Gifted Guide: A Show & Tell

Remember show and tells?

I’m sure you’ve received countless emails about what to gift for whom and why. This is my feature of things I’ve gifted or received this year. I’m not telling you the Dos and Don’ts, the Whys and Why Nots, it’s my grown up version of show and tell and if it inspires you to gift a friend or add it to your wishlist, it’s all yours.

My design: I was born the year of the rabbit and my inspiration came from the hand-painted tableware that originates from the Amalfi Coast. Take inspiration from Vietri or Piccola Home.

I bought these online to gift myself and Kay last Christmas from DIY Art in a Box, and we finally painted them this year. Because so much time had passed, I wasn’t able to send them back to fire the bowls, and I also discovered they don’t sell these kits anymore. You can order kits similar to these, but the point is this gift produces time spent together painting these however you’d like, in the comfort of your home, with a glass of wine.

I then found a Color Me Mine and they graciously fired these bowls for me and only charged the $13 firing fee per bowl.

Go simple, like Kay’s, even these two tones can be exquisite when you choose your own colors.

What good is a bowl you painted if you don’t have something delicious to place in it? “Tin to Table” is the cookbook that reminds you not to sleep on fish in a can. Turn tinned seafood into easy, delicious meals like a smoked mackerel dip or pasta with sardines. Hezel also shares tips on picking the best tins and pairing them with drinks, aka anju 안주.

I love walking through Tin Building, there’s always something gorgeous to look at. I spent some time admiring the analogous colors used for this pasta packaging. When I searched the color theory of this combination, I found that “purple and red creates a visually harmonious palette, often associated with luxury, sophistication, and a sense of energy balanced with calmness due to the combination of red's vibrancy and blue's serenity.” But also, what great usage of the pasta names in this bold sans-serif typeface.

I can assure you that the aesthetics of this packaging does not take away from the actual product, the pasta. Molino e Pastificio began in 1911 in Poschiavo, Switzerland. They make their products with healthy, natural, raw ingredients and grind their wheat on-site. Then they use their fresh mountain spring water in every mix to make some of the most flavorful pastas.

Here I am, enjoying the colder days.

Something I got for myself just last month. Kay got this coat first, and as soon as I tried it on, I found it online and purchased it. It feels like an accomplishment when you find a long puffer coat that is nice to look at and functional.

The one I’m wearing is still available here (L), here’s a shorter version with a hood on their site or here again (R)

Arthur is one of the best painters I know, and his pieces can go for . Good news is that you can still purchase his artwork for a reasonable price from his merch shop.

I’m sharing this one, because I want this for myself (I’ll let you know when I get it).

“I don’t bring something that the hostess feels…that they need to serve,” said the Barefoot Contessa in an Instagram video posted by @pastrywithjenn. “…I’ll bring good tea; you know, something they’ll enjoy another time.” I felt this was a refreshing take on how to gift the host(s) when you’re invited to their home.

A host gift to consider is Méshil, because not only does it work as a tea, it’s a versatile healthy, organic extract to drink hot or cold, and works as a digestion aid. Meet Jake, the founder of Méshil here.

Personalize your gift with a message on keepsake notecards or postcards, like these ones I got from Bowne & Co. Stationers, a gift and letterpress print shop at the South Street Seaport Museum.

I also grabbed this novelty Fortune Teller Miracle Fish at the same print shop. It’s a plastic red fish that curls up in different positions to determine what your fortune is. I don’t recall seeing this when I was a child, so it was a cute pick-me-up to have a laugh with friends.

I leave you with a common, but widely loved, pretty packaged, hand cream selection.

From top left, counter clockwise: Aesop now has three hand balm scents, Tamburins is a beauty and fragrance brand based in South Korea, Biafine is a French Pharmacie staple. It’s considered a medication cream, but loved by beauty aficionados for its soothing and healing benefits for the skin. There are two types of tube squeezers in this world, rollers and squeezers. Hey, I’m the roller.

Merry Christmas everyone.

With love,
Rebecca