The Hint, the Heart, and the Handmade Gift »

I had one of those experiences that feels like it could only begin at the One of a Kind Show. I went with my husband this year – already a seasonal miracle – and while Stan wasn’t quite prepared for the amount of walking, we quickly settled into a rhythm: one row together, one row with him happily parked somewhere, one row reunited…

Somewhere on one of my solo circuits, I wandered into the Vintage section and promptly fell for m.goldfinger gifts – a treasure-trove of pieces upcycled from old tins. Wall hangings, ornaments, jewellery… each one with that whimsical “where did you come from” aura. I instantly zeroed in on a pair of earrings. Gorgeous. Ingenious. Retro-magical.

I told Michelle (the M in m.goldfinger gifts), half-joking yet entirely serious, that I’d be hinting broadly to my husband about them. Should a man appear, looking earnest but uncertain, she’d know exactly which pair he was meant to be guided toward. Sly, right?

Well… too sly for Stan, as it turns out. The hint sailed past him like a snowflake in a high wind.

No harm done. I loved Michelle’s work anyway, so I did a post about her on @5HGiving. She sent me the sweetest DM thanking me, saying I made her day. And that gave me the warm fuzzies.

And then came the twist. My hint did work – just not on the intended target.

A few days later, Michelle messaged again asking for my mailing address, saying she wanted to send me the earrings. I told her that was incredibly kind and asked for her email so I could e-transfer her.

Her reply stopped me cold:

“Absolutely not. It’s my gift to you. I got the hint!!”

Reader… the package arrived today.

The earrings are stunning – inventive, beautifully made, and instantly among my most cherished things.

But it’s the gesture that got me. The generosity. The thoughtfulness. The way a small moment at a handmade market rippled outward to remind me why I created 5H Giving in the first place.

People sometimes assume 5H is a business, or a monetized platform. It isn’t. I don’t charge for mentions, and I don’t want to. It’s a labour of love – a way to spotlight the makers, the givers, the people who infuse their gifts with intention.

Which is why this gift from Michelle feels so perfectly aligned. Wholly and graciously received, because the spirit behind it is the same one 5H has always been built on.

And my heart? Thoroughly warmed.

Read the 5H Origin story here.