Christmas present...is this tacky?

calico2222

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 9, 2004
Messages
7,731
Purraise
41
Location
Over the river and through the woods...
My cousin is really into sewing and crafty things and she's always looking for new patterns and ideas. I was on ebay today, and found a few auctions for sewing patterns for kids clothes, but instead of mailing you the patterns they email them to you. From what the seller says, she has exclusive copy rights on the patterns because they are her design. It also saves on the shipping cost of actually getting a book in the mail.

What do you think? Is that tacky? I thought since the designs were unique she may like it, but I don't want her to think I just cruised free websites and printed off her present without spending a dime.

Would anyone be insulted by that? BTW, it's not going to be her only present but we do have a $25.00 max for non-immediate family members. And, we aren't super close so this isn't really something I can talk to her about before hand.

And imput?
 

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
We are in the 21st Century and on our way to being completely digital. I don't think it's tacky at all. It's just another way of delivery.

What you could do if you are unsure how she will take getting an emailed gift, is maybe have the person email the patterns to you and then you can burn them to a CD and put it in a nice CD case along with a pretty CD cover and wrap it up.

Or you can have the person email the patterns to you, then you can make some outlook express stationary, or find some free ones on the internet that are Christmas related. Then you can send your cousin a personalized Christmassy email with the patterns attached.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

calico2222

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 9, 2004
Messages
7,731
Purraise
41
Location
Over the river and through the woods...
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

We are in the 21st Century and on our way to being completely digital. I don't think it's tacky at all. It's just another way of delivery.

What you could do if you are unsure how she will take getting an emailed gift, is maybe have the person email the patterns to you and then you can burn them to a CD and put it in a nice CD case along with a pretty CD cover and wrap it up.

Or you can have the person email the patterns to you, then you can make some outlook express stationary, or find some free ones on the internet that are Christmas related. Then you can send your cousin a personalized Christmassy email with the patterns attached.
That's a great idea!! I was going to have them emailed to me, and just print them out, but saving them to CD makes so much more sense. Now, I just have to find out if she is computer literate enough to figure out how to load a CD.
 

margecat

Mentor
Staff Member
Mentor
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
5,209
Purraise
2,561
I buy e-books for this kind of stuff on eBay all the time, and LOVE them. You usually can email them to someone, especially if you have re-sale rights to them, which many have for free when you buy the auction.

I think it's a great idea! Wouldn't mind a few myself. I was thinking of doing this for DH.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
I don't think its tacky-she will appreaciate your search for a good useful gift.
 

clairebear

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2006
Messages
1,541
Purraise
1
Location
Manchester, CT
I agree, I don't think that it's tacky as long as you spruce them up a bit. I wouldn't just print them out on plain old paper and hand them to her. Like someone else already suggested making them into a cd, or printing them out on nice paper and making them into a booklet would be a great idea.
 

pami

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 16, 2006
Messages
17,482
Purraise
17
Location
Birmingham
I have a question..... if its a pattern, how is she supposed to get it off the email or off the CD onto pattern paper to make it?

I may be missing something (which is highly probable) but I dont understand how she is suppose to use it.
 

tigerlord

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
308
Purraise
11
Location
Chicoutimi, QC
If printer on quality photo paper (around the 96 g/cm2 would be ok) and neatly presented, I'd be more than happy.

It would insult me if someone arrived with a white 8x11 folded in half wrapped in newspaper for example.

My 2¢
 

MoochNNoodles

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
36,646
Purraise
23,468
Location
Where my cats are
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

We are in the 21st Century and on our way to being completely digital. I don't think it's tacky at all. It's just another way of delivery.

What you could do if you are unsure how she will take getting an emailed gift, is maybe have the person email the patterns to you and then you can burn them to a CD and put it in a nice CD case along with a pretty CD cover and wrap it up.

Or you can have the person email the patterns to you, then you can make some outlook express stationary, or find some free ones on the internet that are Christmas related. Then you can send your cousin a personalized Christmassy email with the patterns attached.
Those are good ideas!
Originally Posted by Pami

I have a question..... if its a pattern, how is she supposed to get it off the email or off the CD onto pattern paper to make it?

I may be missing something (which is highly probable) but I dont understand how she is suppose to use it.
I was wondering that too.
 

EnzoLeya

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2007
Messages
5,154
Purraise
8
Location
South East Iowa
I think it's a good idea. Like someone said before things are going digital. Send her the email you got, that way she knows you paid for it.
 
Top