“I was born in a factory and nursed on machine oil”
These were the words used by designer Efrat Fridenzon at a lecture she gave about her “Precision-decision” collection. Efrat “grew up” at an industrial factory that is commonly used for production of mechanical assemblies and
Aimé pendent
The notion of love is physically represented in a target pendent engraved with the word Aimé (Similar to aim, “beloved” in french). The target is you and you wish that cupid hits his arrow to your heart, you wish to love and be loved.
The “Hidden Direction”
A series of capsule like pendants which open to reveal a compass and a level. In the real world, the compass points to a direction while the level finds balance. Here the interpretation shifts from the physical world and finds a more spiritual definition: A guide for internal balance.
I love this collection since it is simple, meaningful and unisex. My favorite item is the “Hidden Direction capsule” I think it’s a lovely talisman and could work as a great gift for graduation, new beginnings or for someone who is traveling.
Efrat’s jewelry can be found at stores around the world
I was telling a new friend about my blog and he immediately sent me a link to Child’s own studio. Here’s the deal, Wendy made a doll for her 4 year old son, based on a sketch he made. Her son was so excited about the softies and Wendy realized that this was her calling, making dolls out of children doodles. If you’ve been reading this blog since I started it, you will surly remember the post about my avatar doll. Unfortunatly I just learned that the game I love is shutting down. Thanks for my friend i’ll have my pet stay with me, long after the game is gone.
This gift is similar, but even more moving since it uses the child’s own imagination in creating a doll that is truly unique.
What a great way to celebrate creativity!
Some gifts stay with you forever.
I finally got to finish setting up Eli’s Nursery the way I wanted it, when I found an old gift that warmed my heart. First a little introduction to the history of this gift. When I was 14 years old, I decided that I have to grow up and be a better person. I turned to the greatest role model I could find back then, Winnie the Pooh. I would read the books thoroughly, embracing Pooh’s casual outlook on life and learning how to handle myself more gracefully in this world. By the time I was 16, my love to pooh was shared with my close friends. One of these friends (A very dear one until this day indeed), made a beautiful gift for my sweet 16. She drew the map of a 100 acres forest (This was 1996, and colored printers were not very common), and framed it. I remember how surprised I was to receive this gift. My friend obviously dedicated time and thought in making this gift for me, and it has been very dear to me for me ever since. Another nice touch was that she wrote the birthday wishes on the back (Which means I can still read them to this day).
This photo was hung in my room and in every apartment I lived in ever since, and today it is proudly displayed in Eli’s nursery.
Some gifts, just stay with you forever…
This blog is all about gifts. Gifts of all sorts: Some are cheap, some are expensive, some are hand made, some are functional or beautiful. But the best gifts regardless of their price, are meaningful.When I had my baby a year ago I received many gifts. Blankets, toys, cloths and Oh too many Teddy-bears. Today, the gifts keep coming and I must admit that I prefer a bag of diapers over a new toy.
Last month when I was planing Eli’s first birthday party I knew I wanted to have a “Hungry Caterpillar” theme. I also knew that there is no way that I would have time to make the decorations. I was smart enough to Have a professional make the cake and to ask for help from a friend who loves to make party decorations. It meant so much to me that I even offered to pay for her trouble, however, she refused saying that it was her gift to Eli. This got me thinking about service gifts. When I had Eli, My mother cleaned the house, my mother in law cooked healthy meals and my dear cousin washed the dishes. They were contributing their time and I received some peace and quite.
Christine the owner of IOU, offers you a hint to what new mothers and probably all women, want most; A fraction of your time, to help with the endless chores. Here lies the power of the written word. Most women, when offered help, would say that there is really no need. However, if your offer comes in a thoughtful card, with a set date and time, it will be harder to refuse. This is a great example for a low cost gift that may mean the world to someone else.
Share with us, how did you give of your time to a special someone?
It’s been such a hectic month!!! I really neglected my blogging duties, but I have a great excuse. Two months ago, I started my own business as an interior designer. I’s been a wild ride so far, I guess I won’t be able to blog as much as I used to for a little while. But stick around, I promise, I will keep writing about great gift idea’s that will really inspire you. Speaking of inspiration; The previous post I wrote inspired me to write about gifts for princesses. I can’t believe I never thought of this before.
Here are my favorite gifts fit for a princess:
1. Your precious little girl will love to make-believe with these printable Princess masks by BessiePooh.
2. A true princess remains a princess from the minute she wakes up in the morning until… Well, until forever. Just because the sun is down doesn’t mean that the crown should come off. I absolutely adore these Princess Bedding by Snurk.
3. Make your little princess feel like one from the moment she starts her day. With Disney’s princess waffle maker , every breakfast is fit for a princess.
4. This gift is fit for a real princess, and a real princess received it. Baby Ivy Blue is the princess of RNB. For her first birthday she received a gorgeous diamond embedded Barbie doll.
5. Being a princess isn’t as easy as it seems. Matilda can tell you all about it, since she comes from the palace where she serves the queen. She writes all the secrets about the palace in her diary. A great gift for a new princess who wants to know all about life in the palace.
6. A princess, whether real or make-believe, needs a palace where she can play and read. I especially love this Princess tent that would serve a young princess for many years of fun and games.
Between you and me, if you feel like a princess, you are a princess. Just remember to wear your invisible crown.
I truly believe in positive thinking. I think it is a great way to achieve the goals in your life, big or small. In the gifting world, wishlists are a great way to turn your dreams into reality. How does it work? All you have to do is make your wishlist known to the world.
My friend was thinking positively. She posted several times on her Facebook wall, that she would love to get a Cinderella Dress for her upcoming birthday. Seeing an opportunity to make a wish come true, I arranged a few friends and we got the gift together. It wasn’t simple since the dress that we saw in the store wasn’t the deluxe version presented online. I didn’t want to settle for second best, therefore, I found the dress on Amazon. Unfortunately, shipping to Israel wan’t available. I wasn’t ready to give up and I kept thinking that I can find the exact dress my friend wanted. Luckily, my dad was visiting my grandmother in the states. I shipped the dress there, and he was able to bring it back with him just in time for the birthday party.
Photograph: Eitan Ben-Haim
This is an excellent example for how positive thinking works. I could have said: “It won’t work”, “It’s too hard”, “I’m never gonna get it”, etc…. But I kept thinking positively and so was my friend. Together, we managed to make this dream of hers come true, Simply by the power of positive thinking.
Look how beautiful she looks in it, a real princess indeed!
Welcome 2013!!!
2012 was such a meaningful year to me. I became a mother, I quit my job and decided to open my own design studio. I always believed in doing the brave thing as apposed to the safe thing, however, being brave is scary and I really hope that the changes I made in my life are going to work out for the best.
Every year Pantone, known as the world’s color authority, come up with the color for the upcoming year. 2013 color choice is Emerald, a lively, radiant color that is associated with elegance and beauty. I am happy to present my color of the year gift guide.
1. A great gift for new beginnings is a camera to capture all the magical moments. The emerald green Fisheye camera, is a fashionable choice with a circular kick.
2. This is defiantly a personal choice. After opening my own design studio, this T-shirt literary begged me to join this round up… Well maybe no literary, but it just felt right.
3. Add a dash of good fortune to someone’s year. A lucky clover Bracelet should do the trick.
4. With fourtune comes welth. A wallet is a wonderful way for wishing abundance. I especially like this Heart Lock wallet by Urban outfitters.
5. A new year is always a time for hope. An inspirational 2013 print is a welcomed motivation.
6. Winter is a time for cosiness. Whether a wool hat, a scarf or mittens, make it Emerald, and you are sure to give a trendy gift.
I can’t wait to see what 2013 hold for me. Wishing a happy new year to all of you.
I’ve been meaning to post an article about the “experience gift” for over a year, since I love the idea of giving an activity as a gift. Some of you may remember the sky gliding gift or the Photo session gift, since I blogged about them. However, today I want to talk about the “experience gifts” I didn’t write about, the ones that striked out.
I had a great gift idea for some of my more creative friends, a certificate for a craft class of some sort or another. I thought I had it all planned out: I arranged for a certificate with the art studio, made sure it was geographically close to the receiver, paid in advance for the class and gave the certificate as a gift. What I failed to understand is human nature to postponed unpleasant tasks such as calling to scheduled an appointment (Which always feels kind of awkward). This is what happened to the friends who received a gift certificate for a class or a dinner from me. They were really excited about the gift, but never fully redeemed it. Thinking about it, I myself, received a dinner certificate more than six months ago, and I still haven’t used it. I was trying to understand why this came to be and I think I got it figured out. I would like to share with you some tips that would help you to successfully give an “experience gift”. I believe these tips would make the difference between a certificate sitting in a drawer and an unforgettable experience.
Tip number 1: Know your friend
Who is your friend? What kind of person is s/he? well organized? Has a lot of time? Social or independent? Bottom line, If you give this person a certificate would it sit in a drawer with all the other piles of things to do or will that person put it to use. Let me tell you that most people, including myself, would probably forget about it until it’s to late, even if it’s the most amazing experience on the face of the earth. This is just the way people are. Don’t give a certificate unless you are absolutely positive that this person would use it.
Tip number 2: Set a time and place
Setting a time and place is very important. Once a person is invited to a specific time and place, he is more likely to arrive, as apposed to an open invitation that he may or may not choose to take.
Tip number 3: Make an event out of it
Planning the gift as an event is the best way to make sure the gift is fulfilled. You can invite a few friends, or have a privet birthday “date”. By planning an event or meeting you are making it very hard for the person not to come. This is the reason why the sky gliding and photo session worked, they planed as events, and sharing the experience with my friends was just an added bonus.
The holidays are coming and gift idea’s and advise are becoming a real necessity. As a new mother I think I became more critical of children toys. I find myself asking what is the educational value of the toys I receive and as a designer I really want a toy to develop my child’s creativity skills. My boy is far too young to enjoy any of these toys, but here are my top 5 choices for the creative soul.
1. When my boy grows older my husband and I really want him to be the kid wearing a cape. Whenever we see a child with a cape we imagine are baby boy growing to be a creative little boy with superpowers (He already has a secret power, he melts other peoples hearts). I hope he inherits my creativity, and if he does, this DIY Superhero cape will be on his gift list. I love this gift not only because it would inspire your little one to get creative, but also since after the DIY activity is over, this cape will be perfect for dress up games, keeping that imagination running.
2. My not so secret dream is to learn how to sew. I know that one day I would learn how to do it, but until then I will sulk for not starting at a young age. If you have a creative little girl who dreams of becoming a fashion designer, get her a sewing machine. I really know nothing about sewing machines so I looked at a sewing forum, where everyone recommended buying a real machine. I did find a recommendation for this cute Hello kitty machine at the following blog: Sew Store-Bought .
3. I can’t begin to explain how much I love this Any-mal Set by Notoys. The set contains one table/bench and two stools that are painted in chalkboard. Your child can build a castle, a train tunnel, a cat face, a pirate ship or any other image of his hearts desire. All S/he has to do is draw and play. My kid will have this set even if I have to build my own.
4. When I was a girl I collected Barbie dolls I even had a Barbie Ferrari, but I never had a Barbie doll house, and I always dreamed of a home for my barbies. I don’t know if this home I found at Etsy can fit 12 Barbies,but it would be a lot of fun to assemble and decorate. I love the idea of a blank house that you can design by yourself, this is probably the reason I became an interior designer.
5. You should understand by now that I approve of spatial toys that create a creative environment and enhances imagination. When I was little we used to build playhouses on trees and play make-believe but today there are endless possibilities for creating such environments. This cardboard construction set is yet another example for a toy that requires assembly skills and would keep your child occupied with his or hers imagination.
I would like to note that even though some toys seem like they are for boys and others are more likely to fit girls, I would most definitely consider a girl super-heroine or a boy fashion designer. I was always playing with the boys and grew up to be a girly girl adult with some boyish skills. So break the gender patterns and give those kids something to think about…
I’ve been wanting to start an animal category for some time now… I sort of did an animal bit on Shark Week, and I did do a Fantastic Mr Fox article… But I think I want to start a regular theme such as color code, dedicated to all you animal lovers. I know I already had a fox article, but I know that there are lots of fox lovers out there in desperate need of a foxy gift. OK OK you got me… I’m the fox freak! But I’m also obsessed with deer so that just might be my next animal article. I searched the web and gathered my top ten foxy gifts. In case you were wondering, 9 and 10 are my personal favorites,what can I say? I’m a girl, I love shoes…
After we established that the gift recipient loves foxes… all that is left is to match the gift to the occasion…
1. A lovely home decor piece such as this Artwork Plate with a vintage fox illustration, is great as a house warming gift.
2. Did someone get a new job? This cute little Tail Me More Mug is a sweet conversational piece and therefore is great for the office…
3. When thinking of a house warming gift we tend to neglect the outside…Be original with this little Garden Figurine will make a great addition between some garden gnomes.
4. Have a house warming and you want something for the kids room? A lovely Fox Pillow will work for both genders…
5.Need a stylish gift for a stylish gal? Fox Earrings,For the eternal Fashionista.
6. I love this Fox T for a foxy little boy. It’s a lovely design, I wish it would come in Medium for my man… Then he and my little one can match T’s…
7. A Fox Blouse to go with the lovely Earrings at No 5.
8. Fox iPhone Case for any occasion.
And last but not least…For me… No 9. & No 10. Fox Boots Fox Ballet Flats, Size 6.5 please…
Leave A Comment