Years ago my husband and I traveled to London. It was rather random as I had won a travel credit at work by convincing customers they needed some product they really didn’t. UK flights were cheap so we figured why not. Plus it was the furthest place we could get on $500. At the time it had been a few years since I had ventured oversees, though I did grow up in Spain.
Back then, in Spain, I collected pencils. I came across my pencil collection just recently. I was doing the obligatory Clean-Out-Your-Crap-from-Your-Parents-Home-Cause-You’re-an-Adult-Now-and-Don’t-Live-There. And it was there, in a purple Crown Royal box, where I reconnected with my beloved childhood pencils. I couldn’t bear to throw them away since apparently, in that moment, I discovered I still loved pretty pencils. But I’ve digressed.
Once in London both my husband and I were eager to shop. I was on the hunt for pencils, paper, stationary, ribbon… that sort of stuff. There, on a shopping trip in Harrods, I came across the most magnificent wrapping paper. To attempt a description would do it a disservice. It was sensual, and beautiful, and perfect. Even now I get giddy over my find. I had to have it so after paying some ridiculous sum of money I became the proud owner of several sheets. A few years have passed and I still own most of what I purchased that day.
I love paper, and ribbon and stationary but I also hoard it. It’s ridiculous, really. When I go to wrap a gift (or write a letter) I suddenly can’t part with my goods. I become attached which is almost (almost!) embarrassing to admit. Just recently my mother asked me to wrap a gift she had purchased my husband for the holidays. Now I love my mother (and my husband) but there was no way I was using my collection on such a thing. From there I began to lament over my ribbon and if I was willing to part with any of that. In the end I just gave my husband the gift.. nonwrapped with no ribbon. Shhh, don’t tell my mom but see, ridiculous. Slightly worse is my need to reuse similarly pretty things that I receive. Because you see, when I am so fortunate to receive a gift – if it has ribbon that I like I ever so gently fold it up and save it for later use.
How.. umm.. green of me!
I have vowed to be better. This weekend we were invited to a baby shower and I was most excited about wrapping the gift. I selected an adorable striped paper that was left over from when I lined envelopes for my son’s birth announcements. The paper is pink…. my child is a boy… long story – don’t ask! I’m digressing again.
I then found the most perfect ribbon that was a bit oversized for the gift itself. The ribbon is recycled from a gift my son received. I liked the contrast of the small gift against the wide ribbon. The package was then topped off with an elephant and giraffe cut out. I should mention that the animal cut outs are chipboards from the Martha Stewart Crafts collection.* And here goes the end product. Do you like?
Shower Gift
Shower Gift, Take Two: Close Up
So there. I’m a bit bonkers about paper and ribbon and other such embellishments. I’m also selfish and not very giving when it comes to using these things that I’ve collected but I swear I’m going to get better. Really!
If you have a neurotic confession, please dish as I don’t want to feel all alone here.
* Chipboard animals can be purchase at Michaels. If you are here in the city try Lee’s Art Shop.
It ended up being a branch with a few ranunculus sticking out of a concrete vase but I loved it and I think it looked pretty nice. Here is the only image I have from that arrangment. You can see a bit of the concrete vase at the bottom that I used. I was smitten over the concept of this beautiful flower with this unique stem popping up of something so sleep and almost cold. 
