Friday, July 31, 2009

how to look crafty in 15 minutes or less.

i'm serious about this one.

and don't mind the pictures here. how they're bigger than god if you click on them. i am uploading them straight from my SD card without editing them, because i'm crafty like that.

tonight i bought a shower gift for my cousin, rachel. (and her shower is a surprise, and i am like, 99.99% sure that she doesn't read this blog. but if she does: rachel. go where they take you tomorrow, and act surprised! for my sake!)

i don't know her very well. i get really nervous every time i have to buy gifts for showers and weddings, because i always feel like i am getting the wrong things, or i wish i knew people better so i could give them a more meaningful gift.

and then i realized... if it's on the registry, they want it. that's about as meaningful as it gets.

the best thing i ever did for my gift-giving occasions is get myself some alphabet stamps and a simple black stamp pad.


i think i bought this set at target a couple of years ago.

i buy adorable, unique, and handmade cards whenever i can. i like blank. i don't like hallmark-y messages or anything generic. unless it has something inspirational, like a quote by a dead person. then i'll get it. or those really funny ones with the old pictures that say something like, "kids, sit right here while mommy makes another martini." you know the ones i mean.

anyway, i think the combination is something really special. it might not be your taste - heck, it might not even be rachel's taste. but i still think it's special.

because that card was handmade by someone. and i did, after all, hand pick it.

on the inside i wrote:

Rachel~

congratulations
&
much love
&
many good wishes

-amelia

it says what i need it to say. and maybe i did buy four giant mugs straight from the registry at bed bath and beyond, but at least rachel will know that there was some of me, and some heart, and some thought put into this gift.

plus, those mugs are huge! and, considering my love of coffee and tea and blue, i think a little bit of me went into the gift after all.