Rainy Days

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Picture 1) Mulberry for Target bag, Hayden Harnett umbrella, Sperry Top-Sider duck boots
Picture 2) Natalia bag, Vera Bradley umbrella, Hunter boots

It's all about rain gear now. Two things that are going to make it so much easier are my duck boots (love them, give them!) by Sperry Top-Sider and assortment of classic, yet plastic, bags that I have no fear of ruining in downpours. Bring it on Spring...


Image: mam for Gave That

Shibori Paper

After purchasing a few Thakoon pieces a few years back I became really interested in finding out more about the Japanese technique and art of dying called Shibori. Our hippie tie-dye is an apparent descendant. Since then numerous designers have added Shibori prints to their collections with one of the most prolific being Proenza Schouler. Last year it was acid green but this year they seem to have returned to more traditional roots with my favorite splotchy bleeds of inky black on white.

Could this be done to wrapping paper? (you know, my obvious, constant question in life) and the answer is absolutely. Some of the examples I've seen have been unreal. Of course with paper things are a tad more limited. Instead of tiny knots, sewing, twisting, dipping, you are more restricted to folding and clamping. Much like Origami.

This is the results of my first attempts. With this, you never are certain what the results will be. After allowing the paper to dry completely, it was unfolded and ironed out. It still maintained lots of texture and was easy to wrap around the gift box.

Shibori prints by Proenza Schouler.

Shibori Papers by Kate's Paperie, $4.95 each.

Image: mam for Gave That | Proenza Schouler | Kate's Paperie

For more gift wrap looks and techniques see my gift design ideas area of the blog here.

Into The Woods

Here in the New England states Spring can feel worlds away... any hint of sunshine is lapped up. Motivated to poke around outside in the woods I was hoping to find a few things for rustic arrangements to tuck about the house. Pickings were slim but this is what materialized. To it a few vintage pieces were added (the little wooden bird and silk violets) and printed (paper moths).


For more gift wrap design ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Treasure Gift Bows

For something a little different, what if the traditional center loop was removed from a gift bow and instead you (and your recipient) could peer down inside to something sparkly? Sort of a quirky Japanese deco den meets Geodes effect... wonder what else dreamy could go in there? I'll be experimenting and sharing any results soon. For this one aurora borealis crystals were used along with pearl and silver beads, a simple white bow, wax paper as gift wrap and a luminous sheer ribbon.

For more gift wrap design ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Miu Miu Swallows

Novelty prints are rather illusive in our era but the Miu Miu black swallows seem to have captured so many hearts last year (mine included!). The best seemed to be the chunky platform heels with crystals at the toe. Sadly they would have made me way too tall so some things have to remain a fantasy. Reinterpretation, that's my consolation. Some swooping swallows cut from black paper and a huge vintage brooch affixed on top is the best I could do and I quite like it.

For more gift wrap design ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Sperry Top-Sider's Ducks

Years ago I was given a pair of Sperry's and have been hooked on the line ever since, they're insanely well made and so classic (adore their loafers). Since then I've picked up more pairs and when I learned Sperry Top-Sider had created a line of duck boots it was an immediate yes please. The plaid (or is it Madras?) was the clincher. They're incredibly soft inside, comfortable and work best in the cool rains of Spring. What I'm really looking forward to the most is lacing these up for some flea market, mud sale, antiquing trips. For how I wear these, see my post here, on Rainy Days.

Image: mam for Gave That

The Gifted Blog : Furoshiki Week

This week The Gifted Blog has been running an incredibly inspirational series on one of my favorite gift wrapping technique, Furoshiki. Charissa, the creator of The Gifted Blog, asked me to be a part of the series and I could not be more thrilled and honored... thank you so much Charissa! To see the Furoshiki she choose please visit her post Napkin and Nosegay and also be sure to take a look at the whole Furoshiki series here at Charissa's Blog.

Image: mam for Gave That

All Buttoned Up

Rustic Soolip cotton flowers topped with collected buttons and buttons lined up in a row down vintage ribbon, inspired by Anthropologie.

A gift bow created out of natural, botanical flecked paper with a button in the center.


For more gift wrap design ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Sheet Music

The drop crystals are little earrings I created for myself a few days ago. Adding earrings, rings, bracelets to the tops of gifts is getting addictive.

For more gift wrap design ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Inspiration: Carlos Amorales

When I made the trek to Philadelphia to see the Frida exhibit little did I know it would be even more of an overwhelming day thanks to the incredible Black Cloud instillation by Carlos Amorales. Out of all the ones staged it seems like Philadelphia's was the most powerful due to the incredible architecture of the space and sweeping movement of the Amorales' use of simple black moths (I thought they were butterflies at first). In one moment the whole thing was awe inspiring and the next somewhat frightening as you saw the clumps en massing in spots. It almost seemed like the camouflage netting used to hide tanks... yet each individual moth silhouette was delicate up close. Years later and Amorales' work is still seared in and I feel so thankful to have experienced it in person.

For some reason I've always wanted to miniaturize it and use it to wrap a plain white gift. It seemed like the perfect thing to use on very large gift boxes without the need to waste huge amounts of wrapping paper. I could see the moths swirling around hat boxes too or a five tier weddings cake. If I can ever cut enough out, I think I would try to do an entire wall... or settle for a gallery wrapped canvas panel.


For this a vintage, clear lucite box was used (another current fixation... the X-ray effect), black paper and some tape.



Image: mam for Gave That

Air Mail

This Air Mail gift wrap style is super simple. Wax paper was used to wrap the gift box, antique stamps placed here and there with a few par vaion labels created with rubber stamps and blue ink affixed. For another version see a: PAR AVION gift look here.

For more gift wrap design ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Sentiment of Flowers

Simple gift of the day... being able to doodle flowers in my journal with meanings gleaned from The Floral Forget Me Not book (circa mid 1800's) and sipping flower tea. It never fails to amaze me how seriously Victorian's took to finding hidden meanings in almost everything! There was even a smidgen of sun to go along with it.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Image: mam for Gave That

Helping Japan

Pain is universal. The recent and continuing devastation in Japan is almost unimaginable, especially for those like myself who are so far away. Thankfully numerous, easy ways to donate to current rescue and humanitarian efforts have been created. Ways that allow almost anyone, young or old, to feel like they are doing something.

Some favorites include texting a donation using your cellphone. Please see Elizabeth Woyke's comprehensive list here. iTunes has also created a way for you to donate any portion of your balance to the Red Cross via this link. There are more ways to donate here.

My heart goes out to everyone effected in Japan, your loved ones and my friends!

Image: mam for Gave That

PAR AVION

Antique and foreign postage stamps are an absolute favorite for adding to packages (sometimes unnecessarily), gift wrapping and in place of where the bow could go. Speaking of going bow-less I also adore paper airplane love letters (here on golden parchment) and how you can have them double as bow and gift tag in one.

For more gift wrap ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That

Folk Egg Boxes

Today was one of the first days of the year that gave hope spring was actually on the horizon. Little things like birds singing and the window being open all day are so very welcome yet still fleeting.

Things like Cadbury Creme Egg's come to mind too! That's probably why I've been noticing so many things coming deliciously wrapped in eggs lately. These happen to be a few soaps from MOR but I've seen ones by others as well. The thing about MOR is the soaps inside are just as on par as the wrappings themselves and everything I've experienced from them has been very classic. Cornucopia is grassy green and Hespera is surprisingly masculine in a green sort of way as well. Both make the perfect keepsake boxes afterwords.

Soaps by MOR in Cornucopia & Garden of Hespera
Hand painted egg box from Thailand

Image: mam for Gave That

Shop Once. Give Twice. Giveaway!

I'm so pleased to have Gave That's first giveaway of the year (2011) and to share with you ShopRite's Shop Once. Give Twice. program benefiting Box Tops for Education and Partners in Caring, a community-based, hunger fighting initiative that works to provide $2 million annually to charities that aid those in need. For more information on Shop Once. Give Twice., any limitations & restrictions and how to register your ShopRite Price Plus Card to start helping please visit: ShopRiteShopOnceGiveTwice.com .

For the giveaway here you have a chance to win a Gift Card to ShopRite worth $25. How to enter: All you have to do is email me with "Partners in Caring" in the subject line to: gavethat@gmail.com and tell me in what ways does your family enjoy giving back to your local schools? One (1) US winner will be randomly chosen. Good luck! Enter by March 20th 2011 12:00am EST.

A big thank you to General Mills and ShopRite through MyBlogSpark for providing gift cards for this giveaway.

Congratulations to Nancy who was randomly chosen to win the above gift card! Thank you so much for entering everyone and sharing what you do to help your local schools. Big thank you to General Mills, ShopRite, myBlogspark for providing the prizes for this giveaway!

Miss it? New giveaways and promotions are linked at my FaceBook fan page and twitter... like and friend to be the first to know!

Image: mam for Gave That

Gift Wrapping Books

For the longest time The Book Lovers Kit has been sitting tucked away for years. These mini kits have surprisingly made some of the most well received gifts. Love them! This one in particular is for the bibliophile, complete with parchment bookplates, a tiny rubber stamp to hold your initials and a really pretty bookmark. It seemed like a novel (bad pun!) idea to put the bookplate on top of the wrapped book and lave it at that with some grosgrain ribbon trim.

Seeing how gifts have been wrapped and presented throughout history been a slight obsession (this blog always need new-old ideas!) and one thing that became very apparent was how important books were. It seemed as if almost every milestone had a book given to commemorate. Many were so proud of their amassed gift books that when photography became assessable, they posed happily with them in stacks. You see them quite often in painted portraits as well.

As far as wrapping, they seem wrap-less in most cases. Instead, pages were housed between highly ornate leather covers, etched, gilded, embossed, lined in hand marbled paper. Above are a few popular examples from the 1800's, a gift book filled with poetry and the secret language of flowers and Arabian Nights.

For more gift wrap ideas and looks please see my gift wrapping area of the blog here.

Image: mam for Gave That