So I just finished up at holiday market Shiny Fuzzy Muddy and it was such a wonderful event. The people who participate in this particular show have honed their craft over many years and it really shows. Makes sense too when you consider that the core group of artists
,
,
and
started the collective in 2003 and are still going strong.
This got me to thinking a lot about the value of labor and the lifelong commitment to learning that’s required to achieve the level of skill I saw for example, with my show neighbours Shannon from
in Fort St John and Julie of
on Saltspring Island, that can easily be taken for granted. Just take a look at these gorgeous mugs by Karen. The form is beautiful but in addition she worked hard on the ergonomics of the unusual handle grip so it’s not only lovely to look at but super comfortable to hold (oh ya, and did I mention gorgeous??).
I remember a great story I heard about a woman who met Picasso – she asked for a drawing and he made her something on the spot, then told her that the price would be $40,000 or some other equally high amount. She was baffled and said “but it only took 10 minutes” to which he replied, “no madame, it took me 40 years”. I can’t vouch for the veracity of the details but you get the point – expertise is something acquired over a longterm commitment to the building of any skill, be it construction, software engineering or art.
And so this got me to thinking about time and how we “spend” it – it’s the one thing that we’re all short of, and the one thing that can’t ever be replaced by money. If you’re going to buy gifts for someone I think art or handmade will always be a great choice. But if you really want to communicate your love for someone you can also give the thoughtful gift of your time in a way that’s truly meaningful. So here are 5 ideas for gifts you can give that are free or don’t cost much with an investment of your very precious time.
• Frame some photos or make a photo book: we all take a gazillion photos these days but they tend to stay in the digital realm. Take advantage of super cheap photo printing to print up some pictures (London Drugs is great!) and collage in a frame or you can easily make a gorgeous photo book with online platforms like Shutterfly or Blurb. I think that this is a great gift for anyone from kids to partners to grandparents – it’s such a lovely way to give a reminder of happy times or mark a kids growth over the year.
• Clear your schedule and offer a completely uninterrupted day of one-on-one time with your friend/partner/kid/parent. Lets face it when does this really ever happen in our busy lives? What if you started the day with a lovely breakfast at home, went out for a walk in the woods with a big flask of hot chocolate and some sandwiches, or went swimming at your local pool (for grownups read hit the hot tub/sauna) then went to the library and got out some great books or a movie then picked up a sweet treat and hung out without having to rush off, take a call or finish a chore. Make the recipient of your gift their favourite meal for dinner and curl up on the couch together to watch a movie or read a book. Whatever their favourite thing is rules the day. That kind of attention will make anyone feel special and loved.
• Baking! Take the time to make someone’s favourite treat – maybe you ice cookies with their name or write lovely messages on them. Then make the effort to package beautifully – things don’t have to cost a lot. Maybe you repurpose a box you already have or draw designs on plain wrapping paper and personalize with their name and some sprigs from your garden or some paper flowers.
• Make something!! Knit a scarf or a hat! If you’re fancy maybe some mittens..! Sew a pillow, repurpose some jeans pockets into a purse, make a cute banner with the kids names on it, dip dye a pillowcase set, sew a cape onto a t-shirt, decorate mason jars with chalkboard paint and fill with hot chocolate mix – check out
for zillions of ideas.
• Give the gift of your time – offer your time to babysit, housesit, dogsit, clean someone’s house and make them a meal, sit with them and read, take a grandparent on an outing – whatever would make the person you’re gifting super happy. You can make a lovely card with a “certificate” offering your services. As a parent without family around I can vouch that there is frankly very little that can top the gift of babysitting.
Want some more inspiration? Check out this great article by blogger Liz Evans with
to make but just might be priceless.
Happy holidays everyone.
Stephanie Symns heads up Antipod Workshop, a design studio with a focus on bold textiles for the home. If you’d like to know about upcoming textile workshops in Antipod’s Vancouver studio please sign up to the newsletter. You can learn more about Stephanie, her work and make purchases online on
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