Nov. 26 gift wrapping class at the new Hobby Lobby in Dewitt

Hi friends,

I'm so excited about the first Jolie Colis gift wrapping class Saturday, Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. at the Dewitt Hobby Lobby (Genesee Street, next door to Wegmans).

We'll cover a few technical and creative skills:

• basic, tidy, and efficient box wrap
• working with ribbon, and different bow styles
• how to find clever and beautiful materials to personalize your gifts

$30 per person, and bring your own supplies (you can shop before the class). By the end of the hour, you'll be able to create a nice, well-accessorized prezzie.

To register, e-mail me at carol@joliecolis.com with the subject field, "gift wrapping class." I'll reply to you with more details about  what you should bring.

Hope to see you there!

Coming soon

So, I've done chic, funky, romantic, and very personalized gift wraps, but no impossibly cute ones. Until now. This is a gift for a colleague who is expecting a baby in a few weeks. The challenge? I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. I knew I'd use this paper someday!

I love a prezzie tower. They have so much more dimension, and if I had some coordinating solid paper, I would have done a cool alternating pattern. Alas, I had none, so I used ribbon for the effect. I love the cutesy double "bowtie" under the daisy. It reminds me of this one I made for another office buddy last year. The flower is a little different for me; I don't usually embellish so boldly, but it looked so cheerful and sweet, I couldn't resist.

And of course, I like a bit 'o bling. I love what it does to the surface of the paper, and I just love a prezzie that catches light.

The only thing I'm a bit unhappy with was the wrinkles. The bottom package was kind of mushy, so it was hard to wrap with nice corners. And the paper, though cute was a bit thin, so I overworked it a bit, which emphasizes the wrinkles. Oh well. It's cute anyway. And as we all know, wrinkles are inevitable. 

Obsession: exquisite tiny things

Little treasures: A pair of earrings, messages in bottles, sand from a Buddhist mandala, pearl and glass beads, a wooden match.

I'm not sure why, but I'm incredibly drawn to tiny things. Like scale models and miniatures. Maybe it's left over from a childhood love of doll houses. Or perhaps it's because I'm a small lady, and tiny things make me feel big. And of course, I admire the skill and care it takes to make something extra, extra small.

Here's a miniature my brother-in-law bought me in Germany. The photo doesn't really show how tiny the little veggies are. The potatoes on the cutting board are smaller than peas! And the knife is about a 1 mm wide and about 10 mm long. 

Anyway, my love of tiny things attracted me to these tiny corked vials and bottles at the Hobby Lobby. They're part of the Tim Holtz Findings product line. I love, love, love the Tim Holtz products. They're so industrial, and steampunk-y. I used his sprocket gears for my Steampunk Gift Machine post last December, remember?

I know, Jolie Colis is about fancy giftwrapping. But you don't always have to hide a gift to present it with style. Besides, a reusable gift container like this is incredibly green. Who would throw away such a precious, sweet thing?

Happy holidays!

I know, it's early. But a recent trip to London has inspired me to get in the Christmas time mood. In particular, a visit to Fortnum & Mason got me really excited. F&M is easily the most gorgeous and elegant retail experience I've ever had. And a bit surreal, to be honest. You come up the centuries-old staircase to an inviting, but not overwhelming combination of cinnamon and pine fragrance. There's just enough room to walk around, and every square inch of merchandise space is used to the max. It was just captivating: sparkling ornaments arranged perfectly in glass pedestal bowls, artfully decorated trees, rolls of glittering gift wrapping paper. I wanted to buy one of everything; this is visual merchandising done right.

I was especially tempted to buy one of these (fuschia) beauties, but sadly, it was more than I could pay for something that might not make the trip home in my suitcase. The whole display was a feast for the eyes, and well, F&M does sell online, so there's still time if I change my mind.

And of course, I had to visit the gift wrapping department. I love the glamorous chandelier over the counter. Maybe I need one for my shop...

I could have stayed there all day. The papers in the shop weren't too different than what I find here in the states, but it was (naturally) the presentation that struck me! You could tell that the wooden display tables had been lovingly maintained, the employees were incredibly knowledgeable, and even the brass plates on the door hinges were polished regularly. All of this points to an immense pride in the work, which really appealed to me. Though I'm very happy with my dayjob, I had a little fantasy of donning the tidy F&M waistcoat and bowtie, and standing behind the gift wrap counter, wrapping exquisite treasures in gorgeous, fine paper and silk ribbon. Who wouldn't?!

That said, I'm brainstorming a Fortnum & Mason-inspired prezzie series. Stay tuned.

PS: In case you were wondering, the signature robin's egg blue of Fortnum & Mason came 130 years before Tiffany & Co.

Thanks, friend.

Spring is usually my down-time for Jolie Colis, but this year my lull went into summer. I've just been dealing with other things, and haven't felt much like going into my shop. I've been sad; it's a long story.

But it's interesting, the dark times are when you're most able to see the bright spots in your life. In my case, I had five bright spots -- new friends who have become the most incredible support system at a time when I really needed them. I'm lucky; I am blessed with a great, loving spouse and family. But my mom and sisters live pretty far away, and the comfort of "my girls" has been so important to me. Lately I have needed the kind of support only girlfriends can give.

So, after a four-month hiatus, I went back into the shop and created a little tribute to my friends, who are helping me stay positive, even on the worst of the bad days. As usual, the wrappings are inspired by their styles and personalities:

C (top left) is a fun and carefree, casual fashionista. Her style is natural and polished, and her easygoing style fits her laid back personality. Her laugh is infectious, and she lightens the mood of the room when she walks in.

W loves red, and it looks great on her. She often chooses color and pattern with high-contrast and always has a high-impact look. Her style is sexy, but always tasteful. Her fiesty personality and quick sense of humor make her fun to be around.

N's style is what I like to call "monochrome chic." She's a real glamour-girl, and if I had feathers and sequins in my shop, I would have used them. She's intensely hard-working at everything: career, fitness, family, friends. Even wallpapering her living room!

A is a real girly girl. Her style is super-feminine and she reminds me of a southern belle. She often chooses soft, pastel colors that look just right on her. She has a gentle, sympathetic personality that is really comforting.

C (bottom right) is preppy and adorable, which is the first thing most people notice when they meet her. But it's not just chipper cuteness. She has amazing inner strength, and always knows just the right thing to say, no matter how heavy or serious the situation. It's such a rare combination.

The prezzies contained little faux diamond paperweights. Seemed appropriate, since they're the little gems in my life.

Non-giftwrapping post: Beauty and fragility

courtesy DominicsPics

I can't believe it's already been a month since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. This past Sunday, I read this article about a month-new mayor in the coastal town of Rikuzentakata, and the terrible choices he had to make on the day of the disaster. It left me in tears. I was struck by the incredible strength and dignity of the survivors in the face of all of this suffering and uncertainty.

As I sat there in my quiet, sunny kitchen, with a warm cup of coffee and my snoozing cat, it reminded me of how grateful I was to be safe and comfortable, and how easily normal life can be turned upside down in a few moments. The next day at work, I read about Project Paper Crane, which is creating a public art installation of origami cranes to raise awareness and money to help the relief effort in Japan. I've made my modest donation, and will attend one of the crane-folding sessions next week. I hope you'll support this cause, too.

Reading about Project Paper Crane brought to mind a bittersweet memory from a few years ago, when I was dealing with health issues and some other overwhelming life stresses. One frigid December morning, I cut through one of the academic buildings on campus on my way to the office. I climbed the stairwell to the second floor exit, and on the way, I saw something unexpected and beautiful:

Eight tiny cranes, on the window frame in the stairwell. They were lined up perfectly, and each could fit on a quarter. I don't know quite why, but for some reason I felt like someone left them there to cheer me up. So I took pictures. And smiled for the rest of the day when I thought of them.

That night, I went home and made eight tiny silver butterflies, and the next morning, carefully placed them in the neighboring window pane. It was especially tricky, since much of the joy was the secret-ness of them. I paced back and forth on the landing, waiting for students to leave, and then leaned over the railing to place the butterflies on the shelf. In retrospect, I probably looked totally crazy. (My only regret: I lost the photos I took of my butterflies!)

Mission accomplished, I practically skipped to the office, feeling happy about my new origami mystery friend. On my way home, I stopped by again, to admire our little display of cranes and butterflies.

I was not prepared for what I found the next morning:

88 cranes. Perfectly uniform, perfectly spaced, lining 10 window panes.

Exhilarated, I snapped photos, and bought more origami paper on the way home. I made 88 butterflies over the weekend, and started planting them about 10 at a time, because that's all I had time for. I figured my origami friend must have been a student working late hours of the night, when nobody was around.

On the third day of "butterfly delivery," I climbed the stairs and stopped in my tracks. Someone had destroyed the display, knocking the cranes everywhere, and crushing some on the ground. I remember just staring at the mess, trying to deal with how angry and sad I felt. Why and how could someone destroy something so exquisitely beautiful that clearly took so long to build? I was surprised by the sense of loss I felt over these scattered little bits of paper.

So I did the only thing I could do. I bent down and picked up as many as I could, fixed the broken ones, and carefully put them back. Only about a quarter of them made it, but I still felt good about it. I added a handful of the new ones in my purse.

The same thing happened the next day. This time I just walked past it and went straight to my office. I closed the door and cried. It sounds totally silly, but in a way it makes sense. I was going through a dark time in my life, and this little exchange was a spontaneous bright spot. I guess I should have known that it wouldn't last forever. Eventually, I came to feel happy about it, despite the disappointing end. I chose to accept the happiness it brought me, however fleeting.

I still checked the stairwell periodically, hoping my friend would re-appear. But I didn't see a sign of them for months. Then one day in April, a bunny and some chicks showed up on the shelf. And I just burst into laughter. Even now when I think about it, it makes me smile because it reminds me that no matter how terrible things get, there's always hope, and there's always tomorrow.

Springtime, Smock-style

For about two weeks now, I've been itching to use this gorgeous paper by Smock. They make the most beautiful, earth-friendly letterpress and gift wrap, and their press is based right here in Syracuse. It was hard to choose just three:

The paper was pretty reasonably priced, lovingly packaged, and arrived in just 3 days! The best part - the paper is double-sided, so it's like getting two papers for the price of one. For $8, you get two 24" x 36" sheets. I chose (top to bottom) Veranda, Quadrille, and Calliope.

Anyway, here's my first project, in celebration of spring:

I'm thinking of sending some Easter goodies to my nieces and nephew with this theme. This would make a sweet baby shower wrap, too. It's also a cool, modern alternative to traditional white-and-silver wedding gifts.

I just love the combination of the greyish-lavender and the mustardish-celery. I'm fairly certain "mustardish" isn't a word. But heck, when the weather is this nice, and I've had a chance to hit golfballs outdoors and wrap prezzies in the same weekend, my (usually strict) rules for spelling go out the window.

Next stop: the garden for some long-overdue weeding. Hope you had a lovely weekend, too! Stay tuned for more spring-inspired Smock prezzies.

Most fabulous hostess gift. Ever.

A few months ago, we had friends over for dinner, and one of our guests surprised me with the most beautiful gift. I noticed the characters and charming tiny satchel right away. Turns out, our guest had worked and lived in Korea.

"This gift reflects the very Korean trend of merging technology with fashion," he said. I was intrigued, so I opened it right then and there. (Only after thoroughly ogling the very careful and gorgeous wrapping.)

Inside, I found the most beautiful USB thumbdrive, with a painted shell inlay. It came with this elegant little case, too. I fell in love with it immediately. So, you're probably wondering how it works...

The "business end" of it flips out, and it plugs in. The plug is tiny - just half the thickness of my other thumbdrives. By now, I'm simply enchanted, because I love small, beautiful things.

And this thing is minuscule. But don't let the size fool you. This drive, just barely bigger than a quarter, holds 4 MB of data. Incredible. And the best part: the name of the device is "MiniBoss." I laughed out loud.

I felt so lucky to receive such a thoughtful and exquisite gift. I use it all the time, because my other thumbdrives seem so clunky and ordinary by comparison. And of course, I saved the wrapping. I carefully re-wrapped the box and keep it with my other lovely giftwrap from Korea. I really hope I get to travel to Korea someday; I'll have to bring an extra suitcase just for the gorgeous gifts and wrappings I'll buy there.