in better homes & gardens … wanda wen and her gift wrapPing style!

Stylemaker: Wanda Wen

By Miranda Crowell

The expert gift wrapper and owner of stationery store Soolip shares the secrets to creating beautifully packaged present. (Hint: It’s not about the biggest bow.)

Wanda Wen is a veritable wrap legend. Founder of Southern California paper shop Soolip, she’s written books on gift wrapping, (The Art of Gift Wrapping) has judged a reality-show competition on the topic and teaches her techniques at workshops and on YouTube. “Gift wrapping can be an incredibly creative, soul satisfying act,” she says. “The person who receives the gift can feel the care you put into it.”

WRAP STATION

If space allows, Wanda encourages setting up a gift-wrapping hub in a corner of your house for the holidays. “If you put all your supplied in one space, wrapping can feel like a joy instead of a frenetic chore,” she says.

CREATIVE UPCYCLING

Although Soolip sells plenty of gorgeous papers, Wanda also utilizes less conventional wrapping materials. She saves paper from presents she’s been given, for example, to create gift tags and bags and uses extra cloth napkin to wrap gifts (2). “I try to reimagine items I have on hand instead of letting them go in the trash,” she says.

FINISHING TOUCHES

“I love the intimacy of skinny little bows rather than massive ones,” Wanda ways. She likes to tie waxed twine, yarn or thin ribbon around gifts, tucking in a natural topper, like a spring of greenery. Carta ribbon (1), $29.

PAPER-THEMED GIFT

For the stationery lover in your life, Wanda suggests curating a special gift: “Fill a beautiful box with hand-made papers and envelopes tied in a bundle, a dip pen (3), and ink and some pretty stamps. J. Herbin Glass Dip Pen, $35

C 2024 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission

For more holiday ideas, see the December 2024 issue of Better Homes & Gardens available through January 6, 2025 wherever magazines are sold.