Gave That

DIY Terrarium Necklace

2012-05-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

- DIY Gift Idea -

This is something that's been on the to-try list for a little while now and today was finally the day to put it together. Quirky yet surprisingly easy, here's how to make your own living necklace too:

Things Needed:
- A tiny glass vial pendent or DIY using metal jewelry wire around the neck to create a bail
- Very tiny, shallow rooted plants such as moss (seen here), succulent Sedums or air ferns
- Finely milled clean sand
- Crushed charcoal
- Potting soil that has been microwaved (to kill buds or organisms)
- Paper and wooden toothpick or needle

How to Do It:
Using a piece of paper folded in half as a funnel, gently pour in a layer of charcoal powder which will keep any water sweet and clean (because a bog smelling necklace wouldn't be too cool) into the glass vial and then layer the sand and dirt on top. Lastly wet the plant sprig being used and push it down into the bottle using the toothpick. Lastly spritz it with water and it's done! Hopefully daily misting should provide enough water for it to thrive and stay green.

Image: mam for Gave That

Style United

2012-05-21T17:36:00.002-04:00

Recently a new site launched and I was given the chance to give it a whirl... it's called Style United and you can join here too. A lot of my beauty and fashion inspiration comes from online sites and blogs and this new site collects all of these things together in one place. It's also by the makers of Olay, DDF and Cover Girl so I picked out some current personal favorites:
Olay Regenerist foam which is actually one my mum loves at the moment, DDF Ultra-Lite Peel which I've mentioned here before, DDF foaming cleanser has been a staple for a few years now and Cover Girl Outlast lip stain.
Defiantly check out Style United 's Style 360 for personalized picks, the ability to order gifts (such as sets) for others easily online and enter their New View, New You giveaway which is going on right now.

Site launch access and gifts provided by SheSpeaks. Thank you very much, as always!

Image: mam for Gave That

Tiny Zen Garden

2012-05-20T16:38:00.000-04:00

Doodling in sand... trying to come up with a few new ideas for the garden show this year.

Mini Zen Garden and Hens & Chicks succulents

Image: mam for Gave That

DIY Hanging Flower Baskets

2012-05-20T14:57:00.000-04:00

This week (and month actually) has been an absolute blur and there is so much to share here but it's a little hard to know where to start! This weekend seemed a good time to post all things gardening. First are some hanging flower baskets that we worked on... something I would personally love as a gift. Here's how to whip some up extra quick: For these baskets a few plants were gathered together including some vines and trailing plants to grow over and hang off the sides (Periwinkle, Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea and Golden creeping Jenny) along with some red Impatiens and white Begonias, soil and coconut fiber liners. After adding the dirt to the coconut fiber bowls inside the baskets, I arranged the trailing plants around the edges to spill over the sides as they grow down, the shorter Begonias in another ring around the edges and the taller Impatiens in the center. Many of the plants, ironically enough gifts from other gardeners, were already growing elsewhere in the garden and were transplanted. It's a little sparse now but once they fill in and get lush I'll snap another picture and update with the results. Another version that has worked out lovely is a hanging strawberry or herb basket with parsley, basil (in the center) and dill trailing down. Smells incredible as the breeze blows through.

Image: mam for Gave That

Jonathan Adler does Toilet

2012-05-11T17:41:00.003-04:00

Anything Jonathan Adler spells love and for some unknown reason, these toilet roll covers have just popped up here locally (in stores) despite being launched months ago but they can also be found online here. Random I know but they're so dashing and gift box-esk, they had to make it on here.

PS, wishing everyone a super lovely weekend!

Image: mam for Gave That

Girls on Bikes

2012-05-10T18:26:00.000-04:00

About a month ago there was some very sad news, my trusty steed was going to have to be retired because the parts were likely only to be found tucked away somewhere in the Smithsonian. It's just too old I was told and, despite its checkered past, it was hard to think about finding a replacement. Until today! Meet the new and very red, yet retro looking, hybrid bike of my dreams! A million thank you's are in order, thank you so much.

Something that I've wanted to share with everyone for some time are all the goodies that have made riding my bike so enjoyable (and perfect for shopping). These could make awesome gifts too. First a water bottle that is easy (and chic) to carry indoors, a pair of sunglasses that keep in place, some bags such as the little one from Linus which holds the medical kit and the big panniers which are perfect for the farmer's market. As for a basket I've had my eye on the ones by Marie-Louise Gustafsson for a while now.

Pannier bags: "Double Jada" by Basil of the Netherlands
Handbag: Rebecca Minkoff
Bag: Linus

Image: mam for Gave That

DIY Hermes Jige Clutch

2012-05-04T18:42:00.000-04:00

These are the latest little printables Hermes released for spring, tiny Jige clutches, and they're absolutely addicting to make. One comes plain which is great for experimenting with different papers such as the printable canvas paper or parchment above. Others are beautifully and very whimsically printed with elephants, birds and even a cyclist. For all the designs, see here or visit the Hermes facebook page. What a fun envelope for cards, invitation or little favor for guests. A few coats of lacquer or hairspray makes them more durable. So very close to making one covered in silver glitter or painting the canvas one in watercolors.

Image: mam for Gave That | Print out's & design by Hermes

Beauty, Courage & Possibility - Prosperity Candle

2012-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

This is such an inspired Mother's Day gift idea that I've been to eager to share with everyone here. It's called the Beauty, Courage & Possibility gift set and it truly is all of those things and a great deal more as it touches so many lives and gives back in so many ways. Siiri of Prosperity Candle was kind enough to email to let me know about their newest line of handmade gift sets and offered to send one over.

While Prosperity Candle has been featured here before this was the first time I had experienced their candles and it turned out to be utterly amazing. One of the best soy travel candles ever and an absolute delight to burn (this one is a fresh blend of lemongrass and sage!). Each of these are hand created by Burmese women who have lived in refugee camps and each is signed by the woman who made it. Moo Kho made the one above and it's masterfully blended.

The other part of the Beauty, Courage & Possibility gift set is the beautifully hand embroidered silk jewelry bag which is completely hand sewn by Afghan women, again living in refugee camps. Inside each bag the creators signature is found on the tag.

This keepsake set has such stories and history to go along with it which is both rare, inspiring and something everyone should experience... but on top of all of these good things, this particular set, also has a portion of its proceeds donated to the cause World Pulse. Amazing on so many levels.

Gift Set: c/o Prosperity Candle (thank you so much Siiri & Ted!)

Image: mam for Gave That

Vadis Turner - Lyons Wier Gallery.

2012-04-30T20:17:00.000-04:00

Source: lyonswiergallery.com via Marie on Pinterest

Could sit and gaze at this for hours. Incredible use of ribbon, along with bits of clothing, antique quilts, vintage gloves in a mixed media piece called Red Candy and Black Mold by Vadis Turner. Lyons Wier Gallery in NYC. More of Turner's ribbon wrapped pieces can be seen here.

Spring Birthdays

2012-04-25T17:48:00.000-04:00

Every year, around this time, things become slightly quiet here at the blog and I must always beg for forgiveness. It's my birthday and that almost always spells out recovery but some of the most welcome and happily spent recoveries ever. Thank you to the loved ones who surprised me grandly and everyone else for understanding. Wishing everyone with a spring birth date a very, very happy birthday too!

Image: mam for Gave That

Free Zoya Polish for You!

2012-04-23T15:54:00.003-04:00

This is such a treat that I just had to share, especially with Mother's Day looming off in the not so far distance. As mentioned so often here, of all things, simple nail polishes have made such welcome gifts. It's funny how something so little can be so well received! Some of my favorites, because they're natural and go on lovely, are by Zoya who also create really nice sampler gift packs. The sampler in La-Di-Da is probably one of the best because it has such pop's of yellow, fuchsia and coral for spring and summer. It also essentially gives you 2 extra nail polishes for free but the real treat of the day is through this unique link for Gave That, when you create your shopping account, a rare coupon for 1 free nail polish will be deposited. It is good to use right away and if you also buy a couple of their nail polishes, free S&H comes with it too. {link for free Zoya nail polish}*

As always for sweet treat's for Gave That friends, always peek at the Special Perks section of the blog where you'll find this one for Zoya along with many more.

Polish: Zoya "Yummy"

* Find your unique Zoya coupon code in the "My Promotion Code" section of the "My Account" area at Zoya after creating your account through the link above.

Making Candied Violets

2012-04-16T14:58:00.005-04:00

- DIY Gift Idea -
Already wild purple violets are popping up everywhere! If you love serving these with tea, sprinkling on the top of cupcakes or just cupping in your hands and inhaling deeply, here's how to make your own candied violets. See all the steps here...

Image: mam for Gave That

DIY Bow Belt

2012-04-12T19:05:00.006-04:00

- DIY Gift Idea -
After rediscovering a vintage bow tie it made me remember my dearly departed Rodarte bow tie belt which went with almost everything. Next came what if this vintage bow tie was attached to some Grosgrain ribbon? and here we go. A DIY bow tie belt that's pretty close to the Rodarte. As always, any time gift wrap can be reused, it's a major plus and this is a simple way to hide a gift right in plain sight.

Dress: vintage from Hong Kong
Bow tie: vintage

Image: mam & courtesy Magda for Gave That

Fira Sandals + Giveaway!

2012-04-11T13:49:00.009-04:00

Talk about a good mail day! Almost any day that includes new shoes is going to be good but these are particularly lovely. Brown Shoe Company through MyBlogSpark was kind enough to allow me to pick a pair from their new Spring collection and here they are. Patent neon, snakeskin, gold peeking out at the heel, simple gold thong, yes please! Even better you can have some too as this will also be a giveaway. Of course it could be these Fira's or anything you like from the Naturalizer store.

To be entered to win the Naturalizer gift card for a pair of shoes (good in store and online) please email GaveThat@gmail.com with the subject line "Naturalizer", visit the Naturalizer site and let me know what you would like to pick out should you win. One random winner will be chosen. One (1) entry per person. MyBlogSpark will be fulfilling the prize. Giveaway ends 04/28/12. Good luck!

A seriously big thank you is in order to Brown Shoe Company and MyBlogSpark in particular as they have partnered so many times to offer giveaways here! It's tremendously appreciated and always such a treat to do.

Sandals: Naturalizer Fira c/o Brown Shoe Company through MyBlogSpark
A big congratulations to Erica, random.org picked her email as the winner!! Thank you so much for emailing everyone, it was such a surprisingly huge turnout and so fun to read all your detailed choices. For a heads up on any new giveaways be sure to follow on twitter, facebook or sign up for email alerts.

Image: mam & courtesy Magda for Gave That

Changed

2012-04-09T16:01:00.009-04:00

This pre-release album came in the mail and I really wanted to share it because two of the songs are really, really good and already downloaded for repeated play. The album is Changed by Rascal Flatts (perfect timing... spring renewal = change) and while they're more country this is actually very pop-ish, which was surprising. Namesake Changed is so apropos for now and the struggles to change things for the better and Let It Hurt, which speaks for itself, seem somber but the messages are actually very hopeful.

They made me think about how often change can be so scary but at the same time, tremendously worth the effort and first shaky steps. Nice to have and be able to give a soundtrack to back it up (funny how things can appear at just the right time!). Will definitely pass this on.

Album courtesy one2one Network, thank you for sending it over!

Image: mam for Gave That

Marbled Tea Eggs

2012-04-05T17:06:00.006-04:00

Next to Cadbury Creme Egg's these Asian tea eggs have to be some of the most addictive, delectable things ever. Everything from the swirling, cracked pattern to the strong scent of anise and salty soy sauce is such a treat all around. This is the batch being made for this coming Easter. For how to make your own see the recipe and steps here. It's a rather simple broth of dark soy sauce, black tea, sea salt and anise seeds which seeps into the cracks created in the hard boiled eggs shell. The designs become inedible on the hard boiled egg itself.
Wishing everyone celebrating a very happy and bright Easter and Passover too! Have a lovely long weekend.

Image: mam for Gave That

Megan Miller Nail Polish - Spring Beauty!

2012-04-05T14:54:00.010-04:00

These have to be some of the most beautifully packaged nail polishes so far... the sort that deserves to be displayed! Plus who needs extra gift wrap with these? They're by Megan Miller and are more natural to boot. The colors here are Caribbean, Pink Lily and Coral Bliss, personal favorites from the collection. All are jelly though and always remain a bit sheer, no matter how many coats but are so easy to remove which is refreshing. Find them at Anthropologie.

Peruse more of my spring beauty picks here.

Image: mam for Gave That

DIY Pastel Wrapping Paper

2012-04-04T15:59:00.008-04:00

DIY Pastel Wrapping Paper

Another springy DIY wrapping paper idea! This is slightly similar to the previous watercolor wrapping paper project yet different in that it's more pastel, powdery and textured because chalk &/or pastels are used (hello 80's!). Any will do. Here's how to go about making your own:
What You Will Need:
- Chalk
- A knife
- Plain paper
- A tray and water
- A matte finish varnish spray or hair spray

How To Do It:
Fill a tray about the size of your gift wrap with water (although it is possible to do this in sections for larger pieces of wrapping paper) and start scrapping the different of colors of chalk into the water. They'll intermingle, spread and create their own dreamy designs. Once the water is completely covered with a fine layer of shaved chalk, lay the paper on top gently.

Pull the paper straight up and quickly turn it over. Try not to touch or disturb the chalk layer as it can scratch off at this point. Allow the paper to fully dry chalk side up and then spray with a thin coat of matte top coat or a couple coats of hair spray (sounds weird but it totally works). This will help the chalk stay in place and not transfer. That's it!
Hope so much this April and spring is going lovely for you and look for more DIY gift wrap ideas soon and as always, see the gift wrapping section of the blog for lots more.

Image: mam for Gave That & courtesy Magda

Dainty Rings

2012-04-04T13:35:00.006-04:00

Little gold Love ring by British designer Laura Zooey.

Cam & Zooey: Haute Look

Image: mam for Gave That

Crochet Gift Wrap

2012-04-03T18:52:00.004-04:00

These little crochet covered Castile gift soaps remind me of sea urchins for some reason... must be the warming temperatures and sun but this seemed to be such a novel way to wrap gifts! In this case the crochet acts similar to the felt on these soaps but prettier. If only I had the skills to do this, so many things could get a similar treatment and feel beachy too.

Image: mam for Gave That

Drugstore Gems - Spring Beauty!

2012-04-01T18:11:00.009-04:00

This weekend I wanted to finally gather everything together... all the favorites from the new spring releases, drugstore edition. When asked, the top 3 little gifts most requested for spring turned out to be a fresh, new lipstick, nail polish or eye shadow so I tried to zero in on those three areas. 2012 might be the first year that has had so many very intriguing drugstore beauty releases and even more curious, many seem to be reincarnations or reinterpretations of discontinued bits of luxury.

The Eyes... Has to be the L'Oreal Infallible eye shadows, with my top favorite being the color Bronzed Taupe. Two other shades Iced Latte and Amber Rush seem forever sold out but once they reappear I'll snatch them up too. These are incredible and look similar to the Armani Eyes To Kill although Armani is the runway version and these are more toned down for the public. I tried the Taupe on different skin tones (people) and it looked decadent on all. Lovely.

Keeping with the eyes two other things are the Maybelline Eyestudio gel liner pots which I've mentioned before but now have found them in others colors such as green and blue. They make such a good eye flick and better come with a very decent brush, making them very gift worthy. The other is a glittery liner by E.L.F. in Copper which is amazing for a buck!

The Lips... Out of all the lip balms and lipsticks released for spring I was the most surprised by the Revlon Lip Butters. Not all the colors are fabulous but the shade Berry Smoothie turned out to be an almost exact twin of a long discontinued Lancome favorite of mine. Literally everything about it, the glossy, moisturizing finish, everything. Raspberry Pie was picked on a whim but it turned out to be the juicy berry stain I was looking for. The little window at the top of each bullet really makes it easier to be pleased with these and sheer tints are so refreshing from the drugstore.

Nails... My sister was looking for a new green nail polish and I decided to buy one from the new Spoiled line, an exclusive to CVS in the neon color I'm So Jaded. She absolutely loves it and I love the one that I picked up for myself which now seems to be almost identical to Laura Mercier's limited edition Cabana. The doppelgänger's don't stop there, a few other's in the huge line look nearly identical to Deborah Lippmann's Ruby Red Slippers and Superstar. The Spoiled brush's are wonky but I'm willing to overlook that part. Milani will always remain an all time drugstore fave but these Spoiled polishes are almost unreal in how fresh and current they are.

Still have a few Spring pick me ups to come, see those as they are published here at the blog.

Image: mam for Gave That

Thumb Tack Candles - DIY

2012-03-30T14:34:00.003-04:00

- DIY Gift Idea -
Another simple DIY project today! Some rather scaly, Pangolin looking candles using gold thumb tacks on the outside of plain white candles.

What You Will Need:
- Thumb Tacks
- Candle(s), beeswax works best but any thick one will do

How to Do It:
Loving how simple and quick it is. Push the thumb tacks in one by one slightly overlapping if possible. Cover the entire candle leaving a rim open at the top for candle wax to seep out and melt These here took about 200 thumb tacks a piece. That's it!

Image: mam for Gave That

DIY Amber Crystal Potpourri

2012-03-27T19:00:00.007-04:00

- DIY Gift Idea -

It was incurable, every time these tiny black gift boxes filled with amber colored crystals would pop up for sale they would immediately sell out. What in the world was so magical inside? That's when I found out they were a really novel gift idea that is actually simple to make yourself.

Each black box is filled with crystals soaked in amber perfume. When the lid is left off and the box set out the whole room becomes filled. It looks rather pretty and mysterious too while all this is going on. Cote Bastide is a well known creator (and the ones that would always fly off shelves) but Molinard, also of France does it too along with a few others.

The interesting part is the crystals are not actually made of amber but instead Acacia Tree resin or chunks of pink salt. Both pretty inexpensive to pick up (I've used ebay). The crystals are soaked in amber perfumed oil for a few weeks and then ready to box or bag up and give.

What You Will Need:
- Large Acacia Tree resin chunks or pink salt
- Amber perfumed oil or essential oils of myrrh, benzoin, vanilla, etc.
- Small black gift boxes &/or sachet bags

How To Create It:
Blend the resin or salt chunks well with the oil one teaspoon at a time until the level of scent is reached. Place in container with a lid and store in a cool, dark place for a week or two to steep. Then transfer the crystal potpourri to wax paper lined gift box(s) or silk sachet.

Image: mam for Gave That

DIY Love Thread Necklace

2012-03-26T17:49:00.008-04:00

- DIY Gift Idea -

This little necklace is inspired by this thread wrapped one here at Anthropologie. It's actually pretty simple to make albeit tedious at times but the thread helps hide any major flubs. To make one (or two) too, here's how:

What You Will Need:
- Pliers & wire cutters (or scissors)
- Jewelry making wire although a large paperclip might work too
- Sewing thread (mine is metallic gold)
- Jump rings
- Clear nail polish (optional)
- Little charm (optional)

How To Do It:
Drawing out the "love" image on plain white paper turned out to be a big help. Using the pliers, band the wire and keep comparing to the image on the paper. It never became perfect but that's OK. Looks more homespun. Once the letters were shaped and formed the next step was wrapping the thread around as evenly as possible. The tiny loops were a little tricky. Any knots were painted with clear nail polish along with any fraying thread. Some jump rings were attached to the end loops and on it went to the chain.

The last touch was the little charm, this time a ruby bow. Another thing I did was place the "love" charm after it was done between some heavy books and this helped it to lay better.

Image: mam for Gave That

Cool Gear Inc.

2012-03-26T15:19:00.009-04:00

So good on so many levels, the center freezes on these reusable salad kits by Cool Gear Inc. to keep everything fresh and cold.

EZ-Freeze Deluxe Salad Kit : Cool Gear Inc.
Bag: FEED bag Guatemala x Nest

Image: mam for Gave That & courtesy Magda