Simple Gifts that make a Big Impact
Love Gifts
It takes effort to create unique and innovative love gifts. It all goes back to the idea that any effort worth making is worth making with thought and meaning. Here are some ideas for simple love gifts that can make a big impact.
Ideas for Gifts of Love
• Gather gifts over time at flea markets, vintage stores, art supply shops, and antique malls so that you always have something special at hand in your gifts drawer.
• Group together a few small gifts to tell a story. You can do it by creating a theme, like vases of flowers, or all things cashmere. You can also create a gift based on color, for example a white ironstone platter with white soap and a fluffy white towel. Join small gifts with a common motif such as butterflies or birds. Being an ocean-lover, I once received a very special gift of a porcelain shell dish with hand-painted shells and a vintage book on shells. Appropriate gifts for a man can be a challenge, but be on the lookout for elements of dark wood. A themed gift communicates the message that you’ve thought about the receiver’s personality and made an effort.
• Create inspirational gifts for those people who have had a meaningful effect on your life. Be creative. Look for an item that symbolizes the idea that ‘life is precious,’ or ‘salt of the earth,’ or ‘offering a helping hand,’ then add an encouraging love note centred on that thought.
• Remember that the presentation of love gifts is almost as important and meaningful as the gift itself. Consider presenting a gift in beautiful vintage boxes. Nestle your gifts in soft tulle and decorate the wrapping with ribbons of silk, satin or velvet and dried or fresh flowers.
• Collect wrappings over time and recycle paper and ribbons, both for the sake of our planet and to acquire a potpourri of different items and styles. You never know when you will be able to use something again. Besides, it’s good to have something on hand for unplanned occasions.
• Mix the everyday with the beautiful, for example a gift wrapped in plain black-and-white newspaper, but tied with a wide, silky ribbon in a soft color. • Remember that not every gift has to be wrapped. For example, clothing can look spectacular on a decorated hanger.
• The final element of the gift is the card, which should be as meaningful as possible. The thought of making cards can be overwhelming, but the creative process can actually be quite therapeutic if you’re that way inclined. You can use anything from plain paper cards to photographs. Scraps of fabric, ribbons and even feathers make for spectacular love notes and cards. Personalized cards are considered treasures by most.
