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Top Ten Most Regifted Gifts

www.catalogs.com

Did you know there’s a Web site devoted to the art of regifting? Regiftable.com is a veritable treasure-trove of regifting rules and ideas. The mission of the superslick site, from Money Management International, is to make regifting less shameful. And in these humbuggy financial times, more people than ever are passing things along and around. So in the spirit of cheap-o gift giving, here are our top 10 most regifted items:

10. Booze- The ultimate last-minute hostess gift — an unopened bottle of whatever from your liquor cabinet! Just make sure it truly is unopened and isn’t something that can go bad, like a cream liqueur or a corked bottle of wine. And please, clean off the dust and put it in a nice gift bag.

9. Gift cards- Perfectly acceptable and even a hot commodity on eBay, gift cards are fine to regift if you’re not a fan of the store but know someone who is. Just make sure the gift card hasn’t expired or the store hasn’t gone out of business.

8. Fruitcake – Sure, make fun of the citron-studded brick, but some people actually like them. Especially if they’re made by monks, like the ones from Assumption Abbey.

7. Candles – Candles are fine to regift if you don’t like the scent or the shape. A bad idea (and a dead giveaway) if the wick is burned

6. Cookbooks – Not a fan of Peruvian vegetarian cuisine? Regift away. Make it more special by using wooden spoons as a decorative bow accent.

5. Jewelry – Hey, you can always say that you found the perfect piece at an estate sale, when actually the estate sale was the bottom of your jewelry box. Just get yourself some good jewelry cleaner and you’re good to go.

4. Picture frame- Hey, Mrs. Newlywed, did you get way too many lovely silver picture frames for your wedding? Here’s an idea: Find a picture of your best bud, put it in one of those frames and voila! An instant personal regift.

3. Gift basket – This can either be a great regift or a horrible mistake. Before you slap a bow on an unloved gift basket, make sure the food hasn’t expired or the hand lotion hasn’t gone funky or you’ll have some ‘splainin’ to do.

2. Housewares – Coffee grinders, blenders, wine openers — all can become great regifts with just a simple addition. Add a pound of coffee with the grinder, a drink mix with the blender and a bottle of wine (‘natch!) with the wine opener.

1. Clothing – According to many surveys, clothing is the No. 1 most regifted item. Probably most often the oh-so-cutesy holiday sweater!

Holiday wreath making

Article and Photos by Moncia Brown

The Hibulb Cultural Center hosted “The Greens of the Earth” holiday wreath making day on Wednesday, December 19th. From 9am to 3:30pm people were invited to come and make holiday wreaths with fresh picked cedar boughs, salal, ferns, twigs and pinecones and decorate with items such as bows, presents and ornaments. Attendees arrived eager to make their own holiday arrangment and enjoyed refreshments of cider, fireweed tea, cookies, fruit, cheese and crackers.

For information about this event contact:

Veronica (Roni) Leahy, Diabetes Care and Prevention Program (360) 716-2635

Inez Bill Ce um ton not, Cultrual Resources (360) 716-2638

Anttendee shows off their completed arrangement.

Grab a camera and head to the beach “King Tides” are here

By Monica Brown, Tulalip Tribes Communications Department Photo By Brandi Montreuil

Washington’s department of Ecology is inviting residents and visitors to help track the high tides that occur in the December and January months. During these months the moon and sun align and cause an increase in the gravitational pull on our Earth’s oceans. Residents can upload and view photos from shores along Washington coastlines. Flickr account is located here; Washington King Tides Photos Initiative’s Flickr Group.

The purpose of this initiative is to track the rising sea levels and the impact they have on the environment. The Ecology department has tide schedules and maps available on their site, Department of Ecology. Other areas taking part in this project are British Columbia, Oregon and parts of California: San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Monica and San Diego .

By Kim Kalliber; photos by Matika Wilbur

SEATTLE, Washington – Photography can have such an impact on our lives. Discovering nature’s beauty and exploring new cultures and opening minds to new ideas, these concepts are all found in the work of Matika Wilbur. Her emotionally complex photographs examine how Native people face cultural dualities and the connection between their culture and contemporary pop culture.

Matika is from the Swinomish and Tulalip Tribes. Her work has been shown in regional, national and international venues, such as the Royal British Columbia Museum of Fine Arts, the Nantes Museum of Fine Arts in France, the Seattle Art Museum and the Burke Museum.

Now you can find Matika’s latest project on Kickstarter, a funding platform for creative projects. Kickstarter is an online site full of independent, ambitious and imaginative projects that are brought to life through direct support of others.

Matika’s project on Kickstarter, 562 A Photo Project Documenting Native America, is currently accepting donations. The goal is to create a publication, exhibition, and lecture series documenting all 562 Tribes in the United States, although the ultimate goal is education. Matika will be traveling the United States in a photo studio equipped RV, paying a visit to all 52 states, and all 562 Federally Recognized Tribes. She will be using these donations for travel expenses, film and darkroom supplies and website development.

“I am so excited about my upcoming journey,” said Matika. “I feel as though all of the work that I have done up until this point has prepared me for a project of this magnitude.”

Matika goes on to describe events in her life that led her to explore Native cultures through the camera lens.

“When I was 17 years old I got sober, and have remained sober for the last 11 years and it was because of this experience that I had the courage to pursue higher education at The Brooks Institute of Photography. After I graduated, I took my first internship with Round Earth Productions photographing indigenous people in South America, where I realized that I hadn’t ever photographed my own people – so I came home, and began ‘We Are One People,’ a series of character study portraits documenting Coast Salish Elders. ‘We Are One People’ hangs in the Tulalip Admin Building, and has been shown at several museums. The success of ‘We Are One People’ catapulted my career into projects that explore our “indian-ness.”

“All of those experiences led me back to Tulalip Heritage High School to teach photography, where I learned so much working with our youth, and really had the opportunity to re-connect,” Matika continued. “I didn’t realize that all of that travel, exhibition and teaching would lead me to this- but I’m glad that it did. I’m so grateful for all of the support that I’ve received from my family and friends, I feel so blessed.”

Funding levels vary on Kickstarter and each pledge level offers the backers specific items in return. For instance, with a pledge of $10 or more, backers will receive a digital copy of the “562” book, while a pledge of $2,500 or more will entitle backers to join Matika on the road for two days as she explores Indian Country, along with receiving the awards offered at the $1,000 level.

Matika will be having an “End of Kickstarter” bash on October 28th in Seattle, with live music performed by Kore Ionz and Bakra Bata. Visit www.matikawilbur.com for more information and location of this event.

This project will only be funded if at least $30,000 is pledged on Kickstarter by Novemer 1st. For information and to become a backer, visit www.kickstarter.com and enter 562 under “search projects.”

For more information on Matika Wilbur, visit www.matikawilbur.com.