THE PERFECT PRESENT- A journey

Just when you think- that's IT- I'm done- DONE I TELL YOU!!! You realize oh NOOOO I have 3 more people left on my list. And that present I got for person number 4 STINKS.... and person 5 is not a MAN!! What was I THINKING????
ARRRGH!

Home made present I want to keep for myself.

Lists, last minute shopping, crowds, MUZAK. Christmas is tough but I keep my eyes to the prize- Christmas DAY. I look forward to the opening of presents for weeks- not my presents- the ones I give to others. It's so great when you get a present right. Last year I made my secret santa giftee cry- YIKES!!!- not what I expected. But I was assured those were tears of happiness. Uhhmmm- ok.

All I had done was print out 5 photos and put them in a frame from Target- 25 bucks and 1 hour's worth of effort, shopping included. I gave him the frame because I had NO IDEA what else to do. I felt like I was being cheap and taking the "easy way out". Yet I had photographed memories he never thought had been captured- reading a book to his first son, giving his baby daughter a bath- he is a very good father. I had given "THE PERFECT PRESENT". Wow. The family STILL talks about that present and that reaction today.

My elf present!

Naturally I only feel MORE pressure to "get it right" this year. What is the "PERFECT PRESENT"? How do you find it? How long should it take?

For me THE PERFECT PRESENT is something that touches the receiver's heart, that seems effortless and original, something that encapsulates the relationship you have with the receiver. So easy to put those down in to a blog entry and SO HARD to get them right when shopping in NEW YORK CITY for 2 hours and 20 people on your list.

So I absolve myself. I probably won't  get that "perfect present" moment again. I must settle for the good feeling I get from giving and spending time with family. But there's always next year...

Little Italy date night

This was super easy to make! All I did was wind some threaded wool from Anthropologie on a wreath form and hot glue it to a paper backing.

I used American Craft Thickers, Basic Grey paper, flower and branch punches from The Punch Bunch. Mini flowers are attached with dress maker pins- which is why there's a paper backing- the pins stick out. The scallop circle is from Dusty Attic.

Oh and the pearl flowers were hand made with the scallop circle punch cut into a swirl and wound on a pencil technique- first time I try to make a flower myself. :)


MuChOs SmOoChEs!

M.