Decorative Packaging

I love making arts and crafts. I even volunteered at a nearby senior center to get them interested in something that can help them fill their time. They love it when I come over because they get to chat with me about their families and friends. We actually have some budding artists in our group. In fact, the joke that we have going around is that you can teach old dogs new tricks.

Our recent projects included knitted gloves, clay art, and friendship bracelets. The oldies really loved doing them! Our next project is making bookmarks for the local library. That is why I ordered a lot of bookmark tassels for our class this month.

The French term ‘passementarie’ is now used by those who speak English to refer to the use or creation of decorative trim. A few modern-day examples include, military uniforms, designer clothing, and home decorator items. 

Tassel making is regarded as a type of passementerie.  In fact, tassels are usually considered a timeless category of decorative trim. The boundless possibilities for variety and creativity make tassels a decorative accessory that can be well-suited to any tastes.

For those of us who love the feel of different fabrics and textures, tassels have a captivating quality. Though it has been said that tassels, like many other ornaments, serve no purpose, those who enjoy creativity and craftsmanship disagree. Also, a more practical use can be identified. If you attach a tassel to a ceiling fan pull cord you can more easily grip the cord to operate the fan. You can also use tassels to tag items you don’t want to lose track of in a cluttered ’junk’ drawer.

Tassels once indicated military or social rank in most western cultures, but these days, they are used as decorative accessories. As they increased in popularity and complexity of design, they became a type of ornamentation. It’s fascinating that tassels seem to be found across cultures, social classes, and centuries. Remnants of tassels have been found on battle fields, on the outfittings of nomadic herdsman, and today they are used on home furnishings, as symbols of achievement and as invitation decorations. You might have tassels on your throw pillows, your living room curtains, maybe even your loafers. Tassels are everywhere!

My daughter and I are big fans of the High School Musical. So when this Disney movie premiered, we watched it right away. It was great seeing the gang graduating from high school.

This movie reminds me of my graduation many years ago. It was so meaningful especially that part in the graduation ceremony where the graduation tassles are symbolically transferred to the opposite side. It is as if one chapter of your life has ended and you are ready to start a new one.

          Now that you’ve added warmth and fall color with your candle selections, it’s time to make your surroundings feel even more like they’ve been inspired by all things autumn. A key to making your summery living spaces transform into warmed-up, cool weather hide-aways is to add cozy throws in fall colors, extra toss pillows in solid burgundy, plum or terracotta orange. Again, work with your color scheme not against it. A little goes a long way. You may even want to add a second layer of heavier drapes over the lightweight sheers on your windows. Just purchase a couple panels in a fall colored tapestry, use a decorative curtain rod to hang them, and tie them back with a golden tassel!

     Autumn is upon us. It’s time for breezy, nippy days; chili suppers; crunching golden leaves beneath your shoes. It’s time for evenings curled up under a warm blanket with a good book and a cup of tea. I love the changing of seasons. Everything becomes new again. Things I grew weary of just six months ago, when the chill of winter began to drain me, now seem inviting and welcoming; like something familiar yet fresh.

     Maybe I will pull out a favorite book I haven’t read for a while. Maybe the one about the pioneer woman heading west in a covered wagon. She’s hardworking and passionate; resilient and graceful. The cover is worn and old, but the story is like an intimate friend you miss and long to spend some time with. Inside I’ve tucked away an encouraging bookmark with words of hope. The bookmark tassel is a golden yellow, like the fall leaves drifting to the ground, just outside my window.

In France, tassels are called passementerie. Adorning curtains, furnishings, graduation caps and even accessories; tassels are an embelishment which can add sophistication that’s a cut above any other decorative trim. Created by skilled craftsmen, the tassel is made through a detailed process which can incorporate different types of thread and even silk floss.

Tassels have a rich history and are said to signify wealth, success, and dignity. Using these decorative wonders to add that extra something special to your home decor, event invitations or anywhere you want to make an impact is a bright idea.