Decorative Packaging

Maybe I could call it ‘Delightful Flowers & Gifts’. I could be a shopping expert for all my clients,interviewing them about the special someone they are shopping for and helping them make just the right purchase. Then, I would wrap everything up with a perfectly delightful bow!

In my little flower shop, designed to look like an English cottage, I would have roses in full bloom, orchids, lilies, daisies, and all kinds of wild and exotic flora. I would stock ribbon in a rainbow of colors; yellow ribbon, purple, olive, cornflower and ruby red too. I would carry only the most sought after gifts, specialty jewelry and chocolates. What would I call it…?

I have dreams of owning my own floral and gift business one day. I have a love affair with all things delightfully useless, an appreciation for detailed packaging and the extra touches which make a special gift even more pleasing to the senses. I would love to be surrounded with flowers of all kinds, extravagant cards and paper, beautiful packaging supplies and expensive soaps, candies and other valuable trinkets…someday.

     The manufacturing of cloth ribbon is a distinct and specialized division of the textile industries. Ribbon-weaving is known to have been established near St. Etienne (dep. Loire) as early as the 11th century, and that town has remained the headquarters of the industry.  Crefeld is the centre of the German ribbon industry, the manufacture of black velvet ribbon being there a specialty.

     A ribbon loom uses the tandem weaving of two or more webs [up to 40 in modern looms].  References to a loom which had several narrow webs woven at one time date back to the end of the 16th Century. Sometime around 1676, the ‘Dutch loom’ or ’engine loom’ was brought to London.  

     I’m getting married in a couple days and for the last month or so I’ve been working on ideas for my table decorations. Because my fiancee and I are working hard to pull off our simple wedding ceremony with next to no money, I had to get creative. The venue for our wedding is a French Country banquet room in our small town historic hotel. This suits me just fine because I love old antique things, lace and all that kind of decor. The groom, on the other hand, likes a more contemporary look, but he is willing to let me do my girl thing without too much protest.

     The other night I got out my craft supplies and started to paint an antique wash onto my large paper ‘doilies’ which will be placed under the centerpieces of our tables. I was so proud of my ingenuity and my frugal creativity, I didn’t even consider that he might not fall in love with my idea.

    “Tell me we aren’t going to have doilies at our wedding,” were the first words out of his mouth.

     It seems that he could hold his peace no longer. Oh well, marriage is about give and take and serving each other. So, I told him the doilies were out, to which he insisted that we go ahead and use them. We haven’t been able to come to a sensible compromise as of yet (half a doily just doesn’t seem to make much sense) but I have a sneaking suspicion he isn’t going to mind them one bit when he sees me in my knock-out dress!

     Originating from the “Blue Riband” award for the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic, the symbol of a blue ribbon suggests the top prize, the best of show, a standout performance or a most impressive creative work! Those of us who have lived in small towns and entered projects in the local county fair understand the superior status a blue ribbon signifies.

    Sometimes as we grow older, our best work is overlooked and our greatest efforts become like inconsequential and mundane busyness when compared to Nobel Prizes, best-selling novels and other things we’ve only dreamed of.

     It’s easy to forget that people all around us are giving all their time, energy and creativity to “small” tasks that are considered unimportant and average. Chances are, there is someone in your life today who deserves a blue ribbon. Maybe your mom went out of her way to watch your kids when you had to work late; maybe your wife found the time and energy to cook your favorite meal just because she loves you; maybe that entry level employee at your office is working his tail off to please his new boss. Whoever deserves a blue ribbon, don’t hold your at-a-boys or your warm smiles captive. Offer them generously and often. You might even want to consider presenting someone with a real blue ribbon, a keepsake which will always remind them their efforts were “best of show”.

It was a simple but entertaining little invention, consisting of a rubber ball, a length of elastic string and small wooden paddle. They called it  paddle ball.  Learning the object of this one person game was easy enough: See how many times you can bounce the rubber ball off of the paddle in row, without messing up. This would be a fun skill to develop if I had ever actually been able to get the ball bouncing.

I’ve never claimed to be anything of an athlete, and I readily admit my lack of coordination, when it comes to childhood games, such as the ever popular egg-toss or even the hip rotation necessary to hula-hoop. However, I sheepishly confess a lifelong intimidation by this thing called paddle ball.  How can a person be incapable of successfully mastering a game where the ball is actually tethered to a paddle held securely in their hand?

    There are thousands upon thousands of uses for ribbon! This amazing craft wonder can be used on clothing, scrapbook pages, pillows, centerpieces, draperies, purses, hair accessories…the list goes on and on.

    Not only is ribbon versatile and beautiful, it comes in so many sizes, colors, prints and fabrics, the possibilities and applications are virtually endless. Whatever your project, there is a ribbon perfect for the job. There are thin ribbons, wide ribbons, wired ribbons, satin ribbons, grosgrain, plaid, solid, striped, hundreds of patterns and prints. You can hot glue ribbon, sew ribbon, create fantastically impressive bows and elegant embellishments! The most plain object can be transformed just by adding an inexpensive ribbon trim.

   Crafters everywhere know the power of 10″ of carefully selected ribbon. Having a stockpile of your favorites will keep you from driving to local craft store every time you need to wrap up your current project.

    Next time you catch yourself wondering, “what’s missing?”, embellish it with ribbon and see your plain Jane whatever become a work of art!