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

Mix Those Colours

One blogger sent her other blogger friend a lovely little birthday surprise. Nice for me that I can do a bit of blogger research and "gather" the personality of the recipient before I wrap. I could see this artist blogger loved colour so the brighter the better. This is the photo that I send to the gifter so she can share in the fun of her long-distance gift and it got me thinking of something to think about the next time you wrap. Not every little gift has to match. In fact, the more you mix it up with paper patterns and ribbon, the more fun the presentation. I have four blue ribbons (turquoise, royal, and checks) and three different green ribbons (chartreuse, kelly, and forest green). I've used two different gift wrap papers that you wouldn't put side-by-side and think they match, but it distinquishes each gift. Even if you do use the same gift wrap paper, consider changing the ribbons around so that each gift has it's own presentation personality. Just makes it more fun to open.

A gorgeous soap gets ribbon-wrapped in two colours of hand-dyed silk.

I have come to love this Blue Bird gift wrap paper the more I work with it. That is often the case, like many things it just takes time to reveal it's better nature. This soft green background can handle any colour direction of ribbon and as I write this I see another colour I want to try..........right now. This is one of the Wrap Room papers you'll be able to buy. You'll have lovely ribbon choices and embellishments too. Like little bird nests.

I found a little teal bird all dressed up in velvet last weekend when I was cleaning my storage room and it chirped to my attention today. I had intended on trying a brown ribbon but it looked a bit dull to tell you the truth, so teal it became along with a teal sheer ribbon working as it's nest. I think this bird is a little overdressed for the paper, but this type of experimenting tells me that the embellishment will work, it just needs to dress down a bit...... perhaps a little brown bird sitting in a nest? Yes, that's it.

This lovely gift wrap paper image is also available as a File Folder Set and a Notebook.

Such a pretty pattern to make desk chores more uplifting.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ Oooh la la Cadeau