Pink in High-Resolution

I woke up Saturday morning and thought to myself "Girl, you just need to learn how to do your own photography". Off I went to my local camera store and came home with a technology-induced headache and a new best friend, a Canon Rebel XSi. Photoshoots for my website have always been the hold-up in the process, it's just plain tense and way too picky for most professional photographers. I see my product, but conveying that picture (in my head) is too time-consuming and expensive. And it's ongoing with new product, so at 55 yrs. old I am determined to learn how to do more styling, and shoot my own photos. Yesterday I absorbed impressive words like aperture, ISO, white balance, macro, and telephoto. My hand is sore from carrying this hefty friend around all day shooting everything in sight and these mature neurons are firing off like crazy. This Princess Pink photo is one of my baby gift ensembles that is being re-styled for the website and I think it is the most precious pink present to send to a new princess. It comes with the most feminine pink Daisy sun hat since it's never too early for a girl to worry about sun protection.

When you ask for help from your fellow blogger friends, they always come through for you. A few weeks ago, blogger Mandy from A La Parisienne emailed with some advice on white balance when I apologized to blog viewers for my tinted photo backgrounds. She got the wheels turning and from there I emailed Alice at the photographically-superior blog Thoughts from Alice W, who's blog and website photos are some of the loveliest I've seen. Within ten minutes, she graciously emailed her camera spec's and off I went into a whole other learning curve. I also noticed this is the same Canon camera used by the book-worthy blog photos at Cannelle Vanille and we all know her food photography is something to see. My Paris Pink file folders, Paris Rubber Stamp Set, and Eiffel eraser are always on my desk.....if I have to work I'm going to make it as pretty and pleasant as possible. Now wouldn't this lovely gift perk up those pesky desk chores?

This photo actually has some great resolution, but when it downloads to blogger it loses some of it's clarity. A quick, 7 am email to my web guy with the question "why are these photos losing their resolution in the transfer from file to blogger and how can I fix it?" still hasn't been answered (he's obviously a late-sleeper or hiding from me) but I'm dying to know. This Cote Bastide Giroflee Bath Gel and Soap is one of my favorite gift products, makes me think I'm in a sophisticated Paris bathroom. I think I might use these tonight in a good, long soak after a good, long bike ride. My other best friend who I am ashamed to admit I have been ignoring the last few days.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Eggplant Organza & Amber

A sheer cape recently filed away in my fashion folder reminded me of a gift order which went out during the holiday season. I love, love this Ilana Wolf organza cape and how it adds such stylish dimension to basic black. I wear a lot of black, way too much, but looking to dramatically tone down the clothing budget and embellish what I have. Wouldn't this do the trick?

Basic black gift wrap again, but customer wanted this gift to be less-holiday looking and more sophisticated. Nothing is going to do that level of drama better than black, chocolate brown silk, a eggplant sheer organza ribbon, and a little pair of silver ornaments. What's inside? I try to set a mood so the gift style builds up the anticipation of what to expect when they begin to unwrap. Certain products just tell you how they want to be wrapped, the Cote Bastide amber-scented crystals (refresher oil available) had me transported to another era, so I used a 6" wide bronze taffeta ribbon in a couture fashion, no paper as the black linen box is gorgeous on it own. What a fabulous gift and enough crystals to dispense this heady scent in little bowls all over the house. It's gender-neutral, both men and women respond to the elegant fragrance. It was supposed to be my private-stash gift item, but this product from France was too good not to share, my supply disappeared in days. Reminder to self, must re-order and share again. Though a bit pricey at $79.00 (it smells expensive!) it lasts forever with the refresher oil which can be ordered extra. I stashed one box on my desk as I can't quite get enough of this amber scent..........aah, it reminds me of my past life sashaying around Versailles. I knew I would remember.

Top left photo by Sande Chase, Cape Photo from Neiman Marcus, bottom photo by Sande Chase - Oooh la la Cadeau