BK in Tokyo // Ateliers Penelope

About 20 minutes walk from Traveler's Factory... through the residential neighborhood was Ateliers Penelope. The visit to this boutique lifestyle/bag studio & shop was much anticipated for me. I have known them for so many years and was always intrigued by their designs and aesthetics. They make a lot of their items in their first-floor maker's space. The 2nd floor is their showroom/shop. I am especially excited about some of their items that can be incorporated into everyday analogue adventures as well as some of the bags that are so uniquely designed. Their craftsmanship is amazing. Their canvas colors are a mix of muted and classic colors to choose from... and so different from anything we come across in the U.S.

I picked up a few items to sample and am so excited to be exchanging emails with them to inquire future relationship.

If you are in the are of Traveler's Factory, a little walk to Ateliers Penelope is definitely a worth the time!

-wakako

BK in Tokyo // Visiting Traveler's Factory!

Where do we begin to express how incredible it was to travel Tokyo with Eunice and Nerine last month! I think I will start with the story about Traveler's Factory (both at Narita airport AND their Naka-Meguro flagship location).

So if you transit at Narita airport when you arrive or depart from Tokyo, visiting Traveler's Factory will definitely be a nice treat! It's like a compact version of their flagship store in Naka-Meguro but we loved seeing some exclusive items you can "only" get there.

The only thing you have to watch out is it is in the Terminal 1 which is totally different from Terminal 2. We landed at Terminal 2 so we had to take a free shuttle bus to get to the correct terminal. It's not a big deal but it could be little bit frustrating if it's not planned ahead.

Inside of the store, even though the space at the airport location is pretty limited, they had all things Traveler's Company as well as few other travel related items AND still had a really nice stamping station, which we so adored! We loved starting our travel journal with good stamping karma from Traveler's Factory:) I was able to stock up few postcards, washi tapes as well as a traveling watercolor set to kick off my Tokyo adventure!

Next day we visited Traveler's Factory in Naka-Meguro which is their flagship location. This is my 4th or 5th time visiting and I so loved the feeling of walking out of the Naka-Meguro train station, taking Eunice and Nerine through narrow alleyways between a local market and pharmacy... and turning the corner asking them "are you ready?" No matter how many times I walk through those narrow alleyways, I still love the feeling of getting there so much.

After visiting their Traveler's Factory, we had honor to meet over dinner with TN team members who are behind everything that comes out of their Traveler's Company brand. We heard their inspiration... as well as their future visions. I am so thankful that we get to grow and evolve with them in a meaningful way...

Gift-wrapping... an art of our soul.

A little confession.

It's getting close to the end of November and I haven't been feeling quite "ready" to start dreaming of December full of holiday festivities. Definitely, a lot in the air that is current in the U.S. makes it bit challenging to gear up for what can be a season full of gratitude and cheer.

So in the really big way... I am thankful that this morning shooting a gift-wrapping project we have been working with Eunice made me pause and imagine our ability to make any season full of positive karma. Because we can...

We can think of someone special to be in the light when we wrap an artifact. We can share love and care by taking the time to layer small details...  even though they are meant to be torn opened. An unfolding experience of a gift can be as magical as we could imagine it to be.

When we prepare a gift for someone special, we are not only wrapping a "thing" that is inside but also our hopes and dreams for the person... and that's priceless.

So I would like to keep rallying myself to continue being the positive change agent this season. Especially this year. I hope this story brings a little bit of bright cheer to your day... and add little inspiration to your season.

p.s. and if you are in a big rush to get the gift to the right person and just don't have time to wrap it yourself, make sure to check out our BK Luxe Gift Wrap option:) 

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Make a sleeve!
We love using a "sleeve wrap" technique at Baum-kuchen. It works especially well with an item that is flat or boxed and does not have a lot of organic shapes. Simply cut a piece of paper in the same height as your item and wrap it around the item. You can fold the vertical edge twice to create a pleat effect! If you add a masking tape to a pleat, you will have a bright and elegant accent to your wrap. Tie it all up with a paper twine and it's ready.

Enjoy wrapping Traveler's Notebook, Roterfaden as well as boxed items like TN 10th Anniversary or Classiky number mug.

Collage to create your unique gift wrapping paper!
Comb through your sticker/paper ephemera collection and create your personal gift wrap paper! This box is wrapped in a "postal mail" theme because we love collecting postal themed stickers, address labels, as well as vintage used (or new) postage stamps at Baum-kuchen. Add few postal inspired stamps as a final touch along with a paper twine.

Gift of washi tape
From my personal clumsy experience, it's hard to wrap washi tapes because they come in a roll and not all edges are straight! So here are two different ideas to wrap the washi tapes! They tend to come in similar width even though they are offered by various brands so that can be a way to create some structure and order when you wrap them. They sure make great stocking staffers!

Layer colors and textures
Layering can do wonders in the gift wrapping if you don't have a lot of analogue ingredients in your resource. Here is a simple and fun gift wrap idea using a piece of neutral paper, one washi tape and paper twines that work with the color of the tape!

Make your personal tag
Nothing beats the little personal note. If you are really short with time, make a few of these personal tags using Classiky reserve memo pad then wax seal and tie it to your gift wrap twine.

Bag it!
If the gift items are small, they might fit nicely in a bag that is gift wrap ready! We adore Classiky Glassine envelope & Label, Wax paper bag, Glassine Paper Bag. You can add your favorite tape, stickers and twine to customize the bags!

Aim for simplicity... 
With so many gifts exchanged wrapped in bright colors, working with more muted and earthy tones can feel incredibly grounding (and your gift will always stand out in the sea of colors!) And these color schemes work with so many different occasions and you know you will use them all throughout the year;)

Make your own bag! 
You can turn pretty much any piece of paper you love into a little pouch. We adore the translucency of Classiky Letter Pad as well as the graphic details of Letterpress Picture Diary.

Translucent effect
If your gift already has a beautiful facade, there is really no reason to cover it all! We enjoy layering translucent material so there is a little bit of reveal even before the gift is opened. And we think TN 10th Anniversary mini notebook in a vintage themed tin can makes a perfect gift for someone who LOVE Traveler's Notebook!

Make your Gift Card extra special
Sharing a gift card can be just as personal as selecting an artifact for the person. Make sure to add a personal note in an envelope (made with Classiky Letterpress Picture Diary in Grid) and your favorite stickers for an intimate touch.

Details, details and more details!!!

A lot of work can go into the details of your gift wrap. Take your time to add the finishing touch with inspiring details and enjoy the process.