Time is running out...

[Susan]

ACK - it is Friday! What the heck happened to this week???

I haven't come up for air since last weekend! I'm working so so hard to get "work" done ahead of time for next week so a real holiday can be enjoyed over the Christmas.

As a result - I just now finished answering emails. If you sent me a weekend at the end of Washi Week, I think I should be 100% caught up as of right now.

We didn't have a winner for the BlogiVersary comment contest, but someone suggested that it was because I didn't give enough warning or time. So we might rerun it and add to the number!

Facebook has been easier for me to update this week, so I hope you're connected with our Facebook page and are seeing the great Design Team ideas and comments and enabling! GREAT STUFF!

The Die-Versions DT is working hard on January/CHA dies, so I've got them locked in a big scrap-room in an undisclosed location! LOL! But I've been putting last minute ideas up on the DV Facebook page this week as well!

If you have any questions about pre-orders that have gone up this week, or new releases from QK, or what we're planning for next week - please don't hesitate to leave a comment here. Dani and I will be glancing at the board this weekend and next week, and will do our very best to get answers headed your way!!!

Wish me luck - my mom and daddy arrive tomorrow and the guest room is still piled high with summer clothes and Halloween decorations...and I guess I should be heading to the grocery store soon?!?!?!?!?!

HAHAHA!!!! Grandma always said - "whatever has to get done, will get done. If it didn't get done, you didn't need to do it!" And I'm sticking to that!!!

[Deleted]

Susan, you're not the only one trying to "come up for air" right now! No matter what the reason, I'm guessing that most of us are...uh...ever so slightly behind on our best intentions to get ready for the "big day" next week!

My immediate problem? Wrapping presents...I have them stashed in secret locations all over the house, and now everyone is in the house until Christmas Day, so I guess I'll have to be hiding out once in a while! ;D

Oh, and never mind even thinking about food...that means a trip to the supermarket...right??

[Susan]

Dec 21, 2012 18:48:12 GMT -5 @casunflower said:

Susan, you're not the only one trying to "come up for air" right now! No matter what the reason, I'm guessing that most of us are...uh...ever so slightly behind on our best intentions to get ready for the "big day" next week!

My immediate problem? Wrapping presents...I have them stashed in secret locations all over the house, and now everyone is in the house until Christmas Day, so I guess I'll have to be hiding out once in a while! ;D

Oh, and never mind even thinking about food...that means a trip to the supermarket...right??

Diane even as we speak {type??} my daughter has been ordered into my bedroom to stand and wrap. She has all of my rolls of plain red, white, kraft and lime green wrapping, she has a big sheet of washi bows for all of the small boxes, she has gobs of tissue paper and I've told her she's not allowed to come out until she crossed off every name that I wrote down for her.

{hahah - helps to take said daughter for pedicures before wrapping seclusion!!}

she should be done in a little bit! say the word and I'll send her over - she LOVES wrapping presents. All she needs is a cookie every now and then and some holiday tunes!!!

[Deleted]

Dec 21, 2012 20:24:44 GMT -5 Susan said:

Dec 21, 2012 18:48:12 GMT -5 @casunflower said:

...say the word and I'll send her over - she LOVES wrapping presents. All she needs is a cookie every now and then and some holiday tunes!!!

I have cookies and music...from traditional, rock and roll, country, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, etc., etc., etc.

I'll keep the light on for her, and I promise to take good care of her...I'll even get all of the cardstock off the extra bed if she needs to stay over!

[peterpan]

Ladies, I know exactly what you are talking about. The last several years we have still been wrapping gifts late on Christmas Eve--in part because I insist on making bows for each package. I am thrilled to report all but two gifts were wrapped before bed last night...yes, more than two days before Christmas this year!! Of course this probably would not have been possible if we had not used bows recycled from years past!!

Here's wishing both speedy endings to all of your "gotta do" tasks so you can enjoy the season before it is over!!

Christy

[Susan]

Christy I'm intrigued - what kinds of "bows" do you make??? Big hand-tied ribbon ones, or hand-twisted-cut-paper bows? My grandma used to have this flowery looking, round loom, and she'd take spools and spools of ribbon and weave a ribbon custom for each package.

I'm intrigued. I love the look of wrapped packages...and bows are the sprinkles on the cake!!!

[Deleted]

Christy, bring your bows, and pick up Susan's DD on the way...I'm going to need all of the help I can get tomorrow afternoon!

The thought of lovely bows sounds so much better than the shiny 20 bows/package from the dollar store (although they seem to work fine for my DH, who thinks that the delivery box makes a perfectly good gift wrap! ;D ;D ;D)

[peterpan]

My bows are hand-tied ones made from wire edged ribbon mostly found at M's and HL around this time of year--I have a huge collection!! I will take some pictures in the morning and post them since it is already well after my bedtime here in Texas.

Diane--Brother sometimes (well maybe all the time) thinks I've lost my mind to spend so much time tying custom bows for each package. And he's probably right. But I just tell him to put a sock in it and go back to playing with my ribbon!! I'll give Santa a ring and see if he can give us an express ride out your way and back again in time for the festivities here--Mom wouldn't speak to me for a month if I missed Christmas at home! ;D Hang in there!!

c

[peterpan]

Okay, Susan, as promised:



















Christy

[Deleted]

Oh...beautiful bows!

Where do I place my order?

[peterpan]

Thanks, Diane!

You can PM me......a one year notice is required though!!!

c

[Cat]

Ahhh, Diane she only showed y'all a very small sample of her bows. No one can stand to get rid the beauties; the reason for the recycling this year. They find their way into Christmas arrangements and are used for other decor all the time.
At our extended family white elephant Christmas swaps I've seen people choose a package just to get the bow that was on it----then try to keep the bow if someone else steals the gift.


Cat

[Susan]

CHRISTY

how can anyone even stand to open a package??? I would just stare at the wrapping and bow!!!!! those are just beautiful, and knowing that you put such time and love into each one is what makes it such a treasure!!!! {Tell your brother to indeed put a sock in it, or he might get nothing under the tree!!! LOL}

thanks for sharing some pictures with us - I now understand why you are still wrapping up until Christmas Eve!

I hope your bows were all behaving this year, and that everyone was greeted with gorgeous packages on Christmas morning!!!

{Now, how do we get a bow-tying lesson?}

[Deleted]

Like Susan, I'd go for that bow-tying lesson, too!

I have a device that's supposed to make it "easy" to make beautiful bows, but it takes a degree in mechanical engineering (which I do not have! ;D) to make it work. The gadget is now in the give-away pile!

Please...help us!

[peterpan]

Thanks, ladies! They do take a bit of time but I think it is worth it. I tried using some bow making devices in the past and just couldn't get the look I wanted. So I made up my own technique over the years. And you definitely do not have to have a Mechanical Engineering degree to make bows this way!! Though I might need one to describe the process. Maybe Brother can help me figure out how to make a quick video if this does not make sense.

The key is to get good wire edged ribbon. The wire needs to be stronger than the ribbon itself in terms of shapability. I.e. a stiff ribbon needs stiffer wire or it will just spring back to whatever shape the ribbon wants to be in.

Then wrap the ribbon in "concentric" loops, like you are spooling it up on a card. I usually make the flattened loops about the width of the box the bow is going on.

The inner end should be at one of the far edges of the flattened loops. Then pull that inner end out so you have a longer tail on the opposite end of the flattened loops. When I haven't made bows for a while, it helps to find the middle of the flattened loops early and pull this longer inner tail back toward the center so I correctly count the number of loops on each end of the flattened mass of ribbon. For instance, with the ribbon all wound up and the inner end at the far right edge of the flattened loops, you might have five loops on the left end and four loops plus the end on the right end. Pull that inner end toward the left and then back to the middle so you now have four loops on each end and the inner tail protruding from just left of center.

For a smallish to medium boxes, four to five loops on each end of the flattened piece is enough--after pulling the inner tail out to the "proper" length. If the ribbon is narrow and the box is medium sized you probably want to add loops. For large boxes 6-7 loops are probably needed, more if the ribbon is narrow.

Once you have enough loops, wrap the inner tail around the middle of the flattened loops, starting on the side with the outer tail so that it is more easily secured. I usually squish the flattened piece into an accordion shape in the middle before I wrap the tail around it, especially for wide ribbon. Tie a square knot (or half of one if it seems secure enough) in the tails and pull tight. Just be sure not to shorten the loops in this process--this can take some practice if the ribbon is cantankerous.

When the knot is tied securely and you are satisfied with the size of the bow, cut the outside tail to match the length of the inside tail.

Then start pulling the loops out from each side to form the bow. I recommend starting on the inside loop and alternating the direction you pull them. I.e. pull the innermost loop down, the next one up and so on. This way the outside loop stays roughly in the middle. Repeat the process on the other side. Sometimes you will have to squish and twist the loops at the central knot to get them to look just so.

I used to stop there but over the years decided the loops on the final bow often looked too large and unwieldy. I started folding the loops so that each one made a larger bottom loop and a smaller top loop like what you see in the pictures in my post above. Usually it is enough just to tuck the fold deep in toward the central knot. If the bow is vary large with lots of loops or if the wire is a little weak, you can run a piece of string or twine around the folds to pull them in tighter to the center.

I hope all of this makes some sense. Let me know and I will see about adding some pictures or try to send Susan a video later.

Christy