February 17th, 2010
Nest of Treasures gift wrap by Wanda Wen. Photo by Jules Bianci.
Here in Los Angeles it feels as though Spring has already arrived. The 70 degree weather and beautiful blue skies have me thinking about all the fun spring events that will soon be popping up, including baby showers, bridal showers, and the first weddings of the busy wedding season. What do all these events have in common? Well, gift registries is one thing for sure!
Giving a gift off the registry is both convenient and practical, but it can eliminate the best part of giving a gift-that wonderful moment of surprise when the recipient lights up with wonder and eagerly opens the package. My philosophy is that when you give a gift, you both honor the recipient and give a bit of yourself…but the latter can be easily lost when giving a gift that is wrapped in the same signature department store gift wrap as 10 other packages on the gift table.
So why not restore that element of surprise with a gift wrap that is as unique as the gift giver (that’s you!)? Sure, forgoing the department store wrap might take you a few extra minutes, but the DIY fix can actually be more cost effective while twice as fun and impressive. In this busy world we live in, taking that extra time to make something truly special is one of the greatest gifts you can give. The finished result will delight the recipient. Trust me!
Here’s a wrap from my forthcoming book, The Art of Gift Wrapping (out April 6th!), that is just perfect for any spring event, whether it be a fun baby shower or sophisticated bridal luncheon. I call it my Nest of Treasures wrap, and you can see a photo of it at the top of the page. Here’s what you need:
- Sheer netting
- 1 bowl (about 5″ in diameter)
- scissors
- jelly beans
- seam binding (2 different colors)
- small nest
- decorative paper
- tape
- tweezers
- bird topper
This gift wrap is truly enchanting and so much fun to give. For complete details on how to assemble this gift wrap, keep an eye out for my book, The Art of Gift Wrapping out April 6th!
Tags: A Soolip Wedding, art of gift wrapping, book, gift topper, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, gifts, Jules Bianchi, Soolip, Soolip Blog, The Art of Gift Wrapping, the art of gift wrapping book, wanda, Wanda Wen, wanda wen book
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February 12th, 2010
Romantic mottles metallic woven box gift wrap by Wanda Wen. Photo by Jules Bianci.
Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite times of the year. Imagine that within this fast-paced and consumer-driven society, we all can still embrace a day where the celebration is focused on the very thing that all humans crave and need, the intangible and invaluable thing called Love.
Recognizing the love that you have for another, whether it be a lover, husband, wife, child, friend or relative is so meaningful in this day and age. When communication has taken the form of 5-second texting, a phone call on one’s cell phone or colorless e-mails, communicating love is a welcome message in any form. However, conveying this love to another is made even more special when communicating with something that is tactile, something that satisfies not just one of the human senses, but all 5, or 6 if you subscribe to the existence of the sixth sense of intuition (I do.).
I am a paperphile, a lover of paper. Its tactile, for sure. Handmade cotton papers feel so good to the touch. Ecru-colored deckle-edged letter sheets are a calming respite for the eye. Scented inks laid down on luxurious papers with a glass dipping pen brings happiness to the nose. Opening a sealed envelope and experiencing the brush of paper against paper when removing a love letter or card from its envelope is breath to the ears. An encounter with the little bit of delectable chocolate hidden within the love letter’s folds satisfies the tongue. And finally, reading heartfelt words written from one’s heart to another certainly tingles one’s sense of intuition, one’s spirit.
The expression of love is always welcome, in my book, The Art . Whether its been years since you’ve communicated your nostalgic feelings to an old friend from your high school days, or if you’ve just been in a quarrel with a lover or spouse, or if you are simply in the middle of the daily routine of picking up your child from school, choosing to be open with your heart is a gift for not only the recipient, but a gift to yourself. The act of giving love or loving someone fills your own heart. Make this expression of love truly a gift by taking the time to write and record on a handmade card (preferably by you) or a piece of handmade paper made of cotton rag. And if these vehicles of communication are simply not available to you, reach for a recycled piece of copy paper from your fax machine, pick up a pen, any pen, and scribe what’s in your heart. There is nothing better than to receive love in the form of the written word.
With love,
Wanda Soolip Wen
Tags: art of gift wrapping, Card, Gift, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, Give, paper, Receive, Soolip, Soolip Blog, The Art of Gift Wrapping, Valentine's Day, Wanda Wen
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December 14th, 2009
Jessica Stein's Faux Leather Gift Wrap. Photo by Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times
I’m always looking for new and artful ways to re-use household items for festive occasions. This holiday season, Jessica Stein, staff writer at the LA Times and author of Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books From Recycled and Repurposed Materials has some great ideas. Her D-I-Y wrapping paper idea will bring new life to that stack of old magazines and brown paper grocery bags that you’ve stashed away. Plus, it’s a great activity for the kids too (even the older ones can help with the sewing machine portion of the project). With a little left over shoe polish, you can also transform an ordinary brown bag into a faux leather wrap that will give any gift a fresh decorative edge. Check out all her ideas on the LA Times website by clicking here.
Tags: art of gift wrapping, brown paper bag, brown bag, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, gifts, holiday, holidays, Jessica Stein, Los Angeles Times, Nature, paper, Recycled, recycled material, Soolip, Soolip Blog, Wanda Wen
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December 2nd, 2009
Alton DuLaney, Scotch® Brand Most Gifted Wrapper for 2008
Do what you love with all your heart and you’ll find yourself in the most fun and exciting places! Today I’m following my bliss to NYC to judge the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest. Think Top Chef, but for gift wrapping. Yes, the competition is that intense! Each year, eight of our nation’s most talented gift wrappers race against the clock and each other as they attempt to perfectly wrap the ultimate odd shaped gifts – like golf clubs, tiered candy dishes, and even a baby grand piano!
The contest will take place this Friday, December 4, 8:30 a.m. at Rockefeller Center, NYC . If you’re in NYC, be sure to stop by and say hello!
This is my third year judging the contest, and every year I’ve had such a ball. Watching the contestants is thrilling! I empathize with their initial moments of frustration over the unforgiving packages, then the sudden bursts of creativity, and finally, the adding of the finishing touches-crisp creases and perfectly tied bows-with such gusto! By the end of the competition I always want to give each contestant first place for their effort. But, only one person can be crowned the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper and take home a $10,000 cash prize. That’s right, $10k!
What can I say, it pays to follow your bliss, in more ways than one. I encourage all of you to follow your passion, no matter what it might be. Let love be your guide and the adventure will surely be a thrilling and fulfilling one.
Tags: art of gift wrapping, bliss, contest, gift topper, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, gifts, love, new york city, NYC, paper, passion, Rockerfeller Center, Scotch Brand, Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper, Soolip, Soolip Blog, Top Chef, Wanda Wen
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November 28th, 2009
My favorite time of year has officially arrived! As a gift and gift-wrapping expert, I take special delight in the holidays where every single day between Thanksgiving and New Years brings a new opportunity to spread joy – whether it be through an unexpected holiday card, a fabulous present, or that perfectly wrapped gift. But I also know that my favorite time of the year is also the busiest time of the year. If you’re like me, and have stayed up wrapping gifts way into the wee hours of the holiday morning one-too-many times, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
This year, I’ve partnered with The Peninsula Beverly Hills to give my fellow Angelenos a break from the all night gift-wrapping bender! I’m excited to announce that starting December 1st, The Peninsula Beverly Hills will launch its first holiday season gift-wrapping partnership with, yours truly, Soolip Paperie and Press. My troop of meticulous gift wrappers will be offering our signature couture gift-wrapping services on-site using distinctive one-of-a-kind papers, elegant ribbons and whimsical, nature-inspired gift-toppers like vintage silk flowers, feathered Chinese birds and fresh foliage such as red holiday berries, laurel and evergreen branches. Best of all, our basic gift wrap will feature our Soolip tree-free paper made in India of re-purposed cotton rags. Richly textured and exquisitely colored, our tree-free paper demonstrates the endless, beautiful possibilities in recycling materials.
If you’re not in the Los Angeles area this holiday season, or are looking for some budget and eco- friendly gift-wrapping ideas, then stay tuned! I’ll be sharing some of my favorite tips and tricks with you in the days to come.
Tags: art of gift wrapping, bark paper, gift topper, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, gift wrapping los angeles, gifts, holiday, holiday cards, holidays, los angeles, recycled material, Soolip, Soolip Paperie & Press, The Penninsula, The Penninsula Beverly Hills, tree free paper, tree-free, Wanda Wen
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November 11th, 2009
The Gift
Stumbled upon these two rocks …… one – quiet, round, at peace, alone, and the other – open and ready to receive. Beauty is in all things.
Tags: art of gift wrapping, beauty, gift topper, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, Mother Nature, Nature, peace, rocks, Soolip, wanda, Wanda Wen
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October 20th, 2009
Nature's Inspiration
The holidays are upon us and I naturally start thinking of gift wrapping. I have forever been inspired by nature. Somehow, a touch of Mother Nature is all it takes for one to feel centered and at peace inside. I encourage you to scour your immediate environment for uncommon wrapping materials – your closets, your kitchen cabinets, your stashes of fabric, your garden, your office supply room at work. In this photo, I have used a green bark paper for the bottom gift, and a tea-stained piece of cheesecloth surrounds to gift at top. A sprig from a peppercorn tree graces the top secured by multiple wraps of a skinny gold twine (available at beading or sewing shops). Take a walk around your neighborhood and you are bound to find a great assortment of nature’s treasures.
For all you gift wrap lovers, stay tuned for my first book, The Art of Gift Wrapping, debuting April 2010, published and distributed by PotterCraft/Random House. This book is a visually stunning and tantalizing, inspiring, resourceful how-to on the art of gift wrapping. The photography was done by my dear friend Jules Bianchi, www.julesbianchi.com, and who also is available to shoot cool family portraits!
I welcome you to visit me at www.soolip.com and www.soolip.blogspot.com.
And remember ……. live each day with beauty and inspiration.
Tags: bark paper, bead, beading, cheesecloth, fabric, gift topper, gift wrap, Gift Wrapping, gifts, holiday, holidays, Jules Bianchi, materials, Mother Nature, Nature, paper, peace, peppercorn, PotterCraft, Random House, Soolip, Soolip Blog, soul, The Art of Gift Wrapping, twine, Wanda Wen
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