Gifts to reduce the waste, increase the love...

I will confess that I am what my mother generously calls a "gracious gift giver." That means that I want to find the very best, most perfect present for the ones I love--and even the ones I just know. A great deal of energy goes into producing these perfect gifts. A G*R*E*A*T* deal. Why do you think I am so tired all the time?

The best gift that anyone can get me...an oooh and ahh when I reveal the gift that I have either:

a) Scaled Kilamanjaro

or

b) Sold my left kidney

to procure.

Not really, but you get the idea. I guarantee I have laid awake at night wondering if I did the right thing and I have probably cried anguished tears of self doubt, knowing that whatever I bought, made, scaled a mountain for could have been more perfect if only I had thought about it a little bit harder and cared a little bit more.

I have just described one downside of the condition. The other is that I kind of expect other people to care the way I do, so when I open a random gift of lima beans or mustard-colored wellington boots, I am more sorely disappointed than any self-respecting adult should be. My attitude is something like, "Yes it is the thought that counts. Where was the thought?"
Terrible.

This is a disease.

I believe it is hereditary, but not contagious.

You should be fine.

In this holiday season, I am working on worrying less, buying less, using less.

My family will not be receiving an assortment of gifts, each wrapped in coordinated papers chosen specifically for the person by considering their tastes, age, and what they wanted Santa Claus to bring when they were three.

They will be receiving gifts of use--most handmade, many of them things that used to be other things. WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT.

And how could they not with options like these:

Lorena Barrezueta creates these containers (and lots of other shapes and sizes) from molds of take out containers and other disposables. I think they are brilliant and the perfect reminder that when we rely on a throwaway culture, we miss the opportunity for quality and color in these yummy glazes.

This darling print is by Arian. Is there any sweeter way to represent the principle of fair trade? I am dying to hang this in my office--but I won't blame you if you get there first.

Talking Squid made this purple pillow from recycled t-shirts. I have mentioned before that my husband likes to wear his until they fall from his back. Now he knows that even the scraps can be useful. And in this case, they can accent a chair beautifully.
He may never give up his old ts.

And speaking of t-shirts, look at this darling reversable(!!!) dress for baby by Texas North. It is made from recycled adut t-shirts and solves the age old problem of the spare outfit--at least in some cases. Brilliant!

Proof enough that lots of things can be reinvented...even my Christmas consumer additude.

For the PRICKLY people in your life...

On the second day of Christmas... our holiday gift guide suggests gifts for the more prickly people you know. Be honest. You know who we're talking about. Everyone has a somebody in their lives who is just a little bit...spikey.

Hope you enjoy!
Eclu

Zesty beads

Mary Ink

Sleeping Forest Studios

The Black Apple

(Don't you love a diptych?)

Come on Eng-a-land.

Today we practiced the other other religion--RUGBY.

Richard, Lizzie (my sister), and I headed to Fado, a local Irish pub that claims to have the best Guiness in North America, for the England v France semi-final game of the Rugby World Cup. For our part, we stuck with lager and ale. None of that Irish stuff today. We were channeling England all the way.

Before the game, Richard gave Lizzie a long tutorial in the rules. Before the game, I tried on four different outfits until I landed on the one that a) best represented the flag of St. George, the symbol of England and b) did not make me look fat. Hence, I still don't know the difference between a prop and a flanker. Nor do I appreciate the significance of the 22 yard (or is it meter?) line.

But, I am sure that Lizzie and I were the cutest ones in the pub.

Before you get worried that I have developed a big head, please understand that there were maybe 5 women in the place because most wives/girlfriends/sisters of the rugby fans at Fado would probably not have been caught dead in the mosh pit of men, sweating and screaming, "Come on England!" One guy scootched past me and the ripe stench that hung on the air after he was long gone suggested that he had been playing International Rugby, not watching it in an air-conditioned pub.

Even my darling mild-mannered husband transforms into a hooligan when it comes to Rugby. Once, when we were dating, he screamed in anger at my flatmate who changed the station while Rich was watching the rugby. I had run upstairs to put on a sweater and by the time I got back, Richard said, "Get your coat, Rach, we're going home." In that moment, he was Clark Gable or Humphrey Bogart--some classic Hollywood leading man, taking charge and taking care of the little woman. It might have been really romantic. Except I was already at home.

Today, Richard encouraged his team in his usual sweet way--most of the time. He was the only one in the pub saying, "Good play, lads. Keep it up" But when a Welsh man dained to cheer on France at a pivotal moment, I heard my darling husband yell back: "Traitor!"

I must say that this is not his normal attitude. In fact, we got home from the game this evening to find that a gift we'd bought for our newest nephew, Finnlay--who is a native of Abergavenny, Wales--was waiting for us in the "post box." Charlie and Sarah created this custom long-sleeved onesie for the little guy using a block printed design from their British Flashcard collection and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. I plan to buy a matching one for Rich soon so that he and one of his favorite Welsh citizens will match.




Finn--just remember that you may be "mini" now, but someday you'll be bigger and when the time comes, we'll be happy to watch you play rugby, even if you do play for Wales! (Well, at least Auntie Rachel will...)

But back to the game...after 80+ brutal minutes, England won! This is the face of a boy who has just pulled his wife to him in excited revelry (nothing to do with the beers he had--absolutely NOTHING):

I am now quite the fan of Rugby, myself. Anything that makes a man grab his wife like this has got to be good. Next weekend, we'll be back at Fado's for the finals and I'll be screaming, "Come on, England" with best of them.

-----

P.S. I know that I married the right man because of the following conversation:

Me: That number 11 guy is pretty hot!

Rich: Who, Josh Lewsey? Yeah, he reminds me of the guy on the Gilmore Girls that you are in love with.

What do you think?

I know why the caged bird sleeps.

My father says that I am like a little bird--not, mind you, because of my bone structure or my peckish little bites. I wish. Unfortunately, nothing about me is delicate, mostly because I am indeed often quite peckish.

No. My father says that I am like a caged bird, one that needs her caretakers to drop a black cloth over her cage so that she knows it is time to sleep. When I was in high school, he felt it was his job to lower the darkness each night. He went around the house in his red bathrobe, turning off all the lights and then he would say, "All the lights are out. Everyone else is in bed. It's okay for you to go to sleep now."

You see...my dad understands the reason I don't like to sleep. I hate to miss out on anything. I don't want you to have fun without me just because I'm getting 40 winks.

As I am still reminded, one of my first (and favorite) sentences as a toddler came in response to my parents' entreaties that it was time for a n-a-p. "But," I said, "my awake." Note: pic to left is me, circa 1982--standing near the bed and demonstrating just how bright-eyed i can be.

Tonight, I am dead-dog tired, but have I put on my PJs? Started my nightly ablutions? No way. Everyone else is up, so my awake too.

And as I most certainly am awake, I did a quick search to find some of my favorite etsy bird items.

I love these cards from JJB Studio. The original line drawings are darling and the details are great--especially the songs made of antique sheet music. Maybe if I buy these, I can write little love notes to friends and family next time I am trying to while away the evening hours (tomorrow night.)

Kitty Empire also has this fantastic messenger bag featuring a freed bird. I'm a big fan of Kitty's work. I recently featured another vegan friendly messenger bag from this shop in my laundry treasury (for a pic check out my previous post) for etsy.

I think I have a new favorite from Kitty's shop.

Finally, I want to highlight this amazing brooch from Wired called "First Frost." I recently bought a similar one in a different color pallette (love the muted, winter colors of the one below) for a member of my family--one of the few family members that I am hoping does not keep up with this blog!

It was more beautiful in person and could not have been an easier transaction. Craig--the artist behind Wired--was so so nice and completely went out of his way to make a piece that was not just good enough, but perfect for my loved one. I can't recommend his shop highly enough.

Okay, it's taken me an hour to complete this post and no one in my family has made a move towards sleep. So here I sit, anchored to the couch and holding my eye lids open. Still awake and still shopping!

Dirty. Dirty. Dirty.

Well no, not really. My latest treasury at etsy is devoted to laundry day.

To be honest, I haven't had to participate in laundry day at my house lately. I have a stay-at-home husband at present and he is kind enough to take care of this routinely. I am a very lucky girl.

So in honor of him--the man who refuses to use anything but a clothesline, much better for the environment that way--and in hopes of passing along my good karma, I am featuring several sellers with laundry related products.

Some of them even make the process look fun.