Monday, October 25, 2010

Good Witch...Bad Witch....Caught in the act of re-gifting. Power of the Internet

Have you ever found out someone regifted something you gave them or got rid of it?

One time I made some wooden boxes, cut out Xmas trees on the front, painted them and filled them with handmade candles. They were for the co-workers at hubby`s office.  All but one.  One I made with a star of David for a Jewish person.  Two years later we received a gift from someone else in the office and it was lovely.  A handmade wooden box with a Star of David and homemade candles. 
So that was a double regift.  We gave to Person 1, who gave it to person 2, who gave it to person 3 (us). 

I had something funny happen on the weekend, although I was so fuming mad about it at the time, I was ranting.  Now I can laugh.


I dabble in fiber art.  I have sold a few pieces and have had 3 pieces accepted into a juried show.  A family member bugged me and bugged me to make a piece for them.  I happily obliged and spend dozens and dozens of hours on it.  I gave it to them for Christmas.

Now as families sometimes do,  a Divorce happened.  The person I had gifted to, called me to see if they could keep the art since it was given to them and they loved it soo, so much.  I was thrilled, still wanting this person in my life. I called the other divorced party and they agreed it should stay with the giftee.

On Saturday, I got an email from a person in a certain state saying that a piece of my art had showed up in a thrift shop. They didn`t feel that it was a thrift shop piece and they said it spoke to them and they  just had a `feeling about it``  They googled my name and found me and asked it I wanted it back.

To me, the Divorced Party  #1, if they could no longer bear to look at it, should have offered it back to  Divorced Party  #2, which would bring it back into my family.  It was after all, not a mere caserole dish or a book or some other purchased gift.  It was made with love. Anyway after stewing on it for a day or so, the Divorced party #2 and I have been thinking up ways to let DP1 know that we know they dumped it.

Wouldn't it be so funny if I called them and said
"Someone called me because they bought a piece of my art at an auction for $10,000 and wanted to know more about me and my techniques, and it turned out to be your piece"

or

"We could hang it back up in the DP1's house exactly where they had taken it down.  They would think they were haunted"

You never know when something will come back and bite you in the ass.



12 comments:

  1. Oh my, I have always been of the opinion re gifting is fine - as long as, you don't get caught. What a shame they just didn't give it back to you in the first place.

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  2. I am sorry Chania. What a slap in the face. I just find it amazing someone had the forethought to find you. Stuff really does go full circle. Karma will get DP1.

    I really like the idea of letting the party squirm...I go for idea #1.

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  3. Oh, I know someone who invites the whole class to her kids parties, then keeps the gifts she likes and labels and identifies each of the other gifts to regift, and makes sure she does not regift to the giver....she says this way she never has to buy presents for the whole school year.

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  4. Oh my both those stories are quite amazing- I would hang it up exactly where it was- if there is a chance they will see it!

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  5. I'd choose the haunting path. Subtle but it will speak volumes.

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  6. I don't do regifting - seems like too much work!

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  7. Oh dear. Maybe you could just take the line of thought that they were all very stressed and weren't thinking straight when they gave it away. I'm not a fan of re-gifting as I'd hate someone to find out!

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  8. You reap what you sow. DP #1 is reaping a dreadful life apparently. I would go with the ten thousand dollar comment just for giggles.

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  9. Oh man, that is rough. I think this takes regifting to a whole different level because it was a piece that had taken you so many hours of labor and love. That person should have given it back, but obviously is someone with a faulty moral compass. I, too, believe in karma, however, in this case, where, if I understood correctly, the persona asked to keep the gift despite the divorce? I would go for option 1, totally let her squirm until she confesses and apologizes (hopefully). Or the haunting if you don't want a confrontation. Either way, the artwork is now in its rightful home. Or, if it does bring back bad memories, you can sell it for what it's worth (and not thrift store prices).

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  10. Oh Chania I am SO SORRY Lovey but I am peeing my pants down here laughing....NOT that you are offended as I would SURELY be so if it happened to me....MORE so that that they have been so CAUGHT OUT....!!

    If it's ANY consolation, I would NEVER part with a gift you gave me....Never....Ever....E-V-E-R....!!!

    I'd go with the, "Someone called me because they bought a piece of my art at an auction for $10,000 and wanted to know more about me and my techniques, and it turned out to be your piece" option....hahahahahaASSCHOMP....!!

    Looking forward to how you proceed....!!

    Cheers for now,
    Tamarah :o)

    PS: My sincerest apologies for not getting back to contribute to your RED linky party....My weekend was CHAOS....C-H-A-O-S....!!

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  11. I would DEFINITELY try the auction house line, and jump the price up as high as you think it can go! What a cheek!

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I love to read each and every comment and are thrilled that you take the time to send one. Thank you so much. Chania