gifts – Melodrama

Melodrama’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Published on December 19, 2017December 19, 2017 by Krys1 Comment

OK, this gift guide is totally last minute, like my shopping. My gifts always arrive late, but to me that just extends Christmas a little more and you end up with a little New Years gift. Right??? I am who I am.

If you’re like me and still need gift ideas for the hip and happening people in your life here’s a list of some of my favorites!

Cone Vase by Baigelman Glass

Flamingo Tiki Glasses by Love and Victory

Hand Painted Plaques from Everyday is a Holiday

Bad Girls Throughout History by Ann Chen

Subscription to Atomic Ranch Magazine

Betty Boomerang Subscription Box

Eliot Sunglasses from Hello Holiday

Ban.do Rose 17 Month AgendaFor the kids…

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Star Diner Restaurant

For the pet lover…

Modern Pet Feeder by modernmews

The splurge…

Roccbox Portable Pizza Oven

What’s on your list? Tell me some of your favorite things in the comments below!

DIY Gold Accented Gift Boxes and Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Published on December 9, 2015December 9, 2015 by Krys1 Comment

Remember when getting clothes for Christmas was a big bummer when you were a kid? Nothing was worse than opening boxes filled with sweatshirts and socks. Isn’t it weird how much that changes as we get older? Now I love getting clothes for Christmas!

Something I like to do when giving apparel as gifts is to be as clever as possible with my gift wrapping. This year I teamed up with LOFT to bring you some easy and interesting ways to wrap your holiday presents.

Instead of wrapping your apparel boxes in the standard wrapping paper fare, try decorating them instead. There are a ton of ways to do this, and you probably have everything you need in your craft arsenal already. You can use markers, washi tape, stamps, stickers…just let your creativity flow.

I went with gold accented clothes boxes this year, so all I had to do was paint random brush strokes with gilding adhesive and then laid my gold leaf over it. I brushed the excess off and ended up with a really chic gold accented gift box.Another thing I did was used metallic gold tape to create abstract line patterns.I’m telling you these are so easy and inexpensive but make a really beautiful presentation. Yay for DIY metallic gift boxes in any design you want!

Another fun thing I like to do for stocking stuffers and little gifts is to use a cute pair of socks instead of standard Christmas stockings.The socks act as an extra little gift that the recipient can actually wear and use.

Now go pick up a pack of cheap-o apparel boxes and decorate them to your hearts content!

This post was sponsored by LOFT through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about LOFT products, all opinions are my own.

DIY: The Easiest DIY Christmas Wrapping Ever

Published on December 20, 2014August 4, 2015 by Krys2 Comments

Let’s face it, some people just aren’t that creative with wrapping presents. (Not me though, I’m wonderful.) Or maybe some of you just don’t want to mess around with all of the ornamental bows and ribbons. Maybe you just want to do something a little different and totally adorable. Well here’s the solution to your problem. Put it in a gift bag.

Just kidding! Chalkboard paper!

All you need is a roll of chalkboard paper and chalk markers, which are available at most craft stores. Chalkboard paper is just like a roll of wrapping paper so if you’re not that good at wrapping presents in general, this post wont help you (try here instead). I’m merely here to solve your creative problems. Basically you just wrap the gift as normal and then draw whatever custom design you want on it. Tada!!

Pet Lover’s Gift Guide 2013

Published on December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 by Krys1 Comment

During gift giving season you can’t forget the fur babies! I love giving my dogs gifts. They get really excited…probably because I’m so excited but whatever, we enjoy it. I’ve picked out some nifty things to get for that special furry member of your family. I’m talking about your pet of course…

Let’s start with the dogs:

Every dog owner I know has toys laying all over their house or shoved into dog bed in the corner of the room. This includes myself. I’m always like ahhh we need a toy box! Well check out these hemp toy storage baskets from Harry Barker. They’re totally perfect for holding all of the toys and they’re not cheesy or tacky. They’re also coated on the inside for easy cleaning. Find them at Harry Barker for $38

My dogs love bath time! I’ve tried my fair share of shampoos on them. This shampoo is my favorite. It’s made with essential oils so it soothes their itchy skin and makes them smell amazing. After the first use my pups felt great and didn’t scratch at all throughout the entire night or following days. It’s made in the USA, is eco-friendly, and is not tested on animals. Also worth mentioning – the customer service is superb. This gift set comes with a 16oz bottle of shampoo, a microfiber towel, and an adorable tote. Find it at Dogtails for $32. Use the promo code MELODRAMA to receive 20% off your order until 12/31/13!

This book by holistic pet chef Christine M. Filardi is a great gift for anyone that needs a little help understanding how to spoil their dog but keep them healthy. It’s full of yummy recipes for home cooked meals and treats. I’ve had a lot of fun reading this book and looking at the adorable pictures. This new year we’re going to start incorporating and transitioning our 13 year old dogs over to Christine’s menu to alleviate allergies and tummy issues we’ve struggled with in the past, so you’ll see me mentioning and sharing her recipes from time to time. If you or someone you know is interested in doing the same, definitely pick this book up. You can find it at Abrams Books or Anthropologie for $19.95.

This year I’ve been fortunate enough to see a couple of new rescues join the families of those I care about. Help your favorite rescue celebrate with a handcrafted, USA made accessory from Found My Animal. Found My Animal’s mission is simple and they donate to many rescues around the country. This dog bed is handcrafted in Brooklyn and made from canvas and marine grade rope. The insert is made from 100% USA recycled foam rubber. Pick this girl scout green one up on FoundMyAnimal.com for $170

Last on the list of perfect dog gifts are these custom stuffed dog toys. They take a photo of your dog and turn them into the most perfect little replica. They also have toys based on actual shelter pups that need to ‘adopted’. These are made in the USA from pure merino wool and proceeds go to support shelters and rescues. Pick up a gift certificate for your favorite dog lover or create your own order at The Shelter Pups.

Now for the cats! I don’t know much about cats but I have my fair share of cat ladies in my life so I have an idea of what’s hip in cat land.

Like this DJ Cat Scratch Turntable. Your cat will be spinnin’ dope beats in no time. Made from 100% carboard so no records are harmed. Find it at PerpetualKid for $37.00.

Looking for kitty stocking stuffers? From the Field’s Purrrfect Deluxe Gift Set comes with 2 hemp cat toys, organic cat nip spray, and a cork ball. Cat lovers love this brand! Find this set at OnlyNaturalPet for $16.99.

Do your cats chew on your plants? Are you looking for an indoor kitty garden? SmartCat’s Edible Garden is the way to go. The box is totally cute, too. This looks great in any kitchen and refills are easy to pop in and out when needed. Find it on Amazon for $13.95

Check out hear cool things! They’re called CattyStacks. They’re stackable cardboard boxes that create the ultimate cat house. You can change them up so your cat never gets bored of exploring. Pick up some of their tunnels too! They’re made from industrial strength corrugated, recycled cardboard and built to last. Find them at CattyStacks for $14.99.

Tips & Tricks: Repurposing Ornaments as Gift Toppers

Published on December 19, 2011August 4, 2015 by KrysLeave a comment

Every year I set out on a quest to find my gift wrapping ensemble. For me it’s like putting an outfit together. I make sure to find the right patterns, colors, and accessories for each recipient. It’s one of my traditions that I wrap each gift with an ornament that my friends and family can keep and collect throughout the years.

I like to use different types, widths, and colors of ribbon to create patterns and dimension. A good tip for using ribbon is use foundation ribbon. Those are the ribbons wrapped around the package. Tape the ends of the foundation ribbon to the bottom of the package instead of using a knot. That way they’re easy to rip off in the frantic gift opening excitement. Tie any bows or adornments onto your foundation ribbon. It works perfectly for wrapping gifts for children so they can tear right in.

Top Left: A gift for my 3 year old nephew, Brian. A glittered ‘B’ ornament and fun colorful paper. Big, curly, white foundation ribbon.; Top Right: For my mother in law, she loves aqua color tones and the glittery silver ornament is just her style. I used 3 colors of foundation ribbon to make a plaid pattern; Bottom: A very special gift is inside this package for my 12 year old cousin. She’s almost a teenager so I used the ‘grown up’ paper but kept it young and fun with a bright ribbon, metallic snowflake, and a penguin ornament. Love the black, white, and red with the silver geometric paper.

Don’t they look great under the tree? They’re a decoration all on their own! Can’t wait for my family to rip open these bad boys.

Less than a week until Christmas! Get wrapping!

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