With What You Have | 82

Celebrating ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness

In April of 2015, I wrote words about contentment, which inspired a series that celebrated ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness. The series, entitled With What You Have, became the longest running series of all time on my blog, with 81 entries over three years. I’m happy to say, after some time on the shelf, I’m dusting it off and bringing it back. Merry Christmas!

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Their one bedroom cabin was tucked away in the woods of northwest Montana. Amish made, it was simple, with the bedroom and bathroom off the kitchen, a living room across one end, and a loft upstairs. Bill and Thais, who lived there, were one of several sets of adopted grandparents I had while growing up. They were from Connecticut and had fulfilled their life-long dream of retiring to Montana where they built a little wooden house, lived simply, and immersed themselves in the outdoor lifestyle they so loved. I have many memories of being at their house, from pancake breakfasts at their dining table to picnics outside, but one memory stands out particularly in my mind. It was the day Thais showed me her gift box.

I followed her up the stairs to the loft one afternoon, where she lead me to an old wooden trunk tucked under the eave. She opened it, and inside was a collection of things she’d made and stored away for giving. Made with no particular person or occasion in mind, this chest was quite simply a savings account of gifts - useful, beautiful, handmade things that she would tuck away in the “gift box”, as she called it, awaiting the perfect time and person to give them to. I remember crocheted afghans, quilts, and baby things. She also carved things from wood, so there were carvings inside, too.

I’ve never forgotten this. The idea of having a collection of things ready to give away. The idea of making things for the enjoyment of making, knowing they would be stored away, ready for the day each one would find the right person at the just right time.

I don’t have an old trunk tucked under the eave of the loft. Honestly, I don’t have a gift box of any kind. But I do have the inspiration, never lost, which guided me just the other day when I needed a gift to give and there was no time for shopping or shipping. I thought of what I did have squirreled away. Bulbs. I had bulbs. For this gift, a single hyacinth bulb, a scoop of gravel from the bin under the potting bench, and an empty deco jar from the larder, tied with a bow. Such a simple thing to assemble. Such a thrilling thing to give.

Do what you can with what you have.

Now I’m curious, what gifts have you pulled from what you had? Tell me everything.

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