I am the first person to admit that I am not domestic. I am, however, unnaturally fond of wrapping gifts in creative ways - which I believe is something that Martha Stewart has done, on occasion. ;-)
The daughter of my darling friend Trish (@designfiend) is getting married next weekend. I keep insisting that @designfiend must have had her babies when she was a practically a baby herself. This is mainly due to the fact that I am in deep denial that my friends and I are of a certain age and approaching a time when we could technically be grandmothers. I just HAD my kids. We are not old. Spring chicks.
Maybe if I keep saying it enough it will be true.
So @designfiend's gorgeous daughter bravely invited not only M and I to her wedding, but my darling children, too.
While shopping for itty bitty little girl formal dresses I found a gorgeous purple satin-and-tulle number (only $40!) for my little girl. My daughter is of the age when her design ideas center around anything resembling a ballerina's performance wardrobe; tutus, tiaras and tulle.
I also found an adorable satin evening purse for my daughter at a dollar store - not that I normally shop at dollar stores for evening wear, but it was a cheap opportunity I couldn't refuse.
My little girl is just thrilled with her outfit - so thrilled she has to be physically restrained from wearing it every day.
Shopping for diminutive suits is also a lot of fun. My little boy has insisted that he does NOT want a tuxedo (he wore one for a wedding two years ago, charming everyone, but evidently he found it a traumatic experience).
"I want to look like James Bond" he insisted - but with a bow tie. The tie pictured will not do - he really wants a bow tie.
So M and I are off this afternoon to scour the city for a little boy size bow tie.
I'm not sure where my son's preference for a bow tie came from, but couple that with his chess skills... and genetic predisposition toward glasses... and I think I may need to sign him up for karate lessons. Soon.
While shopping for our togs is fun, my favourite part of preparing to be a wedding guest is wrapping the gifts.
Our gifts for this bride have had a very domestic theme - for her bridal shower we gave her a big basket filled with towels, bathroom accessories and some facecloths I knitted.
The wedding gift is also some textiles and accessories - as well as a gift card.
How to wrap (not Rap) like Martha
Materials:
- 1 heavy, large circumference vase
- 6 long-handled wooden spoons
- more long-handled utensils (if desired)
- 4 tea towels in "flower" colour
- 4 pillow cases in "flower" colour
- 2 pillow cases in "leaves" colour
- 1 roll of basket wrap
- tissue paper
- ribbon
- scissors
- card spike (from florist)
- gift card
Line the vase with one of the "leaf" colour pillow cases.
Leave at least two corners of the pillow case draped over the vase edge for use later.
Fill the inside of the pillowcase lining the vase with crumpled up tissue paper.
Place the labels from the tea towels, wooden spoons and pillow cases in the center with the crumpled up tissue paper (for the bride and groom to refer to after opening the gift). Ensure that the labels and tissue paper are pushed to the bottom half of the vase.
Fold the second "leaf" colour pillow case.
Arrange the pillow case on the diagonal on a table in front of you. Fold the pillow case in an accordion fold from one corner to the opposite diagonal corner.
Tie ribbon around the center of the folded pillow case. Curl the ribbon ends.
Spread out the corners of the pillow case to resemble leaves.
Set "leaves" aside.

Fold one of the tea towels or two of the pillow cases length-wise.
Fold one of the tea towels or two of the pillow cases length-wise again.
Place one of the wooden spoons off-center on the tea towel.
Fold the cloth to the side, over the spoon.
Continue to roll the cloth around the spoon until you get to the end of the cloth.
Experiment with the off-center placement of the spoon inside the roll until you get the ends of the rolled up "flower" on opposite sides (see picture). It is important that the ends not bunch together on one side of the "flower".
Tie off with ribbon, curl the ribbon ends.
Spread out the "petals" of the flower - the ends of the tea towel or pillow case - to make the flower.
Experiment with pulling the towel and spreading the flower open.
Fold some of the petals down over the ribbon tied around the flower.
Place the finished "flowers" in the vase wooden spoon handle down. Experiment with the placement of the flowers until you are happy with the layout.
Use the crumpled up tissue to stabilize the "stems" of the flowers by adding more tissue in the bottom of the vase, if necessary.
Insert the "leaves" into the bouquet, securing them with ribbon to the "stem" of one of the "flowers". Spread out the leaves.
Add additional curled ribbon to some of the "stems" of the "flowers" so the ribbon drapes out of the bouquet.
If there are additional utensils, insert the additional utensils - handle side down - into the "bouquet".
Wrap a square of gift basket wrap around the vase and secure with ribbon.
Insert the card and gift card (if desired) into the bouquet (also I recommend taping a ribbon to the back of the card and securing it to one of the flowers so the card doesn't get lost).
Admire your work!