Tag Archives: creative gift wrapping ideas

Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas: Think Pleats!

Although I was not on “my game” when taping this video (lots of edits), my heart was in it! Unlike most of the presents I wrap, this was a real gift! It always means more when you have a recipient in mind. I picked up this bible at Sam’s Place a few days ago, with my friend Heather in mind. I knew that this version was one she really wanted and when I found a brand new copy, I couldn’t resist. Now consider yourself warned….I’m going to go off on a little tangent here, but I just have to ….If you’ve never been to Sam’s Place before, I encourage you to check it out! It’s a used book store and café. It is operated by Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba through a large group of volunteers. There’s great coffee, food and of course, many books. I often manage to find brand new ones and the prices are always great! Fabulous place to meet a friend for coffee. It’s located on Henderson Highway, here in Winnipeg. A favourite for sure. There’s my plug!

Knowing that Heather’s favourite colour is pink, I began to go through my stash to see what I could come up with. The interesting thing about combing paper and patterns is that you can often produce a great look with paper/patterns that might not be that special on their own. To be honest, I did’t love the chosen paper and guessed I would never use it for scrapbooking. However, what I did know was that 1. Heather loves pink! 2. Once you begin to combine elements it is surprising how a pattern can be elevated. The combination of patterns, shades of pink and simplistic design came together nicely to create a beautiful finished look.

One of the features of this gift wrapping design is the inclusion of pleats along the centre of the present. This finished look was primarily created using paper scraps, but you certainly wouldn’t think of it as “leftovers”. The simple white lattice ribbon and a brad are the only extras in creating this look. I did use my circle punches to cut the concentric circles that anchor the centre of the paper flower. Definitely worth investing in a few circle punches of various sizes. (The dollar store sometimes carries small circle punches.)

Check out my latest video from BOWhemian WRAPsody to see how this gift was pulled together.

If you enjoy my videos, be sure to subscribe to my channel. Also, don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE!

Ponytail Presents!

I make every effort to think outside the box and incorporate new elements into my gift wrapping. As soon as I saw this burlap ponytail, I knew it would be a perfect present enhancement. I love the natural look and texture of burlap. In this gift wrapping tutorial, I demonstrate how to incorporate the burlap ponytail as well as a burlap broach into your gift wrapping project. I also demonstrate how to create two different looks with paper. The brown packaging paper melds perfectly with the natural elements of the burlap, while the black elicits more impact through the contrast. These two simple elements add beauty to the plain solid-coloured papers, but would also mix wonderfully with a carefully chosen print!

Coming soon! Our biggest upcycle DIY project ever! So excited to share this project with my readers.

Thinking “Outside the Box” ~Literally

think outside the box
Junk or gems? Think outside the box…could these items possibly be used to enhance a gift?

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!

Dollar/Thrift Store Challenge

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?

  1. WRAP ~ The material you choose to wrap the gift with is going to become the foundation for your finished look, but why limit yourself to wrapping paper? In previous posts, I’ve already tried to expand your thinking by introducing basic brown packaging paper and scrapbooking paper as great alternatives, but why stop there? What other materials could be used to wrap presents? When you’re out and about, be on the look out for other possibilities.
  2. RIBBON ~ I use the term “ribbon” loosely here because the whole purpose of this challenge is to think beyond ribbon. I want you to look at cord, string, rope, etc…anything that could be used as a substitute for ribbon.
  3. EMBELLISH ~ Do not discount anything! This element is by far the most fun to shop for. Obviously, you do need to consider price as this element is probably not part of the gift (although it could be). Otherwise, just open your mind and try to imagine how an item might be used to add impact and/or interest to a gift. In previous posts, I demonstrated how scrapbooking embellishments (flowers, felt shapes, paper cut-outs, etc.) can be incorporated to create the beautiful finishing touches on a present. I’ve also highlighted glass beads and plastic netting, as well as both real and artificial flowers, but let’s face it, the options are endless! So unleash your creativity and see what you can come up with.

THE CHALLENGE:

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”.

Thank you for visiting my site today. For more great gift wrapping ideas, check out my video tutorials at the Best of BOWhemian WRAPsody. If you enjoyed the post, please take the time to LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE.

Purple Pizzazz Gift Wrap

Check out my latest video which demonstrates how to add dimension and glamour to a gifts. Use iridescent gift bag shredding and Christmas Cracker balls to create a gift that makes a statement!