Good luck, gifted wrappers!

See tip 2. Why is this picture so blurry?

I can't believe it's already been a year since the 2012 Scotch Most Gifted Wrapper contest! There's no better way to enjoy a weekend than meeting other skilled prezzie artists and enjoying holidaytime in NYC.

Not sure who's competing this year, but I'll be following the 2013 contest, which takes place Friday, Dec. 6. Best of luck to this year's contestants. Here are my top 5 tips for the big day:

1. Get good sleep the night before. It might be tough if you get jitters, but contest day starts early, the rest is worth it.
2. Smile, and don't take yourself too seriously. That's good advice for anytime, right?
3. Relax. The atmosphere can be overwhelming and mess with your focus. It will be loud and frenetic. Be prepared to deal with it.
4. Enjoy the company. This is a chance to meet other people who share your intense interest in giftwrapping; they're really interesting and fun folks!
5. Have fun. Seriously. By all means, do your best and try to win. But remember that if you don't, it's still an awesome experience.

Game on, wrappers!

Nerd alert: Dr. Who steampunk gift wrap

Along with gift wrapping, exercise, and macarons, I'm addicted to the BBC's Dr. Who. So it was just a matter of time before a Whovian-inspired prezzie appeared in my shop. Besides the great writing, lovable characters, and general awesomeness of the show, I love the steampunk set design, especially the styling of our favorite blue box. So I made my own!

At first the broken foil in the pleats bothered me, but then I thought, "Heck, you don't travel through time and space without getting a few dents and scratches."

Materials: blue foil, sheer gold ribbon, patterned self-adhesive ribbon, gold thread, Tim Holtz sprockets, decorative photo corners, bling.

Who's my favorite Doctor? This ribbon is a clue.

Little Carol loves cruising around in her TARDIS.

Don't worry, it's bigger on the inside.

Princess macarons and giftwrapping: cutest project ever.

Purple: cassis. Pink: coffee. Why a pink coffee-flavored cookie? Because pink is pretty, that's why!

I am completely obsessed. Today I baked my fourth and fifth batches of macarons in 3 days, and I can't stop making them. Or eating them. If you've tried these gorgeous little indulgences, you know exactly what I mean. It all started three Christmases ago, when I ordered several dozen from L'Epicerie as a gift for my husband. They were fabulous; a crisp outer shell gave way to a chewy, soft center, and between each cookie, an intensely flavored filling. I chose the classic flavors: coffee, vanilla, lemon, raspberry, and pistachio.

Then last weekend, I stumbled upon a food tumblr that had a pretty photo of colorful macarons. That led to a google images search, which yielded a shockingly beautiful collection of macaron pictures. I never considered trying to make my own, but that was before I searched YouTube for how-tos. Here's the best one I found, courtesy of FoodNouveau.

Naturally, once I made a ton of cookies, I started thinking about how I'd package them. For my friend April, I made a simple Parisian-themed wrapping. Call me old-fashioned, but I like matching the wrapping elements to the cookies.

These are straight-up princess cookies.

Then I remembered my bows-to-go boxes and realized they'd make a cute container for the macarons, too!

I encourage you to try making your own macarons. They might seem intimidating, and the process is a bit technical, but once you get the hang of it, it's a piece of cake. Well, you know what I mean. Valentine's Day is about a month away, so you've got time to practice. Give your sweetheart something beautiful, tasty, and handmade!

Good luck - give pretty!

Lovely and sweet: a shower of gifts for baby and mom

Happy 2013, friends! The new year is off to a great start, especially for my friend April, who's expecting a baby girl in a just few weeks. Since I missed her baby shower (stupid flu!) she and I had a make-up date recently. I gave the customary onesies and hats for baby (above, materials: yuzen paper from Kate's Paperie, plain gold paper, broad purple ribbon, sheer gold ribbon, and a little pearl charm), but wanted to give April a little something, too.

So I made her a mix of nice tunes to enjoy on her own, or as she's rocking her baby to sleep. I didn't have a lot of time to wrap it, so I just dressed it up with a cute bow.

Lastly, a yummy treat. I've become obsessed with macaron cookies lately, so made a little batch for April. Macarons are exquisite sandwich cookies made of egg whites, sugar, and almond flour with a flavorful filling. They are also the most beautiful google image search subject ever. It was fun to package them in a simple box with Tim Holtz tissue tape, a narrow ribbon, and a cute Eiffel Tower charm. (Because macarons are SO Parisian!) Sweet occasions call for sweet prezzies, right?

Stand by for another post on macarons, a cute and colorful one! Until then, take care and give pretty.

Most Gifted Wrapper contest re-cap

Photo courtesy of Hunter Public Relations

Last week I had the chance to represent Jolie Colis in the 2012 Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper contest in New York City. I didn't bring home the big prize, but I had a great time and met lots of great people who are also into giftwrapping. (Which was awesome.) Here's a picture of me wrapping a giant rubber duck and a board game in the first round. That's my timer Britney in the background. I had 10 minutes to wrap two gifts. You'd be surprised how quickly 10 minutes goes by!

In this round, eight finalists were whittled down to four, who continued to round two. I didn't make it to the next round, but had a great time cheering on the ladies who did. Those who advanced to round two had 13 minutes to wrap a tuba on a stand. In the final round, the last two contestants had 18 minutes to wrap a giant model airplane. It was an absolute hoot. Who doesn't love some high-spirited holiday wrapping chaos?!

In the end, the talented Lia Griffin of Elinee in Portland, Oregon earned the top prize or $10,000. Shelly Dozier-McKee of ConfettiStyle in Atlanta, Georgia came in at first runner-up.

The 2012 contestants: Sheryl Oberman, Michelle Beshaw, me, Lia Griffith (winner!), Michelle Noe, Brenda Guerrero, Shelly Dozier-McKee (1st runner-up) and Shasta Garcia. Photo courtesy of Hunter Public Relations.

I'm so glad I had a chance to participate in the contest this year, and if you're even a little interested in giftwrapping, I encourage you to enter next year's. It's a fun holiday-time weekend in New York with crafty wrappers just like you. :)

Countdown to go-time: 9 days until the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest!

Practicing my giftwrapping kung-fu with packages of all sizes.

It's finally sinking in and starting to feel real. Next Friday I'll go toe-to-toe with seven other prezzie masters in the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper contest! The nice people with the contest sent me a fabulous box of goodies to practice with, so once I've stuffed myself with turkey, I'm off to my shop to practice my speed game.

I'll be tweeting and instagramming from NYC, so be sure to follow me for the latest!

Happy thanksgiving! And wish me luck!

New obsession: bows-to-go!

This weekend I was a busy bee preparing for the Home for the Holidays event at DestinyUSA on Nov. 16. In addition to giftwrapping tutorials, I'll be selling these little pre-made giftboxes, which I dubbed "bows-to-go." Like many of my projects, the ideas and execution got better the more I practiced, and I'm really happy with the result.

They remind me of little petit fours. I spent most of the weekend making as many unique combinations as possible. The best part is they're made with a top and a bottom, so they're reusable, and you don't have to tear or untie anything. The only thing better than a pretty prezzie is a eco-pretty one!

Also very happy with how my new moocards came out! They're so cute and affordable! Thanks, Moo. I'll be ordering more soon! Let me know if you're interested, because I can refer you and we both get a discount!

I'll display them on this nifty dessert tray I bought for my custom mongram boxes, because I'll be taking orders for those at the event, too. I hope I'll see you there! Friday, Nov. 16, 2-7 p.m. Until then, cheers and give pretty!

Mini is better.

New obsession: minigami. I was working on a prezzie for my friend Michelle, who mentioned that her daughter liked a butterfly-adorned gift on the Jolie Colis site. Since the giftbox was pretty small, the butterfly had to be teeny. I love a challenge.

These were made with a .75" square of origami foil. Good thing I have small hands! I love tiny things. My friend Camille at Craftistas put her finger right on it when she said, "Mini is better!" Here's the finished prezzie. What do you think?

Want. Exquisite paper post

This is a time for restraint and discipline. I cannot buy more paper until I get another Jolie Colis order, so instead of going on a spree, I'll just talk about all this gorgeous, gorgeous paper I covet. Maybe writing about it will scratch the itch until I can claim these pretties.

Amethyst and gold brocade paper from Luxe Paperie. So extravagant and vibrant. I'd wrap something shirt box-sized or larger to show off as much of the print as possible. A sheer ribbon would be nice, something really fine and diaphanous with lots of volume. $6.50 for a 39" x 27.5" sheet. Not bad! Made in Italy.

Emilio Pucci "blu" paper from Luxe Paperie. Ooh, fashionista! Love, love, love this paper! I love wrapping gifts with fashion in mind, because wrapping gifts is a bit like dressing yourself. You need color, shape, good proportions and accessories. $4.50 for a 20" x 28" sheet. Slightly smaller and more expensive per inch, but seriously. Pucci. Made in Italy. Of course.

Gold calligraphy from Luxe Paperie. Drool. This paper combines three of my favorite things: giftwrapping, fountain pens, and penmanship. (Which still matters, by the way. Stay tuned for a post on why you should care about handwriting.) $6.50 for a 39" x 27.5" sheet. Made in Italy.

Midori Pink Chandelier from Midori. Okay, I have this paper already, but I LOVE it! The silver is so bright, and it has such a wonderful weight and texture. Better for bigger gifts because the print is pretty big, and the weight needs a larger surface area to avoid bulking up. $25 for 5 21" x 29" sheets. I used it to wrap a book -- it came out fabulous!

Midori Lavender Cherry Blossom from Midori. Yeah, I have this one, too. But as soon as I'm out, I'm buying more. These papers are so lovely, I feel a bit of agony cutting into it. But I did, and it was worth it. Check it out! $25 for 5 21" x 29" sheets.

So, yup. I still want to buy paper. And I'm cursed with a taste for really fancy, expensive goods. Eh, you have to be who you are. :)

Fun commercial jobs

Sounds unlikely, right? But be open to surprises; the unexpected can make work so much more interesting! These are two projects I did back when I worked for Syracuse University. A huge improvement on the typical (poorly) coated paper and curly ribbon.

Above and below: gifts for conference speakers. Paper from The Art Store in Syracuse, ribbon courtesy of the Newhouse School.

Below: gifts for guests at a sponsored conference dinner. The original request was for a brochure [dull], but I suggested giving a little gift (Florentine biscotti) and wrapping it in the brochure text. Paper and ribbon from Michaels Crafts, University seals from the SU Bookstore.

I'd love to do more commercial jobs in the future, so if you've got clients or employees to thank, I'm your girl!

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. 

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.

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.

Holiday giftwrapping tip 8: rob your Christmas tree

It's almost go-time, and if you're like me, you're probably frantically getting those last few gifts on your list. That means you've got less time to lovingly wrap them. Here's a clever way to dress up a gift that's quick and green, in a way. Your recipient will take home your gift and hang the little ornaments on their own tree.


Cute, right? This prezzie has mini-ornaments and a jingle bell, secured with a simple, slim ribbon. The pleated paper band is optional, of course. And if you don't know how to do the pleat, a regular band of paper, or a wide grosgrain ribbon will do.

For larger gifts, use larger ornaments. Just make sure you take them from the back. :)

Happy holidays!

Holiday engagement giftwrapping, part 2

My last post on wrapping engagement rings had quite a response, so I'm posting another idea.  This one is really simple, and it's incredibly romantic.

I printed two versions of a love poem, in a large and small font size. Skew the angle of the lines so it's visually interesting. And don't worry about it not being readable; this is as much for the graphic effect as it is about the sentiment.

Cover the top and bottom of a box with the printed text, and add a simple ribbon. It's a lovely way to make the moment extra special, especially if you're not great with words. Use a poem, or song lyrics. Heck, you can use lines from the first movie you saw together, if that's meaningful to you.

This project would work nicely for any other occasion, like Mother's Day, Father's Day, or even a version with words of wisdom for a graduation gift.