These are the gifts I’d get for my child. Oh, a leather scrap, she’d say. And wire cutters. But I’d want her to always be unfinished, to know raw edges and tomorrow, and the possibilities in remnants and pieces of string. I’d want to tell her (but I wouldn’t, because that’s probably how you screw someone up) that I hope her ideas always consume her, at once feverish and specific, and that I hope there will always be more ideas than she can ever get to, and that, most of all, I’d hope for her to get lucky: that she knows what it means to really be terrible at something, that she’s never just good enough, and that it gives her room to find the thing that matters most.
These are the gifts that will wait for her to tinker and try. They’ll be here when she’s ready.
[From top: Leather scraps from Fusions by Stazio; Linen remnants from runningthreads; Hand felted merino wool on silk from della lana; Antique vintage net lace from Fagin's Daughter; Merino wool top for spinning or felting from LunabudKnits; Petrified wood "horse head" rock slice from weonafarm; Wire twisting tool from Minor Details; Fabric graph paper hemp/organic cotton from spin spin; West African indigo cotton fabric from The African Diaspora; Cyanotype photographic printing kit from floebee; Gunmetal chain necklace from MixnMatch; Three yards vintage pom pom fringe from Thoroughbred Threads; Aqua blue German glass glitter from luckygirlgoods; Lead-free powdered enamel from Ishy Enameling Supplies; Green felt squares from Lupin Handmade; Organic heirloom forrellenschluss romaine lettuce seeds from Kenyon Organics; Vintage woven wool Japanese kimono fabric from CreativelySupplied; Vintage drawing leads in wooden box from PeachyChicBoutique; 15 ft of faux suede cord from NatureBeads; 100 square mirror tiles from Judy's Mosaic Supplies; Chunky glass gems from GamiAndGlass]
Su Wu of I'm Revolting continues to compile a list of the things, places and misinterpreted philosophies that somehow manage to coalesce into a well-lived life. These narrative-driven collections will find you stealing out of your alternate personas' closets.
110 comments
Sign in to add your ownTwinkleStarCrafts says:
It is a wonderful thing to expose your child to all types of mediums and let their imaginations and creativity run wild.
1 year ago
NobleTextiles says:
Looks like great fun!
1 year ago
XestrellaX says:
Lovely! Thanks
1 year ago
GarbageMoon says:
Beautiful!
1 year ago
MollyFinds says:
so sweet
1 year ago
delmarlady says:
This post brought tears to my eyes. Thank you
1 year ago
HibouCards says:
how cool!
1 year ago
whenifnotnow says:
I just finished a project using mirror tiles like the ones featured here. After I put the lights on my tree but before we put on the ornaments, we hung mirrored tiles (two hot glued back to back with a fishing line loop) deep in the tree to double the sparkle from the lights. Twice as bright with no extra electricity. This is exactly the kind of effect playing around with simple materials like those listed here can produce.
1 year ago
atomicblue says:
I'm already there. My little 5 year old cards wool, and is trying to spin it. She's felted, cut paper,glued,glittered, strung beads...picked strawberries we grew. So much more...
1 year ago
VintageZen says:
...and what fun she will have!
1 year ago
JulieMeyer says:
Fun! My 4 year old is getting a big box full of new art supplies to replace the used up ones from last year. This year I'm including what she's been dying for -glitter!
1 year ago
Leatherworks4U says:
I think that is the very essence of childhood. If we can just remember and hang on to how it feels to get lost in a project with joy and abandon, we can make our lives so much richer. Thanks for such a hearfelt post.
1 year ago
justthegoods says:
This is a brilliant post for a lovely idea furnished with beautiful examples. What are we human is not dreamers, makers, do-ers =-) x!
1 year ago
MerCurios says:
I wish all that & more for your daughter...my son and the worlds children. Thank you for such a lovely sentiment and more importantly, for sharing it. xo, MJ
1 year ago
AlisaDesign says:
Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1 year ago
gbaneyx says:
Lovely textures and colors! Very sweet!
1 year ago
knitfitt says:
Making poetry with product shots. It can be done! Thanks.
1 year ago
PaperFish says:
supplies = poetry!
1 year ago
overthemeadow says:
Wonderful post!
1 year ago
LayOffTheBooks says:
I'm giving my niece a big box of craft supplies for Christmas this year. Giving a child supplies and the opportunity to create gives them more than a video game or similar gifts can. Lovely post!
1 year ago
volkerwandering says:
Gorgeous!
1 year ago
sylviatrench says:
su !! your posts are AWESOME in fact they are my faves on the etsy blog, i always look forward to your features and am practically drooling by the time i finish reading / looking at them. the selections are always so diverse & luscious & inspiring...
1 year ago
NoFrump says:
Total eye candy! There's nothing better to set the creative mind a-dreaming. :)
1 year ago
AtlasSigns says:
I LOVE your picture. For the first time in my life, EVER, I have a use for knowing the name of the largest t-rex fossil ever discovered. SUE! HAHA This really did make my day.
1 year ago
meghanheist says:
I love, love, love the world you have created for your daughter, may she always explore and dream without limits.
1 year ago
KMalinka says:
great pictures!
1 year ago
happygohandmade says:
this is awesome. so inspiring!
1 year ago
RenataandJonathan says:
Creative and charming post :)
1 year ago
superlanos says:
lovely
1 year ago
accentonvintage says:
Great supplies for the crafty person!
1 year ago
FranceGallery says:
A wonderful idea. I remember the great hours I spent a child, creating dollhouses out of cardboard boxes for my little dolls. What fun making things out of scraps on hand!
1 year ago
luckygirlgoods says:
I love wish for your child. I do think you might mess them up if you told them though. LOL But, definitely the right idea.
1 year ago
uniquefabricgifts says:
Fun, different and a great idea!
1 year ago
metalicious says:
What a beautiful and inspirational article!!
1 year ago
RivalryTime says:
very neat
1 year ago
myvintagecrush says:
Beautifully put together :)
1 year ago
irishroseneedlearts says:
Awesome post, particularly awesome choices. The kind of stuff to go nuts over!
1 year ago
ragtagsrfun says:
I'd like her to tinker with weaving on a cardboard loom too :)
1 year ago
carlabelniak says:
Sitting here wrapping gifts I remember the most wonderful presents were the ones my daughter and I spent stamping her wedding invitations, making wreaths out of rope, burning the cookies and rummaging in the closet to borrow and bring memories alive again. Merry Christmas to you too!
1 year ago
slathered says:
We're big fans of art supplies as presents for the little ones. It's the gift that keeps on giving ... especially to Mommy, who occasionally needs Junior to be distracted while she's using her blowtorch. :-)
1 year ago
ZARDENIA says:
Breathtaking!
1 year ago
kariton says:
Truly inspiring :) thanks!
1 year ago
Umbellata says:
Got me where I live....
1 year ago
dragonflymoonembarts says:
I agree completely. Many kids these days miss out and never get to develop that creativity we had to come up with to keep ourselves occupied as children. Don't get me wrong, technology is wonderful, but too much of it can hinder the possibilities we create for ourselves as children that mold us into the creative adults that ultimately come up with the technology we now use. Creativity has been far too undervalued. It's time to give it back to our children.
1 year ago
bombastitch says:
Heartwarming :) Thank you!
1 year ago
tippleandsnack says:
So eloquent. So true.
1 year ago
amusebeads says:
The potential of the materials you've shown is amazing. Just add the right person with a vision and magically you have a work of art.
1 year ago
greenbelts says:
I can relate. What a wonderful message. Thank you!
1 year ago
gardenmis says:
Boxes of scraps, a myriad of tools, + time to use them without instruction is a wonderful gift indeed!
1 year ago
aemontague says:
Stunning post! Absolutely a blast to scroll through!
1 year ago
shantyirish says:
very cool - what a great theme!
1 year ago
3GIRLSandagoat says:
I am sure many relate to the 'next project' always thought of, with not enough time to 'get around to'- love the collective image
1 year ago
Parachute425 says:
Step away from the video games. Play with the boxes.
1 year ago
RossLab says:
It's a great concept. Definitely something to try.
1 year ago
beccasfour says:
what an fantastic summing up of how creativity works...love it!
1 year ago
TheWishingElephant says:
Love this.. and I want it all!
1 year ago
cartelle says:
This is like the most perfect gift guide on etsy to date - I think even the people who just shop on here have a tiny creative ember inside.
1 year ago
DressUpPackRats says:
I get to have my 31/2 year old grandson to myself one day a week after Christmas. We are going to walk in the woods and collect stuff and play in the studio digging through my collections. What fun! Thanks for affirming exploration with minimal supplies!
1 year ago
JulieKim says:
I Love this so much.
1 year ago
SteampunkPrussia says:
I love this idea!
1 year ago
consciousclothing says:
thank you- sometimes we forget as mothers of daughters to look beyond the commercial world into the creative one......
1 year ago
availdesign says:
Wonderful! Beautiful, sentimental, wise. Thank you, Su.
1 year ago
katrinaalana says:
Great idea. It's always fun to just give kids materials and let their imagination run wild.
1 year ago
newtribetextiles says:
ooooh. indigo, lettuce, wool and leather.
1 year ago
loadedhipspress says:
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful post. Thank you.
1 year ago
katrinchoate says:
Children are simple and pure. They do not think in these complex ways. They see you, watch you and then repeat what you do. You show them the basics and then watch them take off...
1 year ago
Made2Impress says:
Great fun to intrigue the imagination! Thanks!
1 year ago
peshka says:
Love this great idea!
1 year ago
EndlessTreasuresNJ says:
Thank you for the beautiful sentiment and the poetic writing. I spent hours making things from scraps, and still do, you have expressed so well what I wish for my own daughter as well. Happy Holidays! Peace and Blessings! The Possibilities are endless. Linda
1 year ago
littlemissbluebird says:
wow such amazing writing! :) i can only hope for the same with my own future children! :)
1 year ago
MandLyn says:
You are so amazing....my girl's have a deep love for creating and for crafts....my middle one loves art. And I am very thankful for that. thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
1 year ago
JewelsbyJasmin says:
What a great idea! My favourite gifts as a child were the construction paper and crayons, scissors and glue. The possibilities were endless and many an afternoon was spent creating. writing, drawing and crafting. And I am so very grateful for those times now as an adult. It is the best gift to give a child, in my opinion. The gift of possibility.
1 year ago
AncaNY says:
The best gift ever. My favorite cartoon as a child was one where a little boy had a magic pencil, Everything he drew came to life.
1 year ago
PolClary says:
Oh, all those gorgeous materials make my fingers itch to use them. Great idea. I used to have craft supplies stashed away for the kids. It was my go-to-solution for lots of things: rainy days, birthdays, miserable-I-am-bored-and-sick-days. Also, giving the kids a colouring book gave me an excuse to maybe do a bit of colouring myself.
1 year ago
muffintopdesigns says:
thank you for this inspirational post! i have always been a crafty person and hope that part of my legacy to my daughter is some crafty-ness! i want to make sure that i encourage her to use new materials and try new ideas... and use that imagination! (there are glue sticks, crayons and sketch pads all ready for her stocking!) xoxooxo
1 year ago
maggiesraggedyinn says:
I really connected with this article for I have given my daughter the gift of using her imagination. As she was growing up I let her do such things as paint teh walls of her bedroom with butterflies and bunblebees, much to wondering eyes of her friends parents. We did all kinds of creative ventures for that is what I loved to do. Each time she has come home from college and university, we have done something different as far as creating goes. Last niight we sat back and knit for a few hours watching television. During the holidays we will sew and do some mixed media paintings. I have told her that as long as she has something creative to do, she will overcome life's obstacles for there will always be something that t=she can look forward to filling her soul with... it has kept me young
1 year ago
LittleWrenPottery says:
Wow such striking picks, love the colours and textures. I used to love the possibilities of a blank canvas when I was a kid : )
1 year ago
breadandroses2 says:
Great possibilities reside in the humblest of materials. Thank you!
1 year ago
theroyal says:
mmmmmmm glitter :)
1 year ago
mksupplies says:
very nice post! hooray for supplies ;)
1 year ago
amysfunkyfibers says:
Great!
1 year ago
cbartist says:
beautiful! you should tell her!
1 year ago
GwendolynForever says:
This is great! My daughter is getting supplies this year... a tool kit filled with all her favored tools- usually the ones she "borrows" from me and never returns!! :) I love to see her imagination at work. It reminds me of a less tarnished version of me, and it is exciting to see the possibilities. I think you are right- telling her too much will ruin it. I have learned that example is the best teacher and just letting her be is the best nurturer. But she does appreciate some encouragement from time to time. She has inspired me to delve into my sleepy creativity just to keep her motivated and excited. Love this!!
1 year ago
Iammie says:
Love the shade of colors!
1 year ago
IshyEnamel says:
Thanks so much for the shout-out! Enamelling is so much fun and easy for anyone with access to a kiln!
1 year ago
kathiroussel says:
love the roundup up of inspiring textures and supplies!
1 year ago
SweetMelissaInRed says:
Very true.
1 year ago
SimpleJoysPaperie says:
I second Su's sentiments! :)
1 year ago
CarolinaCottage says:
Wonderful post! Kids are so creative they can make art out of anything...
1 year ago
JewelMeShop says:
Great article! Giving someone the opportunity to create is by far the best present!
1 year ago
OnlyOriginalsByAJ says:
Amazing article! And I love the photos!
1 year ago
Velvetcoco says:
OOOOOOOHHHHHH I LIKE THE TEXTURES
1 year ago
WhisperingOak says:
These materials would come very handy when using the imagination to come up with original art
1 year ago
Fyreside says:
enjoyed the read. ^_^
1 year ago
leslieholz says:
Your first paragraph has always been the wish I had for my 4 daughters. Now at the ages of 21, 19, 16 and 13, they are the creative GENIUSES I always hoped they would be. Each day is a new opportunity for something spectacular and when I go to bed at night I can hardly sleep waiting for what tomorrow has in store!!! Fabulous insight. We are the lucky few!!!!
1 year ago
StuffByKim says:
These are the kinds of gifts I recieved as a child. Probably out of not having money to buy alot of stuff. But also from having a loving mom who understoof how important it was to allow me to have wings and to learn to fly. But these kinds of gift are those that know no limits. And they are not age defiant. This is something I would still love to recieve.
1 year ago
5erg says:
These type of gifts seem most exciting to me, great article
1 year ago
SherrySchatz says:
You are so right. My grandchildren come into my craft room and see things with such a clean eye. I never say it will not work to them. I let them do what they think will work. They start with huge enthusiasm and five minutes later they move on. I finish it the way they wanted and wait for them to ask for the finished product. The end result is part theirs and the rest ... theirs as well. " I didn't remember doing such a good job, Gummy". I just smile.
1 year ago
Naturebeads says:
Loved it! Thanks so much. Great job and love the your thoughts about them. Lilian
1 year ago
BanglewoodSupplies says:
Love the title!
1 year ago
biophiliadesigns says:
love you girl, when i first read IM REVOLTING it was love at first sight!
1 year ago
bluebeeinatree says:
Just beautiful...thanks for sharing this.
1 year ago
ZenBrush says:
so interesting the way the photos are put together.
1 year ago
followthestar says:
fantastic thoughts! thanks for sharing - inspiring
1 year ago
jamiespinello says:
I really like the way this blog post was formatted ~horizontal cropped photos stacked~ nice full spectrum effect as you scroll down
1 year ago
lauraprentice says:
gorgeous presentation of items!
1 year ago
ToosDetectiveAgency says:
Great piece - food for thought!
1 year ago
fynsanti says:
Thank you! I just finished making my 17 yr old daughter a catch all sewing bag and tucked this article inside. It will be the the present she can carry to art class today, design school tomorrow and through all her tinkering the rest of her life. xo
1 year ago
PoodlePoddles says:
Great post! :)
1 year ago
tableclothpad says:
I like this.
1 year ago