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.
How To Create Interest By Moving Your Focal Point
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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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!
Whether you scrapbook or not, there is no denying the endless possibilities when it comes to the patterns, colours and designs available. I often find myself looking at gorgeous paper and fabrics in much the same way….often finding some designs just too beautiful not to have. When it comes to wrapping small gifts…why not expand your thinking and choose from the vast array of papers available, so much to choose from as opposed to the limited stock of wrapping paper available in most stores and/or the extravegant prices you find in higher end specialty stores. Of course, using scrapbooking paper does limit use to smaller gifts or requires piecing together two sheets. However, it is often available for as low as 50 cents for individual sheets and you don’t have to worry about storing the leftover paper!
Important things to consider if you want to use scrapbooking paper to wrap a gift:
The size of the gift. Scrapbooking paper is available in 12″ X 12″ sheets (as well as standard 8 1/2 x 11 or smaller), so it will only work for small gifts or you can decide to tape two sheets together on the reverse side enabling you to play with a piece that is approximately 12″ X 23″ (with overlap for taping). If you aren’t sure if it will work and you don’t have any at home to test the size, just make a template from newspaper or plain brown packaging paper. In fact, you could keep it as a template for future gifts as well.
Make sure you are purchasing a light weight paper. Some paper is definitely heavy stock and will not be very pliable for wrapping.
If you need to purchase the paper, you may want to look and see what you already have on hand for ribbon and embellishments. Instead of purchasing more, see if you can coordinate your paper purchase with items you already have at home. I think it’s safe to say that most people that are creative and/or crafty…have a stash of stuff they “just had to buy”. Think of gift wrapping as a way to use up some of those crafting items ….perhaps not how you initially intended, but this way you get to purge and be creative at the same time! Make sure to take the embellishments you have with you to the store ~ DO NOT TRUST THAT YOU CAN MATCH THE COLOUR FROM MEMORY….believe me it is next to impossible. You think you can until you arrive at the store looking for teal and realize that even teal has a zillion different tones/shades…yikes!
Check out my latest video from my channel: BOWhemian WRAPsody to see how you can wrap with scrap!
I always keep basic brown packaging paper on hand. It’s actually one of my “go to” gift wrapping papers. It is cheap, readily available at any dollar store and oh so versatile! You can dress up the paper (using stamps, paint or sharpies) or leave it plain and just add embellishments. The paper is such a neutral colour that you can literally combine it with almost any colour to create a great look.
For this gift, I simply added a unique “ribbon” I found at the dollar store. It combines a rustic type of cord with tiny leaves to create an organic look. I then cut a few slips from flowers I had in the house. It looks awesome with a simple slip of greenery or combined with a simple flower such as a daisy. Love this look and so simple to pull together! Look for more great ways to use basic brown paper in up coming videos!
I love to decorate gifts. Back in the “olden days” when I didn’t have so much on my plate, I would be done my Christmas shopping by the end of October and be completely wrapped and ready to go by the end of November. Sadly, I have hardly started this year. On line shopping is looking better and better all the time! Well, when I used to wrap early, I used a strategy that allowed me to store all of those wrapped gifts easily. Basically, I wrapped all the gifts in one sitting (or at least most of them). This would take me several hours, but I did not add any ribbons, bows, tags or embellishments at this time. I simply chose paper, wrapped and then wrote the person’s name (very small) on the bottom of the gift. This allowed me to stack and store oodles of gifts without having to compensate for the bows. I would then set aside another an entire day or evening and set to work decorating each gift. I love to do this and I thought I’d share a few of my favourite tricks!
Wrapping on a Budget
First of all, I spend very little on wrapping paper and embellishments. I always purchase when the Christmas stuff is on clearance and for the last two years I’ve picked up beautiful wire rimmed ribbon at Michael’s for 90% off. I also purchase many of the items I use from the dollar store. The example I am sharing today includes mostly dollar store items.
Bow: Represents family ties and the fact that we should be tied together in bonds of goodwill.
For this particular project, I used dollar store wrapping paper and dollar store wire rimmed ribbon. I can’t remember if I bought the wire holly garland and metallic shreds at the dollar store or not, but probably. I had both on hand from last year.
I tend to use primarily wire rimmed ribbon. I will occasionally use the curly ribbon, but most often to dress-up the embellishment a bit. I wrapped the gift with one band of ribbon and tied a nice big bow. I then slipped a bit of metallic shreds beneath the bow. The shreds are not silver or gold, but rather that clear “opalescent” look. (Don’t you love that word?) I love how it just punches up the bow and seems to fill the dead space a bit. I then like to take a 6 to 8 inch piece of wire garland and slide it under the shreds and then twist it on top of the bow to hold everything in place. I like to leave the ends of the wire garland sticking out. This look is really easy to achieve and yet takes a simple ribbon and bow and kicks it up a notch. I often choose gift tags with a string. I just prefer the “hanging” look over stickers. Such is the case with this tag. I just looped it over the wire garland.
You already know how obsessed I am with re-using and re-purposing items, so I am sure you won’t be all that surprised to know that I collect the ribbons and bows on Christmas morning and re-use many of them the following year. I have even been known to leave the tags attached and use it for the same person. Thus, my stash of beautiful ribbons and bows does not need to be replenished that often.
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