The Great Gift Challenge
Tue, 8 Dec 2009
It's the final week of the Great Gift Challenge. For the last three weeks Kim and I have had the "arduous" task of joining forces with Martha Stewart and eBay to find the perfect Christmas gifts for loved ones. I have had so much fun and found so many cool eBay sellers. This week's budget for the gift is $300 (excluding shipping). Hello eBay!!!! Let me loose. This could be dangerous. The recipient of my eBay hunting is Donna, a wonderful friend and soon to be bride. She and her long time main squeeze Alan are taking the loving spirit of the holidays just a touch further than most of us by marrying on New Year's Eve. So with $300 in my virtual hand it just had to be a very special wedding present.
I've been helping D & A renovate their apartment so I have an idea of what they like and I think I found it. Ever since I saw Grace from Design*Sponge upholster a headboard with an Otomi Indian embroidery I fell in love with these beautiful hand worked textiles. So did Donna when I showed her the D*S post. Light bulb moment! The hunt was on.
I bought this silver grey otomi from Mexican Textiles Museum Store. $255 USD. Lesson number one. Photos on eBay often do no justice to the item and colours on monitors are never right. Lesson number two. Things are never quite the size you imagine them. I thought it would be bigger but it's the size it says it is. Shipping was super fast and OMG it's gorgeous. I just want to run my hands over the silky satin stitches. I did have one problem though. I still had $45 left to spend. I tried my hand at a couple of auctions for suzanis. I know I know. Fad fabric but I still love it. When the auctions went above $45 I had to come up with another plan and fast. The wedding is 3 weeks away.
So I bought these. Three Turkish kilim pillows with just a touch of the "it" colour orange. They are from this store and are on their way from Turkey now. Fingers crossed they get here in time. Hardest thing was choosing which ones. There are hundreds and I love them all. The seller also has patchwork Turkish rugs. Just wish the shipping wasn't so high to Australia. Actually lucky otherwise I'd be buying too much! If all things suzani still have you tingling then take a look here. I've got my eye on a few things there for my own place.
How to wrap my treasures? I think I'll use brown paper and tie them with string. Add a couple of stars and hearts to tie in Christmas, New Year's and a wedding and reluctantly hand them over (I want them myself!). If you're a resident of USA don't forget to pop over to the Great Gift Challenge for your chance to win $1000 to spend on eBay. You will definitely find the perfect gift ... for you ;)
(Sponsored post)
Reader Comments (13)
I can't think of two better people to do a gift guide. I am always amazed at what I can find on ebay. I buy a lot of French pieces for my furniture range there.
ah, I LOVE the pillow site! they look gorgeous. please let us know how they look when they arrive. thank you!!
the fabric is fantastic, but THOSE PILLOWS!!! i must go check out the shop...
I think the embroidery pieces are gorgeous and I love the combo of the three orange sister pillows. Great job!
I think the embroidery pieces are gorgeous and I love the combo of the three orange sister pillows. Great job!
I love that piece and I wish it would be a little cheaper than $255.00 and I am on the same page about Design Sponge headboard, beautiful.
I almost gave up on buying suzani because the one that I was looking for (Semerkand suzani) was always sooo expensive but finally at 3 am in the morning when everyone was sleeping I scored this... and I am so happy:
http://nychomework.blogspot.com/2009/11/26.html
Damn.....I need me some otomi. Doesn't look so cat-friendly though.
I love those pillows, but I checked the ebay store and came up with only one.
How did you get 3 for only $45.....or did I miss something.
I LOVE your blog, you do such a fantastic job, and you do inspire me.
Your beautiful blog is my "fix" everyday.
Dolores
Hi Dolores here are the links to each of the pillow listings that I won (here, here and here) but as each pillow is made from a unique piece of old kilim you won't find the same pillow twice. Mine are 16" pillows and but the store has many different sizes and price points. Check the left hand column of the main store site.
Thank you so much for responding to my email, with the link for those beautiful pillows.
You are really the very best.........
Now I just have to decide which ones I can't give without.
Dolores in Chicago
wow, amazing finds! I want a suzani so badly!
I love these pillows! I bought some in the summer...I thought it was a secret unknown source! The secret is out! They're AMAZING.
Oh Dimondel I'm sorry to reveal your source! I'm so glad you say they're beautiful because they haven't arrived yet. Must order more :) ...... Jo