This is my third post demonstrating how you can use dollar store skipping ropes to embellish gifts. In this episode, you will see how you can keep it generic or zero in on the extra special child in your life, by making the focal point part of the gift as well. For this look, I combine a Chinese skipping rope (loving these), satin ribbon and traditional curly ribbon. Check out my latest video to see how it’s done!
I’m loving the Chinese skipping ropes I picked-up at the dollar store. They seriously might be the best wrapping hack yet. I love how easy they are to use and how they can be wrapped in a variety of ways because of the elasticity. In this particular post, I used a plain yellow ribbon as a base, an orange skipping rope and a sheer orange ribbon to finish off the look. Check out the video to see how it’s all pulled together!
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In my last post, I challenged you to “think outside the box” and get your creative juices flowing. The task was to go thrifting (garage sale, thrift store or dollar store) and to give yourself the time to browse thinking: WRAP, RIBBON, EMBELLISH! The key to the experience was to not actually look for any of the above, but rather ponder what you see and imagine the items replacing what we traditionally think of as wrapping paper, ribbon and typical store bought bows. I hope you had some time to test this out over the weekend, but if not, no worries the challenge is not timed and I would love to hear your ideas, as you make your own discoveries!
This brings me to my own dollar store find….skipping ropes! Oh yeah…they make a perfect replacement for…you guessed it RIBBON! There are many styles, colours, weights and designs and admittedly some work better than others. There are basically two versions, the single rope with handles of some sort (which can in itself create interest) and the endless loop Chinese skipping rope. I bought both types. Over the next few posts/videos, you will see how I incorporated skipping ropes into my finished gift wrapping look. Skipping ropes would make a great accessory when gift wrapping for a child, as it can actually become part of the gift! They could also be a great addition to any summer themed gift idea, but would also work for any generic gift giving occasion.
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Do you ever wonder what goes through other people’s minds? I’m a total visionary type of a person. I can envision the potential of an old piece of furniture, can predict how great a room would look with fresh paint and a few minor changes, can see how an idea could be modified to work in a different situation and one of my favourite things to do is imagine how I might use an item for a completely different purpose than it was originally intended…“re-purposing”. This is just how my mind works…constantly planning, reflecting and coming up with new ideas! I’m not saying I don’t appreciate a well-made item and will definitely pay whatever it takes to find a comfy and yet fashionable pair of shoes, but my happy place is not the mall, it’s definitely thrifting! (Can’t help it… my mind is automatically wandering to Macklemore’s Thrift Shop song ….although the clean version was rarely played on the radio, I would sing my own clean version and it became a bit of family joke ….”We are TEAM awesome!” ~ great memory. Sorry, how quickly I digress.)
I often wonder what a trip to a thrift store or a dollar store is like for others because when time allows… for me it is like a treasure hunt! I never know what I’m going to find! Although I often go with a list in mind, browsing the aisles without a clear agenda is what the fun is all about. For me thrifting is more of an experience, as it is impossible to anticipate what items will catch my eye and how I might use it in the future. This is seriously so much fun for me!
Although my creative thinking is not limited to gift wrapping, it is the theme of this post, so I want to challenge you to literally think “outside the box”. What are the basics you need to consider when creating a fabulous looking gift! What are the essentials elements you need to dress-up the outside of the box?
Think WRAP, RIBBON, EMBELLISH! Just try it! The next time you go to a garage sale, thrift store or dollar store…designate some extra time just to browse and let your creative juices flow. I can’t wait to see what you come up with! Remember your entire gift doesn’t need to reflect your creative thinking, but what a statement it makes when you draw in unexpected elements. Please comment below and let me know what kinds of items you come up with as you embark on this journey to “Think Outside the Box”.
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In today’s post, I wanted to share with you how to successfully patch exposed ends when using wrapping paper that is too small. I love wrapping with scrapbooking paper whenever I can, simply because the options are endless. There are so many beautiful designs to choose from, but you are limited by the 12 X 12 standard size paper. Obviously, you can join multiple pages together, but it isn’t always easy to get the finished look you desire. In this video, I demonstrate two tips for patching. In this particular scenario, the paper fits nicely around gift, but is not long enough, so the ends are left exposed. Watch the video to see how I rectify this problem.
The second part of the video demonstrates how you can change the look of a gift by simply changing the placement of your focal point. Clearly, the centre of the gift is often where the bows and embellishments are mounted, but you can add interest just by sliding the key elements closer to one end or by flipping the gift and creating a vertical look.
Check out my latest video tutorial from BOWhemian WRAPsody to see how to patch effectively and create interest by moving the focal point of your wrapped gift.
Here is the final episode in my 3 part tutorial on how to create impact when you are wrapping multiple gifts. Check out this video from BOWhemian WRAPsody to see yet another version of this concept.
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Check out the second video in my 3 part tutorial on how to create impact with coordinating wrapping paper.
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In today’s video, I used a basic brown packaging paper and added added various elements that varied in both colour and texture to create a layered look. The process was super simple and the look was really just created by using a combination of materials.
Check out my latest Youtube tutorial at BOWhemian WRAPsody ~ It shows you how to create the “Lovely Layered Look!” pictured above! Don’t forget to LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE!
I have oodles of gift bags, but mostly because I have received many gifts in them over the years. Gift bags are easy to store and when kept in great condition can be reused for future gifts. Having said that, I much prefer to do traditional gift wrapping because I always feel limited in my creativity when using a gift bag. Gift bags are ideal for those awkward gifts that are hard to wrap because of their size or shape and another benefit is obviously the ease with which you can have your gift bagged and ready to go with minimal time and/or effort.
I actually love this particular bag because it’s made of two-toned burlap and has bamboo handles. I love the natural look and texture of the materials. So, in keeping with the natural theme, I simply added a raffia bow and a tiny artificial flower slip to finish off the look. I love the imperfections of raffia and how it gives the gift a rustic, almost messy look. Raffia is another one of my “go to” materials. It looks great when going for a natural look, but can also be combined with other elements to create interest. Burlap and Raffia are simply a match made in heaven!
See how this was pulled together in my latest video! This look was created in less than 2 minutes….just plug in your glue gun before you start! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to both my blog and new Youtube Channel: BOWhemian WRAPsody.
Do you ever have to wrap multiple gifts for the same person? I love it when that happens! I find that carefully choosing coordinating papers is one of the most dramatic ways to create impact when wrapping more than one gift for the same person. In fact, the embellishments can be minimized, as the paper itself can become the visual appeal of the gift. Don’t take the easy way out and settle for wrapping all of the gifts from the same roll of paper. Yes, they will look like they belong together, but trust me, you’ll be missing out on a great opportunity to play with colour and pattern. One thing to keep in mind when you are combining patterns is to try and incorporate solids as well. I always keep rolls of black and white on hand. Both colours are super versatile and can often be used to pull a set of gifts together by adding a simple ribbon in the dominant colour.
I recently did a 3 video series on my Youtube channel BOWhemian WRAPsody that highlights how to pack power in the presentation of multiple gifts, by simply using papers that vary slightly in pattern.
To learn how to create this look, check out my first video tutorial in this series!
Stay tuned for the next two episodes!