Looking for small gifts, sized perfect for stockings or as thanks to the host/ess can be taxing this time of year. Stores are plentiful and offer lots to choose from, but if you are like me, I am usually running to the store on the way to my event and don’t have time to scour the space for the perfect token of my affection. One could offer up the usual holiday tropes of flowers or chocolates; they are easy and always appreciated. But if you are looking to provide a special kind of joy this holiday season, Karen has certainly made things VERY easy for people like (or not so like) me! It was Friday, and as usual, I was dropping by the shop for our usual check-in/meeting on my way to the North Shore for the first of my holiday festivities, and Karen told me about the tree that she had decorated with all things pretty and small, and best yet, easy on the pocket book. Thankfully I had my camera with me and these are some of the things I found:
1. Pocket Full of Posies makes great vintage inspired hair accessories and jewelry. I love these pieces because they resemble Bakelite jewelry. Bakelite is a synthetic material invented around the turn of the twentieth century to imitate shellac, made from the excretion of the lac beetles. A colourful and inexpensive material, it was used widely to make jewelry during the Depression. These accessories are perfect for anyone who has a delicate disposition, or for someone who just likes all things vintage or retro.
2. Consider Firefly Notes’ fridge magnets and match boxes, perfect host/ess gifts! The fridge magnets are strong enough to hold tight any length of grocery list, yet as small as a bottle cap! Their match boxes, which are not shown here, come with tiny decorative images with sparkle frames, an aesthetically pleasing item to have handy for any holiday candle lighting!
3. For a manly gift, we have an Omega shaving brush with shaving soap in a decorative ceramic bowl. These items are both practical and decorative, and are happily VEGAN! These synthetic bristles are the softest available and will turn the morning shaving ritual into a pleasant task.
4. These earrings will be conversation starters, for sure, and provide hours and hours of party conversation as people guess the story that inspired these earrings. You will be propelled the recipient of this gift into being the life of the party, and they will meet their soul mate and live happily ever after! Because, who doesn’t love bug earrings! Phaulet makes more than just bug earrings, you will find a plethora of resin jewelry pieces, all with images that are inspired by Columbian and Latin American Folklore.
5. For the well-mannered eco-warrior, we have beautiful writing sets that will appeal to their tree-hugging side, as they are all made from recycled paper pulp. No trees have been harmed in the making in this gift idea! The package includes pages, envelopes and pretty, golden seals –perfect for writing thank you notes to all of your holiday host/esses of this season! *Postage stamps are not included
We are pleased to have back visual artist Elaine Simadle as part of our Artist in the Window series! Elaine primarily creates greeting cards that are hand-drawn works of art, and we’ve featured her vintage tattoo inspired cards in a previous post, but there is one project series in particular that is my personal favourite! At first glance, her this series of cards look like traditional silhouette images, the profile views we might remember on our grandparents walls. They are often of heads and are featureless and can be made from any black material -mostly cut, black paper- on a white or light background. Elaine makes her silhouette images out of chalkboard paint, creating a wonderful surprise where her art becomes the surface for your art!
