crystal luxmore

A-59538

Originally uploaded by Art Matters.

In line ups, small circles and the middle of a packed dance floor, flappers and their dapper chaps slipped, tripped and fell to the ground. Performance art was just a small but memorable piece of the Massive Party Speakeasy at the AGO this year.

just chillin

Originally uploaded by crystalluxmore.com.

So my friend Sharon Galea told me awhile back that I should consider having a signature present that I give to each of my friends at their wedding showers. I thought this was a wholly ridiculous idea — as are the idea of showers themselves of course — until I thought about it a little more. Showers are unavoidable here in Canada, and so is giving gifts, but having a signature present means you don’t have to think of something thoughtful and seemingly unique — nor do you have to get to The Bay before all the good stuff is gone off the registry.

My signature gift? Beach towels. (It doesn’t work so well if the couple is honeymooning in the arctic… but thankfully most of my friends prefer sun).

And I’ve begun doing the same thing for baby showers. My signature gift? Homemade sock monkeys!!!!!!!! I love these. And so far the ladies at the shower have too… perhaps it’s the signature touches, like the pearl earring on Junior here and the scarf that I braided out of a T-shirt that we all wore for Sharon’s stagette a couple of years back… Or, more likely, perhaps it’s the novelty of homemade – and therefore – thoughtful gifts at showers these days. Whatever the case, my fears over being perceived as cheap (I’m not, just really quite broke these days) have been lifted.

I’ll admit there are a few people who think these are ugly. Really ugly. People like my sister Jenn for example, who muttered to “never give them to my kids.” Alas, my nephews Christmas presents are now instantly sorted too. I love this new organized approach to gift giving.