Issue 27: April 28, 2020
Hello Dears,
It’s the fifth week of quarantine for the D.C. area, though many of us have been at home with our families for much longer. May 15th (the tentative “stay-at-home” order end date) is only 20 days away and we’re energized by the thought of emerging from our silken cocoons and fluttering through the final month of springtime!
We’d like to extend a hearty “thank you” to all who made last week’s virtual shopping event a smashing success! Please know that we're eternally grateful for your patronage. We nearly sold out of keychains, luggage tags, and tote bags and we’re tickled to have helped you find special gifts for your mothers, mother-in-laws, best friends, teachers, and neighbors!
If you missed our announcement, simply click here for a full recap of products and personalization options. We’re happy to answer questions and take email orders! If you’re local, we can also offer contactless pick-up or delivery, and provide our signature gift wrap service for any purchases. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for info on our next virtual shopping experience as details are being ironed out as we speak!
In this week’s newsletter issue we’re delighted to share 10 fresh and inventive “stay-at-home” activities plus a round-up of fun, fashion-forward masks. If you’re itching for a diversion or new project this week, these imaginative ideas are guaranteed to put a spring in your step!
The masks we’re sharing have just been released by some of our favorite fashion labels, and we wholeheartedly encourage you to support the independent designers and textile artists behind these efforts! Many are donating proceeds and supplies to those in need with each sale, so you’ll feel good ordering an essential face covering (a requirement in most public places) for yourself, a friend, colleague, or family member.
As always, we invite you to stay in touch with us during this time! We welcome your messages, as well as any creative ideas and thoughtful causes or initiatives you might wish to share.
xo
Ashley and Candace
Co-Founders, Secretly Gifting
10 Fresh and Fun “Stay-At-Home” Activities
You've baked banana bread, sampled every online workout available on YouTube, and blazed through at-least five New York Times best-sellers. "Zoom School" is in session and you're fresh out of activities to stay sane and entertained! Here's what to do solo or with a friend:
1. Treat Yourself to Fresh Flowers + a Virtual Arrangement Workshop
West Coast events pros Sinclair & Moore just debuted a dreamy DIY experience for flower lovers. When you purchase a box of their fresh garden blooms, you'll receive a PDF care kit AND a ticket to their exclusive online flower arranging workshop. Since flower boxes ship 5/5 - 5/8, it's a perfect Mother's Day gift or treat for yourself! $250
2. Master the Art of Journaling with "The 5 Minute Journal"
Free-form journaling can feel daunting especially if you're not a practiced writer. Gain confidence and start channeling your thoughts with this practical and refreshing alternative journal. Writing prompts and fill-in-the-blank questions stimulate contemplation, and entries don't even require complete sentences. It could be your new favorite way to focus on the bright side of things. $25
3. Impress Yourself by Sewing a Chic Denim T-Shirt
Marfa-based denim designer Ashley Rowe, just released an instructional kit for hand-sewing one of her contemporary denim t-shirts, and we are here for it! Each kit comes with a pattern, video tutorial, and enough 100% raw cotton denim to make one of her signature tops. Kits come in tan, white, and dark denim...for extra credit, sew the scraps into a mask! $70
4. Get Crafty with "Let's Make Art"
Sitting down in front of a blank canvas or sketchbook can be intimidating if you're not accustomed to letting your creative juices flow. "Let's Make Art" removes pressure and commitment from the equation with simple, boxed kits that include supplies, instructions, and inspiration photos. Get started with a beginner's watercolor kit, lettering lesson, or sketch journaling pack. They even make kids kits too! $7 - $45
5. Kick Off Happy Hour with a Proper Old Fashioned, Jack Rose, or Sidecar Cocktail
Rhine Hall is a woman-run small-batch craft cocktail company that's temporarily converted its Chicago distillery into a COVID-19 sanitizing venue for hospitals. You can support their efforts and learn to make a proper cocktail by purchasing a virtual cocktail making class. Attendees will receive an email ahead of class with all necessary at home bar tools, ingredients, and a link to tune in! $15
6. Challenge Friends or Family to a Classic Board Game Showdown
Rediscover your love for old-school games like Candy Land, Boggle, Clue, Life, and Yahtzee with these charming vintage editions from WS Games. Each board comes with original game pieces, cards, instructions, and a linen bound book-box for pretty bookshelf presentation. $39
7. Learn to Cook Classic Italian Dishes with Rao's Homemade + #Sauce4Cause
Rao's, the iconic New York restaurant behind Rao's Homemade (the popular line of tomato sauces, soups, and dried pastas) just launched a fun, free, and interactive way to sharpen your kitchen skills! Join them on Instagram each week for a line-up of live cooking demos hosted by popular food bloggers, celebrities, and TV personalities. Whether it's Spaghetti Pie with Gail Simmons or White Bean Sausage Stew with Serena Wolf...these free live classes are entertaining and informative for cooks of any skill level.
8. Get Your "Tie-Dye" on with a Kit from Upstate
Garment dyes made from plant ingredients like hibiscus, rose, and turmeric? Yes please! Grab a plain white sweatshirt, table runner, tank-top, or napkin set and let the games begin. Brooklyn-based textile studio, Upstate offers three chic dye kits featuring hues (intense pinks, moody blues, and bright yellows) that'll please everyone! $48
9. Learn Needlepoint in a Single Afternoon or Evening!
Kumo's modern needlepoint kit includes everything you need to stitch a colorful accent pillow for any armchair, couch, or bed. Designs feature geometric twists and turns in an array of candy colors like burnt orange, dusty lilac, pale peach, and lime green. $150
10. Hand Pour Your Own Coconut Wax Candle
Make your own hand-poured candle with one of Siblings' modern microwave kits. Waxes are a coconut blend and scents include bergamot, white rose, honeysuckle amber, gardenia musk, and more! $22
Wear a Mask, But Make it Fashion
Some of our favorite fashion brands have started selling non-medical grade masks for everyday use. Order one (or a couple) to stay protected in style, and support your favorite independent designers at the same time!
Cece DuPraz "Lips" Mask: Modeled below by Ashley and Candace (our personal fave!)
Citizens of Humanity Cotton Denim 5-Pack Masks: minimalist, comfy, and washable.
Alice & Olivia "Stace Face" Mask: for every mask sold, one is donated to someone in need.
Gravitas New York 2-Pack Masks: Tokki prints and for every mask pack sold, one is donated to essential works. Kids sizes also available!
Reformation 5X Floral Masks: made of recycled fabric, washable, and available in an array of ditsy floral prints.
Nili Lotan Candy Stripe Mask: 100% of proceeds donated to NYU Langone Medical Center in NYC.
Christy Dawn "The Sustainable Mask" 5-Pack: made from recycled linen and cotton scraps, each purchase donates one pack to an essential worker in need.
Gingham, Floral, and Linen Masks by Lindsey Berns: 100% cotton, machine washable, and shamelessly feminine!
The Metallic Mask by The Mighty Company: cheerful, bright, and outfitted with a practical antimicrobial lining.
Jonathan Simkhai Cloth Mask Pack: neutral cotton masks with a pouch for optional filter changes.
Katie Kime Face Covering 2-Pack: Simple cloth masks in a slew of fun geometric prints.
