Category: gift

Custom Illustrations: Artful and Creative Childhood Heirlooms

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Illustration by Stephanie Ball

Over the last year or so a few talented illustrators and artists have drawn and painted portraits of Ro and Sen. These gifts has been such a delight and treasure for us, that I wanted to share them here in case you may be looking for a creative gift idea, something that won’t end up in the charity bin or will only last for a certain age span.

If you are going to give a material gift to someone then make it something worthwhile, something that will become an heirloom. The artworks below certainly will.

Stephanie Ball | @pianobythesea | email: stephballillustration@gmail.com
Joana Oliveira | @mydailydoodling | www.mydailydoodling.tictail.com


Cecelia Contreras | @migamigaceci | www.migamigacrea.wordpress.com

Kellie Diguanco | @kelliedigs | email: kellie@iamkellie.com

Lauren Noel | @ladynoel_designs | www.ladynoeldesigns.bigcartel.com

Cheng Kulai | @chengkulai | email: chengkulai@yahoo.com.hk 

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 Sara Goetz | @sarahgoetz | www.sarahgoetz.me

Faustine Badrichani | @wooln_ny | www.faustinebadrichani.com

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With Faustine’s illustration we printed it onto canvas paper and the children painted it with watercolours to make unique holiday cards for friends and family.

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Zero Waste: Wrapping Gifts with Fabric

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About 10 years ago, Matt’s mother decided to wrap all the Christmas gifts she was giving in fabric. A frugal, creative woman she didn’t enjoy, nor see the point, in wrapping a gift in beautiful paper only for it to be torn off and wasted, it seemed like a bit of an obscene luxury and careless of the environmental impact. For a few years already, Matt and I had been carefully unwrapping gifts so as to be able to reuse as much of the paper as possible, but admittedly it took a little fun out of the whole gift exchange. The fabric wrapped gifts she brought, on the other hand, were beautiful and appeared fancier than traditional paper wrapping and bows, and no extra special handling was needed to unwrap them. Win-win!

Photo not mine, view it and it’s source via my Pinterest board

A few years later, and I don’t remember how I came across it, I learned about the practice of Japanese fabric wrapping using a wrapping cloth known as Furoshiki. I’m certainly no expert in furoshiki, but  I can tell you that from the idea of furoshiki developed a set of wrapping techniques, where fabric is used to package things for transport or gift giving. It is said to have been developed out of a sense of waste consciousness and caring for the environment.

Since this time I’ve used fabric to wrap gifts when I have some on hand (otherwise I reuse paper).

If you ask Google you’ll find there are different techniques for boxes and bottles and other general shapes too. There are also lots of tutorials if you search ‘furoshiki’ on YouTube and I’ve pinned some favourites to my ‘ g i f t ‘ board on Pinterest.

Aside from gifts, there are also techniques for wrapping picnic lunches and meals for transport, where the fabric folding and wrapping comes out looking like a little basket. There are also folding techniques for shopping bags, flower bouquets and more. All this to say, if you want to wrap something in fabric as a gift or to travel with, then there is a furoshiki technique that can do the job. All you need is some scrap fabric (old sheets, scarves, silks, linens) to work with. No tape, no string, no glue. Although sometimes it’s fun to embellish the wrapping with a scrap of ribbon or yarn.

Photo not mine, view it and it’s source via my Pinterest board

Don’t be fooled by how pretty the furoshiki wrapping looks and assume it is complex. Every technique is simple and involves very basic folding and knotting. Gift wrapping in under 2 minutes — 1 minute for a pro.

This year I used some of Ro and Sen’s play silks from Sarah’s Silks to wrap gifts. The play silks we have are long rectangles, so I folded them over in thirds so I could work from approximately a square shape, but there is no great precision required in the size of the fabric relative to the size of the wrapped object, but generally a bigger piece of fabric is easier to work with. Using play silks to wrap gifts for children has the added bonus that the wrapping is a gift itself. Imagine a child unwraps a gift and is just as excited about the wrapping!

sarahs silks play silk furoshiki zero waste gift fabric wrap

Photo care of Sarah’s Silks

Overall, gift wrapping with fabric is easier (and faster) than wrapping with paper as you don’t need tape, ribbon or scissors. In my experience, people react positively to fabric wrapping: children find it extra fancy and adults usually have an ‘aha’ moment, like “hey, what a great idea!” In addition, fabric wrapping is more economical, encourages reuse and repurposing, and is environmentally friendly. Win-win-win! Try it out and please share the idea!

Make sure to check out my Zero Waste Gift Guide, which is great as a zero waste starter kit or for experienced zero wasters. Lots of ideas!

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tuta and coco montreal children art prints

Children’s Art Prints by Tuta & Coco

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On the Christmas of Ro’s second year, a family friend made us and our extended family a custom photo calendar featuring photos of Ro that he’d taken and gathered from family. This was nine years ago when photo calendars were not yet readily available. It was a simple, but very thoughtful gift, and ended up stealing the show Christmas morning. Everyone enjoyed pouring over the photos he’d selected and reminiscing about Ro’s development over the year (children change so much in a year at that age). The calendar was enjoyed that day, and everyday for the rest of the year.

As someone who, for a long time has felt dis-ease with excess and has had a hard time with Christmas mornings, seeing the lovely gifts exchanged and knowing that many will not be loved for long, it struck me how loved the calendar was. So, each year since then we have given this same present to everyone in our family and circle of friends: a photo calendar covering our life in the last year. That’s it. Simple gift, but one they will enjoy the whole year.

I’ve thought more than once that I’d like to make a calendar that features the children’s art work but wasn’t sure how to. This year when I found a local shop, Tuta & Coco, out of Montreal, that produces high-quality prints and paper products from children’s artwork I was really excited to put my idea into print. tuta and coco montreal children art printsWorking with Tuta & Coco was a breeze, I sent them scans of the art work (thank you Dad for scanning all those drawings and paintings!), Tuta & Coco then processed the digital files and emailed me drafts of the calendar until I was happy with it and then they printed it. The work was done.

The hard part came before when I was sifting through and selecting which artwork to include…while I’m minimal in many ways saving my children’s artwork is definitely a weakness. Hashtag understatement of the year.

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

It was a lovely surprise to find when the calendar arrived that each month was it’s own print (separate sheets), the calendar is held together on a small handmade wooden clipboard, so after a month has passed you can continue to enjoy the print off the clipboard (there’s no perforation to ruin the print). The clipboard is a nice clean design. And, in Sen’s opinion the clipboard is “Amazing mama! But, do I have to wait until the end of all these months to use it for me?” Seriously, it is the cutest tiny clipboard!

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

I absolutely love that all aspects of the calendar product will remain useful and loved after the year has gone by. The prints can be taped to the wall, used as postcards or any number of other ways. The clipboard is a fun and functional small size, especially good for children to use, and will be great to bring along in the summer for sketching out in the wild.

One final cool thing with the calendars is that you can start with any month, since each sheet is separate. This means you can give the calendar to anyone (including yourself) starting in any month of the year. Bonus!

You can find Tuta & Coco’s shop here, they ship worldwide. You can also find them on Instagram here and Pinterest here. **This is not a sponsored post, just sharing a cool find 🙂

Tuta & Coco kindly included a favourite piece of artwork from Ro and Sen in their children’s gallery on their site, which the children are pretty proud about!

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

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A Thoughtful Guide to Women’s Gifts

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Suitable for any occasion, any season, these are some excellent gift ideas for women and mothers.

Following up on my Thoughtful Guide to Gifts for Children, I’m sharing a guide to gifts for parents, well, mostly for the women and mothers in your life. I chose these items because they are sustainably made, high quality, and because I know I would use them every day / week and that they would add enjoyment to my life.

I should say that my favourite thing to get as a gift, for any occasion, is always a drawing or piece of artwork from my children. I don’t hope or wish for anything else. A handmade gift, a child’s pure, organic creativity is the absolute best. However, not everyone shares my view, and then there are the basics and some frills that are also nice to have around. So, in the interest of thoughtful acquisition, I’ve pulled together a list of gift ideas that cover all price points and are sure to be well appreciated by the recipient. Women's Gift Guide

  1. Prints of Your Children’s Artwork  –  Ok, not a big surprise that I recommend this! But seriously, I would hang every piece of art work my children’s made if I had the wall space and if I knew the work would sustain the wear, oftentimes the paper is too delicate or I don’t want to put tape on the artwork. I found a company, Tuta & Coco making excellent art prints on sustainably sourced paper, find them here (they also make cards and calendars)
  2. Knit Snood – I absolutely love my snood – a knit neck warmer – from Wooln, it’s hand knit by grandmothers from NYC from ethical wool sources, available in a range of colours, you can find it here, I promise you will love it!
  3. Mala necklace – I have a peaceful mala necklace and I can’t explain how much this has been a blessing in my life, the mala is great for meditation, but also when worn, even on a busy day is a great reminder to slow down, to find a calm moment and be present, the necklace is gorgeous and made from the best materials, you can find my favourite malas here
  4. Storm Overcoat – an extravagant item in my world, but a girl can dream, right?! This gorgeous jacket is made by my favourite women’s line, Ace & Jig, and is available here
  5. Photo prints – shameless plug…photo prints are a nice way to support photographers and artists, and are usually a lower price point in terms of art and wall decor, I have a shop on Big Cartel with photos listed for sale. The floral wreath photo shown has the option to include text, such as a child’s name. I can also list any photos from my blog or Instagram feed if you don’t see what you want, just ask, please visit my shop here
  6. Notebook – a staple in our house, I always have a notebook with me for ideas and another for drawing, I love Mohawk paper products, the quality and environmental standards are first class. Widely available, you can find the notebooks here
  7. ‘Blomster Mandala’ colouring book – by Maria Trolle, gorgeous flower mandalas to colour, good for relaxation and inspiration, you can find it here
  8. Reversible Ace & Jig Meadow blouse – taking capsule wardrobe to a whole new level, this fully-reversible blouse would be a dream addition to my closet, made from ethically manufactured textiles, you can find it here
  9. Wool sweater – this Jumper no 15 from Babaa is gorgeous and I would live in it from fall to spring if I had one, good knits are expensive but so worth the investment, Babaa’s wool is sourced ethically from sheep who are treated well, find the jumper here
  10. Essential oils – I never go a day without using essential oils whether for emotional support, health support or household cleaning. My two favourite blends, and my children agree too, are Balance (think spruce, camomile, vanilla, very calming and restorative) and Citrus Bliss (think citrus vanilla heaven, energizing aroma and delicious in water and smoothies)
  11. Indigo-dyed kitchen linens – daily use items should be well made but also beautiful, adding a little joy to the mundane, I love my indigo-dyed linens from Tafari Designs, you can find them here
  12. Reversible Ace & Jig Ra Ra Midi skirt – again helping to make your capsule wardrobe even more capsule, this reversible skirt is made of gorgeous ethically manufactured fabrics and looks good every season, you can find it here
  13. Lounge/pyjama pants – beautiful and super comfortable, but not so casual you can’t answer the door in them, I love my Punjammies pants, and especially love that sales are used to support women and children who have escaped sexual slavery – awesome! – find the pants here
  14. Playful – a little bit of crafty inspiration is always a good idea, I’ve had my eye on this book by Merrilee Liddiard for a while, her projects are modern, beautiful, made from everyday items and are easily adaptable to your own resources, find it here 
  15. Beeswax food wraps – another every day item that is so beautiful and wholesome that you feel joy every time you use it, these wraps replace disposable plastic wrap (which never biodegrades!) and can be used for an endless variety of things, and I dare say they are more effective than plastic, we love them, find them here, worth every penny!
  16. Wooden spoons and spatulas – everyday kitchen tools should be well made, work well, and beautiful, my favourites are handmade by Park Wood Shop and are available here
  17. Edible treats – I love consumable gifts like edible treats, yoga classes and massages, they are deeply enjoyable and don’t leave you with stuff accumulating in your home. I once had the delight of enjoying a jar of Fare Isle‘s beach plum jam and I can tell you it is so delicious I still think about it one year later, mmm. Find the jam and lots of other edible treats here
  18. Simplicity Parenting – written by Kim John Payne, it is one of my favourite parenting books, taking the perspective of less is more, living connected to the moment and disconnected from technology, being present with your children — the approach advocated applies to all aspects of life, not just our relationship to the children in our life, you can find it here

If you missed it make sure to check out my guide for children’s gifts

xo, Danielle

*FULL DISCLOSURE: I’M NOT COMPENSATED FOR PURCHASES OR CLICKS TO SITES. I’M RECOMMENDING THESE GIFTS BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE EXCELLENT, ETHICAL CHOICES, THEY ARE SUSTAINABLY MADE AND ARE LIKELY TO BE USEFUL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UPDATE: I have recently changed a few links, for books only, to Amazon Affiliate links in an effort to earn commissions and support my work here. Thank you for your support.  

A Thoughtful Guide for Children’s Gifts

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Update: I developed this list for December giving, however it is suitable for any season or occasion, including Valentine’s day and birthdays. 

It’s that time of year when many people are thinking about gifts for the children in their life. So I decided to share my best recommendations in the interest of thoughtful acquisition. We are very minimal when it comes to gifts: for birthdays it’s one gift, for Christmas it’s two gifts. Over the years the children have grown a nice collection of thoughtful toys, books and play things, that are sustainably made, high quality and heirloom worthy. This list is based on our favourites (and a few wish list items) that both Ro (age 10) and Sen (age 4) enjoy now and did so at a younger age too.

 

Full Children's Gift Guide 2015

I didn’t include any clothing on the list because my children get little enjoyment from what they wear, but if you are looking for clothing recommendations, you can always email me or leave a comment, or check my Label Love series of posts, featuring ethically made, sustainable clothing.

  1. Studio Escargot Doll – small, soft loveable dolls that are beautiful but can still be played with, handmade by Sophia Smeekens, available here
  2. Mozartkugel Music Ball – handmade in Germany from sustainable wood sources, this wooden ball contains a wind up music box that plays Mozart, beautiful sound and beautiful to look at, available here
  3. Once Upon a Balloon – written by Bree Galbraith, a story about the magic and whimsy of childhood imagination, widely available, but you can find it here
  4. 12-piece Wooden Rainbow – made by Grimm’s Wooden Toys, this toy is deceptively complex and yet simple enough for a toddler to enjoy, hours of creative fun, available here (note: the entire line of Grimm’s toys is amazing, you can’t really pick something your children won’t love)
  5. Play Silks – hand dyed silk and cotton play scarves and scapes, hours and hours of creative fun, your children will never cease to come up with something new with these scarves, available from Sarah’s Silks here (note: you can’t really go wrong with anything from Sarah’s Silks)
  6. Global Guardian Project Learning Capsules – monthly digital magazine (including videos, podcasts and art downloads) for children and families to learn about global stewardship. Each month features a different country’s wild life, landscape and challenges, and includes art projects, activities, meditation, recipes and more! You can use my discount code: HIPPIEINDISGUISE for 10% off  and find them here
  7. Felt Bee Costume – handmade felt bee wings and mask from Wishing Elephant and Opposite of Far collaboration available here
  8. Ocean Warrior Necklace – handmade necklace made from amber and sterling silver, a reminder of our connection to the health of our waters and planet, from Tribal Dreaming available here
  9. Dancey Pants Disco Doll – sweet homesteading, yet adventurous dolls handmade by Michelle Housel available here (but often sell out quickly, so keep checking)
  10. Felt Vegetables – handmade felt vegetables, a friend of mine made Ro and Sen a set and they have been enjoyed for hundreds of hours, you can find the set shown as well as many others on Etsy from Little Farmer Felt here
  11. Slingshot with Felt Balls – handmade wooden and felt toy, made in Canada from sustainable wood source with eco paints, by Des Enfantillages and available here
  12. Swurfer Swing – handmade wooden surfing swing, watch some videos here to understand how fun and versatile this swing is, available for purchase here
  13. Blank Notebook – always in use for drawing, taking notes, blank notebooks are a staple, but always exciting as a gift, our favourites are from klt:works available here
  14. The ABCs of Homesteading – a fun, beautifully illustrated book with a hand screen printed cover, written and illustrated by McKenzie E. Ditter available here
  15. Jump Rope – handmade adjustable length wood skipping rope, made from sustainable wood and rope, water based paint, in Canada by Des Enfantillages and available here
  16. Toy Camera – handmade wood and recycled bamboo and finished with oil, made by Park Wood Shop available here
  17. Coloured Pencils – our favourite colouring pencils are made by Lyra, beautiful colours and great hand feel, widely available, but you can find them here for sure
  18. Binoculars – handmade wooden toy binoculars made by Fanny and Alexander and available here
  19. Sonya’s Chickens – beautifully illustrated book about love and nurturing, the realities of nature, life and death, written and illustrated by Phoebe Wahl available here
  20. Pencil Case – young artists need to be able to travel easily with their pencils, handmade from upcycled materials and available in a range of styles and colours, made by El Quiltro and available here

My favourite toy shop in Canada is Three Little Monkeys, they are located in downtown Ottawa, but have an amazing online shop and ship everywhere, so check them out.

Check out my Thoughtful Women’s Gift Guide — good for any season or occasion.

*Full disclosure: I’m not compensated for purchases or clicks to sites. I’m recommending these gifts because my children enjoy them, they are durable, sustainably made, and are likely to be kept and passed on to their children. They are heirloom quality gifts that children will thoroughly enjoy, that inspire creativity, open-mindedness, care and nurturing. UPDATE: I have updated some links on this page as Amazon Affiliate links, purchases made from links to Amazon from my site I will receive a small commission for.

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