When we were packing to move to our house about 3 years ago, I discovered we had lots and lots of random wrapping paper ribbons, etc. It seemed ridiculous and I hated trying to buy the right wrapping every time I bought a gift. After trying to use up most of what we had, I decided to do a signature wrapping style instead. I LOVE it now and would never go back. I choose brown paper (usually a chocolate color but sometimes craft paper) which works really great because it can go with kid themes, flowers or just look elegant with a nice blue, cream or pink ribbon.
The picture above was a gift for a kitchen themed bridal shower. I found a "flower" pancake turner with a hole in the center that I put a bouquet of paper flowers through. I made the flowers from a Martha Stewart kit from Michaels. A few people at the shower thought the flowers were real! I love how this one came out.
The pictures below are adapted from a cow card kit from Paper Source. I've done the majority of kids birthday gifts from last year in this cow style.
After running out of the cows, I started experimenting with other kid styles. This one uses a matchbox or hotwheels car.
And flower and butterfly styles (also made from Paper Source kits) . . .
I just got back from a business trip to China. It was my first time there. While there, we were invited to a dinner. Anyway, one of the guys here from the US is vegetarian and so they took us to this totally crazy vegetarian restaurant- the kind where they try to recreate real meat dishes. The (male) waiters had metallic tunics on with pearl necklaces. We were in a private room and my chair was connected to the person next to me so every time he'd move back, I'd get moved too. They had this elaborate table setting with lotus leaves under plates and these super long menus that were like glossy magazines insides with menu items with names like "the person who loved me but got away".
I got a pineapple lemonade which was about the most pedestrian drink they had. They first brought out containers that looked like glass vases that you might put candies in. They were filled with picked carrots and something else. Then came seaweed cones filled with veggies (pretty tasty), then "sushi" on ice with dry ice and flowers for effect.
A few things came after that (a small slice of BBQ "chicken"? and something else) at which point I was full and though "that was a fun meal". Well, then came the mushrooms, then the "steak" course, a "mouthwash", then the vegetable couse (as themselves, not masquerading as anything else), then soup! I barely ate anything after the steak. Dessert was watermelon. I was a little disappointed that course wasn't more dramatic but glad the food had come to an end!
