Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / crafts / Gifts & Giving Thanks

Gifts & Giving Thanks

November 24, 2010 at 10:30 am by Claudia

Thanksgiving always brings a flurry of activity, doesn’t it? Around MHC, we stay low key. We try to be thankful every day – of course, it’s easier to be thankful when everything is going well. We’ve had our share of adversity here this year. The challenge is in staying thankful despite the stress, loss and worry. Since we don’t eat turkey or meat, our dinner will be side dishes. They’re always my favorites. Mashed potatoes and biscuits and yams and green beans and cranberries – yum!

Elyse sent me a box full of goodies for my birthday. I thought I’d share a few photos with you.

This is what I saw when I opened the box. Definitely my colors!

These pretties were inside the pretty pink flowered box.

And I opened this sweetly wrapped package to find these:

I can’t wait to play with everything. Thank you, Elyse!

A few weeks back, I sent a little gift to Elyse as a thank you for her friendship and constant support of my writing and this blog. I made another Boite de Vignette, inspired by a comment Elyse made on one of my posts. She liked one of my figurines and I realized it looked rather like her gnome-like tinkerer.

Now, I know I’m a rank amateur at all this. I’m learning….very slowly.

So be kind.

This is the outside of the box. I wanted it to look like a door into Elyse’s tinkered world.

This is what you see when the box is opened. I used the background on E’s blog, some ribbon, the tinkerer and lots of glitter. My first foray into the world of glitter, by the way. Martha Stewart glitter.

I would love to make more of these in the future: creating little worlds inside a box that are specific to each giftee. I don’t know…maybe that’s silly. This form of creating is new to me and I am sometimes so intimidated by what I see my fellow bloggers create. The talent in blogland is amazing and humbling.

But you never know what you can do until you try, right?

Filed Under: crafts, Fellow bloggers, gifts 39 Comments

Comments

  1. Brynwood Needleworks says

    November 24, 2010 at 10:59 am

    Your gift to Elyse is beautiful and heartfelt, Claudia…and she rewarded you in kind.
    Happy Thanksgiving, my friend.
    xoxo
    Donna

    Reply
  2. Jan M says

    November 24, 2010 at 11:37 am

    The little gnome world in a box is precious! MS glitter is amazing stuff. I could easily get carried away with it!
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and thank you for being a part of creative and friendly blogland!

    Reply
  3. Beansieleigh says

    November 24, 2010 at 11:49 am

    Oh my goodness!.. no doubts, no worries about these sweet little shadow boxes you plan to make, Claudia! I can’t wait to see MORE!! This one is beautiful!… Wishing you and yours a blessed and very Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy! ~tina

    Reply
  4. Karyn Bernard (French Charming) says

    November 24, 2010 at 11:54 am

    Hi Sweet Claudia,

    I LOVE the box you made for Elyse it is fabulous!! The detail and elements are magical.

    What a fabulous box of goodies Elyse sent you…don’t you just love getting surprises like that?

    Happy day to you Sweet Friend,
    Karyn

    Reply
  5. Susy says

    November 24, 2010 at 12:09 pm

    I think your glitter-venture turned out great. What fun. And Elyse’s gift box of goodies is the ultimate in pretty. uber-pretty (: happy thanksgiving

    Reply
  6. Maryjane-The Beehive Cottage says

    November 24, 2010 at 12:33 pm

    Your gift exchanges are both so darling and very thought out! Sweet tinkered goodness! So glad you had a wonderful birthday!

    Love,
    Maryjane

    Reply
  7. stefanie says

    November 24, 2010 at 1:00 pm

    so sweet!!!

    Reply
  8. brsmaryland says

    November 24, 2010 at 1:06 pm

    Claudia,
    The talent in blogland IS amazing and it CAN be intimidating. However, your little world inside a box is equally amazing! So sweet, so thoughtful and not silly in the least. I think you hit on a wonderful gift idea.
    Have a very happy side dish Thanksgiving!
    hugs,
    Beth

    Reply
  9. Heidi Ann says

    November 24, 2010 at 1:08 pm

    I, too, am so inspired by what my fellow bloggers create. I love your little door into Elyse’s world. It’s the sweetest thing.
    Indeed, it is true that you never know what you can do until you try – and I really just have to start trying harder – and more often.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  10. Olive Cooper says

    November 24, 2010 at 3:01 pm

    …just darling…

    Reply
  11. Tallulah Belle says

    November 24, 2010 at 3:09 pm

    Have a great thanksgiving both of you xxxx

    Love the Vignette, not at all amateur.

    Reply
  12. Rizzi says

    November 24, 2010 at 3:25 pm

    LOVE ALL YOUR GIFTS FROM ELYSE, YOU CAN CREATE SO MUCH…….
    YOUR SHADOW BOX IS ADORABLE, I MADE A FEW IN MY DAY….THEY ARE FUN. I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE ONE OF LITTLE WOMEN, MAYBE SOMEDAY. HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING, WE HAVE TURKEY, BUT I LOVE, THE SIDE DISHES TOO.
    RIZZI

    Reply
  13. Createology says

    November 24, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    Love your new photo! A very Happy Birthday to you my dear. Love what you made for Elyse. Never doubt your creativity or capability. A warm and plentiful Thanksgiving to you and yours…

    Reply
  14. Norma says

    November 24, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    Your gifts from and to Elyse are lovely, and the idea of making those individualised little boxes isn’t silly at all!!

    BTW your new photo is soooo pretty!!

    I wish you a happy Thanksgiving, and a year to come full of many things to be truly thankful for :)

    Reply
  15. Sabiha Barkey says

    November 24, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    I know how nice it is to receive as much as give away a present from and to a friend! Beautiful gifts you both received!

    Sabihax

    Reply
  16. cindy @ cottage instincts says

    November 24, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    How perfectly sweet! Love all those florals….and her packaging was so pretty, detail after detail…

    I happen to think your tinker box for her is fabulous! Lots of sweet touches. It’s hard not to be intimidated by some of the bloggers out there, but your style is beautiful Claudia! I love your house, how you put your little things together….there’s meaning in so much of everything in your home, and I admire not only your talent, but your heart that is seen via this blog every post. :)

    PS..I like the side dishes best too! I don’t eat turkey either.

    Reply
  17. debi says

    November 24, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    Aren’t packages from Elyse just the sweetest? She really knows how to pack a fun gift!

    And speaking of fun gifts….I LOVE the little vignette box you made for her!!! What a wonderful and thoughtful gift! Beautiful!!!

    Reply
  18. Dorthe says

    November 24, 2010 at 5:38 pm

    Claudia, first I have to tell you,you looks so lovely without your glasses,too.
    The little sweet tinker box, is wonderfull, you made a beautifull gift for your friend,-and she send you, so many great things to play with.
    I wish you a happy thanksgiving.
    Hugs, Dorthe

    Reply
  19. Rella says

    November 24, 2010 at 6:42 pm

    I love, love, love your new photo!! It’s so sweet. Happy Thanksgiving, minus the turkey Ms. C…….

    xox Rella

    Reply
  20. KATHY says

    November 24, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    Hi Claudia, What lovely gifts!!
    Happy Thanksgiving.

    Kathy

    Reply
  21. June says

    November 24, 2010 at 8:06 pm

    Claudia, I bet Elyse is in love with her beautiful little altered box. I think this is one of the many blessings of blogging, sharing our creations with others and inspiring each other to do things we probably would never have tried before in our wildest dreams. I haven’t done much altered art, but I really want to. Your gifts from Elyse will be so fun to dive into and use in your next little boxes.
    Oh I just love the new picture of you you on your sidebar! So pretty!
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving sweetie.
    Hugs to you…

    Reply
  22. June says

    November 24, 2010 at 8:06 pm

    Claudia, I bet Elyse is in love with her beautiful little altered box. I think this is one of the many blessings of blogging, sharing our creations with others and inspiring each other to do things we probably would never have tried before in our wildest dreams. I haven’t done much altered art, but I really want to. Your gifts from Elyse will be so fun to dive into and use in your next little boxes.
    Oh I just love the new picture of you you on your sidebar! So pretty!
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving sweetie.
    Hugs to you…

    Reply
  23. izzy57 says

    November 24, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    Love your new photo, you look amazing! I am pretty sure Elyse will love her gift, it’s so sweet.

    Reply
  24. Elyse says

    November 24, 2010 at 8:28 pm

    hi claudia!

    just took the apple pie out of the oven and am about to begin packing and then remembered – i’ve got to check claudia’s blog today! so glad i did.

    i love the personalized gift you made me. there’s so much creativity in blogland but let’s both be inspired rather than intimidated (i get the same way).

    i’m so happy you like the assortment of goodies i sent to you. even the purple “meople”

    okay — much to do. wishing you a happy and yummy and healthy thanksgiving!!

    xo
    elyse

    Reply
  25. Elyse says

    November 24, 2010 at 8:29 pm

    ps

    am loving the new profile pic!

    xo

    Reply
  26. NanE says

    November 24, 2010 at 9:33 pm

    Hi Claudia! First, I love your new profile pic, very pretty! And I love that little box, boy these have so many possibilities. Have a wonderful, turkey-less Thanksgiving, :), Nan

    Reply
  27. Brenda Kula says

    November 24, 2010 at 9:47 pm

    It’s beautiful, Claudia! So Elyse! I love that photo you’ve added to your sidebar. Perhaps it was here last time I visited and I didn’t notice. But your smile in this photo is just radiant. I will be home crafting tomorrow, making ornaments. As I’ve been doing for two days. Happy Thanksgiving, my dear and beloved friend!
    Brenda

    Reply
  28. Terri says

    November 24, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    What a lovely gift you have made! I love everything about it!

    Happy Thanksgiving to you.
    I am thank full for you!
    Hugs,
    Terri

    Reply
  29. Jill says

    November 24, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    The sweet little altered box that you made for Elyse is so enchanting! Love it!
    Hugs,
    Jill

    Reply
  30. Linda says

    November 25, 2010 at 1:37 am

    I love the whimsical little box you made, Claudia! It’s charming! And how fun to receive all the goodies, too! I understand how you are feeling…it’s like really putting yourself out there when you post artwork, but I have found bloggers to be very supportive of each other, and we all have our own style!

    Reply
  31. Celestina Marie Designs says

    November 25, 2010 at 2:03 am

    Hi Claudia,
    Your gifts are wonderful and the gift you made is darling too. Love it all and how fun to receive such a great box of goodies. I bet Elyse felt the same way.
    Best wishes to you for a wonderful Thanksgiving. Your side dishes will be so yummy!

    Thank you for stopping by. I am having a giveaway for Christmas if you’d like to enter. The drawing is the 10th of Dec.

    Yes, I do remember waiting for a counter seat at Sanders. Remember the cakes with the nuts of the side? oh and the butter creme icing! It was a wonderful place.

    Happy Thanksgiving.
    Hugs, Celestina Marie

    Reply
  32. birdie blue says

    November 25, 2010 at 9:14 am

    so sweet!

    love your new profile pic, too.

    have a fantastic thanksgiving, claudia.

    xo
    ~molly

    Reply
  33. Lisa says

    November 25, 2010 at 9:36 am

    What lovely gifts you sweet girls made! How fun to get such lovelies! Enjoy your Thanksgiving is sounds yummy!!!
    Hugs, Lisa

    Reply
  34. AshTreeCottage says

    November 25, 2010 at 1:00 pm

    Adorable!!! Happy Thanksgiving dear Claudia!!!

    Lots of love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

    Reply
  35. Andy's Attic says

    November 25, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    You have a very sweet blog. I learned about it from Spence at Bellamere Cottage. Happy belated Birthday. Mine was the 20th and judging from the charm bracelet we must be about the same age. Happy Thanksgiving,
    Annette

    Reply
  36. My White Home says

    November 26, 2010 at 12:57 am

    pretty items!! :)

    Reply
  37. Privet and Holly says

    November 26, 2010 at 8:58 am

    I definitely think
    that you are on to
    something….Keep
    listening to your
    heart and follow it!
    I’m sure Elyse will
    love her little world
    in a box!
    xx Suzanne

    Reply
  38. Kerrie says

    November 26, 2010 at 11:51 am

    I love the box!! My wheels are turning, cannot wait to make one, yours is beautiful!

    Reply
  39. Pansy Cottage Girl says

    November 28, 2010 at 2:57 am

    That Elyse is a gem! Enjoy your goodies.

    Reply
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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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