: John Derian

Image: MAM for Gave That

Happy Thanksgiving!

Would like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving and let you know that I'll be back here next week bright and early with a profusion of glittery holiday spirit. So looking forward to it all and being back soon. Have a safe holiday!

Image: MAM for Gave That

Tea Break

Numi Single Origins Tea Gift Set (seen previously as incense holders)
Chinese Tea Eggs (for recipe & more pictures see here)

Today is a delicious day, rain and all!

Image: MAM for Gave That

Woolly Pockets

You're saying Marie what is this!? This my friends is a Woolly Pockets. Still mystified? As you unfold the star it turns into a planter. Below, the Tina Island shaped one, is being tested out on one of my out of control Senecio macroglossus 'Variegatus' (these refuse to die = one of my favorite house plants! Sadly poisonous to children and pets though.) aka Cape Ivy plants. It looks like I can fit a couple in there. Still playing around with what to actually plant inside.



Each Woolly Pocket is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles which is felted and turned into these sleek origami like shapes. You simply slip your plants inside. The roots can breathe but water won't leak out. It's flexible of course so if you bump into to it it absorbs the shock lessening the chance of your plant toppling over and making a huge mess. I'm seeing this as the perfect teacher or office mate gift. There have been so many articles lately on how a little plant on your desk can make you feel so much better.

I also love the way it comes with a little twine bow and is perfectly gift ready as it. Minimalist perfection!

Image: MAM for Gave That & Woolly Pockets website

Lauren Luke Vintage Glams

Is this makeup palette stunning or what? Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous and it's by one of my favorite YouTubers Lauren Luke!

When I first saw these palette's it was the artwork that caught my eye and then the name sounded so familiar. It turned out these were created by YouTube makeup guru Panacea81 (Lauren Luke) so this ended up being a must get and it turned out to be even more special in person. The case itself is covered in splattered flowers with this Vintage Glams one all rosy. The colors inside are beautiful and best of all everything you need is right inside. Each palette comes with primer, eye shadows, a blush and lip colors. It also comes with a sheer lip gloss. Inside on the huge mirror Lauren writes in faux lipstick I Just Want You to Feel Special.

I would give this palette with a few makeup brushes like the sleek black eye and flat powder brush from the E.L.F. (Eyes Lips Face) Studio line and your recipient is all set. Perfect gift! For more on Lauren Luke and all the incredible things she has accomplished see this video from the BBC.


>> For more beauty gift picks see my beauty and scents page here.

Image: MAM for Gave That

Coffee with Coco

Something about dark, dank, dreary days dissolves all resistance to stop buying thick books and drinking black, black coffee.

PS Loved this video of author Justine Picardie talking about Coco's devotion to her Chanel Nº 5.

Perfect gift book for the Chanel fanatic: Coco Chanel by Justine Picardie
Illustration: by Karl Lagerfeld
Cup & Saucer: Seconds by Jason Miller

"True generosity means accepting ingratitude." -Coco Chanel

Image: MAM for Gave That

LuShae Jewelry

Looking through the online jewelry boutique LuShae my eyes immediately fell on this gold bracelet called the Monaco Gold Cuff. From the site it looked like it might be the buttery sort of statement bangle that melds to your wrists instead of cutting into them. You know like the ones from a place starting with a "T" and ending with an "y". When it came it was exactly how I had hoped and more, plus it looks so good with black.

Over time I hope it becomes more floppy for that lived in heirloom feel. Along with these pretty baubles LuShae also has a new line of promise rings, I'm talking to you significant others of the world, which have become much coveted gift wise. Take a look ASAP because they're the latest de rigeur. A big thank you to Sarah for taking the time to contact me about LuShae jewelry and to allow me to pick out a piece from their collection to show you all!

Wearing: Bracelets by LuShae and Subversive by Justin Giunta and my vintage clutch.

Image: Magda & MAM for Gave That

Red Flower

Looking back it just dawned on me that a full post needed to be done on these little candles and soap by Red Flower. In addition to being one of the tiniest candles I've ever encountered (it truly burns for 14 hours too!), they're made from natural, organic ingredients and smell absolutely divine. Fresh and simple. The soaps seem ever lasting. This has made me impatient to try their Guaiac perfume and large candles with the mounds of potpourri on top. More miniature luxuries coming soon.

Image: MAM for Gave That

DIY Christmas Wax Seals

Loving with a capital "L" all that you can do with garlands to wrap up your gifts. This one combines another love, wax seals, created this time using glittery glue sticks. The nice thing about glue sticks, unlike real sealing wax, is you can use rubber stamps along with traditional metal seals.


Going DIY: Using some fancy yarn a lovely lady gave me a while ago I laid it out on some aluminum foil. Taking the hot glittery glue I pooled it up on various points along the length of the yarn. Pushing the wax sealing stamp down and lifting it off once the glue cooled and became hard. Once all my seals were done I tore the excess aluminum foil away from the sides of each. The foil provides a backing.

The idea from this came from a campy vintage book called Crafts with Sealing Wax where they showed how to make a necklace of wax seals(!). This garland can be cut into pieces for bookmarks or tied in a loop to make a necklace too once your gift is unwrapped.



Watch this video to see how I created the above wax seals:


Image: MAM for Gave That

>> For more gift wrap style looks see my wrapping page here and see more wax seals here!

Hidden Animals Tea Cups

These gifts are so absolutely darling I had to share them with you all. Dainty hidden animal (little bear) china tea cup.

Image: Swirl (sadly no longer in business).

Dried Flowers & Fruits

Having a blog really is so much about creating a home... the main area is this welcoming foyer. Please do come in! Stay a while. Throughout links are little doors to other rooms. I'm bringing this up now because the foyer may seem a little quiet this week and that's because I'm off in one of the other rooms wrapping away. The gift wrapping room here. There are so many gift looks I want to try, create, style, photograph, pop up until the area is overflowing.

Here are a few of the latest using the bounty of fall's dried flowers and fruits, raffia and some recycled papers embedded with pressed herbs. See more here as I add more and more for the holidays.
>> For more gift wrap style looks see my wrapping page here!

Image: MAM for Gave That

Orangeries

Something about the scent of oranges always brings up memories of Christmas
Today is incredibly brisk which made me think immediately about the impending holidays and all the corresponding scents that go with them (happy, happy, joy, joy!). Namely juicy, spicy, warm orange. Some projects to start on now include making little orange pomanders (see my how-to here). Dusted with powders (cinnamon, nutmeg and orris root), pricked with dried cloves and allowed to cure (shrink) they form hard balls of perfume that last for years. Hopefully mine will come out right and in time.

For something a little more instant I'll swoon yet again for the heady Distillation of: A Venetian Grove by Royal Apothic (past swooning can be seen here)... a room fragrance that makes everything seem like an Orangery and D.L. & Co.'s signature candles which are always too delicious for words. More orangeness to come!

Image: MAM for Gave That

Also see:
- Modern Alchemy

Flower Meanings

A short little video on something I've always found fascinating about the Victorian's. Their love affair with finding hidden meaning in almost everything, including the flowers they gave (or gift books at the very least). The Secret Language of Flowers.

Included are floriography flower meanings gleaned from, The Floral Forget Me Not a gift for all seasons flower dictionary from 1854, Modern Alchemy Timeless perfume, and a D.L. & Co. Golden Poppy candle.

Film: by MAM for Gave That

SOS In A Box

A good while ago I read such a superb idea... an SOS box (OK actually I think it was called something else but SOS fits) filled with everything you need in times of an emotional emergency. Everything in one place. Sort of like a first aid box but more for specific issues. This is my Stressed Out box. Inside there are little packets of Totally Calcium powder, a jasmine candle from CIR Depuis, one from Objects with Purpose which doubles as warm body butter, tea and some relaxing lavender, atlas cedarwood and vetiver aromatherapy oils. More versions to come.

Image: MAM for Gave That