Showing posts with label wrapping paper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wrapping paper. Show all posts

Saturday, June 20, 2009

How To Make Your Own Gift Wrap

Wow, here it is Saturday and already the end of Birthday Week. I guess the party's gotta end sometime, right? It's been so great putting together assortment after assortment of smart birthday finds in party decor, recipes and paper goods. I only hope you've enjoyed looking through each post as much as I have creating them for you. But, before the party ends completely there is one last thing I'd like to share with you and that's some simple ideas and tips for making your own gift wrap.

Supplies You'll Need:
-plain wrapping paper; I've used parcel post in this how to but, butcher's wrap works great too. A white background will always show your colored inks better.
-ink or stamp pad
-rubber stamp or clear stamp and acrylic block
{tip: clear stamps make it easier to line up patterns}
-scissors
-tape
-ribbon

Gift Wrap How To:
1. Gather your supplies and find a clean area to work. Make sure you have enough room to lay your wrapping paper flat out. To avoid getting any ink on your furniture it might be a good idea to use a work mat. If you don't have one just substitute some scrap paper. I'd tend to avoid newspaper if you're working with butcher's wrap - news ink could stain your paper.
2. Measure how much paper you'll need to wrap your gift and cut to size. Lay your paper out flat. If it is curling up grab some heavy coasters and plop down on opposite corners. Now for your first stamped image - be sure to align it in the center of your paper and work out from there.
3. Continue to stamp in an evenly spaced row down the center. When you are ready to move onto the next row be sure to stagger the stamped image. You don't want the images in the center row and the rows next to it to line up. Just be mindful of keeping the same amount of space between each stamped image.
4. When you finish your second row continue on with the third in the same manner. The staggered the images from the third row should match up with the center row but not the second. Keep stamping rows until the right half of your paper is complete. Then work out from the center again towards the left until your wrapping paper is done.
5. Allow a minute or two for the paper to dry before you grab your gift and wrap it up.
6. Add your pretty ribbon, tie into a bow and voila your done!

If you're not a card person I'd recommend making a small 3"x 3" gift card to match your wrapping paper. Cut a piece of paper into a 3"x 6" strip, stamp it in the same manner you did the gift wrap, fold it in half, grab a hole punch and put a hole in the upper left hand corner of the card, thread some ribbon through, write a quick message and attach to your gift.

For more d.i.y. gift wrap ideas check out these articles:
-If you find it impossible to wrap a gift neatly check out this refresher, The Perfect Package, courtesy of Martha Stewart.
-This dip dye wrapping paper, also from Martha, is such a great idea. I haven't had the opportunity to try it yet myself, but it sure does look like a good activity. Hmmm...I wonder if it would work with tissue paper.
-Here's a cute how to from Creature Comforts, grocery bag pom-poms. I've made these myself before, they're super cute and fun and no one explains it better.

Well, that's all for today folks. I hope you enjoyed this little how to. Now go out and make something pretty!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Come On, Wrap It Up

I must admit to being more than a little giddy about today's post. I'll be delving into my favorite part of any birthday party - and that's paper! If you're throwing it you'll need invites. If you're attending you'll need a gift which entails both a lovely card and clever wrapping paper. There's so much out there to chose from. I couldn't hope to cover it all in one post. So, here's just a few things to drool over...

Wrapping Paper Match Up: (clockwise from top left)
1. If I was lucky enough to receive this lovely resting bird invite in the mail I'd have to show up at the party with my gift wrapped in this to die for paper designed by children's book author and illustrator Liz Boyd. 2. I love the look of orange and blue. Nothing could go better with this adorable cupcakes birthday card than this groovy graphic block print wrapping paper. 3. Even though I'm completely in love with this cute alligator card and its fun little striped and polka dot banner it'd be shameful of me to oouu and aaahh over it since its a sneak peak from Birdcage Cards' own kid friendly line. So, instead I'll just have to gush over this ocean colored blue and green batik striped paper. I mean how could you not wrap a gift in it!?