To top it off...I'm starting to get ready for Christmas!

I knew it was coming....Christmas. I love this holiday and this is the holiday when I get to go all out with my wrapping. I start brain storming wrapping ideas the moment I see Christmas stuff being put out in stores. I usually do an inventory of when I have left over from last year, particularly ribbon and package toppers. I've completed my inventory and now it's time to keep my eyes open. I plan my wrapping projects based on the personalities of family and friends, who I buy gifts for. It takes me forever to think of what to get people and how I'm going to wrap. I always...always...always make sure I can put it in a box. Nothing is more frustrating then wrapping something that doesn't have nice clean edges. I know it's not very green to want to use more stuff to wrap but I like clean, neat corners. I like using conventional colors, unconventional colors. The color I'm seeing a lot of for Christmas wrap and ribbon is turquoise and purple, which I haven't used so far...I'm in the middle of trying to figure out how I can used this jewel tone colors. 

Easy Goes It this Halloween!

I used to love Halloween as a kid, getting dressed up and knocking on doors for the night getting a pillow case full of candy. Now that I'm older and wiser, I like Halloween for the decorations and fun treats people come up with for parties. However, this year I kept it simple...after working all weekend I was content to sit and watch Halloween movies instead. The effort I did make, was quite easy. For my lil' visitors who were hanging around I made sugar cookies and confetti cupcakes, iced in my favorite Halloween colors: orange, purple and green. With a knife and a piping bag...I made a fun, easy array of sweet treats for the ghouls and ghost haunting around the house. 

You can tie them in a knot, you can tie them in a bow...

this evening, i had the great pleasure of meeting some of the ladies of my local city garden club. as a part of their annual ribbon sale during christmas, they host a bow-making get together to make the bows. this year, i was invited to do a presentation on how to make different types of bows. i went through a variety of bow designs, with the help of my display boards and sample wrapped packages, i demonstrated the various techniques used to make a rose bow, double loop bow and the full bow.

Spade Birthday Breakfast

For a friend's birthday, I decided to take on the theme of 'Kate Spade'. I wrapped one gift in the style of a Spade gift box, with bright orange and pink with a stripe of gold. I made the spade gift tag by layering pink and orange cover stock. I wrote my message in gold paint pen. The other gift was done in a white with black polka dot wrap with KS green with side white stitched ribbon. I then cut up a rose thank you note make a gift tag. 


I decided to make table settings to look like KS plates. KS currently has a design of a gold layered ribbon as a theme in her jewelry this year, so I took that design and made my own gold ribbon accent on the place setting. 

Candyland!

i had ALWAYS wanted to do a candy bar for an event. this particular bridal weekend was a great opportunity. all of us ladies have a sweet tooth and thought this would be so much fun and i could see how much i could 'flex' my creative muscles. i started planning this in may (the event was at the end of august). like the crazy planner i am, i did research....a lot of research! i had to figure out what candy would be loved by everyone, i had to think of a color theme, i had to think of how to set it up and be a surprise, where to buy everything. i took notes, kept my out for sales and great deals. 


the theme of this particular candy bar was inspired by my one of my favorite designers, kate spade. i had a box of stationery made by ks with red and hot pink polka dots on it, it was called 'confetti'....and i knew i had my colors. from then on, all i saw was red and pink, my mind was set to find anything and everything in those colors.  i went everywhere for the candy. i used two sizes of clear cello bags for the girls to put the candy in. i incorporated the napkins into this table knowing we would eat the cookies and amazing brownies (made by my friends mum) right away. the one thing i thought would be the easiest to find, ended up being the hardest...the table clothe. in the end, i went and bought two yards of hot pink satin and it worked wonders, it traveled well...didn't wrinkle. i couldn't have been more happy with the way it turned out!

What is Pink, Satin and Sparkly all over?

this is a gift i wrapped for a bridal shower i attended. the gift started with the large wedding ring and the design went from there. i had a roll of gorgeous pink wrap and some sparkly pink wrap left over from another project. i also had access to this stunning white satin ribbon. it was a crate and barrel box, which meant i had to really tape down the handle that i asked them not to put on there. i think the pink sparkle paper on top made the gift really pop and fun! it looked great on the gift table!

Final Fling before the Ring

I had the privilege to work with a great group of gals in planning a bachelorette and bridal weekend for our friend getting married in the fall. Our theme for the weekend was 'Final Fling'. I bought strawberry and cherry ring pops and bought small clear ring boxes. I added a bit of flare to the place setting at the bachelorette dinner by placing the favor on a hot pink napkin I designed with brushed gold typesetting and ring design to have it match the ring boxes.