When I fell in love with Grosgrain Ribbon

I always liked grosgrain ribbon but I much preferred satin ribbon. Actually, I would say that I adore satin ribbon as you well know by now. Satin ribbon always moves easily in my hands when I tie a bow, cooperates in a smooth manner while grosgrain resists tight twists and turns more than most ribbon types. Gros grain actually means coarse texture. Because of it's weave (and signature horizontal weave lines) it is a stiffer fabric, it will fight with you a bit but in the end it does make for a lovely stiff bow. Some people simply like the crisp, classic look of grosgrain ribbon better than the more feminine satin sister. 

It wasn't until I received a 2.5" wide grosgrain ribbon recently that I changed my mind, the extra width made all the difference. Revealed it's unique texture better too. Ever since this 2.5' grosgrain showed up in chocolate brown, hot pink, black and turquoise, I have been using it like crazy (you know how I love a lavish presentation). I like any ribbon that holds it's shape a bit, one of the reasons I rarely use wired ribbon. Once a gift is wrapped, it should be wrapped. I can't stand fussing and fluffing with it on the way to an event. Truthfully, by that point I am more concerned with my attire than my gift presentation.

You may notice I have combined 3 gift wrap techniques, wrapped them all together in one presentation. I have re-cycled a Henri Bendel store box, used a magazine image(Fashionista Gift Wrap), and clipped on a stray earring as a jewelry embellishment (believe me, if I had the pair I would be wearing them). Oh, and I used a type of ribbon that you have rarely seen me use before, so technically that makes it 4 techniques as far as blog tags go. This view to the side and rear is to show the effect of longer ribbon tails. My guideline, the wider the ribbon, the longer the ribbon tails, even more glam if they trail off the package.

As I mentioned before, remember to scan your favorite magazine images and re-use or re-format in the future for gift wrap or gift tags. I would certainly want to use this costumed Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth (torn from the pages of Vogue) as a matching gift tag. And I will as soon as I figure out this new scanner. I promise to show you.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Kate Spade............meet Martha Stewart

It is not that I planned a blog break, it just happened. Lots of personal catch-up, a bit of a new e-reader addiction to sort through, and time to form a lasting relationship with my new Mac desktop. To get myself back into the blog groove I spent an afternoon at Michaels craft store to see what I could come up with in the way of gift wrapping ideas. First I must state I am not a scrapbooker, but I can see the appeal. All those little packages of pretty little things. Before that little shopping expedition, I spent a day at Somerset Mall in Michigan where I indulged in a bit of Kate Spade so I did have this pretty box to play with...................Kate Spade meet Martha Stewart. You two look good together.

Since I am not a "craft" person so to speak, I wasn't really aware of the scope of scrapbook supplies or that Martha Stewart was in the game too (I am just not getting out enough). This is probably just as well judging by my lack of fiscal restraint when it comes to little packages of pretty little things and the way I see it, whoever does scrapbook must have lots of fun little embellishment leftovers that can be used up in other ways so I thought that is what I would show you in the next few weeks. Gift wrap ideas that use up these pretty little scrapbook things, easily and simply. Sort of like craft day at summer camp, only the grown-up kind.

To make this frou frou feminine type of gift box I simply took two packages of Martha Stewart Crafts stickers in two types of paper floral styles using 7 of the 12 pieces. Each package has 6 flowers and here in Canada was $8.49 per package though I am certain that it is less in the US. I changed the grommet-tied store ribbon to a narrow melon colour bringing it to the front instead of the top where it looked way too busy. This idea could work on a plain white or craft box too, in fact I think I will have a few to show you.

To the 1,000 followers of A Gift Wrapped Life................Thank you!

You have made my life more beautiful in the most remarkable of ways.

Kate Spade Box regift........challenge

When friends, or friends of my son ask me to gift wrap their own gift purchases I sometimes have to be inventive. Especially if the gift items are of awkward size or shape and they simply won't fit into my custom gift boxes. This is when I go hunting and this is often when I will use a larger department store box, you know..... do that re-gift, reused and recycle thing to beautiful boxes that I seem to enjoy. I just can't let a gorgeous box go to waste, even when it is a challenge.

I mentioned a while back that the new Kate Spade box had recently thrown a challenge my way and I am trying not to take it personally (of course I'm kidding). The logo is now huge on their larger boxes and goes to the very outside edge so the easy application of my larger decorative labels over the store logo isn't going to work anymore. But what a gorgeous box and it was certainly a better option to attempt a more challenging re-gift and re-wrap than wrapping the awkward but lovely shapes in cello. As you may have surmised by now, cello wrapping gift-basket style just isn't my thing. I like the surprise and elegance of a boxed gift much more.

Out came the glue stick and double-sided tape. And a fun and perky polka dot gift wrap paper that I folded into matching strips and then glued and taped down along the entire edge so it wouldn't budge. If you try this, then test the glue on a small piece of the gift wrap, sometimes the glue can wrinkle a lightweight gift wrap paper. One strip to cover the bottom left logo, the other just to balance it out nicely. When I think of Kate Spade, I always think of polka dots and quirky colour combinations so I liked that the olive green paper wasn't an exact match. When I tried a solid Kelly Green gift wrap it just looked too contrived much to my surprise. Well, it did work it just didn't look as interesting.

There would be many colour directions I could have used in ribbon colours (hot pink, coral, red), but I did like the idea of using even more polka dots in matching turquoise grosgrain ribbon. I would have liked to have tried a few other re-gift box options but was short on time. Guess I have to buy another Kate Spade handbag. This blogging is getting expensive.

I didn't mind the green paper flower, but I can't say I loved it. I think this gift went out the door with this pop of coral colour to make it a bit brighter. I am sure I switched the flowers at the last minute. Which do you prefer?

And since I was on a polka dot theme, I wrapped up her second gift in a different colour direction for another shower gift. If I don't know the bridal colour scheme then I don't worry too much about bridal theme wrapping for showers, just hope to make the presentation pretty and fun. Something to stand out among the shower of gifts.

I just love my Kate Spade handbag that I bought a month ago and came in the wonderful new box with the great big logo. As many know, I cannot resist anything in chartreuse, it is simply my favorite colour.Though I may re-gift Kate Spade boxes I really do support her store any chance I get. This is one of my favorite Kate Spade handbags, the inside is lined in Kelly green. It is the perfect handbag size for me and was just sitting there waiting just for me. With a sale tag no less.




All photographs by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Henri Bendel Regift Box 3...with Sunflower

Remember the Henri Bendel box I was regifting a few weeks ago? I forgot about this one as it got lost in the computer shuffle that was going on around here. I am calling it a Sunflower only because that's what it reminds me of......a happy sunflower.


I love chartreuse green and chocolate brown so I used a 1/4" wide grosgrain ribbon in chartreuse and a wider cotton one for banding the box. It is the ribbon that is hiding the store logo so you may want to glue it down over the logo. The label will cover it beautifully on it's own should you wish to delete the band. I like this effect with or without the band ribbon as it gives the presentation some dimension without ribbon bows. Some gifts and some people just don't suit bows, know what I mean?

It is as easy as it looks. Any one of us can do this easy technique. Simply cut ribbon lengths in a narrow ribbon and stick them to the adhesive back of a larger label. Just go along the edge because you still need a adhesive center to stick the label to the box. I kept the backing handy until I was ready to stick the label in position. I wasn't too precise as you can see with matching ribbon lengths and was being deliberately random to see the effect. I am going to experiment with this technique a bit more and see what I can come up with for you. In fact, I have an idea right now as I look at this.

I even like it moved off center with the ribbon over the box edge. Just for something different.

These Bon Voyage Labels are from a company called Cavallini & Co. As you know if you read this blog, these labels are a gift-wrapping girls best friend. These Bon Voyage Labels are vintage luggage labels and in sharper colours and stronger images than the Ephemera Stickers or Paris Labels which have a more feminine style. Good gift wrapping value as each tin has anywhere from 24-48 labels of varying size and retails for about $16.00. Bon Voyage Labels are great to have on hand if you do male-gender gift wrapping. I use these labels in all of the styles for tissue wrapping, box and bag regifting, and over the back flap of any envelope. I just think they make anything more fun to open.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life