Once you find the perfect gift the next step is wrapping it.  Gift packaging sometimes falls into the ‘dutiful task’ category…..we know we have to wrap the gift, but our creativity is all used up so we use pretty paper and slap a “bag bow” on and call it good.  We put our heads together and came up with some easy ideas to help move this ‘dutiful task’ into the ‘that was fun’ column. 

JUST ANOTHER BOW?

Use your FREE Designer Florist Bow guide to make a basic professional looking bow.  (Remember, you can get the FREE 13 page photographic guide by leaving us a comment on any post during the 12 days of Christmas and we’ll send you the PDF file.)  Your big, pretty professional bow will make any package look beautiful, but why not take it a step further?  Add anything to the bow – tie, wire or glue it in.  Use any of the usual holiday embellishments like cones, ornaments, jingle bells, etc.  Think outside the box (ehem…) too and tuck in something that hints at the gift inside: a little wooden utensil for a cook/kitchen gift; a tiny stuffed animal for a child; a beaded tassel to go with jewelry inside; a jeweled napkin ring to go with linens…….

 

 

If you prefer the vintage look to your packages this year,Heather Bullard’s site has some great tips and photo ideas. 

 NATURAL PACKAGING

Glamorous packages with elaborate bows are pretty and elegant, but sometimes you just feel like doing …. simple.  Or the recipient really appreciates the natural look.  A package wrapped in kraft paper (or a recycled brown paper bag), the funny pages (start saving now) or a plain, unadorned box can be pretty and charming too.  Instead of fancy wired ribbon use twine or raffia or even lowly string.  Attach little pine cones or nuts to the ends of the twine.  Attach a sprig of real or artificial greenery or a little berry branch for a bit of natural texture/color.

The band of green is a strip of wrapping paper from another gift ….. you know those little ends you always end up with that are too small to wrap a present?  Use them to band a plain paper and you have instant pizzazz.  If you’re like me and have saved Christmas cards from years past, recycle them by taping or gluing them to the top of the plain package before adding your ribbon of choice.  Or cut just a small corner of the card and make a gift tag from it by writing the “to” “from” on the back.

Are you feeling the urge to go bow-less?  Who needs a bow?  Spell out your message in big graphic cut out letters…plain letters on busy paper or the reverse, pattern paper letters on plain wrapping paper.  Spell something appropriate to the season or to the recipient.  Fun!

 

SANTA’S COMING

Mailing gifts is hard on bows and your beautifully wrapped gift can arrive looking worse for wear.   I wrapped this gift for mailing and know it will arrive looking the same as it did when it left my hands since it is flat and nothing will get smushed.  Wrap the package in red paper, cut a strip of black wrapping paper (or use black ribbon or craft paper) to secure a black band just below the mid-section of the package.  Use double stick tape to apply a buckle made from tag board covered in aluminum foil.

To make the buckle cut tag board in a square then cut a square out of the center.  Use a glue stick  to apply glue to one side of the tag board then place the buckle glue side down on the dull side of a piece of aluminum wrap.  Smooth the foil, rubbing slightly to make certain it adheres.  Carefully cut an “X” in the foil showing through the center square and fold the 4 cut sections carefully to the back and glue to the tag board.  Then use double stick tape to secure the finished buckle over the black band on the front of the package.

 

QUICK & EASY BUCKET

While browsing the aisles of a local craft store I discovered a clear plastic bucket with a metal lid, base and bottom.  This “see through paint bucket” offers a clearly creative (pun intended) way to easily wrap an odd shaped gift.  I wrapped tissue around an unusual tree ornament, placed it in the bucket and then filled around it with inexpensive gold bead garland.  I chose the garland because it ties to the tree ornament gift but if I’d used one of the big size buckets I could have used shredded paper or cellophane fill.  Wouldn’t it be fun to fill around a gift with colorful gumballs or miniature candy canes?  How about hiding a desk paper weight in a sea of silvery paper clips for a co-worker?  Lots of possibilities!

 

HOMEMADE GIFT BAG

When you’re down to the ”nubbins” –  no more boxes, no more buckets, no more gorgeous wired ribbon, no more ideas and no more time – a home made gift bag is just what you need.  With gift wrap, a borrowed shoe box (you’ll be able to put it back in your closet as the gift doesn’t go in it!) and some double stick tape you can quickly finish wrapping.

Wrap the shoebox – be generous with the paper and tape on one end as it supports the gift and leave the other end open.  Crease the edges of the paper sharply.

Gently slide the box out of the paper.  If it’s tight and you’re worried about ripping the paper, undo the tape near the top opening to temporarily widen the bag.

 

 Fill the gift bag through the open top.

 

For quick and easy closure I simply folded the top over twice and and added curled ribbon.  If you like, fold the top over then punch or cut holes and slide a length of ribbon through and tie a bow on the front side of the bag.  If you fold the open edges down inside the bag you can then attach handles to each of the larger sides.  You can also use decorative scissors to finish the top edge of the bag and leave it open so that pretty tissue paper pokes out.

Let us know how these ideas worked for you or send us a photo of your own gift wrapping designs.  As always, we’d love to hear from you.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE - Free Wreath Guide

You’ve still got time to claim your copy of our FREE Wonderful Holiday Wreaths Guide.   It’s a great help with your holiday decorating!  To get your copy simply click the menu tab “Free Wreath Guide” and complete the  form on the bottom of that page.  You’ll receive the free guide and  a free subscription to YourDecoratingHotline.com.

So, until tomorrow, it’s a wrap!