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Rating: 
Summary: Great pictures, but lacking ideas
Review: First off, I do not regret buying this book. The photography is simply phenomonal, and it is inspiring just to look at the pictures. But unfortunetly, there are not really many gift giving "ideas". So if you bought this book looking for a new twist on gifts, you will be disapointed.Ideas include putting flowers from the garden into bottles, or using big "floppy roses", or colored packing peanuts. Not to origional, but still beautiful. She does convey the importance of giving thoughtful gifts, not just store bought items. Some reviewers had said that this is just a repeat of what is shown on her television show. I personally don't watch the show, so it's not a repeat for me. Without the photography, I would have rated this book a two. But the pictures are what inspires you to give creative and thoughtful gifts.
Rating:
Summary: Great pictures, but lacking ideas
Review: First off, I do not regret buying this book. The photography is simply phenomonal, and it is inspiring just to look at the pictures. But unfortunetly, there are not really many gift giving "ideas". So if you bought this book looking for a new twist on gifts, you will be disapointed. Ideas include putting flowers from the garden into bottles, or using big "floppy roses", or colored packing peanuts. Not to origional, but still beautiful. She does convey the importance of giving thoughtful gifts, not just store bought items. Some reviewers had said that this is just a repeat of what is shown on her television show. I personally don't watch the show, so it's not a repeat for me. Without the photography, I would have rated this book a two. But the pictures are what inspires you to give creative and thoughtful gifts.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspired to give
Review: I am enchanted by this book! I have a minor obsession with all things crafty, and when I bought "The Gift of Giving" I expected a how-to. I was pleasantly surprised to find, however, that the editorial content in this book is far more inspirational. Basically, Rachel gives you great ideas without the step-by-step uniformity that saps gifts of their personal creativity. In short, gift-giving should be highly personal, and this book gave me great ideas that will let my own creativity breathe free.
Rating: 
Summary: Much ado about nothing
Review: I have a HUGE obsession with Shabby Chic & anything Rachel Ashwell, so I have to admit at FIRST I was abit dissapointed with the Gift of Giving. It was described as Hard Cover. It is NOT a hard cover. It is also not really paperback, I call it soft cover. I REALLY want a hard cover with a dust jacket when I buy a nice book.
At first glance I was a little dissapointed with the context of the book. It's not the usual Shabby Chic book (and in the authors defence...it was NOT mean to be) But when I sat down & read the book cover to cover I really enjoyed the book. It is all about making your gift to someone extra special. Many people buy a gift without giving it much thought. You know you have to buy your "best friend a birhtday gift" so you think "Well she likes candles- I will get her one" Rachel shows you ways to make it even more special. That even wrapping the gift is special & can be part of the gift giving experience. Rachel discusses that there is a process to gift giving. You can start finding things for the gift long before you actually give to gift to the recipient. Perhaps your friends b-day is in a winter month & she loves the outdoors, or she grew up living in the Mts. You could wrap her gift in a pretty box with a beautiful ribbon & if it needs to be mailed you could surround the wrapped gift box by scented pinecones to keep the gift from shifting in the box that is mailed. (this is NOT one of her ideas)...but it is an example of how to personalize your gift to someone special. The Gift of Giving really inspired me to have fun with gift giving & the whole process. I enjoyed using her thoughts as I was sending off gifts this yr to friends & family. I have had several people thank me not only for the gift itself but for the packaging that it came in! And I had FUN doing it!
Rachel also talks about making the little things special......like fixing a lunch for a child. Children LOVE presentation & it shows them at some level that you are thinking of them when they are not there. By adding a special note to their lunch or adding something special or even "cutting fruit roll" into the shape of a heart or a smiley face can really make someone smile. After reading the book through........ I LOVE it more & more. The ideas are endless & personal. It doesn't have to be costly. Start saving the little things, they could be the "finishing touch" to the perfect gift!
Rating: 
Summary: Not enough good ideas for a book
Review: Rachel Ashwell makes incredibly beautiful fabrics and needs to stick to what she knows best. She offers some good ideas in this book, but not enough - some of her ideas are downright tacky. I'm a big fan of Shabby Chic and was disappointed with this book. If you've seen some of her shows on the Style Channel, then you've seen enough.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely!
Review: What a charming book. It's about time there was a Shabby Chic book that contained ideas other than home decorating. This book inspired me to see the possibility of a gift in every item.
Rating:
Summary: Rachel Ashwell on Rachel Ashwell
Review: What a disappointment! There are no projects with directions, and what the author deems inspirational ideas consist of such things as SEVERAL PAGES describing why it is nice to stick a loving note in your kids' lunchboxes. Mind you, I would have been delighted with a book of inspirational ideas -- but this sure wasn't it. I'd be ashamed to give 99% of the items as gifts; they're both tacky and yucky. The few decent ideas (gifts of herbs or flowers, citing the meaning of each) are old hat if you read any books, magazines, or online crafts lists. This was a huge disappointment and a colossal waste of money; what could have been wonderful instead seemed heavily padded to use up space, rather than providing viable/innovative ideas (or even good ideas, never mind original). I returned mine to Amazon.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Intentioned But Disappointing
Review: With her fourth book, "Shabby Chic: The Gift of Giving" Ashwell stays true to her core style but injects stronger color, upbeat energy, and modernity. All of this is fun for the reader and the photography from Amy Neunsinger is beautiful. Unfortunately, the book contains very few clever or fresh ideas for gifts. I do think Ashwell succeeds in conveying how the process of gift giving can be pleasurable and rewarding-maybe even spiritual. She shows how to enjoy the hunt; to take time assembling a gift that truly reflects the recipient. And I certainly like her emphasis on gift presentation but I expected to see a much wider array of packaging/presentation suggestions. The Christmas and Easter sections have a special spark, with Rachel's very personal approach to the holidays, but are much too brief. As one reviewer said, the content seems appropriate for a magazine feature but weak packaged as a hardcover book-that is actually soft cover. I had hoped to see the Shabby Chic approach applied to more holidays and to birthdays. Some of the photos are repeated too many times, there are only a handful of resources, and there is no index. Still, the spirit of the book is lovely.
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