The Art of Gifting...
I am constantly challenged by finding an appropriate gift for my wife..and my mom too, while were at it. I try to find unique things..and I even made one of her necklaces.
I am lucky to have found Jonara Blu's blog..as she and her sis make some pretty creative jewlery..and to top it off, are in Maui, where I got married..so it has an extra appeal. Theres some pretty snazzy stuff, and I wish I could get about 10 items they have..some of which are already pending sales unfortunately. But I certainly do not need 10 bracelets..nor do I want to spend $500 at the moment.
So far, I have bought my wife 4 necklaces..of which she wears 3 and is too lazy to fix one. I have also got her 2 or 3 bracelets. 3 pairs of earrings. And lets not forget to count about 5 or 6 rings. And 2 watches. Countless bouquets of flowers..some of which were actually out of love and not because I was a bad boy. I also did buy her a maxed-out Cuisinart..and before you say anything, she had made it quite clear on numerous occasions that she desperately wanted one. Ok, I also took her to Maui for her birthday when we were not even engaged. And I put up a decent portion of the funds to take her to Europe too, so there :P
For our wedding we actually received a re-gift. Now I know we have all received re-gifts from time to time..and possibly even given one or two out..and I am not talking about at a "White Elephant Xmas Party". No, we received Nambe Salt & Pepper shakers from a family friend I have known for over 30 years. Normally, most Nambe stuff is actually kind of stylish and can appeal to many people. These however, are mariachi maraca shaped and you are supposed to shake your pepper and salt out at your food (I am assuming without the corresponding mariachi sound effects). Ok, an ugly item, but maybe not a re-gift you say? Maybe just..poor..judgement on taste? Well, the give-away was the thank you card left inside from the previous owner of the item! So, needless to say, it was a real pain to try to return them, since they were purchased from a store not in California..etc...and after much debate, they were sold on eBay.
So, I am not a fan of giving gifts that I think might be re-gifted (or simply thrown away or never used).
So what do you guys think..is Jonara Blu's stuff cool and fun (albeit not necessarily super elegant) jewelry? Too homemade looking? Beautiful? Too island-like? To me, much of it looks like a good spring or summer piece..the ankletes and necklaces and bracelets..most are very pretty. But I can always use a woman's opinion :)
7 Comments:
Hey Josh,
Did you find Jonara blu's jewelry on my site? I think your wife would love the gift. Her jewelry is so spontaneous and creative. I love the island accents. If she is like other women she will love jewelry of any type :)
As far as re-gifting goes...I think it's ok if you tell the person "I got this as a gift and I want you to have it because I think you would like it."
Thanks for visiting my site.
Katie
I think it's a cute idea to get her something that would remind her of where you got married. I got married in Hawaii too, by the way. But the present totally depends on her taste too. Like does she wear mostly silver or gold. This is at least really important to me when it comes to jewelry. I don't like the way gold looks on me. Also pay attention to the little things she says when she sees something on TV or in a store window. That's always been the most impressive thing for me is when a guy remebers that walk weeks ago when I said "Oh, that's a pretty bracelet". Just some thoughts.
Wow! Thanks for mentioning me in your blog :) You know, agnieszka is right when it comes to certain tastes in jewelry. A woman can be very particular about the gold/silver thing. Some like both though. It sounds like you have bought your wife a lot of jewelry in the past, so pay attention to which pieces she is wearing and ask yourself questions like: Does she wear simple pieces or does she like bright outspoken pieces? Does she like classic, or something a little more artsy? As for the silver/gold aspect in my own creations..most of that is very subdued with the natural beauty of the stones, pearls, and shells being the main focus. I do have some that will have 14k gold filled clasp and wire wrapping on a pendant. However, if I have precious metal accents on anything, it is usually silver. One thing I do think she will appreciate is the sentimentality of you getting her something from the place you were married at. That's incredibly romantic and thoughtfull. And I'm saying that as a married woman, not as the owner of a small beaded jewelry business in maui ;-)
regifting...I would say no..but I agree with ktbugs way about it..being totally honest about stuff is always super cool. If it can be done that way and there is no way the person who orginally gave it can get thier feelings hurt..then sure..but be very careful about leaving the original gift card..that is way tacky! Can you imagine how embarrassed that person would have been if they knew they did that?!
Wow! I think these ladies said it all. I totall agree with them. You are such a thoughtful guy! I love Jonara Blu's jewelry. I think sentimental gifts are the best.
I actually like it as well. And I am a very traditional person when it comes to jerelry. Different stuff is good sometimes. My favorite one I saw when i glanced through is the third one down that is laid in a spiral.
Beautiful pieces! Jewelry is a tricky gift, but if this is the style of the women in your life, go for it, because they are truly lovely.
The regift story was hilarious! I love tackiness in all its varieties - the thank you card inside! How fab!
Something tells me you pay attention to the fine details. A guy who buys jewelry for his wife without first getting her opinion is cool...um and a risk taker! ha. Plus, that jewery is pretty!
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