'Sealed With a Bow'

It was perhaps the single most embarrassing experience that could happen to someone who so confidently shared her recipe for tying the perfect bow not even three weeks ago.

There I was this past Sunday at a nearby nursing home – where I normally spend all my Sundays, helping the residents to tie a bow around their unfinished floral arrangements and coming… undone.

The residents had just finished a Bible study session that typically culminated with a religious arts and craft activity. They would be taking unused pots and using the green foam squares to concoct a floral arrangement out of Spanish moss and rich, autumn-colored silk flowers.

An inspirational verse from the Bible, tacked onto the end of a stick, and a decorative bow tied around the pot were to be the final touches.

With arthritis getting in the way of some essential bow-tying, the residents came to me for help. After all, I not only work as a merchandiser/stylist – I spent six years in high school and college working at a craft store that also specialized in custom floral arrangements.

Surely, I was a good person to ask for help.

Wrong.

I was too fixated on tying the bow I had so proudly talked about; not realizing that it cannot be made without the help of some kind of wire to anchor its center.

In case you should run into the same dilemma, I've included another "how to" of how to tie a simple, but symmetrical "bow knot." (There are many other variations of bows you can try, but is the most widely used.) Because everyone can tie a bow, but not everyone can achieve that perfect, "figure 8" swoop:

*You will need two pieces of ribbon:

1. Tie a bow out of the ribbon already wrapped around the pot/gift/box, etc. Make the bow whatever size you want.

2. Fold over the first side of the bow and then the other.

3. Take the second piece of ribbon – this piece will serve as the “faux bow tails.” Tie the ribbon around the ribbon knot.

4. Adjust the bow and tail length accordingly so that you have a nice, symmetrical bow.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of www.daniellesrockawayflorist.com and www.mysilkweddingflowers.com

'Bow Out'

In just three short weeks, Thanksgiving will be upon us and so will the holiday season.

While you wait for the rest of those gift guides in the mail, time to take stock of the ribbon, tissue and wrapping paper. Perfect your gift wrapping technique, or else it’s going to be a long holiday.

Here is a recipe I learned from fashion stylist Nancy Alusick for crafting the ultimate bow – whether you need a gift show-stopper, or a decorative touch on flower arrangements and curtains.

What you will need:

- 3 Yards Ribbon of your choice (a wire-edged ribbon is easiest for beginners)

- 6 Inches of Wire

How to:

1. Take the end of the ribbon and fold a piece of it downward in a loop, so you have the folded piece lying on top of the length of the ribbon.

2. The folded piece’s length will determine how big or how small your bow will be. Fold accordingly depending on your needs.

3. Now take the length of the ribbon and have it facing you. Where the length of the ribbon meets the folded piece, twist at that point.

4. Make sure that when you twist, the back of the length of the ribbon (which wasn’t facing you before) is now facing you. Smooth out the ribbon.

5. This will form the first loop of the bow.

6. To continue, you will want to hold onto the center of the bow – where you just made the twist.

7. Take the end of the ribbon that had just been twisted, bring it up and bend into a loop.

8. Twist at the center, where you fingers should already be holding the ribbon.

9. With two loops already complete, continue until you have your desired bow.

10. Take the wire and tie around the middle of the bow (shown in picture above). Once secured, you can now fluff the ends of your finished bow.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of decorativepackagingblog.com