I’ll have to preface this – I really did try to put together a collection that would apply to a range of gentlemen. But perhaps my own inclination ended up making it for the sum of guys with beards who live in the South. Oh well.
There are many different types of southern belles, but you can bet that all of them love things cozy, handmade, or sentimental. She’s grounded by her roots and traditions, but is never afraid of a little adventure (or a little gold). A true romantic at heart, she would also appreciate the even-more-difficult-task of the homemade gift. If you decide to go this route, stick to something sweet and simple like pie in a jar.
The overachiever loves things that keep her world organized, bright, clean, and optimistic. This means fun desk stuff, cool calendars or motivational posters, and beautifully functional accessories.
The artist appreciates all things cool, unique, handmade, or one of a kind. This can often be the most difficult person to buy gifts for mainly because of their diverse aesthetic interests. Your best bets are stunning coffee table books (you know, the really heavy kind), fun art supplies, or just something cozy for them to wear while they craft.
You can now shop my prints! Check out the “shop” tab above and start building your Christina Kwan collection. This is my very very first online shop and I’m so excited to have these prints going out for the holiday season.
If you have any questions about purchasing and/or shipping, feel free to email me at christina@tideandbloom.com … Can’t wait for you to have a piece of my heart in your home.
Pretty self-explanatory, I think. The girly girl loves to indulge in the luxurious and is not afraid to dress it up a little. She loves things that make her feel glamorous, like she’s wearing a little piece of heaven.
Such a simple thing, right? WRONG. So wrong. Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do is to give a great and thoughtful gift. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve been told I’m pretty darn good at it. There’s really nothing better than seeing a person open your gift and truly love it (without any hint of faking it). It’s so cheesy, but it just feels good. Like really and genuinely good to know that you could put a true smile on someone’s face and that they would actually use and love the things you chose for them.
I’ve decided to spill some of my secrets and build you my own series of gift guides according to the personality and style of that special lady you intend to surprise. Each guide will have a variety of price points and a mixture of small batch crafts with easy big box fillers. I’ll admit, a lot of them will probably have an Atlanta bias (gotta support my locals), but I’m sure whatever city you are in you can find comparable local artisans to help fill those gaps. Above everything else though, I always follow one basic principle:
Get her/him something you know she/he will love, but doesn’t have (or know about) yet.
My dear Wikipedia tells me:
A Dopp kit is a small toilet bag, made of leather, vinyl, or cloth, that is used for storing men’s grooming tools for travel. The name derives from early 20th century leather craftsman Charles Doppelt, a German immigrant to the United States, who invented his toiletry case in 1919. The kits became widely known during the Second World War when they were issued to GIs. Dopp kits were once a common gift given to adolescent males as they ascended from boyhood to adulthood.
While ours is not an official dopp kit, the traditional shape served as our inspiration to create these multi-use travel pouches. They are all unique and hand-painted, a great size for makeup, pens, jewelry… whatever daily tools you need to get by.
These are currently available at Crafted Westside’s holiday pop-up shop at Westside Provisions, as well as available for custom order. If you’re interested in ordering one, please email me at christina@tideandbloom.com!
What would you use yours for?
If I had more money, it would be spent SO well. While I know it’s super tempting (and also a necessary evil) to be a part of the hordes rushing to the big box stores for the holidays, it can often feel so clinical and nerve-wracking to say the least. To get a gift that’s really special, I suggest you visit some smaller businesses to find that special something. One such shop here in the A would be Ponce Living by Tracery Interiors.
I stopped into this little holiday pop-up since it was so conveniently located next to one of my favorite coffee roasters and found a little treasure trove of delights.