Wantist: Give Amazing Gifts

Posts by Brittany

Give & Tell

Give & Tell with Bridget Butch (aka BB)

Bridget Butch

Meet Bridget Butch (aka BB). She’s an internet heroine of mine. I’ve been following her blog for years and years, and years. Not to age you, BB, but she’s been sharing link-ity goodness since 2003, which is a long time ago on these here tubes.

BB is a user experience guru (nerd) living in Milwaukee, WI. She has distinct taste, two cats (Oskar and Eva), can’t quit Brooklyn (her home away from home), and enjoys cheese (on an epic level). See? You love her already. Say hello to Bridget as she shares her gifting stories and the gift she really wants from Wantist. (Bet you’ll never guess.)

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The best gift ever? I don’t think I could possibly answer that. Too many people in my life have given me such thoughtful gifts. A few examples that spring to mind:

  • My mom’s given me two quilts that I absolutely love. She knows I have a spectacular weakness for quilts. One is a hand-made lap quilt that a neighbor made for her, and the other is a quilt that she picked up at an estate sale just for me. I absolutely love them. Who wouldn’t like to bundle up on a cold night with a quilt from Mom?
  • When I went to Paris a few years ago my friend, Gretchen, bought me a tube of Mac red lipstick because I couldn’t POSSIBLY go to Paris without perfect red lipstick. Since I’m awed by Gretchen’s ability to wear red lipstick perfectly and for HOURS (seriously – it’s a superpower), it was absolutely the perfect gift from her.
  • My friends, Lorraine and Tina, have both bought me airline tickets to see them when I wasn’t financially able to swing it. As a travel bug, airline tickets are the gift motherlode. I’m always grateful for a chance to travel. Doing it for free puts me over the moon.
  • Every year, my sister, Eileen, gives me Green Bay Packer tickets for my birthday. Packer tickets are nearly impossible to get and very expensive, but she and her hubs have four season tickets. They always take me and a guest to a game, usually in December. It may be incredibly cold, but, if you’ve ever been to Lambeau Field, you know it’s worth the eight layers of clothes.

What’s your favorite reason to celebrate with a gift?

I think the best gifts are the ones you get or give when there’s absolutely no occasion at all. Those are the gifts that really say, “I was thinking of you, and it made me happy.” They’re absolutely heartfelt and so touching. No one buys impulse gifts for someone they feel ambivalent about. Maybe they do on reality TV, but not in my world.
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Gift picks by Bridget Butch

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Besotted Brand Woodcut Stamp for the Newly Wed

Besotted Brand Woodcut Couples Monogram Personalized Stamp

I just had to chuckle when I saw Tristan’s latest addition to her shop, Besotted Brand. It’s a monogram stamp for couples that can be personalized with their Missus and Mister initials. (That’s not the funny part.)

Just like everything from Besotted it’s simple and beautiful. (Not funny either.)

In Tristan’s case, her mister bears the first initial “A” making for a particularly cheeky double entendre. (There it is.)

My dear friend Megan gets married next week and it’s impossible not to have wedding on the brain. When I saw this I immediately thought of her (act surprised M+M!). Weddings are just so lovey and fun. I can’t wait!

I love that this is a gift the couple can use for quite a long time. First for their thank yous—maybe she writes, and he stamps? And all other ways throughout the years.

As the holidays near how fun would it be to stamp initials onto presents and handmade gifts? Friends and family would definitely know which packages were from the newlyweds.

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Snuggle Up with Bold Patterns & Rich Tradition

Pendleton Woolen Mills Tribute Series Blankets

You’d be hard pressed to find someone with a blanket from Pendleton Woolen Mills who doesn’t cherish its luxurious soft wool, hand-touched quality, and while bundled up around the fire, perhaps even its rich history too.

Styles range from traditional plaids to some favorites of mine, the simply-lined National Parks Series. However the bulk of the collections are inspired by the ancient designs and legends of Native Americans.

A visual style not often on my radar, I was surprised at first with how much I was drawn to this recent Tribute Collection. This series pays homage to the four major mills in addition to Pendleton, that produced these dazzling blankets during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The bold colors and patterns were characteristic of the mills—like the hot pink color common to Racine blankets and the dramatic designs of Capps and Sons.

It’s wonderful to look at these and see how seamlessly such traditional designs could incorporate with the modern world’s love of color and pattern. These are a cuddle-up must-have, best loved shared. Do you have a favorite?

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J. Capps and Sons Tribute BlanketRacine Woolen Mills Tribute #2J. Capps and Sons Tribute Blanket #2Buelle Manufacturing Co. Tribute Blanket

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Well hello hello, fellow fellow

fellow fellow flag gift tag in neon pink and kraft paper
Who knew it was possible to love a simple gift tag so much?

I recently discovered fellow fellow and can confidently say I want everything in Claire’s pretty little shop. The feathers, the banners, the neon, the kraft paper! It’s just joyous.

That is all. Happy Friday!

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fellow fellow feather gift tags blue and pinkfellow fellow pink flag tagsfellow fellow feather gift tags in pinkfellow fellow feather gift tagsfellow fellow gold flag tagfellow fellow white flag tag in red paper flower

Give & Tell

Give & Tell with Arjun Basu

Arjun Basu

When Arjun Basu gave Twitter a try three years ago, his first tweet wasn’t the usual mic check. Instead he wrote a story, edited it to 140 characters, and hit send. Intrigued and inspired by the limitations, Arjun’s stories, coined Twisters, now number in the thousands.

In addition to these pithy slices of life, Arjun has also authored Squishy, a book of short stories, and his first novel is currently making the rounds with publishers. Today he shares his own gift-giving stories with you, without any character limits. Thanks Arjun!

What are the best gifts you’ve given or received?

I think, first, gifts are situational. An amazing gift can quickly become useless. The idea of a gift is relative. For my last birthday I received socks among other things. Very funky socks. I have a sock problem (meaning, I love socks too much). I admit this. And my wife fed that problem. I was thrilled. Five years ago, I might have looked at the socks and asked “what are you, my mother?” In that same batch of gifts, I recieved the new Momofuku cookbook. Again, I was thrilled. Wait, I may have mixed up two different gift giving events. Good gifts kind of blur together…. Now, because of what I’ve just said, I have no idea what the best gift I’ve ever given was. I’m trying very very hard not to make a crude joke right here. But it’s very hard. I need to step away for a second.

What’s your favorite reason to celebrate with a gift?

I don’t think gifts need occasions. I mean, yes, a birthday without a gift is literally a day without sunshine but if I see something I like, I buy it. And it becomes a gift. Mainly I hate shopping. I hate the physical act of shopping, whether that means going to a store or even perusing the internet. That said, I love buying stuff on the internet that I come across by accident. Because then, I’m not “shopping.” I’m pretty sure I totally didn’t answer that question.
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Arjun's Picks on Wantist