Henri Bendel Regift Box 3...with Sunflower

Remember the Henri Bendel box I was regifting a few weeks ago? I forgot about this one as it got lost in the computer shuffle that was going on around here. I am calling it a Sunflower only because that's what it reminds me of......a happy sunflower.


I love chartreuse green and chocolate brown so I used a 1/4" wide grosgrain ribbon in chartreuse and a wider cotton one for banding the box. It is the ribbon that is hiding the store logo so you may want to glue it down over the logo. The label will cover it beautifully on it's own should you wish to delete the band. I like this effect with or without the band ribbon as it gives the presentation some dimension without ribbon bows. Some gifts and some people just don't suit bows, know what I mean?

It is as easy as it looks. Any one of us can do this easy technique. Simply cut ribbon lengths in a narrow ribbon and stick them to the adhesive back of a larger label. Just go along the edge because you still need a adhesive center to stick the label to the box. I kept the backing handy until I was ready to stick the label in position. I wasn't too precise as you can see with matching ribbon lengths and was being deliberately random to see the effect. I am going to experiment with this technique a bit more and see what I can come up with for you. In fact, I have an idea right now as I look at this.

I even like it moved off center with the ribbon over the box edge. Just for something different.

These Bon Voyage Labels are from a company called Cavallini & Co. As you know if you read this blog, these labels are a gift-wrapping girls best friend. These Bon Voyage Labels are vintage luggage labels and in sharper colours and stronger images than the Ephemera Stickers or Paris Labels which have a more feminine style. Good gift wrapping value as each tin has anywhere from 24-48 labels of varying size and retails for about $16.00. Bon Voyage Labels are great to have on hand if you do male-gender gift wrapping. I use these labels in all of the styles for tissue wrapping, box and bag regifting, and over the back flap of any envelope. I just think they make anything more fun to open.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Kate Spade ~ Regift Box

My friend and I had a great chic-day on Sunday at Somerset in Troy, Michigan checking out the merchandise at Kate Spade. Before I regift a Kate Spade box, I should make a couple of things known, one I spend enough at Kate Spade to erase a guilt about regifting her store boxes and covering up the logo to do so. I would never do this if it is actually Kate Spade product in the box, I don't mess with perfection. The other thing is I admire her packaging and talent enormously, she has a marketing and creative talent that I think is simply brilliant. That being said, I did want to see how I could change the look of her signature Kelly green box if I was using the box for personal gifting. Other than using them for stylish closet display, I think good quality store boxes should be reused, it just makes "green" sense. The small rectangular box was easy as her logo is relatively small. I simply glued down a 1" Kelly green grosgrain ribbon over the logo and to the underside of the lid. I could have taken this in any colour direction at this point but had this narrow purple ribbon with a green shimmer that I thought went well with my endless supply of Paris labels. I moved the Violette label down a bit to leave room for the bow as the box was quite small. The recipient can untie the purple ribbon and the presentation will stay intact, ready for another regift of a Kate Spade box.

I absolutely adore the new Kate Spade petite boxes that came with my little purchase. I was more excited about these tiny boxes with their gilded edges than the pink crystal studs.......well almost. The one on the right is how it is received at the store with their signature cotton ribbon. I do love the simplicity of their presentation, but that doesn't mean I can't gussy it up a bit, does it? I wanted to see if I could take a very classic American look and make it look a bit more French. Give me a hatbox in any size and I think Paris. I had exactly one small piece left of this dark real mink ribbon (yes, there is such a thing!) and curled it around into a circle with a hidden hole in the center, just big enough to pull the hem ribbon coming through the grommets and make a bow. Stay tuned, I'm not nearly done playing with this petite box. My friend has a Hermes box for me to experiment with as well, do I dare to touch absolute perfection? Is that in really bad taste? Let's see if I can pull it off, you'll have to give me a few days as I think this through.

Both photos by Sande Chase ~ Oooh la la Cadeau

Have a Grand Weekend

Put on a pretty dress, some fancy shoes, and dance around the living room.

A round shape always presents a wrapping challenge. The paper doesn't fold as well and my policy is "if it's not working, then change direction". Tissue isn't just for filing up a bag, when creased into tuxedo-pleated style it can be quite elegant as a gift wrap. The two ribbons are held in place with the fabulous gift label, no tape required. In order to fit multiple gifts into our gift boxes, I have been experimenting with simpler presentations. It's a great way to use up smaller lengths of ribbon and leftover tissue, something we all seem to have. Do you do know you can iron both tissue and ribbon? Re-use and re-gift your gift wrap supplies, when all neatly pressed, no one will know.

Top Photo-source not known, Bottom Photo by Sande Chase-OoohlalaCadeau

Wrapped in Paris

This makes me want to re-style my dressing table and perfume bottles. Though I don't have any vintage bottles as evocative of Paris as these, I can work with what I have and see what happens. Don't you think Lampe Berger should come out with a Vintage Paris collection that looks as fabulous as these? While I'm thinking of vintage Paris, this little idea for wrapping a petite cadeau came over me..............

New Paris Vintage Labels gift wrap!

Sometimes you just need to wrap up a special little something. Nothing too big or extravagant, could be a co-worker's birthday, the friend who listens really well, or a hostess gift. The gift may be small, but the giving message is the same and you want your petite presentation to reflect that. I used a thin velvet ribbon so this Paris vintage label pattern remains visible, then layered a decorative label over the ribbon. Decorative labels come in the same images as the paper so this is especially effective and easy. I tied in a amber crystal heart (taken from a keychain), but you could just as easily use the tiny paper flowers shown in last weeks post or any bauble you take from old costume jewelry. I'll show you more of these decorative labels as I prep them for addition to my website.

Photo Image from Jo Tyler-discovered via Beautiful Things To Share, Vintage Paris Gift Wrap and Vintage Decorative Labels Tin from Cavallini & Co.