Gilt Crystal and Glamour Gift Wrap Challenge ~ Part One

You know that Gilded Glamour Gift Wrap Challenge I gave myself a few posts back? The one inspired by my photo of the Ralph Lauren store display in Paris? The one where I said come back and see the result sometime this week? Just so you know, I had absolutely no idea where this challenge was going to head but I was determined to pull this one off......... even though I was a bit worried after the stated fact.

Surprisingly, I don't actually have all that much "gold and gilt" gift wrap materials. I like gold, I just tend towards working with colours when it comes to gift wrap presentations. But this lack of "gilt" only made me look a little harder, dig a little deeper, and gather some golden inspiration to capture the essence of that Paris salon. This is my Part One of this "gilded challenge" and you will see a few more over the next week, once I started I was really into this gilt and crystal "salon" look and even better for me, it has special holiday gift written all over it.

 ~ the Ralph Lauren Paris salon inspiration ~

This presentation brought together more than a few of my gift wrap pointers. I used a standard matte gold wrapping paper that I buy in a commercial roll, a burnished gold taffeta ribbon that I bought at a mark-down bin at a craft store a long time ago, a black faux-fur hair scrunchie, and a crystal bauble from my old jewelery stash that I didn't even know was there until I went hunting for something sparkly this morning. It obviously fell off something and luckily had a small eye at the rear that I needed for a secure ribbon attachment. If I hadn't found this I was totally prepared to take apart other jewelry pieces......... actually I did but the "gilt" challenge isn't over yet. You will have to come back to see more.

Step One ~ Wired Ribbon

Step Two ~ Scrunchie

This faux-fur hair scrunchie (and it really is and no I wouldn't wear it) slides over the ribbon knot, pull through the ribbon tails and it really is that easy. Lots of instant volume, almost having a collar effect and creating a nest for the sparkly bauble. I slide through another short length of ribbon and then just folded each of the four ribbon tails under for poufs. No complicated bow-tying needed. This bow-less ribbon style will only work with wired type ribbons, something more readily found during holidays. 

Step Three ~ Bauble

This was sheer luck to find this crystal bauble, but you could just as easily use a brooch, clasp, or as you will see this next week..........even earrings, with or without their partners.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life