August 27, 2012

Op Shop Shoot: A Birthday

I took secondhand to the extreme and used a brown paper bag for wrapping paper :P
The little box at the front is a present from my Madre.
Mum's present beat everything I got combined :P

Something I was dreading when I started this challenge was buying presents. The thought horrified me, but I went with it anyway. As luck would have it, the first birthday presents I've had to buy are for my super rad friend, whose face has appeared on this space more than once, Nageena.

We've only been friends for a year and a half, but this kid has been there for me through the thick and the thin, no matter what. We have become the annoying kids who get tipsy after a drink and a half and decide it's a good idea to run fully clothed (think jeans and jumpers) into the freezing cold winter ocean together, and are happy just laughing at ourselves while everyone else looks on in horror. Our coffee tolerance seems to go up and down at the same time, and even though we're both dreadful at it, we're always good for a very long, very serious game of pool.

At the same time, there is an understanding that sometimes one of us will just need some space, and so we'll leave each other alone, but I know that if I really need it, she'll pick up her phone at 2am in the morning anyway to let me rant about something, while she is nice and forgiving... Up until the next morning when she'll kill me for waking her up that is :P

So, while I knew Nageena (i.e. Geeny Maskeeny - don't kill me!) would probably laugh at me if the present failed, the pressure was still on cause I really wanted to get her something lovely.


My Mum & Nageena have the same, excellent taste.
It's mildly ridiculous, but it means I know to listen to them both
when they say something isn't quite right :P



While out and about trying to find gifts like those I'd imagined, I realised the trick for this kind of thing is really to go out without any assumptions or ideas of what you'll get, and go a week or two before with loads of time to browse just in case you don't find anything the first time round (I'll know this one for next time).

Also, get creative. It doesn't have to be little trinkets or something that will necessarily last forever. The flowers, using the twine from the wrapping as bracelets and getting a good friend we don't see much of to come along to breakfast as a surprise were probably Nageena's favourite parts of the gift (I think).

But most importantly, as it is with all gifts, forget about yourself - in this instance, you don't matter in the slightest - and think about who it is you're celebrating. Because odds are, if they're the type of friend who you're willing to spend hours and hours traipsing around op shops for, then they're pretty darn special and they deserve to have a day that's all about them.


So Happy Birthday Nageena! Thanks for being so rad and I hope your day was lovely :)

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I dont know where to begin! Or how to say thank you because your gift today was incredible. Everything was perfect and the surprise visit was just the cherry on top! Thank YOU for being such a great friend to me :) Im so glad I had you today, otherwise it probably wouldn't have been the same! :) Thank you! Thank you! Thank you :)

sonia // daring coco said...

Another awesome post and you definitely deserve props for finding and creating such an awesome present, not only are the actual 'material' parts to it special, the mere fact that you'e put in so much time and effort is the real gem!

Have a lovely day!
SDMxx
www.daringcoco.com

I'm Sydney. said...

Those packages are so cute!! Such a lovely idea and wonderful presents!

kerrin said...

supercool blog, so glad i found my way here! let's follow each other! xx

Unknown said...

aww this is lovely! You're such a sweetie! I think that thoughtful presents are always much better than just buying any old thing.. it shows how much you care if you put a lot of effort into what you're giving the person

raspberrykitsch.com

xx

Unknown said...

I love the brown paper packaging and everything you got for your friend! The voucher is a great idea. I've done that before when I couldn't find the perfect thing and didn't want to just buy some generic gift. Plus, the voucher can be for anything, like agreeing to go with your friend to see that band that she likes but you don't, or some other future fun date/activity.

Also, I'm a big fan of making things for family and friends. You don't have to be an artist or have any special skills. There are loads of cool diys on the internet that make great gifts with relatively few materials.

But if you want to buy rather than make, and you also want to stick to used things/buying locally, you're right that your best bet is to start early and look often. You never know when the perfect thing will pop up. I think you did a great job, and your friend's smile says it all. :)

thecottagediaries said...

Cute present :) You are a good friend.

X
Molly
thecottagediaries.blogspot.co.nz