Cyber Monday............shopping with A Gift Wrapped Life

Encyclopedia of the Exquisite ~An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins was my favorite gift book last Christmas, my go-to holiday gift. The one I gifted as a single token or as an add-on to something larger. And I will be gifting  again this year, not to the same people of course but I am sticking to this dainty and chic book because it does what I always want a holiday gift to do..........delight the recipient. Not only is the cover a festive shiny metallic, it is filled with gorgeous little drawings and the type of historical "bon-bons" that anyone on your gift list would find fascinating so I have added it to my astore here. Filled with delicious morsels of information such as how Louis XIV developed a fondness for the Bartlett Pear, the emergence of faux jewels and frilly lingerie, the art of divan lounging, the ancient uses of Saffron, how top hats incited a riot, the festive use of Confetti, and my personal favorite............aerostation, the art of hot air ballooning.

"The word "exquisite" come from the latin verb exquirere, to search out, or to seek. It means uncommon delicacies, carefully selected, and the kind of beauty that can "excite intense delight or admiration" as explained in the Oxford English Dictionary."

HOW TO GIFT THIS BOOK: I like to wrap a gift with cues from the book itself. Since this makes for a perfect Hostess gift, I would include one of the following items if you are including it with another item: A Tin of a high-quality Saffron spice, bubbly French Champagne, or a basket of gorgeous Bartlett Pears. For fun, include a envelope or packet of sparkly paper confetti. 
GIFT WRAP IDEAS: A brilliant red metallic gift wrap with a wide red satin ribbon and a tube of Saffron threads tucked in the ribbon. A Cherub or Hot Air Ballooning theme gift wrap with gold ribbon and a small Cherub ornament. A simple ivory gift wrap paper with black grosgrain or satin ribbon and a Pear ornament. 

You can read the author's blog here.

Encyclopedia of the Exquisite can be ordered here in
the Impress Her section of my Amazon store.

Images via author's blog

How I handle cabin fever...........and theraputic gifts for anyone experiencing SAD

I challenge anyone who visits Paris to not have a dream sequence in your head in which you think "could I move to Paris?" and then try to picture that life (hell yes). Thirty-two writers tell you exactly that in Paris Was Ours by Penelope Rowlands. Some of the writers may be familiar to you, David Sedaris, David Lebowitz, Judith Thurman, and even if they are not, their unique Paris experiences make for interesting reading. You can go directly to the book website here which will take you to Amazon and other order methods. For Canadian readers, Paris Is Ours is available for download on the Kobo e-reader and aren't  E-reader's a winter must? I don't need to tell you that this makes for a therapeutic mid-winter gift for that friend suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (aka Cabin Fever). 

I was late to the viewing game with this fascinating and hugely-popular PBS series about a proper English dynasty set in the early 1900's. It seemed everyone but me was watching Season One of Downton Abbey and I couldn't even find it here in Canada on our cable provider (though I eventually did it but it was showing the last segment). Surprisingly, I couldn't download a Amazon instant video because I am in Canada (some weird legal thing) but you can easily if you are located in the US or the UK. That wasn't going to stop me and my quick Amazon delivery of the Downton Abbey DVD set was timed so perfectly yesterday that I got absolutely giddy. I put the jammies on, got the puppy settled, the husband fed, and then settled in for non-stop viewing, my favorite kind once I acknowledge the snow is not going anywhere quite yet. I didn't make it through the whole set but will be getting the jammies back on early tonight to finish up.................this DVD makes for a fabulous winter gift for anyone who loves historical dramas and marathon viewing (in their jammies). Cabin fever..........much better. And I just read Season Two is underway somewhere on this TV of mine, cabin fever..............cured.

British designer Nicky Haslam.........gift wrapping live from London

Not only do I greatly admire the exquisitely-detailed design work of Britain's talented design star Nicky Haslam.................but he is also an incredibly good sport to say nothing about providing the most gorgeous gift wrapping backdrop. No wonder he gets invited to all the best parties (and is know to give smashing parties too), in my book he is a wonderfully gracious man. When his fabulous team suggested a gift wrapping video to go along with my Q & A interview for the Gift Wrapping Holiday 2010 series, I was honoured, thrilled, and intrigued to say the least. I would suggest you read the interview below before viewing both videos to see  why Nicky wraps the way he does, a few tricks, a simple but exquisite signature touch, and Voilá..............his new book Redeeming Features stylishly wrapped up in Nicky Haslam style.

Nicky provides a surprise gift wrapped finale and wraps it up with a disarming smile. A personal request for my readers, please head over to his NH-Design blog and tell him what jolly good fun his gift wrapped video was to view, showing you how to do two things that will help you this season. How to do a quick ribbon measure and an proper technique for easily tying a simple bow. Multiple links for Nicky Haslam are listed at the bottom of this post so you can read more about the designer life of Nicky Haslam who really does do his own gift wrapping. 

The Interview

Nicky, you are the rock star of the interior design world, you party with the who's who around the globe, design for the rock stars, pal around with Mick Jagger, and hang out with Kate Moss, so the big question would be "what will you give Kate Moss for Christmas this year?"

As well as a huge kiss, a jeweled frog as she admired one I have.

The Evening Standard recently named you as one of London's most influential people because "he gets invited everywhere because he's the best company". Besides your good company, what do you consider a fabulous hostess gift?

Well, you can't go wrong with "fois gras!

Your creative lifestyle is evident in everything you do, design, and wear. Does gifting and it's presentation demand the same attention to detail?

Yes! Either wrap up well (or warm) or not at all!

What would you consider to be the best gift wrap paper style? Are you big on ribbon and bows? Or do you have another way to add your own gift wrapped style?

I like gold or white paper and a simple ribbon, and I always use tissue paper before wrapping. It is very luxurious to add tissue paper. 

You have to be the person to ask "What should someone give Prince William and Kate Middleton as a wedding gift?"

Even a princess can never have too many hurricane lamps and candles!

If Oprah called and had you on her show to plug your juicy new memoir Redeeming Features what would you send her as a thank you gift?

I'd send her the recording of my recent cabaret act at The Savoy (to help launch their new bar ~ The Beaufort Bar).

How would someone recognize a gift from Nicky Haslam? What is your gift wrapped signature?

Their initials on a white card which I tuck into the bow. 

~

My many thanks to Nicky Haslam, creative director Colette Van Den Thillart and Susan Moolman - PR

Links for Nicky Haslam

Nicky Haslam Blog 

Nicky Haslam Design Portfolio

Beaufort Bar ~ The Savoy

Financial Times-Diary of a Somebody

Redeeming Features by Nicky Haslam

YouTube videos provided by NH Design for A Gift Wrapped Life

Photo also via NH-Design.co.uk/

Crazy Gift Wrap...........but I kind of like it

It is a crazy kind of gift wrap presentation isn't it? When it comes to wrapping up birthday gifts for my friends I tend to go a little crazy and mix it up a bit. Something I have been wanting to do, layer up some crazy patterns, mix it up, have a little gift wrap fun. I kind of like it and I think she will too.

If it looks a bit too crazy and over-the-top than I think you would be right, that was exactly the effect I was going for, something a bit outrageous. I am actually being somewhat efficient, using up bits and pieces I keep here in my studio. The bottom red layer is gift wrap of course, but the second layer with the folded edges is a Schumacher sample page from an old wallpaper book. Designers take note, purge those outdated wallpaper books of good patterns, they come in handy for small gift wrapping and layering patterns, something us designers love to do. It reminds me of my designer days.

That top layer is a short piece of black flocked ribbon that is quite wide, a short leftover piece that had no hope of being used in any other way. The Paris label and double-sided tape is holding all the layers in position. They all fold across the back too which is where the double-sided tape comes in handy.

My point in showing you this presentation effect is to encourage you to do something I always go on and on about in this blog, use up your leftover pieces of gift wrap, put them together, create something that will have a special effect. Experiment a bit when gift wrapping. You might not want an effect this dramatic but the technique can twist in many directions. I am guessing that you have gift wrap choices that can be mixed up this way too.

I was looking to give this gift a french feel, something to capture the nature of the gift, a copy of My French Life by Vicki Archer. Do you think it worked?

Remember my summer gift wrap camp? This red crystal flower was one of the scrapbook embellishments that I was going to try. You could also use a vintage brooch for this type of gift presentation and it would be truly fabulous.

We try to spoil the birthday girl with multiple gifts, prolong the gift opening pleasure, make her feel special. Four friends celebrate each of our birthdays which happen to be nicely-spaced throughout the year. One of them once mentioned dispensing with the gifts and just doing dinner................we all laughed. No gifts once a year, no spoiling the birthday girl? Now that would be crazy.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Old School Bookcovers and Gift Wrap in One

A couple of weeks ago my friend and I were having a conversation about mid-life musings. As you know, I am not a spring chicken so this subject comes up a fair amount these days. Heads up young ones...... after 50 you are going to be surprised where your head goes. I can't speak for everyone but I certainly have found it to be the most thoughtful time of my life. It does seem to be a time of "sorting", sorting through and establishing where you stand on your marriage, your friends, your health, your kids, your job, your whole life in general. Bit by bit it gets "sorted" into a place in your life, the one you can now see is going faster than you have thought possible. What works is going to stay and improve, what doesn't work is going or gone. I had the best laugh when my friend said "I thought life after 50 was going to be easy, I am more confused than ever". I knew exactly what she meant. Been there..... doing that.

This friend and I exchange books on our birthday, we pass along our best reads or in this case a book about our favorite subject......musings of middle age. I thought the content was good, the cover not too exciting for a book gift so I thought I would try an old-school method of folding a book cover and gift wrap in one. I know you have seen this, just a little gift wrap reminder. Just make sure the gift wrap paper isn't too thick, you do want nice, crisp edges.

You might have to be over 50 to remember book covers. I really don't know if they teach that type of folding skill in schools these days. This technique works better on soft cover books or if you remove the dust jacket from any hardcover. It certainly makes for a lovely gift wrap and book cover all-in-one and I think I might do a whole section of books in my dressing room in this lovely vintage Paris Street map design.

I wanted to try the blue version of that green flower I used last week and was able to ribbon wrap the firm stem, almost like a flower wand. I also put a Paris label on the cover so if she decides to keep the cover she can write in the title. As I mature, I also notice I buy more books with short stories and selected writings. That's the other thing that happens after 50 and I hate to tell any fellow booklover this sad truth...........you are not going to be reading way into the night anymore. You will nod off by page 5 and it is my only mid-life disappointment. Everything else gets "sorted" nicely....... as it should by now.




All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Looking for Embellishments

Besides the ribbon, besides the gift wrap, and besides the gift products, I absolutely love embellishments as you may have noticed. My little wired paper roses, my voluminous silk flowers, the gorgeous new paper flowers from Fanciful Designs, these little crystal hearts. It has gotten to the point where a gift package isn't complete unless I add something to top off all the ribbon. I know the ribbon is enough and I admit to my overly-embellished state of mind. But I just love the layering and execution of a beautifully wrapped gift and there is no stopping me now. This was a gorgeous custom gift that made it's way to a California customer last week and the customer liked our crystal heart detail. So I added one to every gift in this lovely turquoise and ivory gift ensemble, how could I not?




My embellishment supply has been keeping me fairly content, but I hunting down some new possibilities this weekend. My mind is wide open and I hope I find what I am picturing in my head. In website terms, Christmas is just around the corner so I have to get in the holiday mode now. I will leave Sunday with my hairdresser (who has her own buying to do, but how good is that to have your hairdresser with you on a 3-day trip?) to scout the Toronto Gift Show. Trade shows always have the effect of putting my creativity into overdrive and I'm ready for a bit of that.



I adore the colour and elegance of this silk photo album that went into this custom ensemble. I do prefer to match up the gift wrapping to the box products. I found this luscious turquoise colour to be inspiring so I added lots of the hand-dyed silk that has such a unique, special nature. It is whisper-soft and ties like a dream.
This album proves I am not the only one who loves embellishments!


Parlez-moi d' Amour (Speak to my of Love) is my personal candle of choice and I will be looking to re-stock this beauty at the show. Though I am highly-fragrance sensitive, this France import doesn't seem to bother me as it burns and releases it's soft fragrance in my office for hours on end. I am careful with my candle selections in fragrance and burn quality, I truly believe there is nothing worse than a cheap and overpowering candle scent. Parlez also has a Pillow Mist in the same fragrance and I use it quite liberally on my bed linens, sweet REM dreams and all that.



It has been wonderful to see the response to the Thank You Giveaway and meet all the new followers. I will be working my way to your blogs in the next few weeks to say hello. You still have time to post a comment if you haven't done so as I have delayed the website launch for another week (Note: Do not try to launch a website in the summer, it is definitely a winter job). Nothing like a meltdown (just a small one) to tell you that you are moving and pushing too fast. In the next 6 days I have overnight guests, dinner out, a big party, cooking, packing, 2 hair appointments, some shopping, some banking, proofs to check, meals to leave, a 3-day trade show, and people to catch up with without stressing about a website going live and me not being here. What was I thinking? It's obvious I wasn't thinking, hence the meltdown (just a small one) and I will be back next Wednesday. Have a fabulous weekend. XO


All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Vicki Archer ~ Part Two

Sitting Room at Mas de Berard

Was the fact that you had this wonderful book in you a surprise or did you always want to write?
The publication of My French Life has been the biggest surprise of all - especially to me. I never imagined that I would or could write a book and especially a book about France. I still cannot believe I had so many words within fighting to get out!

The elegant subdued tones of Vicki Archer's vanity area.

Did the "house" lead you to the book or how did the idea evolve? What circumstances or people made this idea germinate? When did you know you were going to write about your French experience and the house you were renovating?
Finding and buying our property Mas de Berard has led to so many changes and writing My French Life is one of them. I found the house by chance and I rather like to think that my book happened by chance too. In 2005 I travelled to Florence with my daughter Emily to settle her into an Italian course as part of a gap year - at the same time I had arranged to meet up with an Australian friend, photographer Carla Coulson. Carla had been living in Florence for some years and during my stay Carla and I caught up on our girl chat. We had both moved to Europe in 2000 and started new lives - she in Italy, me in France - and over those few days I told her how I had fallen in love with France and how this had changed my life as I had known it. We talked, as old friends do, of the challenges and excitement of leaving home and starting afresh. The more we talked the more we felt there was an idea for a "french" collaboration between us and as a result she approached her publisher in Australia with the idea. The response was very positive: the proposal was accepted and My French Life was published in November 2006. It was true serendipity - extraordinary circumstances and timing brought about My French Life, but then that is how I came to fall in love with France in the first place.

The vibrant, youthful tones of her daughter Emily's vanity area.

You are almost finished your second book, do you stick to a strict writing schedule or when the mood (or words) hit?

I stick to a very strict timing schedule but I am much less rigid when it comes to ideas. I start with an overview and theme for the book and then I define these ideas by chapter. I never know exactly what detail I will write in each chapter until I sit down and start tapping away. I have a process that works for me: I like to think for some time about the beginning of each chapter - I will mull over thoughts and memories for as long as it takes until I find my first sentence. Once I have found that I am usually off and running. If the thoughts don't come, because sometimes they don't, then I concentrate on something else and hope I will be more creative the next day. The key to writing is to know that the words are always there and that they will eventually come.

Timing is different - once I start writing I don't stop and I can only concentrate on my work. Like all jobs there are deadlines, contracts and expectations so to be a writer requires self-discipline. Fortunately I love the writing process and find it very rewarding so I am happy to be locked away with my computer.

An image from French Essence ~ new book release in November 2009

Can you tell me about your new book subject? Release date?

My new book is about living life with ambience. I believe the French are true masters when it comes to ambience and I think that it is this "ambience" than has made me so enamoured with life in France. This book is about beauty and nature, interiors and landscapes in my Provencal world. French Essence (named after my blog) will be published in early November this year.

We can hardly wait!

All photo images courtesy of Vicki Archer - My French Life

The Fabulous Vicki Archer- Part One

Mas de Berard in Provence where the story began......................


The evocative photo image cover of A French Life
~ photography by Carla Coulson

When I first started blogging a few months back, I would see this evocative book image often. A high-profile circle of high-style bloggers love this book (released in 2007) and just adore the stylish author Vicki Archer. She did what most women dream about from time to time....took the leap, moving from Australia to France, and landed in a whole new life. Now, I don't miss too many books myself, at the trade shows or by way of my neighborhood bookstore, but for sure I never saw this one....if I had I would have bought it in 5 seconds flat. I love a great follow-your-passion story with gorgeous photography and this I could tell had both. So how did I miss this fabulous book? Author Vicki Archer thinks "the book was printed in Australia, then made it's way to the US by way of blogger support, but for some reason it never had a strong presence in Canada". Hmmmm..........who is this lady? And how can I get my hands on her book with that fabulous cover? .

The blog of Vicki Archer is called French Essence where she posts regular and welcome doses of her rural french life. Last week she sent us a series of blooming flower photos and their floral history. Both these photos are from her popular blog. It may sound like I'm getting ahead of myself here, but really I'm not....

While A French Life was waiting on my order list, I received a lovely comment on my new blog one day, then another, another, and soon there wasn't too many early blog days when my empty comment page didn't have a supportive little comment from, you guessed it....Vicki Archer. I am sure she was politely responding to a comment I had left, but from what I can tell she has this great little habit of commenting and supporting many blogs....a most gracious habit to share. I'm going to get to her stunning, yummy book in a minute, but you should know Vicki Archer has the most fabulous blog called FRENCH ESSENCE that gets many comments per post, so the fact that the France-based author and blogger takes the time to comment at all tells you .........this is one of those fabulously chic ladies everyone wants to know.

The Terrace at Mas de Berard

I did a little background research on ordering this book in Canada and received a response from her publisher Penquin that the Canadian rights to this book were never bought, which means Canadians can't walk into a bookstore and see or buy this book. If Canadian you have to be patient, but you can order it through Amazon.com {click here} just make sure you order a few, one for yourself and one to give away. It is quite simply a spectacular book to give or receive. If you do either, you will be in for a few delightful surprises. One the book is larger than you would expect (coffee table size) from it's website photo and it has this wonderfully unique padded cover under the jacket that my friend says "gives you such a comforting feel when reading it" , she was right, it does. There aren't too many books that I have read (and we are talking hundreds here) that so elegantly transported me to another world, the world every women wants to live and love in..... rural Provence, where she restored Mas de Berard a seventeenth-century property, and then on to Le Weekend in Paris where she regularly meets up with gal pals for shopping and macaroons. Her feminine and enticing style of writing and story of how this lifestyle came to pass will have you swooning, then you'll spend the rest of your day or week figuring out if there is anyway on earth you can just pack your bags, cash in your ailing retirement fund, move to France and do the same. Right next door........she sounds like she would be the most down-to-earth and stylish of neighbors.

Lavender in July

Vicki Archer graciously sent over some of the images from A French Life, more of which you will see tomorrow. In Part Two of this post, I will share some of her interior photos of a more feminine nature and her thoughtful answers to some questions I had after finishing this lavish book. In Part Three , I'll send you over to meet Vicki's gal-pal and Paris-based photographer Carla Coulson .

Fruit Blossoms in Spring

Hope to see you tomorrow for Vicki Archer ~ Part Two

All photograph's courtesy of Vicki Archer ~ A French Life and French Essence