The "Experience" of Wrapping Workshop

It’s does not happen often when I have the opportunity to teach not only traditional and modern techniques of packaging but offer an “Experience” of wrapping by showing its added value to the spirit of our daily lives. The beauty of wrapping with furoshiki/fabric lies in how it can used in many ways everyday and how it can bring joy and intention to the practice of giving and gratitude. 

My appreciation goes out to Japan Society for inviting me to host this special workshop and to Conde House for the use of their beautiful Machiya inspired showroom reflecting the feel of a traditional Japanese Merchant House. It blends the history of ancient workshop spaces with today’s minimalist sensibilities. Wagashi (Japanese confectionary delicacy) will be shared , handmade by Yuri Vaughn and presented in Furoshiki. 

Please join us 

FUROSHIKI WORKSHOP

(click above for information/registration) 

The Art of Japanese Gift Wrapping with Fabric

Traditional and Modern Adaptations

June 23 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

No.2 Henry Adams St., Showroom 152

San Francisco

Wrapping from the Top

WRAPPING TOP SIDE UP 

Wrapping invariably involves moving around whatever it is that needs wrapping. 

In the event a gift is a box of chocolates or something you don't want

shifted or disheveled, a "top side up" method of wrapping becomes important.
I had fun playing around with kraft paper experimenting with wrapping....

TOP SIDE UP

Wrapping Top Side Up 

Gift Wrapping: New Life for the Old Sweater and Scrap Fabric

Learn to give new life and spirit to the old sweaters/clothes and scrap fabrics 

around your home this holiday through gift wrapping. 

Sunday December 13, 2015

1:00-2:30pm 

Register Here 

Gift Wrapping: New Life for the Old Sweater and Scrap Fabric 

Workshop 

My favorite sweater shrunk in the wash by my husband (love you!) became
the inspiration to Gift Wrap

I will be one of twenty instructors holding workshops at 

WORKSHOP WEEKEND 

in Oakland

Tech Liminal

555 12th St #110

Oakland, California 94607

Saturday and Sunday

December 12 and 13  2015

https://workshopweekend.net/oakland/catalog

"Workshop Weekend is a community-based two-day event that brings together dozens of short, hands-on workshops across a variety of disciplines, from crafting to engineering to gardening, all taught by local, passionate instructors with years of experience in their craft" 

I will be there to take classes myself as well as teach. 

It never ceases to amaze me where inspiration transpires! 

********

A sweater shield for my Tea Bottle! 

A Banana Republic sleeve finds a new life on a Gift Box

Holiday Gift Wrap: Creatively Sustainable

Join me in supporting the Community Programs 

@ Ruth's Table in San Francisco

Saturday March 12, 2015

1:00-3:00pm 

Register Here

http://www.ruthstable.org/

"Art is for everybody. I like to include people who haven't yet developed their creative side—people yearning to let their creativity out. I like designing projects that make people feel safe, not afraid to get

involved." —Ruth Asawa

I still recall with fond memory years ago sitting around the table with Ruth Asawa making holiday ornaments with paper.  She had a way of making any art experience warm and welcoming and despite her being a world renowned artist, never making anyone feel incapable of creating or making.  I, like many others, owe my place in the creative world to her who allowed us the comfortable space to be creative in our own way, unafraid to be adventurous and daring with our hands and heart.

Ruth’s Table creates a place for people of every age and experience to enrich their lives with art.

Succulent/Packaging Workshop @Oracle

"Creative Collaboration is Awesome"

Alicia Silverstone 

I read somewhere that the best collaborations create something bigger than the sum of what each person can create on their own.  My recent experience helping and working together with my friend Jodi of Flourish to put on a Succulent Workshop for the Oracle Women's Leadership Team spoke to this very concept.   She taught how to beautifully compose a succulent arrangement and I followed up on her suggestion with a demonstration on how to creatively package the succulent plant utilizing simple, accessible materials.  Participants commented that a valuable take away and additional bonus was to learn the skill of making your own DIY succulent as gifts.  It was a great idea. Gauging by the enthusiastic, warm response we received by the 50 women who attended (with more on the waiting list!),  the collaboration was worthwhile and created a richer and more meaningful experience for everyone as a whole, not to mention it was so incredibly enjoyable!

"I think it is in collaboration that the nature of art is revealed."

Steve Lacy 

Succulent Making and Packaging Workshop

The opportunity to teach and share the value of honoring what you create and what you give through gift wrapping (simply, artfully and resourcefully) brings me joy.  
The most meaningful moments of the evening was the feedback received
of how the workshop ignited a creative spark, brought people together
and amplified the importance of "making" and  intentional gifting to the forefront. 

Nice to meet the women of OWL
Oracle's Women Leadership Team

Special thanks to Win Chang (center)
Organizer Extraordinaire
Cloud Accelerator Director and Oracle Women's Leadership Community Leader
(A serendipitous meeting indeed to learn you are the sister in law of my good friend Tracy!) 

Gift Wrap for HEATH Ceramics

INVITATION TO GIFT WRAP 

for Heath Ceramics Summer Collection 

Simple, elegant and timeless handcrafted quality - its what makes me a fan of this artisan stoneware company since my long ago days in Berkeley.  It was of no surprise to learn of their minimal waste philosophy when it came to wrapping and packaging.  They recognize, however,  the consumer desire to have something presented artistically especially when something of this quality is being given as a gift.  My challenge was to construct a gift wrapping concept utilizing materials sold in the store.

Wrapping with tea and kitchen towels, napkins, table runners and table accessories 

Love this tea towel designed together with House Industries
sold at Heath 

The Gift Wrap as an Additional Present 

Wrapping Concepts on their way to the Heath Retail Stores
http://www.heathceramics.com/

San Francisco
02900 18th Street, San Francisco, CA  94110
Ferry Building
1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111 
Los Angeles
7525 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Hope this inspires ideas to
utilize everyday materials to wrap creatively.
Thank you Heath for the opportunity to collaborate!

Gratitude and Empowering Youth

100 Japanese High School students from the disaster affected areas of Tohoku Japan came again this year to the University of CA, Berkeley for an intensive summer program on global leadership and community planning, service and engagement.  It's my now fourth year involvement as an Instructor and this year Program Manager for Y-PLAN (award winning educational strategy to engage young people and schools in city planning and policy making) Softbank Tomodachi Leadership Program. The opportunity to teach is a blessing. The ability to foster confidence in students victimized by a natural disaster to become agents of change in their community is what keeps me continually inspired by Y-PLAN, ultimately transformational for both students and teachers.

GRATITUDE ART WORKSHOP 

Incorporating intention and art into the program offering for students is a personal joy and mission and this year I organized a Gratitude Art Workshop where reflections of gratitude were reflected in an "of the moment" 100 Thoughts of Gratitude Installation and hand made cards for host families. 

Happy Mothers Day 2015

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY 

"In a gentle way you can shake the world"

-Mahatma Gandhi 

To all the moms and women that inspire us everyday-

taking care of all the important often unnoticed details of life

ever so gently and powerfully making an imprint on the world..

This day is for YOU!  

SUSTAINABLE SUCCULENTS

paired with 

REPURPOSED GIFT WRAPPING 

I collaborated with my very talented girlfriend's succulent floral design studio 

http://www.flourishsucculents.com/

 and packaged a mini succulent arrangement
repurposing sewing patterns as a gift package for Mothers Day. 

The heartfelt intention behind the idea for us was to offer something that generated life symbolizing

the role of moms and woman caretakers for this special occasion: 

succulents to replant and grow and wrapping that brought new life to something otherwise discarded. 

Here's to Mothers Day !

BAY AREA LOCALS

Head to WEST ELM in Strawberry Village Marin May 9th Saturday where Flourish will have a pop up sale featuring not only our work together but a variety of artistic creations of succulents combined with floral arrangements that are "must haves" for the Moms out there.  Her work is stunning! 

Together with Jodi at the Town Center Farmers Market in Marin
Flourish Boutique  

Pochibukuro "Little Bag" Revisited

POCHIBUKURO "Little Bag"  REVISITED

Pochibukuro in Japan is equivalent to the Chinese Red Envelope.  Its an envelope that is used to give money away often for celebratory occasions.  There are so many designs of envelopes sold in Japan for this purpose.

For my workshop in Japan, I introduced the idea of making one's own Pochibukuro imparting a special hand made quality to their money gift giving.  Using old sewing patterns and instruction sheets, we made envelopes with a floral accent.

Idea for a Hand Made Pochibukuro
Equally suitable for gifting a special note or gift card! 

Everyone loved working with old sewing patterns not often seen in Japan 

Feeling Spring "Wrapping" in Japan

"What is the use of a package if its shows no feelings?"

-Hideyuki Oka

In "How to Wrap Five Eggs", Hideyuki Oka poses this simple but profound question. This question both inspires and haunts me in the never ending quest to both recognize and execute packaging that provokes feeling.  

I recently returned from a trip to Japan where I had the wonderful opportunity to give a lecture and workshop on repurposing materials and gift wrapping in Japan through the 

"Shiawase Gakko-Happiness School" 

Felissimo

Felissimo is one of the largest direct marketing/lifestyle goods companies in Japan.  It was through being hosted that I came upon the true meaning behind this quest.  Wrapping and packaging is an attention to detail. The quality of the details determines engagement and feeling: I was invited to a lunch and joining me were Japanese artists that were instructors in various art genres at the school. To my surprise, I came to the table with lunches gift wrapped in cherry blossom pink material!  This is truly a Japanese experience. It provoked a sense of joy and feeling of welcome that I will never forget. Thank you Felissimo! 

Luncheon inspired by the Cherry Blossom Season
Wrapped Lunch Boxes 

Meeting Japanese Artists 

Enjoying lunch in Kyoto 

Thank you for everything to Megumi Higashi
Head of Felissimo's Shiawase Gakko! 

Sushi that evokes both  "feeling" and culinary delight.
A visual and tasteful experience to be remembered!

Gift Wrapping for Good Causes

GIVE BACK Gift Wrapping Workshop

Wrapping with Cavalleni Paper



I am participating in a Give Back Wrapping Workshop this year and would love if people can take the class, learn both basic and creative, not so ordinary techniques to wrap for the holidays and volunteer with me afterwards in 
wrapping the donated gifts for the homeless and foster youth of Larkin Street Youth Services.  
 (Please take the time to read about this wonderful organization- see above) 

Date:  December 18, Thursday 

Time:  5:30-8:00pm 

Place: 1150 Sutter Street 

Supporting:  Larkin Street Youth Services 

Here's the link to sign up: 

Giveback Gift Wrap Workshop (12.18.14)

Appreciation goes to Jess Shain of Fullosophie for her wonderful idea and inviting me to be part of

such a worthy cause in their lineup of wonderful, experience worthy workshops.  Happy to be part of this!  

Special thanks goes to Cavalleni for generously donating their beautiful papers!  Have always loved the beautifully designed and high quality papers of Cavalleni so what a treat to be wrapping all the donated gifts with them!  

Learn to make this Sleeve Gift Bag
and Floral Accent repurposing cupcake liners
at the Give Back Workshop.
Great for packing things on the Larkin Street Youth Wish List:
socks, scarves, undergarments, shirts

A shout out to Scotch for their donation of supplies and tape-- their generosity continuing beyond my

days participating in their 3M Scotch Most Gifted Wrapper Contest!  Can't do without the wrapping necessities.  THANK YOU ! 

I just know this project was meant to be because of the immediate and kind support from everyone.

Know its a busy time for everyone but if by chance you are free and want to take part in a worthy cause, please come and join me!   Would love and actually need the support of everyone on this one! 

For those who cannot make it to San Francisco, there are also other ways to support the 

Larkin Street Youth Services during the holidays.

Here's the link for more information:

Supporting Larkin Street Youth Services over the Holidays

**************************

                                                         GIFT WRAPPING to support Ruth's Table

Join me for a relaxing afternoon learning different ways to wrap presents including how to repurpose your everyday materials into artistic wrapping creations.  Ruth's Table is a Creative Learning Center named in the spirit of renowned artist Ruth Asawa.  It's a place where people of all generations come together to explore their creativity. 

It's fitting that just last week, as I was getting out my holiday boxes, I came upon origami ornaments I made together with Ruth years ago, just sitting around a table and talking.  It brings back such nice memories. It's this same feeling I know Community Programs Director Lola Fraknoi hopes to capture at the Center ("as a hearth for creativity" as was Ruth's wish" in bringing artists and creators to the Center-- interacting with the seniors and the community together creating, sharing artistic visions and discovering a sense of purpose.  My friends Monica Lee is the Artist in Residence there and Dorothy Yuki is a regular Volunteer Artist as well as Artist Aiko Cuneo are all an integral part of Ruth's Table.  Program Director Lola's son and my daughter Maddie went to the same High Schol and share the same circle of friends so its a small world that brings us all together.  

Please come join me in this warm gathering of friendship, creativity and learning. 

Here's the link to sign up for the workshop at Ruth's Table 

Gift Wrapping Workshop at Ruth's Table

Thanksgiving 2014: Wrapping Gratitude

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

-William Arthur Ward-

Thanksgiving this year was about both feeling gratitude and expressing it, wrapping thoughts and 

sharing.  As a lover of gift wrapping, one would think my favorite holiday is Christmas but actually I love Thanksgiving.  It's a day about being together with family, cooking and eating together and often not done enough, voicing gratefulness to the blessings in our lives.  This Thanksgiving I walked the talk wholeheartedly of my saying gift wrapping is my vehicle of expression, of a thought, an intention, a sense of gratefulness to share with those we care about. 

My photos of wrapping  "A Note of Thanks" 

placed at the table for my family to share their thoughts of gratitude. 

Unexpectedly it became a moving moment for us all.  

My daughter Mel's note of gratitude.
Touched us all! 

Love this scene of my kids cooking Thanksgiving Day.
Michael made an awesome stuffing. Maddie is our ultimate baker!
Mel is all about the Louisiana Yams. 

Here's to packaging and honoring the gift of words.