Waaaay better than a garish cellophane gift bow!

I was browsing through the catalog the other day (no, I don't have it memorized--yet) and stopped at the gorgeous spread on page 66-67, the Elegant Occasions Suite. Gracious! I had totally missed it before, but that display is loaded with ideas! Everything looks scrumptious--the favors, the placecards, the accordion photo album--but the curled flowers really caught my attention.

This girl may be blonde, but she's smart enough to have bought the Flower Folds die for just such an occasion as this. I whipped it out and made some of the curled flowers fast as you please, using as my centers the new big Antique Brads. Hey, did you know you can give those brads any metallic finish you want, just by applying a swipe of our Shimmer Paints? Neither did I until I tried it! Give it a shot sometime when you're bemoaning the fact that you didn't order the right brads for your project!

And of course... as long as you have the Shimmer Paint out.... spray that puppy with Shimmer Spray! and then wait for it to dry and then spray it again! Because a girl can't have too much shimmer in her life. recipe here

It's easy to curl the petals up--no water or fixative needed--just by pulling each petal through the bone folder and your thumb, kind of like reverse potato-peeling. You'll see what I mean when you try it. Just remember to be gentle, or you'll find yourself reattaching petals with mini glue dots (don't ask).

Doesn't that make for some pretty gift packaging? Way better than one of those crispy cellophane bows they sell by the bagful at Christmas. I think a package should be part of the gift--a little peek of anticipation--presentation is important! Contact me if you'd like to have me feature gift packaging at your next workshop. I have one opening left for October and two in November, so I can squeeze you in! We'll have a ball. (920) 261-3962 zwolaneks@att.net

Comments

[Nina Riley]

I, too, loved these flowers. So easy to do and yet so stunning. I'd like to use them on a card but how are you gonna mail them??? Looks like I'm going to be getting out my shimmer spray to copy this one.

[Carol Bush]

WOW!!! Lyssa, you are so right. This is so much better than the bows in a bag. Very beautiful idea; I'm sure to CASE this. I also use SU ribbons on all my packages now, too. Can't stand the store-bought stuff anymore. :)