The Soul of Gift Wrapping by Megumi Lorna Inouye was so much more than I was hoping it would be. Absolutely beautiful but what really grabbed me is the sustainability that is so important to Megumi, I loved that so much. Not only is she ultra creative but her use of plant material in her papers was stunning.

Her use of plain brown paper to show the steps took a bit of getting used to but then truly what would stand out. Printed paper would not be a good choice. Megumi is a great detail person who demonstrates how to make the intricate designs of layering and I felt her patience in her photos. Again, I loved how many designs she taught where a there was not a need of tape needed? Those were my favorite.

Megumi also uses fabric which was also beautiful and fit with her aesthetic and sustainability.

This book I am going to buy because this book makes me want to change how I gift wrap. I thought I was good but this book takes creativity to the next level.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Quartro for the opportunity to read and review The Soul of Gift Wrapping by Megumi Lorna Inouye.

The Soul of Gift Wrapping: Creative Techniques for Expressing Gratitude, Inspired by the Japanese Art of Giving
Megumi Lorna Inouye
When we receive a gift and the gift wrapping is exquisite, inspiring, and imaginative we know the giver has taken time and gone out of their way to make the gift look special. Sometimes the wrapping is worth so much more than the gift because of the effort. Author Megumi Lorna Inouye offers step by step details including photos to instruct the reader in ways to wrap a gift without tape, ways to use fabric bows, cute message tags, recycled items and other unique ideas.

Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy of The Soul of Gift Wrapping. The review is my unbiased opinion.

I am someone who is not good at packing gifts, I mess up even simple items like books most of the time. This book has been incredibly helpful in learning how to wrap gifts.

Very nice stories showing the cultural background and the inspiration behind the art. The writing is just - gentle. The whole book is so calm and relaxing. The pictures are beautiful.

The instructions are good. Very clear, lots of pictures, easy to follow along. Most of the designs are quite simple, but still good looking.

One thing I believe could've been better is the layout of the book.
All the stories are at the beginning, followed by the instructions. I would've preferred the two of them alternating. This is not supposed to be a book you read front to back, so why act like it? It's something I'd skim through, spending some more time on that story or those instructions.

Thank you NetGalley and Storey Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Start saving scrap paper, found objects, maps, magazines and old sewing patterns now. Megumi Loran Inouye has an innovative and creative way to wrap gifts in a sustainable way. Techniques based on Japanese traditions and furoshiki, cloth wrapping.

Instructions are easy to follow and broken into sections depending on the shape of the object: Square, Rectangular, Cylindrical and so on....

If you love adding a special touch to your gifts or living a no waste lifestyle, pick up a copy of The Soul of Gift Wrapping today.

Lovely! Just lovely! I loved the how beautifully aesthetic this book is. The author's words on pages four through fifty allowed the reader and the author to connect in experiences despite never meeting. The preparation section is super helpful. The step by step directions was amazing.

I love the Japanese art of gift-wrapping, how it enhances and cherishes the gift and the person presented with it. So I was looking forward to this book by Megumi Lorna Inouye.
There is a great excursion into the Japanese culture with its philosophies behind gift-wrapping, or wrapping in general - down to wrapping foodstuffs or food deliveries.

All those concepts and terms of Japanese life (mottaninai, furoshiki, omotenashi, susowake, washi, kintsugi, shinzuo, kokoro, orikata, monozukuri, musubi, okaeshi, etc) I loved to learn about and would recommend a glossary at the back of the book for reference.

Most of the fancy Japanese papers (washi/origami) shown are incredibly expensive, at least here in the UK. Old maps and antique sewing patterns ditto and I could not bring myself to cut either of them up.

Re instructions: I might well be manually or 3D challenged, but I could not follow a lot of those wrapping instructions (“Paper should wrap to the top of the item and cover approximately three-quarters of the item twice, once on the top side and once at the bottom.”). Using paper with a different colour on either side would make the instructions so much easier.

That said, I enjoyed the nudge this book gave me to take time and respect a present’s wrapping.