La La Giveaway Received

" La la Loves You Giveaway" winner Debra from Providence, Rhode Island would have received her gift by now. Here's an inside photo of the gift she was sent. In our shipping correspondence I found out she has a 5 year-old daughter, so I did up a petite surprise box for her as well. Mommy can't have all the fun! What are all those gift-wrapped goodies? The portfolio box included 9 items: A linen candle. A perfumed bath pouch. A perfumed box of Bath Fizzes. A Paris paperweight. A tube of Pencils imprinted with inspirational words. Paris File Folders. Boxed Paris Thank You Note cards. Black Crystal Key chain. Pink Silk Floral Ribbon Pen. Debra is having a virtual "la la" gift opening party on her blog, I'll post the link when she's ready.

The Petite Box included 4 items: A Paris Pink mini-notebook. A Eiffel Tower Eraser. Sweet Cream Lipsilk. A delicately-braided "Dream" bracelet. Being that it was late at night when I wrapped it, I forgot to take a shot of the completed gift box, but it was done in the fuchsia pink, aqua, and black as well. For customers, I always take an inside/outside photo to email after the order is shipped so they can see the actual gift they are sending. This came about because I was never comfortable ordering long-distance flowers, what did they really look like? Based on the order details, sometimes I make colour adjustments if requested (or if I think it would enhance the experience) so to send a photo just seems like the polite thing to do for customers. They get to share in the pleasure of their gift-giving experience, especially when it's out-of-town and they can't be there to give it directly.

Check in next week for Glamorous Monday and on Tuesday I will show you a Linen Fabric wrapped gift I did for a special Mother's Day gift. The customer said I should show you and my husband did as well! I'll show you the over-the-top version and then change it up to show you a few variations.

Both photos by Sande Chase ~ Oooh la la Cadeau

Starched Linen

As one of my new website products, these Chapon chocolate pralines come in this interesting and novel dome shape that doesn't take to wrapping very well, so I dispensed with any thought of using gift wrap paper and simply used two lengths of a wide 5" ribbon to meet at the top. It's difficult to show you the quality of this luscious pure linen ribbon, but it's the real thing and has this divine starched quality that requires careful handling. Too much touch and it creases just like a just-pressed linen shirt. I handle carefully, no tie, and gather it into soft folds and then secure with ribbon or wire. I like to make sure the brown cording shows over the ribbon. Though I normally don't favour a wired edge, on this ribbon it holds the linen and top loops beautifully. It's an understated and refined ribbon and I adore it.

Chapon chocolate is air-shipped to me from Paris in a special container, then must be stored at a specific temperature range. Luckily the tiny cold room is a bit out of sight, otherwise I would be breaking open these petite treats way too often. One for them, one for me. They have a delicious, intense flavour and also come in a little mini version which I like to surprise sneak into special gifts. Though I love their packaging images, I still embellish with a hand-dyed silk in a rich chocolate brown. Though very tiny, it is still a gift after all! Just two equal ribbon lengths secured with a smaller, finer ribbon and let the silky tails fall. Voila! A petite little bon bon! Next trade show will be spent sourcing unique embellishments, more flowers, crystals, feathers, labels, whatever I can find to give gifts a most creative presentation and then add them to my new Wrap Room so you can do the same (if you are so inclined-don't worry instructions will be added) Lots of creative ideas (many I can't share yet) in the works, it will be a busy summer. This road construction keeping me inside might actually be productive timing, as much as I hate to admit it.

Luxury with a patina.

Another new line for my website.

Simple luxury.

Candle tapers in muslin bag from Cote Bastide in France.

One of my personal new favorites. So understated.

Working on a whole new website look so you are seeing

my behind-the-scenes photo shoot styling before the

new product goes live on the website. You are seeing it first,

or would you rather I keep it all a big surprise?

1st and 2nd photo by Sande Chase -A Gift Wrapped Life ~ Oooh la la Cadeau / 3rd photofrom Oooh la la Cadeau/4th photo from Cote Bastide.

" La La Loves You" Gift Giveaway

Wall Sculpture by South African artist Brett Murray

Unless Oprah calls and says "Sande, we want you to be our exclusive gift wrapper and we're going to order 1,000 gifts this month (I'd be ready, but I don't see that happening anytime soon!) I better get my Oooh la la Cadeau website in order. I feel I have been a bit unfair........I wrap and post items that I say will be on the website soon and then have been slow in getting these products photographed and up for sale. But truth be known, your comments and this blog have been so helpful in defining what my gift website should be as it shifts once more. I'm gearing up for a big re-do but I have been stalling.....and I'm not sure why. Life has changed, the economy has certainly changed forever, so my instinct is that you still want gifts, but smaller choices, petite cadeau, still beautifully wrapped of course. It isn't that what I'm doing isn't working, I'm just getting a vibe that it needs to shift. Maybe I'm too extravagant in my gift wrapping? Do you want simpler wrapping choices? Maybe you even want to wrap your own, should I offer you the Wrap Room section I have been mentioning? Rolls of gift wrap with coordinating ribbon so you can do your own thing? I would love to know what you want in your gift giving and how to give it to you. I believe in thoughtful gifting because it makes women feel so special, I also believe I can do it well. I just want to do it better.

Maybe Oprah would say to follow my instincts,

but I would love to hear from you.

If you have a few spare moments over the next 2 weeks and can drop in to my gift website {click here}and have any thoughts, suggestions, input, ideas, or even criticism on what you see, I would be thrilled to hear it (even the bad stuff said in a nice way). If you are blog comment-shy, feel free to email your comments to support@ooohlalacadeau.com, I will still enter you in the giveaway. Keep in mind I do promote other gift sources in the interest of being blog impartial, so no I don't have any guilt asking this favour this one time. But, I don't expect feedback for nothing, so now the really fun part...

La La 8.5 x 11 Poster - Sparkle Power at Etsy

" La La Loves You" Gift Giveaway

If you comment on this blog post in reply to this feedback request before April 30th, your name will be entered in a giveaway draw at which time one of you gals will be the happy recipient of a Oooh la la Cadeau gift. If you comment and already are or become a new follower, you will get 2 votes - double the chances of winning! I will blog announce the winner on Friday, May 1st. And no, it doesn't matter where you live, the gift will find you. It's my son's birthday on the 30th so I'll let him do the honours. I can promise it will be totally decadent and extravagant! A box full of exquisite gift-wrapped treats.! You can even pick the wrapping style if you have a favorite style from my blog. It's quite simple........I could really use your feedback.

A la la gift sample full of lovely gift-wrapped treats.

Now go have a great weekend.

Top photo via New York Social Diary/Bottom photo from Sparkle Power at Etsy