With my love of haberdashery I couldn’t wait to write this blog article featuring Ribbon Curtains and Canopies for Weddings, Parties and Occasions

Ribbon is a pretty and versatile accessory and our creative and innovative curiosity perpetually searches for new ways to use and reinvent ways to weave these beautiful lengths of colourful fabric into our lives.

We look back through ribbon’s finely woven history to be inspired, look to fashion for ideas and constantly try to create something new by looking at the competition and trying to establish what is missing from the ribbon world.

Pink Dotty Ribbon by Jane Means

Ribbon Curtains and Ribbon Canopies are a wonderful way to dress and personalise so many celebrations and occasions.  They transform your venue and can be themed and colour-matched perfectly to your individual needs.  A ribbon curtain’s light, feminine simplicity makes it ideal as a backdrop to a wedding ceremony or for wedding or christening photographs.   Ribbon Canopies can adorn the finest restaurant or can dress a barn for a more refined rustic celebration.

Themed events.  Red, white and blue ribbon curtains draped all around your function room would define a very royal or British affair, whereas baby soft pastel shades of ribbon would be ideal for a baby shower or christening celebration.  Sumptuous red, green and gold could form a seasonal backdrop in your home, whereas a purple, green, orange and black ribbon curtain ‘scream’ Halloween party.

Image courtesy of Jose Villa Photography

Inside out.  Ribbon curtains can be constructed in a compact or more sparse, open way.  It is not uncommon to tie long ribbons into tree branches for garden-based receptions or parties.  These ribbons should, of course, be well beyond billowing range of burning barbeques and away from outside heaters.  Ribbon curtains created in trees add a romantic, colour-matched feature to your garden party.  They can seamlessly continue the distinctive decoration of your venue from the inside to the outside.

Image courtesy of Bailes and Light

Creative Canopies involve a little ladder work and safe securing of ribbons (most usually, to a bamboo or plastic pole) to prevent any cascading of strands into soups or sorbets!  Temporarily transforming a cold, hard ceiling into a rolling cavern of colour for your celebration will make your venue distinctive and very pretty.  Draped between beams, disguising a conservatory roof and, optionally, combined with fairy lighting, ribbon canopies can add intimacy to high ceilinged rooms and bring magic to an ordinary space such as a village hall.

We love this spectacular look with fairy lights taken at the Amadeus Centre where we run our London Gift wrapping Courses

Image courtesy of Oh MY Charley

Ready made or ready to make?  It is, of course, possible to buy ready-made ribbon curtains and they come in a range of colours.  Making a bespoke ribbon curtain yourself, however, lets you control the combination of ribbon colours, fabrics, widths and overall length.

Your personal choice of curtain pole and possible addition of pole top embellishments means that your design feature is purely in the hands of your imagination and, of course, your budget.  Simple or sumptuous ribbon can be used or you can mix and match to create an impressive overall impact.

Our 100m rolls of ribbon are perfect for making ribbon curtains and canopies, when it is often necessary to have an endless supply of your specifically selected ribbons. My recent pop up shop at Clifton Nurseries was adorned with ribbon backdrops.

Whilst ribbon curtains and canopies are more synonymous with weddings, these features can be beautifully adapted to birthday parties, family portrait photography, interior design, retail display, Easter and Harvest festival celebrations, Halloween, christenings and Christmas, to name but a few.

Image courtesy of MyHomeStylist

Interior Design.  Whilst a ribbon curtain can be a delightful, feminine feature above a bedhead, along a bedroom wall or as an actual bathroom or bedroom, light diffusing, tied back, drape, hooped curtain canopies suspended over bedheads make an extremely pretty, light and airy adornment.

Image courtesy of The Glittered Barn

Hooped ribbon mobiles.  These colourful creations make a great kids craft project, can make use of many leftover short ribbon lengths and they make lovely features for a child’s playroom or bedroom. Even with small remnants of ribbon these can be used to make miniature bunting

Fuchsia Dotty Ribbon by Jane Means

Versatile.  Ribbon is a fabric of very versatile persuasion.  Let your imagination run wild.  Ribbon is not merely for wrapping presents.  It comes in so many stunning designs, fabrics and colours that sometimes you just want to bring ribbon into everyday use on garments, within the design of your home and as part of seasonal decor

Image courtesy of Style me pretty

So when you’re next looking at your rolls of ribbon in the bottom drawer, not knowing when you are going to use them, or if they are too pretty to cut up and add to gifts, remember they can be added as a feature to your decor so you can enjoy hours of pleasure looking at it

Enjoy! x

I’m often asked about Gift Wrapping for the men in our life. Should you include ribbon, tie a bow and are there any colours or themes that should be followed? So read on about ‘Great gift wrapping ideas for Father’s Day’

Vintage Grey Ribbon by Jane Means

Whether you are wrapping for a Father, a loved one, husband or friend, the gents in our life also appreciate good presentation and many love those extra embellishments and thought that has gone in to the gift giving process. If you’re giving a tricky shape and have no idea how to wrap it, you could always hide it in the shed or garage and present the key tied with ribbon

Moustache Paper by dotcomgiftshop
Marble paper by Rossi
Brown Ribbon by Jane Means

For me, the main thing is thinking about the person you are giving the gift to. Are they a keen gardener, do they like wine, Is there a favourite country they like to visit or do they enjoy dealing on the stockmarket?  All of these traits can be catered for and adapted to the recipients personality

Often on my gift wrapping courses, I hear stories of gifts being wrapped in newspaper by the amateur gift givers in our family. Some of my own wrapping has included newspapers and magazines. In this project I’ve included some petit pleats and you could add some rich grosgrain ribbon if you wish.

Even if you’ve left it to the last minute and have a limited amount of resources, you can get a dramatic look by doing some recycling. Here I’ve used some used brown paper and scrunched it in to a tight ball to give a consistent crinkled effect. Teamed with some raffia, sticks and feathers this is the perfect theme for a Country gent

Another great theme is the classic understated look. This small gift has been wrapped in some Charcoal colour art paper and finished with a classic black edged grosgrain ribbon

Marbled Paper by Rossi
Twine by Clifton Nurseries
Tag by Jane Means with Calligraphy by Judy Broad

And if Dad is really not in to Ribbon… well fear not you can experiment with some coloured Twine and tie in a heartfelt tag.

And if you really are struggling to buy something for Dad, have a think of his favourite tipple, maybe buy a DVD of his birth year, or treat him to a trip out fishing, golfing or visiting a favourite landmark (dads often value time with their children more than gifts themselves)

Although Fathers Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide, many countries observe this day on the third Sunday in June

Happy Gifting folks!

After 20 years in the business, I’m now finding myself travelling the globe sharing my knowledge and decided it was time to write my latest post ‘International Gift Wrapping ideas to suit all cultures’. My in laws live in Japan, my second home is in Singapore, plus I have Scottish ancestry and run courses in Glasgow and have American relatives, so I’m fascinated how to wrap presents differently to suit the different nationalities and cultures. With all of this and my courses in UK, Singapore and Australia, I’ve dedicated a section in my book ‘Giftwrapped’

I’m a firm believer that first impressions count and it’s what is on the inside that counts…we’ve all heard that saying ‘Packaging is everything’

There are obvious symbolic similarities between Chinese and Japanese theming but two beautiful and very different oriental giftwrapping styles can easily be created.  The similarities come in the use of lavishly embellished silk and symbols such as fans and chopsticks, together with their respective and beautifully illustrative, calligraphic characters. I also love to wrap items creatively and constrasting colours like Yellow and Red

Chinese styled giftwrapping.  The flag of China inspires the use of red and golden yellow, and stars are very much a symbol.  A gift wrapped in shiny, red paper or red, silk fabric, tied with a golden yellow silk, sash ribbon needs only the addition of chop sticks slotted into the bow and a gift tag in the shape of a large, yellow star to achieve the required look.  Add a carefully chosen and perfectly positioned Chinese symbol or two to your wrapping paper.  With a little practice and painted in black, these symbols will instantly define your oriental theme.

Red stitched ribbon by Jane Means

Japanese styled giftwrapping.  With its red circular sunburst design on a white background, the Japanese flag is a good source of inspiration.  With a focus on the traditional colours of red, black and white, embellishments of chop sticks or tassels and the use of painted, red, Japanese symbols onto white paper with red, silk ribbon, a very traditional, Japanese style can be created.

Reversible Gift Wrap by Jane Means
Image Courtesy of The General Co

In addition, the ancient art of Japanese paper folding is ideal to introduce to this theme.  Using origami to add embellishments of simple fans or more complex flowers will, no doubt, make your gift look very pretty.  Paper pleating is a Japanese technique, which looks rather stunning and will impress any recipient.  It is an interesting fact that, historically, an odd number of pleats on the gift was used for a happy occasion, whilst an even number of pleats would have meant the gift was intended for a sad occasion.

Image courtesy of The French Tangerine

American styled giftwrapping.  Well, it is hard to think of America and not think of stars and stripes and red, white and blue.  Any combination of these colours is a great place to start.  For example, red and white striped paper with a blue ribbon, blue paper with red and white striped ribbon (see my red and cream striped grosgrain ribbon) or a combination of contrasting blue paper with white paper, centrally separated by a red ribbon.  To add American stars, position white star stickers on the blue paper.

Tartan by Scotland Shop

Scottish style giftwrapping.  I have various tartan ribbon designs in my range and when they are used generously against navy blue, red, forest green or parcel wrapping paper and combined with embellishments of heather or thistles, the Scottish theme is clear.  Add celtic symbols in the form of brooches, trinkets or hand painted emblems on homemade gift tags to enhance the theme. Having Scottish ancestry I also love to use Tartan and Tweeds in my Gift wrapping projects.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Indian styled giftwrapping.  Famous for its vivid and spice-derived colours, India evokes thoughts of silk saris, bangles and opulent golden necklaces, lavishly embellished with precious stones.  The peacock, with its iridescent feathers, is the national bird of India and vivid blue, a rich green green and intense purple, the colours of the peacock, combined with embellishments of gold coloured chains,  pendants and varying textures of gold ribbon can form the strong basis of an Indian theme.  Brightly coloured layers of tissue paper offer the image of saris whilst tying in several golden bangles with a brightly coloured chiffon scarf adds to the embellishment of your gift.  Bright colours and opulence are the main features and the presence of a peackock feather, elephant charm or pendant or a handmade circular gift tag featuring the ‘Ashoka Shakra’, a 24-spoke blue wheel that appears on the Indian flag.

I am a huge fan of India. I have been several times and hope to run some future courses there.

Red Ribbon by Jane Means
Map Paper by Clifton Nurseries

Pick a country and try to capture the essence of its nature as you wrap your gift.  Perhaps the gift originates from that country or is to be given to a person from that location or to someone who is going to travel there soon…  Creating a personalised theme only serves to increase the meaning and quality of both the gift giving and receiving experience.

Jane Means is a Worldwide Gift Wrapping Consultant who works for Luxury Brands, Celebrities and Royalty

If you are stuck on what to give as a gift, check out Minding Manners who cover perfect Gift Giving on their brilliant etiquette workshops

Happy Wrapping

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing this blog post ‘Perfectly gift wrapped wedding cakes and favours to take home’ as our shoots have been swarming with homemade biscuits, yummy cakes and calorie ridden treats. We’ve all been there, enjoying a wedding with a lavish meal, only to find that we are too full to eat any of the cake, so you ask if you can have a gift wrapped wedding cake slice and favours to take home (we’ve all done it!)

Cake and Props by Lyndsey James, Ribbon by Jane Means

…It is time for guests to leave the party with their traditional piece of wedding, birthday, christening or celebration cake.  This departure will not be enhanced for anyone by being handed a parcel of soggy serviette.  However, there are many creative ways to send your guests happily on their way with a piece of cake perfectly wrapped.

Folded paper plate baskets.
Simple, inexpensive paper plates, available in so many colours and designs, can be easily cut, folded and secured to make a high-sided basket in no more than 5 minutes.  Tie a pretty ribbon around the basket’s edge and finish off with a bow and possibly attach a personal message with a paperclip.

Pistachio and Pink Ribbon by Jane Means Paper plates by Meri Meri

Wrapped in a layer of greaseproof paper first, each piece of cake can then be wrapped in a colour co-ordinated, paper napkin and tucked inside the basket for safe carriage home.

Gift wrapping by Jane Means

Plastic glasses or beaker wrapped in cellophane or napkins.
A variety of shapes and sizes of plastic beaker and goblet are available and they come in varying transparent shades of clear, pink, blue and many other colours.  Disposable plastic cups can also be used.  With the portion of cake inside the cup, a large piece of cellophane can safely wrap the entire package and be tied tightly with colourful ribbon, leaving a frothy explosion of cellophane at the top.

Kilner jar by Lakeland. Ribbon by Jane Means

Image by NellieBellie

Glass Jars filled with cake.
These jars can be bought in every conceivable size and, for those with a celebration cake consisting of many cupcakes, small, chunky kilner jars can be perfect to house each cake.  With ribbon around the neck of the airtight jar, the cake is safe to take home in its own little presentation pack.  The addition of a handmade tag also provides a personal touch. Guests will also be able to re use the jars for storing biscuits etc.

White lace bags, tags and ribbon by Jane Means.  Calligraphy by Judy Broad

Decorated mini bags.
My clear plastic, white lace print bags would be perfect as a pretty and simple solution. Tuck the cake into the plastic bag, fold over and secure the top of the bag and attach a (ruffle) bow for a neat, compact package. Alternatively you can secure with some ribbon (check out my YouTube tutorial to learn how to tie the perfect bow)

Ribbon sets by Jane Means

Boxed simplicity.
It is possible to buy cake portion boxes but what about making triangular cake slice shaped origami boxes yourself?  I will be preparing online tutorials at a later date to demonstrate a variety of very useful decorative origami projects.

Origami may look fiddly at first but with a little patience and practice, it is possible to achieve such beautiful, handmade, inexpensive designs, which are bound to draw comment and curiosity.

Box: Stylists own, Paper by Fox and Lark, Ribbon and Tags by Jane Means, Calligraphy by Judy Broad

A gift box.
Take a simple, small box and dress it up like as a gift.  It’s purpose may be merely to contain a slice of cake to take home, but it can be a beautiful miniature presentation with a coloured tissue paper lining, a ribbon around the coloured body of the box and an embellished lid.  Coloured crafting jewels, origami or artificial flowers, spike bows, ruffle bows or your preferred applied accessories.  Have fun and make it a gift to your guests.

Image courtesy of Bloved Blog 

Remember:  Wrap your cake portions in greaseproof paper.

I think after writing this blog post we now need to indulge in a bit of Afternoon Tea

Jane x

Pulse is the UK’s ultimate boutique trade event for inspiring new gifts, modern living and fashion and Jane Means will be there next week to launch new wholesale products to the industry

As well as our British made Reversible gift wrap, we will be launching our new ribbon cubes which make the ideal gift for craft addicts and are perfect for the bottom drawer.

At the show we will be offering a trade minimum order for £50 which is perfect for a small business or a cottage industry. Wholesale orders can also be placed online so if you have a business or require a large order, please Contact Us

We look forward to catching up with our existing suppliers and meeting new customers and you can find us at Stand M24

The trade show will be held at Olympia on May 14-16^th

Venue:
Olympia London
Hammersmith Road
Kensington
London
W14 8UX

Nearest tube: Kensington Olympia

Opening Times:

Sunday 14 May 2017          09.30-18.00
Monday 15 May 2017          09.30-18.00
Tuesday 16 May 2017        09.30-17.00

If you’re coming to Pulse, please pop by and say hello to us. We’re stand M24

For more details and for registering please head to the Pulse website

We’ve an exciting few weeks ahead with the launch of our brand new website and new product lines, so for a limited time you can enjoy up to 80% discount in our Spring Edit. 48 hours only!

Our Flash sale ends on Wednesday and all UK orders will be sent out First Class

Here’s some of our featured items…

Reduced from £9.50 to £3.80 is this elegant lace planter which makes a perfect housewarming gift

Our Midnight Palm tissue is ideal for the bottom drawer and very on trend

And if you love a bargain, grab the last of our Whitby Stripe ribbon with 80% off while stocks last

We can’t wait to launch our new website with lots of new products in the pipeline, and will keep you updated with developments.

In the meantime happy shopping x

So many ideas with just one sheet of gift wrap…

Gift Wrap by Jane Means

When you think of gift wrap you automatically think of wrapping paper for presents, however there’s a myriad of projects and ideas that you an do with you sheet of gift wrapping paper, especially if it’s reversible (mine are). Having just designed my first collection of papers, I thought I’d share 10 creative ideas using reversible gift wrap

Papercraft continues to be a huge trend and we are surrounded with an abundance of lanterns, pom poms and pinwheels. All which can be made with your own fair hands

Colonial Grey Giftwrap by Jane Means

Pinwheels can easily be made by pleating a square of paper. I love to wire a bead or button and add to the centre for an additional decoration. On hot summer days these can be glued on to a wooden stick (you’ll always find these in your favourite coffee house) and transformed in to a fan

2. Cards and Envelopes

Image courtesy of Ramblecraft

Cards can easily be made by adding a decorative page of gift wrap on to a piece of card, securing it in place with some ribbon or double sided tape. Do be warned that you are not allowed to sell these unless the designer of the gift wrap has authorized the use. I also love to line envelopes too

3.  Decoupage

Image courtesy of diybastelideen

This is a wonderful way to decorate a photo frame, plantpot, a tray, waste paper bin, a storage box, or even some clothes pegs. Intricte details can be cut out and glued on to item and sealed with layers of clear varnish.

4. Cones for kids

Colonial Grey Gift Wrap by Jane Means

Sweets for childrens parties can be placed in to homemade cones. Cut a triangle of reversible paper and stick 2 sides together with double sided tape. You can decorate the top with lace or ribbon, or seal the whole cone

5. Cake band or decorative cups

Decorate a cake or paper cups with a band of pretty paper and secure with double sided tape and ribbon. It will look so gorgeous that you wont want to eat it

6. Paper Lampshade

We love this Origami shade.  Image courtesy of Postris

Image by Rosie’s Vintage Lampshades

Lampshades can be given a new lease of life with a piece of decorative paper and some spray adhesive. You can also trim the edges with some ribbon or ric rac for that additional eye catching feature. Do be careful not to catch the shades with the hot bulbs or leave them unattended.

7. DIY Pillow boxes
   

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Handmade pillow boxes can easily be made by adding paper on to a cardboard tube with spray adhesive. Fold in the 2 sides after you’ve placed your gift inside and add ribbon

8. Origami Lanterns
   

Pretty little lanterns and decorative creations can be made by following a few steps. I love to check out the Japanese blogs for Origami tutorials and ideas

9. Paper flowers
   

These are hugely popular and I love to see a wall or backdrop full of these beautiful decorations.
Petals can easily be curved by using a pencil.

Colonial Grey paper by Jane Means
I also love these Japanese pleated flowers and will be covering this tutorial in a future blog post and in our Handmade Decorations workshops in Singapore

10. Paper bunting

Image courtesy of La Mia Casa

Bunting can easily be made by cutting triangles out of a sheet of paper and adding them on to a length of ribbon with glue. You could also use patterned scissors for a scalloped detail. If you’ve got a sewing machine try stitching hearts together.

Enjoy being creative with your gift wrap folks, and do share your ideas with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #janemeans x

We are so excited that our wrap has finally been launched and have some Luxury Gift Wrapping Sets by Jane Means up for grabs at a snippet of the price

For a limited time, our bespoke sets which are worth £40 will be available for £25 including postage and colours include Pink Peony, Plantation Green, Vintage Lilac and Colonial Grey.

Designed by Jane Means herself she says “To see my first collection of wrap is wonderful after being behind the scenes of my design studio for several months. I’m delighted it’s not only made in the UK, but you can do so many different styles of gift wrapping with it”

Colonial Grey Gift Wrap by Jane Means

As well as 4 sheets of reversible wrap, you’ll be treated to 40 metres of contrasting ribbon, 30 gift tags and 2 rolls of double sided tape. Perfect for the bottom drawer, the collection will have your wrapping sorted for the rest of the year.

The design led wrap will be rolled out in to stores and is now available wholesale.

Pink Peony Gift Wrap by Jane Means

We’d love to see your creations so do tag us in using #janemeans to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter 

Happy Wrapping x

Hot off the press this month is….Jane Means to launch first collection of Gift Wrap on Live TV. Jane will be live on Create and Craft TV on Tuesday 14 th March at 7pm UK time and we can’t tell you how excited we are at Wrapping HQ

Ribbon and wrap by Jane Means

With a love of stripes and florals (Jane used to be a florist), the collection has been designed with these elements in mind.

Jane has been a designer herself for over 12 years and put the collection together , with help from graphic designer Leona Baldwin at Fox and Lark

Ribbons and wrap by Jane Means

Our new designs

The 4 designs are unique as they are cleverly designed so you can get up to 6 different looks with a single sheet, using Jane’s clever techniques.

The papers are reversible and printed in the UK on high quality paper. We cannot wait to start using them on our Gift Wrapping Courses

Jane says “I’m delighted to be launching this first ever collection. For years I have been thinking about designing my own gift wrap but felt the market was already flooded with Gift Wrap.

It was only when I had that lightbulb moment when I realised I’d designed something unique, that I decided the time was right”

Ribbons and wrap by Jane Means

She adds “The papers have been designed to compliment the ribbon collections and are suitable for occasions including birthday, anniversaries and weddings. For the last six months there have been many tweaks and amendments in her design studio, and now the team are busy with photoshoots and styling projects. It’s a very exciting time”

The collection will be available exclusively through Create and Craft from Tuesday 14th March, and will be available to wholesale customers at the end of March

Ribbons and wrap by Jane Means

Students attending a Jane Means Course will gain valuable tips when using the unique papers and be able to buy the collection on the day

Share your ideas

We would love to see you Gift wrapping using our new gift wrap papers so please ensure that you tag us in to your Social Media with #JaneMeans on Instagram and Twitter

Giveaway

You will also have a chance to win some giveaways next week so keep an eye on our Facebook Page 

Happy Wrapping!

Jane and Team x

I often hear funny stories about about cheap and cheerful gift wrapping often using newspaper on our gift wrapping courses, , so I thought I’d show you some creative gift wrapping ideas with magazines and newspapers.

In an age where we are trying to reuse and recycle, using some glamorous pages of your favourite glossy magazine will add that touch of couture to your gift wrapping

Narrow Red Ribbon by Jane Means

Teamed with a red ribbon made in to a flower, the gifts will dazzle. I love to choose vibrant colours and trend led pages as a backdrop

Red Ribbon by Jane Means

Another great look is the classic monochrome, which is classic, timeless and perfect for any genre. Black and White pages can receive an instant eye catching lift with a vibrant ribbon such as fuchsia pink or red

Even Newspapers can look great teamed with accessories. I love to use coloured pages such as the Financial Times. In this project I have introduced lots of small pleats to add a feature (it also helps disguise the gift underneath as newspaper is often see through)

Sage Ribbon by Jane Means

You could impress even more by making a handmade gift bag. As newspaper is a very thin paper to use, I’ve also added a thin card to add stability and definition. Decorated with a doily and some green ribbon this gift bag looks too good to open (I cover this project in my book ‘Giftwrapped‘)

Image courtesy of Pinterest

You could even make your own paper flowers out of newspaper. All you need is scissors, glue and patience (a cup of tea on the side always helps)

Image by The Penny Hoarder

So next time you think about turfing out your magazines and newspapers, have a rifle through for your favourite pages first and upcycle them in to a wrapped creation or crafty masterpiece

Happy Wrapping! x