Creative Gift Wrap

CREATIVE GIFT WRAP

Creative and unique gift packaging can add pizzazz to a gift. The recipient will love it and the wrap can actually be as much fun as the gift itself!

Studio 5 Holiday, Party and Ideas Contributor Alisa Bangerter shares fresh ways to punch up your present presentation.


Dress Up Brown Paper

· Be creative with yarn. Brown paper looks beautiful with yarns wrapped around it numerous times, braided and used as a ribbon, or even with a yarn pom pom on top. Be creative with choices of colors and textures of yarns. You can achieve many different stunning looks with this. Strips cut from an old knitted sweater also add personality when wrapped around a gift as a ribbon.

· Use nature – tie on a bundle of sticks, a fresh flower or a bundle of herbs.

· Add a unique band around a gift. Simply fold a piece of regular wrapping paper or other creative item (newsprint, fabric, burlap, doilies, etc.) into a strip several inches wide. Wrap around the gift and tie with a ribbon. Makes a statement and adds texture, layering and/or a color pop.

· Stamp or stencil on the brown paper before wrapping gift. I like to use acrylic paint and sponge stamps to create my own unique paper. A large marshmallow is perfect to use to stamp polka dots on the paper.

· Use an additional gift as a creative embellishment. Tie package with a scarf or necklace, a belt with a fun buckle, add a stretchy bracelet around a package or attach a broach to the bow, etc.

· Dress up a package with confetti. Lightly brush desired part of package with Mod Podge and sprinkle on confetti (or do the same with glitter). Small confetti or big chunky confetti works well. Confetti can easily be made using tiny shape punches.

· Tissue paper is very pretty when paired with brown paper. Make fringe or tissue poms to add to gift.

· Candy is a fun item to use in packaging. Make a simple bow from candies by typing together the wrapped ends. “Ribbon” can also be made from flat wrapped candies by adhering wrapped ends together forming a garland. Also candies can be adhered to package to look like polka dots and create an unusual wrap.

DressReuse, Recycle and Reinvent

· Create a gift in a book. Simply choose a thick book (purchase at a thrift store) and open the front cover. Using a sharp craft knife, cut out a compartment by cutting through the inner pages. Place gift item inside, shut cover and tie with a ribbon.

· Wrap gifts in newspaper. Comics or black and white newsprint works well. Make newspaper flowers or poms to decorate with. Newsprint looks darling with bling or glitter accents added to it or with a color pop embellishment added. Also color stamping or color spray ink is fun on newsprint.

· Utilize fabric. Fabric is a great item to wrap a gift with and fabric strips makes cute ribbons or flowers for packages. Another fun idea using fabric is to back it with fusible interfacing, cut out shapes, and iron the shapes onto the package itself.

· Alter cellophane by stamping on it (use permanent inks) or glittering the edges.

· Use unique papers to wrap with. Most paper will work well as a wrap especially if it coordinates with the gift inside: magazine pages, old calendar pages, road maps, paper tablecloths, sheet music, book pages, old phone books, sewing patterns, travel brochures, posters, etc. Look around your home and you might be surprised what you already have that will make a fabulous gift wrap.

· Combine small items to make a wrap. Some smaller paper items can be taped together to make a sheet big enough to wrap in such as tickets, dollar bills, recipes, photos, paint chips, etc.

· Look for creative items around the house that can be turned into fun “ribbons and bows.” Items such as balloons, jute, twine, lace, sequins, hair accessories, buttons, etc.

DressMake It Personal

· Use a page from an old phone book that includes the recipient’s name. Wrap gift with it and circle the name.

· Cut large paper monograms using a die cut machine or cut simple words such as a name, Mr. and Mrs., celebrate, etc. and adhere directly to the outside of a package. This looks really cute on plain wrap and doubles as a gift tag.

· Use an ink jet printer, hand write or stamp onto twill tape a personal message and use to wrap as a ribbon around a gift.

· Wrap a gift using scanned copies of photographs or Mod Podge photographs onto the outside of a gift box.

· Wrap gifts in children’s artwork. Newsprint roll ends can be purchased inexpensively from a newspaper printer and work great for children to create artwork on that can be then used as wrap.

· Scan a favorite item (blanket, sports jersey, sweater, box of cereal, candy, etc.) and print out as many copies as you need, tape together and wrap a gift in it. This is a really fun idea to add a personal touch and is a great conversation piece.

· Have everyone write a message on the outside of the package to the recipient. Fun for a group gift for a wedding, birthday or for the holidays. A cute idea for all the grandkids to do for a grandparent.

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