Gift Wrap with Regifting in Mind

Its no secret. You want your gift to be a sentimental favorite. The plain truth is that its not going to be all the time.  Here's a way it can be a year long memory. 

A few years ago I heard a story that saddened me but now, with maturity and an awareness of the importance of recycling, I'm seeing the story differently.  In fact, inspired, I feel a need to share and encourage my readers to do such a simple act of kindness.  A few tips can create not only a Holiday Memory, but also give your gift recipient something intended to be re gifted through the measure of Christmas wrapping.

A teacher in a repressed area of Dallas received Christmas Cards each year from one student in particular. 

He noticed the envelope had an erased name etched into the paper below where the word "Teacher" was written.  Without ever speaking of the notice, he scanned the other cards.  Most of the 22 greetings looked the same.  Later,  the teacher passed out cards to each of his students and their families just as he had every year prior.  The student boldly asked the teacher a question.  "Why do you ALWAYS ruin our Christmas Cards?"  Puzzled, my friend asked him to explain.  The student remarked, "You write our names with an ink pen!"  After a glance around the room at the nodding heads within the class and disappointed faces, he stopped his lesson plan and the students proceeded to teach him.  "You see, in my family, Mama calls it passin' on the joy.  We don't buy gifts.  Mama says cards give joy but only when you give them away.  You caint mark 'em in a way that caint be erased to write a new somebody's name on the JOY CARD." My friend was so touched by the revelation that he started a Christmas Fund to recycle Christmas Cards  and their envelopes each year to give in bundles as gifts to the students.  

In looking through Christmas papers that are pretty, I found that this is where it stops.  Consider wrapping a gift in something that can be reused for the next holiday or special occasion your recipient may have.  Gather fabric remnants from old clothing....

Dip them in Liquid Fabric Starch and lay them flat to dry.  After drying, cut them into slices for ribbon. Don't be too concerned about Christmas bows, as you can see, a simple recycled newspaper medallion, or ornament will give your package a focal point.  Even a favorite flower brooch can be attached to the package and later removed for the recipient to keep or give away!

By cutting a small name tag, you can personalize with a message on the back explaining the background of the elements used. 
Example:

My favorite idea, though, is printing a collage of family (or friend) photos and wrapping a few picture frames, with a request inside the gift stating: feel free to share these memories in the form of another gift or online! 

Courtesy of shttp://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2010/12/family-photos.htmlure

Thanks for reading.  Please comment and share your ideas on HOW TO SPREAD THE JOY through re gifting ideas!

How to Pour Money Down the Drain...

Miniature Parfum Necklaces, How to pour money down the drain!

The Challenge: Multiply existing inventory for the Shop without spending money. Uh, okay....Right up my alley.  You know, that dark, dreary, graffiti covered wall and shadowy-figure-lurking alley where I seem to get stuck between evil strangers and headlights belonging to an unknown car headed straight for me....yea, that alley.  Anyway, there I was. Sorting through the garage-store-all stirring up a mess and leaving it looking like a hurricane hit it.  But I did find some new possibilities!

The furniture will get their due but this week I would be creating items that can be easily sold as one of a kind Christmas gifts.  I pulled collectibles I've held for years that either didn't sell, passed their "trend" for collecting or just needed "tweaking".  They'd all passed my RESELLER'S RULE" (being: NEVER RESELL UNTIL INTERNET OR BOOK RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE!) so off I went with armfuls of candidates.  Beginning with 4 boxes of vintage parfum bottle sets, I left for the kitchen.

 

 As I opened caps, nearly gagging, my mind travelled down memory lane.  How many shelves these little cuties had rested on? The Antique Store we once owned, the many Show booths, and even the ebay "will get to listing it" shelf in my closet, all held these "forgottens". I also imagined the original recipient. A woman, probably received the gift for Christmas or another holiday as a romantic measure from her "love".  As I toyed with ideas on how to re purpose, I glanced at my dated price tags on the boxes, $25. Remembering the research on ebay, I knew I'd checked them all years ago so I passed on a recent inquiry.

 Using Dawn Dish Detergent, I filled one side of the sink with 4 inches of soapy water.  The other side of the sink served as the drain where I poured one by one down the pipes.  They then rested for awhile in the soapy water.  Following a soaking, pipe cleaners borrowed from my "pipe smoking" husband, were used as tools to clean the chemicals from the inside of each tiny bottle.  After drying, I took a few for practice.  By using thin jewelry wire, broken chains, vintage jewelry remnants, jump rings, and lace pieces for opposing texture.

 

I had my visual.  Now that my supplies were assembled, I gathered my tools.  They aren't the ideal "jewelry designer's" tools because I would rather stab myself in the eye with the needle nose pliers than design something as intricate as jewelry.  However, I do know in retail, women are 4 times as likely to buy jewelry than anything else a reseller has to offer.  So off I went!

Scissors, small needle nose pliers, small wire cutters, super glue, hot glue, hot glue gun, and a few stick on embellishments from Hobby Lobby for extra character. (Rhinestones would've been awesome!)

I began with what I felt would be the most challenging part of the project, attaching the wire to grab onto the jump ring where the pendant would dangle from the chain without tipping forward or backward due to weight.  I took the bottle topper off and laid it aside. Then I took wire and wrapped it around the neck three times and twisted it for security
 leaving approximately 2 1/2 inches on each wire for creating a loop.

 

 Once the loop is twisted for strength, I attached the Jump Ring, leaving it open for the chain's link to catch.  I took several broken chains with varying weights, design and color finish. This would give extra character while focusing on the vintage look as well as recycling what I already have.  Afterwards. I attached them together with a jump ring securing each fragment of metal.  With a desire to keep each piece of jewelry extra long, the length totalled approximately 28 inches.
Now, I gathered a few items for an inspirational bottle that wouldn't only be pretty but have a message.  I chose "To Hope" for this one.  The words were scissor cut from an old newspaper and hot glued to a piece of cardboard off my super glue package. 

"To Hope" then was placed on a tiny lace doily remnant and affixed with a dab of super glue to the glass.
 Too bland, but vintage bling would then accent! (I always split designs into 3 visual parts: 60% Focal Point, 30 % Secondary Focal, 10% Highlight.) Next, came delicate vintage chain remnants.  Super glue and wire caused them to dangle from the neck.  Now, It was taking shape, much like this photo of another I created on  "PROMISED LOVE".

The last detail is the bottle stopper.  The original lid must be super glued and attached. I was tempted to embellish the stopper but soon realized the beauty of the glass could diminish with too much embellishing! Simply gluing the stopper in place was a better choice.  Some did seep over the edge, but additional remnants can cover that and it just further secures the project's details. (Some bottles even got filled with seed pearls and rhinestone flats). FUN!

Now, I had several pieces completed but all 26 had been started and were drying when I decided to research ONE MORE TIME!  In search of a price range on this finished product, I checked etsy.  A regular seller retails beautiful bottles with less detail and plastic caps for $16.  I then checked ebay.  The search turned up Miniature Vintage Perfume Bottle (undecorated as is with perfume inside)SOLD PRICE $57!  and again, $64, $110, $105, $75, $46, and $98!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                       UH OH!

Well, I messed up on the one thing I've always known better than!  I took the bottles and showed them at a party to get feedback on pricing and preferences a few days before placing them in the shop as Christmas Stock.  The feedback was astounding and will continue to design the necklaces as now I find it therapeutic to recycle with oddities found just laying in junk drawers and garage boxes.  But I do believe I'll do better research before they hit the sink....as this is how you, beautifully, POUR MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN! 

 

 

Once the collection was complete, they became Christmas Stock in the FrillSeekerz Winnie Trade Days Store.  The first customer, Ashley, posed for us wearing one of the two she purchased.  She's so darling that anything she wears is a statement about how to wear recycled with pride!

 Thank you, Ashley, for the encouragement on our continuing efforts to recycle the old with soulful inspiration!

 

Make your own Christmas Tree

My favorite Holiday tree was free. 

During my divorce, I took my children, then ages 8,7 and 2 and left Dallas with a bag of toys and a few clothes for a simpler life in the country. I hadn't landed a job yet and was very fortunate to have scored the most charming yellow frame home nestled in the woods in North Texas.  (Much like the one above by dreamstime) The home was large enough for the four of us and had tons of feminine touches that just whispered, "A girly head-of-the-house lives here". 

The kids and I had only been there a couple months when Christmas approached.  I never let on that finances were nearly non-existent.  I believe it was my son that asked a second time about a Christmas tree.  I never liked spending the Holiday budget on decorations much less a tree but always had.  This year it wasn't a choice.

The kids and I went  walking on a Holiday adventure with Halloween buckets, trash bags, scissors and a knife.  They, of course asked for my plan.  Aas usual I didn't have one but explained we were going to build a tree and all the ornaments.  My faith in improvisation and a vague reply pacified each of them.

We meandered through the winter woods and gathered anything and everything they found appealing.

Branches, twigs, leaves and dried flowers came home with us that day.ffed in our Halloween bucket, a pillow case and a garbage bag.  Even a few large stones accompanied us as they were to serve as a base to support our tree. 

We then separated according to thickness.  I took shoe strings, bread ties and torn fabrics and secured twigs together and then stretched out wire hangers for the larger support.  I stuck it down in the Halloween bucket that I knew would be filled with the stones for steadiness.  Hairspray then became an adhesive where the kids had the most fun of all!  They threw flour mixed with glitter all over the homemade tree.  Some stuck. Some didn't.  But it did have a cool look, much like the decorative floral picks you see in craft stores today! Plus, it was so much more memorable than having to be pushed around in a shopping cart and told not to "touch"!

The decorations....Hours of play based solely on improvisational skills, imagination and individual taste.  The leaves were dusted with glitter after stringing thread through them to hang through the tree. 

The baby's breath and other dried flowers were hung upside down and tied after scrunching them into a round shape as if a ball.  Twigs became hearts, a straw bundle became stick men type elves, and silver foil was cut into snowflakes.  Rustic Glamour with simplicity in mind is how one might describe it, but to me, it was .....

                                     My Favorite Christmas Tree that happened to be FREE! 

I hope you'll comment on memorable "homemades" you've shared through the years.....

The Ottoman's Story of Re-Do

Ottomans have special meaning for me. My Nana had the Mother of all Ottomans an if I ever see another like hers, its mine! Tall on one side, short on the other, in one graceful swoop it landed at the perfect height to rest my head for GMovies or the afternoon nap. I guess it was a nervous habit but I'd rest my hand underneath an twist and pull at the dangling silk tassels until she'd catch me. Throughout my childhood, this was my "Nana's house" ritual.  By the time I'd grown, the padded velvet brocade had a circular faded spot where my head had rested and only a few thinned tassels.

 

 

I felt saddened over my destruction but still hadn't an affection for her "stuffy" decorating style.  I believe I somehow found a justification in the deed by convincing myself that the "worn-in" styling was an improvement lending itself to a more welcoming casualness.

 

 

Nana did inspire me to collect pieces with a story.  My love affair with decorating, antique collecting and reinvention were inherited.

 

 

 

Ottomans and footstools are always readily available in Houston. Sometimes they come in the form of a child's table or hat stand. With a little imagination and a husband handy with a saw, all things are possible.  

 

 

This ottoman was formal with current day olive green upholstery and fringe.  A grand baby found it to be the perfect place for juice and slobber so it became an ideal canvas for my needle and hot glue gun! 

 

 

 I gathered Twine, Jute, Cotton Muslin, Wide Belt strapping and various junk drawer findings.

 

 

 I first covered the top by stapling a heavy cotton muslin over the top. I didn't bother with folding it under or ironing it as I knew it would be covered with another remnant.  Feeling the top was too white, I poured a strong coffee on top of the muslin.  Oops! Didn't like that as it blended into the planned jute pattern. Mixing bleach and water, half and half, the mixture was then poured into a spray bottle and sprayed onto the muslin. After 24 hours the top had just enough staining to give the piece an aged look PLUS didn't smell of coffee!  The jute was then applied in a weaving method to gently resemble a nautical look.  (This was not a quick application but I really like the finish!)

 

Now the side. A purchase at a Vintage Flea Market finally found its use! A roll of strapping once used for securing a tractor trailer load had just enough texture and grunge appeal to embellish the outer sides of the stool.  (A belt or burlap would work fine!) Stapling didn't do well but a heavy glue gun did.  After this came the whimsy.  The junk findings were hand threaded into my version of fringe.  A loose bead, game piece, button and rhinestone hair clip were just a few yummies threaded with twine and glued to the trim. 

 

Finally, an assembly of remnants with opposing textures and color variations were torn into 4 inch strips and glued.  *Remember to leave edges frayed and use random cuts and lengths to keep it airy and fun!  Gluing or sewing these together, a handful at a time, saves time and eases the application process onto the furniture piece. 

 

 

 

 The last touch was a trim.  Anything that doesn't compete with the otherwise visually dramatic features will suffice.  I chose a frayed stream of rag doll hair from a 1980's arts and crafts doll.  This covered excessive glue as well as staples. 

 

 

 

                                       Finished and on its way to our FrillSeekerz store!

Okay....its not Nana's storybook fairytale of living in opulence,  but it is my way of life...living for the story.  The process of travel through our story and how we don't always know where our story will go is what this journey is about.  Sometimes a page break, a tattered element and knowing its okay to leave some edges frayed and vulnerable is what gives us the rich details that design our character. I'm hoping you'll  find inspiration to JUST CREATE! No rules....Just create without too much control or planning.  Allow yourself to just see what happens and let natural happenings happen naturally!

I WUV U BOOK how to

In the spirit of the holidays, I find myself rummaging through my mind ideas for my shop. Open only 4 days per month, it brings travellers from Lake Charles, Louisiana to Galveston, Texas, who buy for their shops as well. Bulk provisions are essential.

Decorating the store for the holidays should be a breeze, as the theme's already white mixed with natural elements and has a warm buttery linen paint as a backdrop.  One of a kind, personalized Christmas wreaths and ornaments as well as gifts are my focus.  (Well, come on, like I focus on anything longer than it takes to deliver a sneeze)! However, I had an idea and wanted to share. You see, my handmade signs have done so well both at shows and the shop that I've decided to take them a step further for gift giving.  The first idea I'm using my sign that sold and was photographed for the facebook page of the Junk Gypsy Company.

The sign measures about 14 by 20 inches, which is a little big, so I stitched the words onto heavy raw linen scrap fabric.  Using embroidery floss, I had to discipline myself to be, well,  undisciplined! Meaning, perfection isn't cute. The juvenile form makes it so much more interesting.
                                                      Each Page varies in floss colors
Measuring about 4 inches by 9 inches, the pages will be washed and dryed with electric heat to insure fraying on the edges. After seaming all pages together, Liquid Starch on each page will add the perfect stiffening. Adding tea or strong coffee to the starch will give extra age!
I haven't decided on the cover but have found so many etsians with great ideas, but, me being me....

I'll appreciate their ideas but will leave it at that!





A fabric hodge podge  of photo frames
with clear plastic inserts may be the way
to go so grandma's can insert pics as she
wishes to gift to the special grandbaby!

Hey! Why don't I do that???








Kylynn may not love it now, but someday.........or we could design one together for her mommy! She loves creating as much as I do and definitely knows her own style! Glitter, Animal Crackers, and a pom pom or two.....aaaah...."Livin' the Dream"!

Okay, okay....back on track! After designing the cover, bind it. I prefer the tattered look of muslin torn into strips to create a ribbon effect. Lacing it through grommets or hand cut holes. *HINT: Dipping the muslin in modpodge and allowing to dry on a cookie sheet in a low temp oven will give an antique look as well as hardening the fabric!

 

 

 

Done!

Now, in hopes of a great retail season, I anxiously await the interest from the shoppers as well as the web.  I'll finish half a dozen WUV U BOOKS and post to our FRILLSEEKERZ FACEBOOK PAGE and collect my blessed 4 cents an hour! But at least its one of a kind and will possibly make a heart or two smile.