My 9-year wedding anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks… crap… week-and-a-half. The modern material for year 9 is leather and the traditional is pottery or willow (so says Hallmark).
My wife is as excited as me when it comes to anticipating the Glowforge, but unlike me, she hasn’t been able to tell me exactly what kinds of things she wants to make with it.
I was thinking of getting a bunch of scraps of leather and possibly willow ply and making nice samples for her to be able to see and feel, maybe to spark some ideas for when we get the GF.
I just wish I knew if she was even interested in using leather. Between my uncertainty in her desire for these materials, and my hesitation because I’m essentially giving her a gift that she can’t use for three months or so, I’m not sure if this is the right way to go. Maybe I should just buy her a new purse?
To tell if she’d be interested in leather, maybe think about what she already owns and wears. Does she have nice leather purses? A leather jacket? If she buys leather shoes, does she ever say things like, “The leather on these boots is so amazing!” Does she have any leather decorative items like bedside trays, desktop cup holders, a deskpad, etc.? Does she have any leather accessories, such as earrings, cuff bracelets, necklaces, etc.? Does she have a leather journal?
If she has more than a few of the above, she probably likes leather. If she doesn’t have any, you’re actually married to a secret vegan and you should probably get to know her better (kidding).
For gift ideas to present to her, you might consider doing a thing that’s worked for me when I give handmade gifts–if I’m not 100% certain someone will like something, I given them a choice of a few different projects I know I can make, let them pick one, and then do some slightly creative/personalized variation on that project. For example, an ex-boyfriend who had hiked the entire Colorado Trail chose for his gift one year some leather fireplace accessories. I made him a leather, canvas, and wood kindling carrier, and covered a small bellows in matching leather with an inlaid CT trail-blaze symbol on it. He was really, really happy with it.
If you’re interested in getting ideas, you might scroll through these two Pinterest leather boards of mine–they have a ton of simple-to-make things you could be inspired by, and a lot of tutorials. (Of course, there’s a lot of really complex stuff in them as well, but scroll past those and you’ll find a lot of very simple accessories, jewelry, and bags.) Leather–Or It Could Be! Leather Tutorials
Does your wife happen to know about anniversaries having themes and the 9 year anniversary being leather, pottery, or willow? Because it’s very thoughtful and symbolic, but I had no clue – I knew there were paper, silver, gold, and maybe pearl anniversaries, but I didn’t know every anniversary had a theme.
Maybe offhandedly let her know there’s a theme before she opens her gift Just so the effort isn’t lost on her.
My 2¢ worth, which includes variations of the ideas of other posters; since your wife is not (yet) as prepared with fun ideas as you are in what to make when you get your Glowforge, I would use your idea as a secondary gift. Perhaps find something very personal for her as a main gift, then present your thoughts and ideas to her in the form of samples, maybe some downloaded photos of things that she might like to make…and along with those, links to interesting websites or Pinterest pages. Since I’ve never owned a laser, nor designed anything that could be made on a laser, she may be like me in that I don’t really have a concept of the infinite amount of cool stuff that can be made. The more she is exposed to laser made things, the more she will think about what she will like.
I’d find 2 things - a nice but pretty standard leather bag and a local Maker Space or someone with a laser nearby (university, commercial laser operation, etc). Do a custom graphic of something that she likes (my wife really likes dogs so I do a lot of stuff with pugs, corgis, paw prints or dog pet sentiments on them). Also make a quick “Made Expressly for…” graphic that you can have lased on the bottom. Get the main graphic elements engraved on the front of the bag and she’s got a very personalized gift that also shows her what you can do with lasers.
Thanks for the ideas. We talked about it and with moving in a couple weeks (and the stress of finding a new place) and everything else going on right now, we’re just going to skip anniversary gifts this year. She did like the idea of getting a box of leather scraps though, so we may go ahead and do that.
I suggest a trip to the SPA! Do a couples massage or something. It’s a nice celebration of your anniversary and momentarily takes away the stress of finding a new place!
We had been married over 25 years.
I used to stop on the way home and buy a single rose and deliver it to her cubicle. She would blush like a school girl.
I loved that!
38 now…
If you are in the midst of a move, I echo @Xabbess and @printolaser. Flowers. Temporary, bright, don’t have to be moved. Meant to be disposable; so no guilt for not saving. But you have given a gift and have thereby told her that she is worth a fuss and worth making an occasion. Then, once you get the new place, get her those leather scraps.
In fact, your anniversary is a sufficient excuse for anyone on this forum to bring flowers to their gf, spouse, or friend. For the rest of us, bonus points for out-of-the-blue thoughtfulness.
Just so the effort isn’t lost on her.
