2023 Year in review
I'm looking back on 2023 with fond memories. It was a year of big projects, new friends, and a lot of travel, both near and far. And not just for us. Someone who traveled quite a bit for us was our UPS team! We got to know them very well as our Westlake Village studio was often filled to the rafters with our corporate design and packaging creations such as this intricate custom gift box for Holladay Distillery.
HOLLADAY DISTILLERY
The maker of specialty whiskeys wanted to send its valued clientele and the press a taste of its all-new prized Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The box contained an exclusive hand-bound booklet filled with company history and the bourbon-making process. The resulting experience was that of sensory intrigue. As you can see from the lovely thank, our efforts did not go unnoticed!
JUSTIN WINE
Our team also traveled to be on site with more projects than ever before. In the holiday season, Justin Wine brought us to its headquarters in Paso Robles, by private plane, no less! On site, Cruz Arreortua and her A-team of "wrap stars" worked their gift wrap magic -- straight edges, crisp corners and perfect ribbon bows. As always, the attention we pay to detail is first and foremost, no matter the size of the project or deadline.
ORIBE GIFT WRAPPING
More gifting opportunities came about when Oribe, the maker of high-end hair care, asked Soolip to produce a concierge gift wrapping experience for 65 influencers and top clients. The attendees chose one of six limited-edition gift sets, the packaging of which was designed by Louis Barthelemy for the Holiday 2023 Collection. The guests could gift their chosen set to anyone of their choice and were invited to select from a specially curated collection of Soolip wrapping papers. At the end of a presentation and dinner, they picked up their wrapped gift and a hand-calligraphered card addressed to their gift recipient. Now, THAT is attention to detail and a reflection of the Oribe brand and its appreciation for the artisanal.
The venue: The rooftop of the Pendry Hotel, West Hollywood. | Creative Direction: Olivia Muniak, Muniak Studio | Florals: Holly Flora
ARCHIVAL WEDDING GUEST BOOKS
Corporate clients weren't the only ones who asked Soolip to have a presence at their event. We were also honored to be at several weddings this year, creating Archive Album Guest Book experiences. We were on site for Shelby Heitman & Andrew Scott's wedding at The Emerson Estate, a fabulous date farm in La Quinta, to guide guests with their creativity and messages in cards hand scribed to the couple. Guests could choose from a variety of handmade papers with letterpress printed icons reflective of the couple's interests, embellish them with a cheerful array of colorful dried flowers, and further elevate their contribution to this keepsake album with a traditional wax seal on the spot. We then took the album back to our studio to complete it with images taken by the talented Yvette Roman, pressed floral elements from the bride's bouquet, and all the other paper elements -- wedding invitations, placecard menus and Save-the-Dates. The result was a priceless keepsake for Shelby & Andrew filled with handwritten words of love that captured the energy and heart of their special day.
THE TODAY SHOW
While the team and I traveled physically to many places this year, it was also one of great personal growth for me. I was honored to be asked to share some of the ideologies that are part of my DNA, from yoga retreats in Spain and France to being the parent of adult children. A high point in this journey came when my son, Dag, and I were asked to be on the Today Show segment with Maria Shriver! The intimate conversation with Maria was sparked by Laurence Steinberg's new book, You and Your Adult Child: How to Grow Together in Challenging Times. We were joined by another parent, Jon Tolkin and his daughter Porter, shown in the photo below.
SPRING AND FALL CREATIVE ARTS WORKSHOPS
And just as my heart was filled with being able to express myself in these many ways to so many new people, our studio was filled with creativity from those who came to learn from the amazing instructors of our Spring and Fall Creative Arts Workshops. From making fairy houses to learning how to extract vibrant inks from wildflowers, there was an abundance of growth, memories and experiences flowing back and forth between Soolip, the artist-instructors and our attendees. While these workshops were going on, there were times I could swear our studio walls emanated an aura from everyone's creative energy!
HARDY’S HOLIDAY VILLAGE
We ended this incredible year with one more out-of-town event. We were thrilled to have been asked to create exclusive products and experiences for the guests of Hardy's Holiday Village at Nemacolin Luxury Resort in Pennsylvania. Armed with a visual treatment for the holiday village (the vision of PJ Magerko and Jordan Millington Liquorice, partners in life and art) we took their visions, funneled them through our design process, and created some amazing designs.
Kristen Gara, my Director of Graphic Design, and I had a field day with the project. We created everything from paper placemats, gift wrap and gift tags to boxed cards, journals and even a board game, all in the same spirit of Hardy's Holiday Village. And over three weekends on-site, I made personal appearances, signing my book, The Art of Gift Wrapping and demonstrating gift-wrapping techniques for the Nemacolin guests.
Now back home and getting cozy with my favorite cup of tea warming me from the inside out, I am hopeful that 2024 will bring more of the same plus many all-new design challenges! I do know that there will always be friends, family, creativity and as always, A LOT of tape and ribbon!
That wraps up my very happy and contented look back at 2023. See you back here soon!
