A Hint from Heloise: Smoothy ribbons

Okay. So you need to wrap a fancy gift, and, being the savvy collector of gift-wrap fixings that you are, you confidently plunder your stash instead of running out to the store. (Stick with me, this is based on a true story.)

You're especially certain you have a nice silky ribbon to give your offering that special sumpin' sumpin'. But what's this? All your long, silky, perfectly appropriate ribbons are wrinkly (and obviously being re-used since the deepest wrinkles are located at strategic tying points).

Now. You have no time to run out to aforementioned store. (It's closed, anyway.) You either use what you have, or go without. But you can't go without. Your reputation is at stake. People know you do nice wrapping. And this is a wedding gift. You gotta have the bow!

That's when you spy with your little eye...the perfect tool.

Who among us does not have, deep down in the back of a bathroom closet if not right at hand, a straightening or curling iron? You all but do a little dance of joy and inspiration, complete with handclaps.

You'd briefly considered ironing the ribbon, but the thought of dragging out the icky-foam ironing board and sputtering domestic appliance gave you the willies. But the hair iron! Oh baby. How easy is that?

You put it on the lowest setting. You figure, if it burns the ribbon, no matter - you were about to go without, anyway. You press down and slide it through...then again...maybe once more...

And voila! A silky-smoothy ribbon is reborn. Sling it on, sista, and hold your head up high: a crisis of gift-givin' etiquette has been narrowly averted. Til next time...

PS: Remember the smoo?