Sugar & Sweetness ............for Valentines Day

I haven't done a frou frou type of gift wrapping since the holidays............a presentation way over the top in sugar & sweetness. I spent part of my  weekend printing out mararon style papers, hunting down my hidden stash of pastel Ladurée ribbon, and my aim was to go high on the sweetness scale for a friend's group birthday gift, one of those significant birthdays that require major spoiling. As it turned out, I think it's level of sweetness is perfect for Valentine's Day. 

Now to get these lovelies in a box that doesn't squeeze the sugar out of the paper macarons.......so to speak. I lined up the 6 wrapped gifts in 2 long white floral boxes, 3 gifts in each box. These simple boxes are the perfect way to arrange multiple gifts, no crushing of ribbons and quite the gift wrapped effect when the lid is removed and pleated tissue opened. When the event is special, I look to give the party girl a bit of oooh and ahhh, that's what makes the effort worthwhile. 

Of course, the recipient will anticipate long stemmed flowers but so far I have never had anyone mind that the box was filled with gifts instead and I use this long, slim box quite often. Though I order these in quantity online you could ask your friendly florist to sell you a few when needed for this type of presentation. Or don't forget to save them if you happen to receive some long-stemmed romance today. 

A monochromatic handwritten paper as my printer was running out of ink fast with printing out all these colourful macarons. 

I even tried a pleated ribbon medallion with a leftover piece of hand-dyed silk ribbon...........and as you know I am not a crafty gal but it worked. I have been asked if it is a bit crazy to put this much effort into wrapping gifts in this manner............it would only be crazy if it didn't make the recipient feel so indulged and all the ribbons can be ironed and re-used. If it enhances someones special day, I am all for being the crazy one. But that's not the bad kind of crazy, is it?

Bring out the pastels, satin and silk ribbons, pearl ribbon, faux fur ribbon, paper flowers, soft tissue and crystal hearts. In other words, bring out the pink.....and girly attitude, no matter the age. 

The bright orange was my macaron paper favorite and I used it as a lid cover so the bottom box colour became part of the packaging. I think it added a nice saucy jolt to all the pastel tones. 

The bevy of gorgeous gifts for the beautiful birthday girl is a group effort, the gifts selected by the "best shopper" in our group, the "baker" bakes the sinfully rich chocolate iced cake, another makes the reservations, and I do the wrapping even though I am far from the best wrapper in the group. All of our good wishes are ready to be covered with layers of pink pleated tissue and closed up. Yes, believe it or not..........one more wrapping step. 

When you use a floral box, you can fuss up the outside as little or as much as you want............either way these slim boxes works really well for a presentation method. You can even get alway with just layering your gifts unwrapped in the tissue (clothing, books, diamonds). This is an older photo of the box as I didn't get a finish shot and no logo label on a birthday gift but you get the idea. 

Have the sweetest Valentine's Day!

I am all for sugar & sweetness......any day of the year. 

Photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

the way you move your hips.........ready to dance?

isn't it just plain wonderful when the sun is shining and you start moving more? movin those hips? outside where we are meant to be? seeing the grass turn greener by the day? the trees bud? and the days get longer? it makes me feel all sparkly and new. full of sugar and spice and all things nice. it makes me feel like dancing. ready?

top photo by Emma Freemantle via Sarah Kaye/Bottom photo via Hip In Paris/Video-You Tube/Mayor Hawthorne

My computer apologizes........me too

I want to give you a delicious plate of pistachio macarons, just because a few of you are not enjoying my new blog as well as you normally might. In fact, I might give them to myself .......let's share them while I apologize to any reader who is having trouble reading this blog because.........well, I am not sure why. I am sorry and please bear with me while this browser? stuff gets sorted out. Is it just me or is this computer thing getting more difficult by the day? Though much less difficult with the gracious hand holding of  DJ of Dust Jacket Attic all week long. In the meantime, a few of my favorite things to close off the week.

When I want a good chuckle or think I might want to renew my lost passion for cooking incredible tasty meals, I head right over to visit my favorite food blogger. Well, actually I have a few but I love the way former pastry chef and author David Lebovitz keeps it real while sharing his experience of being an American living and cooking in Paris. It was this photograph from his February post on Truffle Hunting in France that got me hooked on his witty writing style. He shares his story and recipes much better than I ever could, so head over (if you haven't already) and get lost in the culinary world of David Lebovitz.

Somewhere in South Africa, someone is living in my next dream room by Cape Town designer John Jacob that I found over at the blog My Notting Hill. This is it The Room. There is something about that silk grasscloth colour, the cosy dimensions, and the warmth of this sitting room that just does it for me. I even showed it to my husband and said "here's our next house" and he replied "but our house kind of does look like this". Silly guy, that's like saying that my hair is blonde when we all know it's kind of gray with blonde highlights. But then again, he only sees the blonde so who am I to call him silly guy?

While I am dreaming............I will take this stunning kitchen by Houston designer Donna Temple Brown that I borrowed from the blog Acanthus and Acorn. Look, it's kind of gray and blonde. Have you noticed who is being the silly one today?

Happy Weekend!

The warmest welcome to new followers and a grateful thank you to the original ones

who are sticking with me while I sort out the browser? problem.

Top photo by photographerArabelle McNie ~ Sarah Kaye/photo 2 via David Lebovitz/photo 3 from John Jacob Interiors/bottom photo from Veranda.

Gorgeous File ~ Glam Monday

Isn't this a glamorous pose? This is an image from Vogue from 1948 photographed by John Rawlings. Look how they used the pale blue gloves with this black taffeta dress. I love that type of collar on a party dress. I don't know about you, but gloves are making sense these days, especially in airports. It's about the only fashion item that hasn't come back in full force (I'm not talking about winter gloves), maybe they should?

I always have to borrow some glam from Judith at Paris Atelier, she posted this image last week and said it reminded her of me, it gave me a good chuckle and let me guess is it the colour or all those bows? The funny thing is.....my friend and I started a few of these wired ribbon dresses (my friend was looking to use up all my ribbon cuttings) a few months back but we didn't think of bows! We spent the afternoon layering and glue strips of ribbon into dresses on mini forms. Oh my.....Judith has me thinking in a whole new direction. Though I might need a larger dress form for all those bows.

Ooooh.......I love this dressing area. I always thought vanity areas should be as glam as you can make them. Nothing like paneled or fabric-tufted walls, satin drapes, fur throw, and mirrors to make it all happen. And it sure is happening in this gorgeous setting by designer Graham & Greene.

Fuchsia metallic pink and those signature red soles, that Christian Louboutin loves women doesn't he?

So gorgeous in it's simplicity.

The refined glamour of pearls, this 16-strand is from Slane & Slane for $3,850.00. I have a better idea, I'll just use what I have and put them all together, I must have at least 16 strands from the last 30 years, all sizes and lengths, and most of us do I bet. Wouldn't they be perfect with this Stephen Dwek ring? At $490.00 not too outrageous I didn't think, not that I'm buying a ring right now.

No you won't believe it either, but this flirty dress was created with pages from a phone book. Artist Jolis Paons is thinking outside the box (or would that be in-the-book?) to create this exquisite creation. Another paper dress from French Blue blog, you know how good she is with finding these paper creations. And how good I am at borrowing dresses.

Gorgeous is a shoe that you can't stop staring at......of course I can't wear them! I don't need to, I just like looking at them. Feathers and a duplex satin ribbon......to say nothing about the colour! So inspired.

Gorgeous is this dress from the wild side. When I saw this glorious creation on the Coco & Kelley blog this week, I knew I had to borrow it from her for the day. Look at the shoes with this dress! And I love that touch of turquoise in the bracelet. Dress is from a current Marie Claire photo shoot.

Gorgeous is the simple shape of this candle by Modern Alchemy, especially since it has a black satin bow on the box. I love this type of product presentation....it's make for a special gift for that woman of refined taste.

I don't know if it's the swan topiary, the blue sky, the white cotton, or those well-behaved and manicured dogs...........but I find this July 2005 H & G Fantasy Garden so outdoor glam. We were hoping to do our veranda more glam this year, but we are in ground-zero of a major road construction that will have us spending more time indoors. I am not happy about this at all, I repeat, not at all happy. And yes, the relentless dust even gets indoors.

Gorgeous is a thoughtful friend who goes out of her way to find another Laduree shop in Paris (as the first one was a long, long line-up), then carries home two boxes of fresh macarons, gets her jet-lagged body out of her cosy bed the next morning and brings them to my door and stayed for some lovely Paris chat. Not so fabulous is my nocturnal son who ate most of them that night while I was sleeping. He thinks they are the best thing ever and says he couldn't stop himself. He really likes my friend, he coached her into getting a hole-in-one on the links one day so they have that golfer bond. And now she brought him macaroons.

Nothing more glam that a good reading area. I wouldn't care if the sofa is white, I'd be curled up nice and cosy for days. Our married-student life loveseat was a green leather version of this style and it brings back happy reading memories, something to keep quietly occupied while my husband studied. We should have kept it and recovered it as above. It is a classic style.

Since it's gorgeous Monday I would want to glam up the comfort level while I read-and-recline with this

gorgeous silk pillow from Annechovie, the queen of stylish chairs. It would look sublime and scrumptious on that tufted white sofa. Anne shared this Etsy pillow find {click here to read her post}.

A glam way for event designer Preston Baily to go from job to job. When I see this photo I always think to myself "if I was driven around like this from job-to-job, I would still be in interior design". No wonder he's smiling. I think he should give the wild-girl outfit a ride, that outfit would look fabulous in this setting.

All photo sources listed with image except for 4th from bottom (two ladies) .Photo from PhotographersLimitedEditions via Beautiful Things To Share

Happy Macaron Day

It really is Macaron Day in Paris! Parisians line up at Pierre Herme (not that Hermes), a famous patissier of sleeker style to get their little treat bag of macarons for which they make a charitable donation. Unless you caught a flight yesterday, you missed the 2nd annual "jour du macaron" but you can follow the fun at blog Paris Breakfast . Blogger and artist Carol Gillott booked her Paris trip with timely coincidence (she loves, love all things Paris) and is posting her travel journal , click here to see today's photographs and her gorgeous Paris sketches . Her blog is a leisurely stroll through Paris anytime of year and you can view her lovely watercolours at her Etsy store here. She's away until early April, but follow her along.

There is always a macaron war going on , oooh......the stylish Parisians dueling in a civilized manner over who makes the most delectably flavored meringues! Is that considered a chic fight? You can find the buttercream or ganache-filled treats all over Paris at Herme, Gerard Mulot, Fauchon to name a few, but I still only think of Laduree when I think of these pastel confections. There were two things I had to see in Paris, one was the Laduree tea salon on the Champs Elysees (though there is a debate if the original location 16 Rue Royale is better), the other Chateau Versailles (a short train ride out of Paris, but you know what I mean). I'm trying not to get weepy here as both were too delicious for words, so click here to read more about Laduree and here's a bit of Versailles.

They even have a romantic wedding topper for all the Laduree-mad brides.

They are famous world-wide for their pastel packaging of all shapes and sizes. You can find all kinds of yummy treats, even have lunch. I wasn't the only woman on the return flight with a Laduree bag on my lap! You score big points for bringing friends a petite box of macarons. Rule number 1 ........you never, ever throw away a Laduree box or bag, it just isn't done! My friend Marie is going in May with strict instructions, here's my list, go to Laduree, then leave directly for airport. They are best eaten within 24 hours, I hope she doesn't forget.

Packaging logo ribbons in all sizes and pastel colours. Laduree's wrap station. Between you and I, the woman who waited on me was definitely impatient with my lengthy selection process. Maybe I should just work there? I would be perfectly content to package up rainbow treats all day long, I would be the nicest, most patient French shopgirl ever! Though I would probably use too much ribbon even for them.

For special events, Laduree wheels out their Versailles-style pastry cart, I wonder if they ever park it at the entrance to Versailles? Wherever they are parked, Laduree sells 10,000 macarons daily, 8 million a year! Both Laduree and Pierre Hermes have a salon in Tokyo, the Japanese are macaron-mad too. Some rumours about a Laduree coming to New York , but nothing yet, but there is one in Harrods in London, Monaco too.


Rule number 2..... do not go to Paris and miss Laduree. There are other pastry shops that carry macarons , but nothing quite like Laduree. French spelling "Macaron", English spelling "Macaroon", in case you thought I missed a vowel. And they are nothing like the North America macaroons, all gooey with coconut. Much, much better.

Photo 1,2, and 5 from Laduree/Photo 3 from Flickr/Photo 4 from Paris Breakfast