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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 13:43:14 GMT
I had this gift bag since the 1990s. And it has a lot of sentimental value to a family member, but I've misplaced it! Aack! So now I'm trying to find a back-up. I have found a lot of people selling vintage gift bags on Ebay, Etsy, etc., but with nothing more to go by than the appearance of the bag, I'm always pulling up scores of search results. I tried to use Google images, but no luck. So I'm wondering if anyone recognizes the style as being a particular artist, or even familiar from a certain company. If I even knew to search for Current, or American Greetings, or Hallmark, it would be a help, kwim? It says "Happy Holidays" with some white snowflakes down the sides, but I cannot see an artist's name or initials, nor a company on the photo anywhere. Thanks for taking a minute to check out my long shot of a request.  ETA: I hope I misplaced it, because the other option is that someone in my household threw it out, not realizing it was important to this other family member.   |
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Post by mom on May 13, 2024 13:45:23 GMT
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Post by littlemama on May 13, 2024 13:47:08 GMT
I ran it through Google Lens and didnt come up with anything close to it. The eyes are the piece that I focused on specifically because they are a unique shape.
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 13:52:21 GMT
I ran it through Google Lens and didnt come up with anything close to it. The eyes are the piece that I focused on specifically because they are a unique shape. Thanks so much for trying.  That's why I was thinking that perhaps someone might recognize the artist or style since it did seem a bit different than most snowmen faces I see. |
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 13:53:24 GMT
Thanks! I'll try checking to see if they have any similar looking snowmen for sale now---that might help me with an artist. |
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Post by Lexica on May 13, 2024 14:08:44 GMT
That looks so familiar to me. I have a set of gift boxes that have a Christmas theme that might be by this artist. Unfortunately, it is still in the box mountain of unpacked boxes in my garage. I have already unpacked the two other sets of gift boxes so hopefully I am unpacking in the right area for this last set. I will come back to let you know when I finally unearth them.
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 14:12:21 GMT
That looks so familiar to me. I have a set of gift boxes that have a Christmas theme that might be by this artist. Unfortunately, it is still in the box mountain of unpacked boxes in my garage. I have already unpacked the two other sets of gift boxes so hopefully I am unpacking in the right area for this last set. I will come back to let you know when I finally unearth them. Thank you so much! In the meanwhile I'll try searching for vintage gift boxes and see if that gets me anywhere. |
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Post by compeateropeator on May 13, 2024 14:39:45 GMT
That looks so familiar to me. I have a set of gift boxes that have a Christmas theme that might be by this artist. Unfortunately, it is still in the box mountain of unpacked boxes in my garage. I have already unpacked the two other sets of gift boxes so hopefully I am unpacking in the right area for this last set. I will come back to let you know when I finally unearth them. Thank you so much! In the meanwhile I'll try searching for vintage gift boxes and see if that gets me anywhere. I agree that it looks so familiar to me also. When I saw it was immediately struck by āI swear I had that bagā. I just got rid of a lot of old beat up ones though. I was thinking if I had bought it is was probably at a Ben Franklin (not sure that you had that type of store) or if it was one I received I bet it was from the Christmas Tree Shop. Both east coast discount general merchandise type stores. I will look at what I have left, though, just to see. Good luck. I hope you are to find a substitute. I am so sorry that the original was misplaced. |
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 18:49:43 GMT
Thank you so much! In the meanwhile I'll try searching for vintage gift boxes and see if that gets me anywhere. I agree that it looks so familiar to me also. When I saw it was immediately struck by āI swear I had that bagā. I just got rid of a lot of old beat up ones though. I was thinking if I had bought it is was probably at a Ben Franklin (not sure that you had that type of store) or if it was one I received I bet it was from the Christmas Tree Shop. Both east coast discount general merchandise type stores. I will look at what I have left, though, just to see. Good luck. I hope you are to find a substitute. I am so sorry that the original was misplaced. Thanks! |
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Post by grammadee on May 13, 2024 19:02:58 GMT
I immediately thought of Regal. We all used to order our greeting cards and gift bags/boxes from Regal, a Canadian company with a home business model. I loved looking through their catalog (supplied by a co-worker who was a representative), especially leading up to Christmas. Her is a link to their catalogues. You may be able to follow the bread crumbs to come up with the info you need. |
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 19:04:46 GMT
I immediately thought of Regal. We all used to order our greeting cards and gift bags/boxes from Regal, a Canadian company with a home business model. I loved looking through their catalog (supplied by a co-worker who was a representative), especially leading up to Christmas. Here is one ![https://issuu.com/regalgifts]() to their catalogues. You may be able to follow the bread crumbs to come up with the info you need. Thanks so much! I have 6+ months to follow leads, so I appreciate all of these ideas. |
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Post by workingclassdog on May 13, 2024 20:30:44 GMT
I swear I thought I had a bag like that myself.. lol.. it must have been very popular. My vibes are Current but maybe Walmart.. I'm trying to remember my style back then and these were the places that I would go.. or my family members. Could be a Hallmark (although not getting that vibe) but I had a lot of Hallmark stuff too.
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TankTop
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1,871
Posts: 4,839
Location: On the couch...
Jun 28, 2014 1:52:46 GMT
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Post by TankTop on May 13, 2024 20:55:28 GMT
Do you particularly want another gift bag or could it be made into a painting or digital print to frame decor?
I do not know much about AI, but I wonder if this is something that someone who knows how to use it could re-create as a printable image
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Post by katlady on May 13, 2024 22:59:37 GMT
Is it misplaced within the house? Maybe you'll find it in 6 months. Good luck with your search!
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2024 23:29:21 GMT
My vibes are Current but maybe Walmart.. I'm trying to remember my style back then and these were the places that I would go.. or my family members. Could be a Hallmark (although not getting that vibe) but I had a lot of Hallmark stuff too. Thanks for the suggestions. Do you particularly want another gift bag or could it be made into a painting or digital print to frame decor? I would love to find another bag, but I had never thought of any of those other ideas, so now I'll keep those in mind in case the bag turns out to be an impossibility. Maybe you'll find it in 6 months. Good luck with your search! Thanks! I tend to be one of those people who put something in a "safe space" and find it accidentally 610 years later, LOL, but we are working on both an attic and a closet project this year, so maybe I'll come across it then. |
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styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,982
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on May 13, 2024 23:38:37 GMT
Do you think it could be a gift bag that was sold through a school fundraiser ... A company called JT Enterprises I think ... I also believe I have seen this bag! I will also look and see if I have one!
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Post by melanell on May 14, 2024 0:19:16 GMT
Do you think it could be a gift bag that was sold through a school fundraiser ... A company called JT Enterprises I think ... I also believe I have seen this bag! I will also look and see if I have one! I don't think so, but it was so long ago now that I really don't know. I'll try searching with that name. Thanks! |
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Post by cheezitgirl on May 14, 2024 0:43:41 GMT
It looks so familiar. Carlton Card stores were in every mall near me in the 90s. Did you ever shop there?
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Post by melanell on May 14, 2024 1:18:47 GMT
It looks so familiar. Carlton Card stores were in every mall near me in the 90s. Did you ever shop there? I never even thought of them. Thanks for the reminder. |
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scrappinwithoutpeas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,014 
Location: Northern Virginia
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Post by scrappinwithoutpeas on May 14, 2024 1:31:27 GMT
Like compeateropeator, I could swear I had (or possibly still have) that bag. I'm also East Coast and we had Ben Franklin and a few other discount stores of that ilk that may have carried that bag. I want to say this was circa early 90s. I will look through my stash and see what I have. I've definitely seen it, just not sure whether we still have it. (Also I possibly could be remembering having seen it at MIL's house when we helped downsize her house.) |
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Post by melanell on May 14, 2024 1:38:12 GMT
Like compeateropeator , I could swear I had (or possibly still have) that bag. I'm also East Coast and we had Ben Franklin and a few other discount stores of that ilk that may have carried that bag. I want to say this was circa early 90s. I will look through my stash and see what I have. I've definitely seen it, just not sure whether we still have it. (Also I possibly could be remembering having seen it at MIL's house when we helped downsize her house.) Thanks so much! |
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Post by tryingtobewise on May 14, 2024 5:11:06 GMT
I had forgotten all about current catalogs. We used to pass them around at work. š |
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Post by littlemama on May 14, 2024 10:27:54 GMT
It looks so familiar. Carlton Card stores were in every mall near me in the 90s. Did you ever shop there? I never even thought of them.Ā Thanks for the reminder.Ā Im not sure that would have been Carleton or Hallmark. I think it has the look of Current or maybe even a fundraiser gift wrap company. |
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Post by hop2 on May 14, 2024 10:30:50 GMT
I had that exact bag.
But I donated out a stack of gift bags when I moved 2 years ago.
Iām so sorry.
( and this is how we become hoarders because thatās the 3rd thing that I ācould have usedā that I purged )
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Post by compeateropeator on May 14, 2024 10:45:25 GMT
I agree that it looks so familiar to me also. When I saw it was immediately struck by āI swear I had that bagā. I just got rid of a lot of old beat up ones though. I was thinking if I had bought it is was probably at a Ben Franklin (not sure that you had that type of store) or if it was one I received I bet it was from the Christmas Tree Shop. Both east coast discount general merchandise type stores. I will look at what I have left, though, just to see. Good luck. I hope you are to find a substitute. I am so sorry that the original was misplaced. Thanks! I am sorry. I looked and I do not have it left. I also did check out a bunch of gift boxes I have and none of them were close either. Wish I could have helped. Good luck. |
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Post by melanell on May 14, 2024 11:15:07 GMT
I had forgotten all about current catalogs. We used to pass them around at work. š I remember putting together group orders to save on shipping or earn free gifts. Im not sure that would have been Carleton or Hallmark. I think it has the look of Current or maybe even a fundraiser gift wrap company. Thank you! I had that exact bag. But I donated out a stack of gift bags when I moved 2 years ago. Iām so sorry. ( and this is how we become hoarders because thatās the 3rd thing that I ācould have usedā that I purged ) I hear you about getting rid of stuff and then finding a use for it or hearing someone else could have used it--I've had it happen several times. But we can't keep everything, I'm sure someone enjoys the things we donate. I am sorry. I looked and I do not have it left. I also did check out a bunch of gift boxes I have and none of them were close either. Wish I could have helped. Good luck. Thanks so much for checking! |
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Post by craftedbys on May 14, 2024 13:41:56 GMT
If you repost this closer to Christmas, I will check my huge stash of gift bags. The bag looks so familiar, but the tote is not accessible at the moment.
Was the handle a red ribbon or a twisted/braided fiber?
I am my mother's daughter and haven't thrown a gift bag away in 30 years unless it was completely destroyed. Plus, I inherited her stash as well.
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Post by melanell on May 14, 2024 14:39:26 GMT
If you repost this closer to Christmas, I will check my huge stash of gift bags. The bag looks so familiar, but the tote is not accessible at the moment. Was the handle a red ribbon or a twisted/braided fiber? I am my mother's daughter and haven't thrown a gift bag away in 30 years unless it was completely destroyed. Plus, I inherited her stash as well. I will repost later, thanks! And the handle was the twisted/braided type. |
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Post by workingclassdog on May 14, 2024 14:43:48 GMT
I had forgotten all about current catalogs. We used to pass them around at work. š Not to brag, but I lived near a Current outlet store.. it was the BEST.. so so cheap and fun to look through. No frills store... everything in boxes on tables.. it was sorted good though. Spent many hours looking for deals. The store was even located in some warehouse type area... you had to really look for it to even find it. |
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oh yvonne
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,064
Jun 26, 2014 0:45:23 GMT
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Post by oh yvonne on May 14, 2024 15:24:20 GMT
Google "Hallmark artist Mary Hamilton"
I loved her sweet, cute little animal drawings. The bag reminds me of her work.
this thread takes me back though, to the fun of ordering from the Currents catalog back when it first came out. So many fun things to order. Like stationery back when I used to write letters.
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