----repost from ClickTheCity.com-----
Gift Ideas For the Fancy, Quirky and Downright Unique
posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Personally, I think good old Father Christmas has it easy. His job manual involves reading letters from children (they say you’ve got to be a “good kid"), taking note of what each child wants, sending the orders to his elves for production, and personally delivering them to each house on Christmas Eve. Enviably, he also has the luxury of time on his hands—three hundred plus days. Imagine that.
So, what am I driving at by referencing what is probably the most popular Christmas story? There are plenty of people we want to give presents to this season, but we don’t ask them for wish lists. Instead, we rely on our own bloodhound senses to be able to sniff out the perfect present, which isn’t always fun because of mall traffic and the simple fact that some people are just difficult to buy a present for. Personally, I think I am one of those people, so to help you out a bit, I bring to you two accessory crafters whose unique designs will make you want to empty out your wallets this Christmas season. Trust me when I say that I am one of their extremely willing victims.
Midnight Temptess M. Delphine choker, P890
Gargantilla Jewelry Accessories (gargantilla.multiply.com, facebook.com/gargantillaphil) has been a solid addition of mine since my high school years. I remember obsessively saving my then meager allowance just to be able to get my hands on something incredibly pretty that only I would be able to have. Its owner and self-taught crafter, Cheranand Nuguid-Espiritu, said that she had always liked to tinker with materials since her younger years. As an avid lover of fashion, she would often wear plenty of her accessories, which her father would jokingly refer to as “gargantilla”---hence the name of her line. Originally, her crafting was only supposed to serve as a hobby, but due to the persuasions of her friends and her own desire to start a new business, she began to sell her creations via Multiply.
Handbeaded vintage lace headwrap with illusion tulle, P2,000
Gladiator Glam slave bracelet, P530
Bridal Mini Top Hat for the Boudoir Bride
Nuguid periodically releases collections based on a theme, most of which are gothic vintage, punk rock or classic Victorian in nature. Recently, she has broadened her horizons by venturing into the use of sinamay, a notable Philippine straw fiber that is dyed and stiffened for millinery work. Clients are free to choose from her ready-made crafts (P100 to P5,000) or they can choose to avail of her made-to-order (MTO) service if they want to recreate a piece based from an existing reference or a design of their own. “Whenever a client asks me about the price for a made-to-order piece, I always say that the price depends on the design,” Nuguid explains, “the materials and labor are two things one has to consider (when establishing a price), but it doesn’t end there.”
A Boudoir Summer Clutch Bag, P560
Wearing my custom-made Gargantilla cuff and necklace
Wearing Gargantilla for MJ Cachero's Gothic Series
Over the years, I myself have accumulated a number of gorgeous Gargantilla pieces, and about half of my current stash are MTOs. I enjoy making fashion statements wherever I go, and my Gargantilla accessories are always rewarded with a lot of attention because they are not the kind of accessories you usually see in stores. I have almost everything from jewelry to hats, with my most favorite piece being my recently acquired Duchess of Cambridge-inspired sinamay fascinator, which Miss Nuguid very kindly gave to me as a Christmas gift.
So, what am I driving at by referencing what is probably the most popular Christmas story? There are plenty of people we want to give presents to this season, but we don’t ask them for wish lists. Instead, we rely on our own bloodhound senses to be able to sniff out the perfect present, which isn’t always fun because of mall traffic and the simple fact that some people are just difficult to buy a present for. Personally, I think I am one of those people, so to help you out a bit, I bring to you two accessory crafters whose unique designs will make you want to empty out your wallets this Christmas season. Trust me when I say that I am one of their extremely willing victims.
Midnight Temptess M. Delphine choker, P890
Gargantilla Jewelry Accessories (gargantilla.multiply.com, facebook.com/gargantillaphil) has been a solid addition of mine since my high school years. I remember obsessively saving my then meager allowance just to be able to get my hands on something incredibly pretty that only I would be able to have. Its owner and self-taught crafter, Cheranand Nuguid-Espiritu, said that she had always liked to tinker with materials since her younger years. As an avid lover of fashion, she would often wear plenty of her accessories, which her father would jokingly refer to as “gargantilla”---hence the name of her line. Originally, her crafting was only supposed to serve as a hobby, but due to the persuasions of her friends and her own desire to start a new business, she began to sell her creations via Multiply.
Handbeaded vintage lace headwrap with illusion tulle, P2,000
Gladiator Glam slave bracelet, P530
Bridal Mini Top Hat for the Boudoir Bride
Nuguid periodically releases collections based on a theme, most of which are gothic vintage, punk rock or classic Victorian in nature. Recently, she has broadened her horizons by venturing into the use of sinamay, a notable Philippine straw fiber that is dyed and stiffened for millinery work. Clients are free to choose from her ready-made crafts (P100 to P5,000) or they can choose to avail of her made-to-order (MTO) service if they want to recreate a piece based from an existing reference or a design of their own. “Whenever a client asks me about the price for a made-to-order piece, I always say that the price depends on the design,” Nuguid explains, “the materials and labor are two things one has to consider (when establishing a price), but it doesn’t end there.”
A Boudoir Summer Clutch Bag, P560
Wearing my custom-made Gargantilla cuff and necklace
Wearing Gargantilla for MJ Cachero's Gothic Series
Over the years, I myself have accumulated a number of gorgeous Gargantilla pieces, and about half of my current stash are MTOs. I enjoy making fashion statements wherever I go, and my Gargantilla accessories are always rewarded with a lot of attention because they are not the kind of accessories you usually see in stores. I have almost everything from jewelry to hats, with my most favorite piece being my recently acquired Duchess of Cambridge-inspired sinamay fascinator, which Miss Nuguid very kindly gave to me as a Christmas gift.
