Wrapping up Valentine's Day

Eeeeeck! Today is the first day of February already!  Valentine's Day is just around the corner!!  I actually nearly forgot all about it this year as the start to 2013 has been such a mad rush!

My next gift wrapping course is only on the 23rd February and the next I Heart Market is on the 16th February so aside from private gift wrapping for clients, I haven't really had to make too much fuss over Valentine's Day so far!

I thought I would give you a few ideas on how you can package your Valentine's Day gifts this year.  I've borrowed some pictures off Pinterest and some are my own but you should get a nice variety of 'simple to copy' ideas.

If you're wanting to make your Valentine's Gift for your loved one look extra romantic, try incorporating softer fabrics into your ribbon tying.  Include some organza or tulle with your satin ribbons.  The sheer fabrics  add a whisper of colour and soften the over all effect.

The gift below is softened by incorporating Doillies and Lace.  Something which isn't too fussy and can be used for a gift for a man.

You could also go with a more classic look (I have this ribbon in stock but in cream, email me on info.wrapforyou@gmail.com if you're interested):

If you're finding more Red and White just a bit much so soon after Christmas, why don't you go for a romantic, yet completely different look:

The gift below is so lovely and simple to recreate. It's unfussy and very effective.  Wrap for You sells White gift wrap if you are battling to find it in the shops.

 And finally, if you're just not up to wrapping gifts, you could decorate a gift bag. Quick, simple and effective!

I hope this gives you some inspiration for your Valentine's Day packaging and that it helps you to think outside the box.  Have fun with your wrapping and I hope you get spoilt rotten by your loved one/s.

Valentine's Day is on the horizon!

The days are flying by and it's only 19 days left until Valentine's Day!

Gift wrapping for Valentine's Day can sometimes be touch and go.  How do you keep your wrap looking classy and how do you avoid it looking like a second Christmas?! 

I love to wrap with fabrics and the art of Furoshiki, pronounced something like "f-ROHSH-kee" (Japanese style of gift wrapping) holds strong appeal for me.  It adds a whole new dimension to the gifting experience and it has the added benefit of being eco-friendly as it can be reused.  Whilst traditional Japanese patterns were used originally, gorgeous retro fabrics will tempt even the most devoted paper gift wrap enthusiasts.  Below is an example of how a gift can have a handle making it easier to carry using the Furoshiki method...

I wrapped a birthday present Furoshiki style however, change the colour of the ribbons and flowers and you could just as easily have your Valentine's wrap!

Time is always of the essence and not everyone can quickly learn the art of gift wrapping Japanese style, so I give you an alternative that might also hold appeal.

As I said before, I love to wrap with fabric's and my favourite has to be Tulle!  It comes in the most stunning aray of colours and can be turned into bows, is ideal for gift baskets and makes an ideal alternative to gift wrap when you want to hint at the gift but still give the receiver something to open.  We unfortunately don't have the high quality Tulle fabrics in South Africa that you can purchase in Europe but you can stumble across them if you hunt.

Take your gift and wrap it in gorgeous, bold black, cream and red and give it a hint of the Burlesque.  You could even encorporate beautiful Tulle into your romantic evening once the gift has been opened. Who needs Silk to tie one up with... nudge nudge. :-) (just make sure it's the higher quality Tulle though! :-) )

I turned my gift into a little pouch using bright red Tulle. I also incorporated a bold black and red paper gift wrap just to include some variety. (The picture below also illustrates the difference between a finer Tulle (white) and the courser Tulle (red)).

So happy shopping for your loved one/s and don't forget to consider fabric as a wrapping alternative.  May your Valentine's Day be drenched in romance and put a sparkle in your eye!