How do we choose the gifts we give?

The Artdog Quote of the Week

We can never give as much as a person can imagine, in material terms. That's because (to borrow a line from Han Solo) everyone "can imagine quite a lot," but we mere mortals are finite beings with finite resources, no matter what we might wish to give.

Of course, if the recipient can be expected only to calculate material value, we are talking about a very shallow soul, indeed. I hope you don't have too many of those on your list (if you do, perhaps you should consider a few life-changes in the New Year?).

For most of us, giving gifts out of obligation, perhaps, but we hope also with love or at least respect, the key is thinking our way through to finding a personalized expression of our understanding of that person. That is rarely easy, and the effort should be valued far more greatly than we usually do.

If you're still on the quest for those perfect gifts, I wish you good hunting.

IMAGE: Many thanks to PeaceFlash, via QuotesGram.

Repurposed wraps: "second careers" for a variety of items

Artdog Images of Interest 

Do you believe in second chances? Second acts? Second careers? How about onsite recycling?  Today I have a lineup of repurposed items you might want to reconsider for their gift-wrapping value. You might be surprised and delighted with some creative ways to re-use things that it's possible you have already lying around.

And anyway, it's almost Christmas! Who has time to go out for wrapping supplies, when there are options available at our fingertips--if only we have the creativity to see them!

Wrap it in . . . 
In Thursday's post I shared the idea of using fabric scraps in place of wrapping paper (among other ideas), but those aren't the only non-traditional wraps you can utilize.

Remember printed-paper newspapers? Well, some of us old fossils still like to read that form of news. Among their dozens of other secondary uses, they can make attractive, economical gift wrap.

Here's another blast from the past: paper maps! Yes, we used to rely on them to get us places. Now they can enjoy a second life as gift-wrap. Designer Bryan Patrick Flynn offers an example here, and suggests we might choose a map of a specific place the gift-recipient knows and loves.

Designer Denise Sharp recycled these old film tins for gift-enclosures, and gave them a special look with a well-chosen ribbon. Here's a creative challenge: what old baskets, boxes, tins, or jars do you have lying around? Could they be exactly the creative wrap-up you were looking for?

Top it off with . . . 
Accents and flourishes make all the difference when your goal is a stylish presentation. Ribbons, bows, and other tie-ons can make even ordinary butcher paper or kraft paper stylish. Here are a few recycled creative toppers to brighten up your holiday gifts.

Is your old Scrabble set a few tiles shy of a full box? Recycle the rest as eye-catching gift box name tags, as suggested here by designer Bryan Patrick Flynn, then hint to your family that you need a new Scrabble game! Don't want to break up your perfectly good, complete set? Scrabble tiles are also for sale as craft items, though that kind of defeats the "onsite recycling" idea!

Here's another creative idea from Bryan Patrick Flynn: use paint chips as colorful gift-box tags. Cut them into shapes, strips, or use as they are, with printed or permanent-marker names added. 

It might seem like a "well, duh!" once we mention it, but if you've done much gift-wrapping you probably have lots of little scraps of cool-looking wrapping paper left over. Recycle them as eye-catching accents, if there's not enough left to cover the whole box. This example comes from designer Morgan Levine.

In the right creative hands, all sorts of odd bits and bobs can become attractive tie-ons to set off a gift package. These are old pieces of artificial greenery and cinnamon sticks, from Handmade Holidays,. You might also consider the potential in old toys, cut-outs from Christmas cards received in past years, old Christmas ornaments, or pinecones from old holiday wreaths.

I hope this series on creative gift-wrapping ideas has helped stoke your creative fires and brightened your holiday a little. Yes, I know it's another whole week till Christmas--but after seeing a good idea, making it happen takes time. I hope I've offered up these ideas in time for you to actually try some. Happy wrapping!

IMAGES: Many thanks to the Honolulu Advertiser, for the illustration of several ways newspapers make creative gift-wrap. Thanks also to HGTV, whose "Holiday Gift Wrap Ideas" collection continues to inspire. And a big thank-you to designers Bryan Patrick Flynn, Denise Sharp, and Morgan Levine, as well!

The fabric of the imagination

Bonus Artdog Images of Interest

This month's pre-Christmas Images of Interest have focused on creative strategies for wrapping gifts. In today's "bonus round," we'll look at creative ways to re-use various kinds of fabric and notions, to brighten up your gifts with a creative wrapping touch.

H. Camille Smith uses leftover fabric trim to add texture and color to gift-wrap.

Wrapping a shipping tube? Use a fabric remnant, and a scrap of ribbon from the notions box. H. Camille Smith came up with this one, too.

Wrap your boxes in paper or fabric, and finish them off with a yarn pom-pom, for a unique look. Thank Marian Parsons for this realization of a popular DIY craft idea.

Layla Palmer made these mantelpiece decorations with fabric-accent gift ties and upholstery fabric wrap. What works for the mantel could also work under the tree.

Got a raggedy old sweater you never wear anymore? Re-purpose the knitted fabric as a cozy holiday wrap for a candle in a jar (as here, from H. Camille Smith), a tin of cookies, a candy jar, or other gift that could use a warm and snuggly look. Tie with a scrap of ribbon, et voilà!

IMAGES: Many thanks, first of all to HGTV, whose "Holiday Gift Wrap Ideas" collection continues to inspire. Many thanks also to designers H. Camille Smith, Marian Parsons, and Layla Palmer, whose ideas made this post possible.

Does your gift-wrap do impressions?

Artdog Images of Interest

While researching creative gift-wrapping strategies for this month's series, I discovered an interesting sub-genre of creative wrapping approaches: gifts that look like something else.

Mary Dacuma's creative gift-wrap evokes a chimney with stockings--your very own Santa-stop, whether your home has a fireplace or not.

Pair your chimney-and-stockings with a Santa suit, and everyone can say "Ho-ho-ho!" (also by Mary Dacuma)

No one will mind if this turns out to be a "stuffed shirt"--in fact, I suspect they'll be pleased. 

Your "Christmas shirt" can also sport suspenders . . . and candy "buttons," too.

And speaking of candy, what sweeter way to disguise rolls of quarters (a great stocking-stuffer idea!) than this candy-roll look, attributed to Martha Stewart?

Although these clever disguises won't fool anyone, I bet they'll amuse some of their recipients--and the givers will get extra "points" for creative approaches. Challenge yourself: what kind of creative "impressions" can your gift-wrap do?

Blogger's note: Life intervened lat week, and although I had planned this topic to be last Saturday's post, I never got it posted. So sorry! But it's still not Christmas yet, so I figured this would still be timely. I hope you agree!

IMAGES: Many thanks to Mary Dacuma and E-How, for the chimney-with-stockings and Santa-suit gift wrap ideas. For instructions on how to re-create these looks, check the E-How page. The "stuffed" Christmas shirt and the shirt-with-suspenders gift wrap ideas are both from Lawrie Gullion's "Christmas" Pinterest page. The quarter rolls disguised as candy are attributed to Martha Stewart, though I couldn't find a direct link to this photo on her page of gift-wrapping wonders; I found this photo on the Room-Mom 101 Pinterest page.

Which are the best gifts?

The Artdog Quote of the Week 

Kinda hard to argue.

IMAGE: Many thanks to the Search Quotes forum.

Remembered at the end of the day

The Artdog Quote of the Week

On Saturday I made the point that "whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, The Winter Solstice, Brumalia, Yule, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Boxing Day, or anything else, it's likely you're [giving] presents in December." Gift-giving is at the heart of many cultural traditions in December, and (partially, but) not only because a large segment of our economy depends on it.

Even the best material gifts are only the outward symptom of an inner state, or they are meaningless. When the inner joy is stripped away, all we have left is an ugly exercise in greed.

Gordon Gekko was wrong. There's a reason why greed is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and it's because ultimately it is bad for us: bad in fundamental ways that wisdom instinctively knows, but we often do our best to ignore. Listen to the voice of the wisdom within you. Hold it close to your heart this holiday season, if you want to seek the truest joys. 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Suzi Istvan, on the Splendidly Curious blog.

Artdog Quote of the Week: The Gift of Gratitude

If you celebrate a tradition of Christmas, that holiday is most likely now in the rearview, unless your family has had to adjust it to accommodate an eccentric schedule. 

It's bare (or piled with opened gifts on display) under your tree, the carols are all sung, the egg nog mostly drunk, and the cookies are crumbling to dust. 

But have you given that one last gift?

Did you wear yourself out for the holidays? Did you shop for gifts in crowded places, and strain your imagination for just the right gift for each person? Even if you paced yourself wisely, it was a lot of effort, wasn't it? 

Wouldn't it be nice to know someone actually noticed? Or even better: appreciated all you've done?

That's how we all feel, really. It's nice to know someone noticed, and appreciated the work we did. So before you start wondering if anyone even noticed what YOU did, consider whether you've thanked anyone for what they did for you.

My amazing daughter Signy is the Queen of Thank-You Notes. That girl gets them sent almost before the gift is fully unwrapped. Not sure how she does it, but she's faithful in her task, and eloquent in her individualized expressions of thanks. I am not such a paragon, but I deeply admire what she does.

Even cold-hearted capitalism has noticed the power of a simple thank-you, in business settings. We need to hear it. The validation improves our health, our outlook, our relationships. So don't be shy! Thank someone who deserves it!

Oh, and by the way . . . THANK YOU for reading this!

IMAGES: Many thanks to Angie Rowe’s “Gratitude and Thankfulness” Pinterest board, for the quote image, and to the Overture Group for the image of someone writing "Thank you." Their blog post on crafting thank-you notes is also worth reading.