|
| Gift Wrapping Tips | • Recycled Greeting Cards - Cut off the fronts of beautiful holiday cards and attach them to your gifts using double face tape. The image on the card will dress up your gift and add a bit of color and style. Just use a simple cording as ribbon.
• Embellishments - Gifts can be made special by tucking in a bit of greenery. Try to find artificial leaf or pine sprigs to use on gifts.
Create a gift wrapping corner, table, closet, or box where you can keep everything ready to use. There are more things to include in your gift wrap kit.
• Pens - Keep gold, silver, gel, or colored pens available for writing greeting cards and gift tags.
• Raffia - Raffia strands are available in natural beige as well as a number of bright dyed colors. They can give a homey touch to gifts and are perfect for more country or rustic decors. At least use 3 strands together when using as ribbon. And knot strands from end to end to make longer lengths for larger gifts.
• Ribbons - Passion for beautiful ribbon has increased in recent years. Consider, however, that gorgeous ribbons are often very expensive. Use ribbon for special gifts rather than presents that might be ripped open in the blink of an eye. This will also help to confine the use of special ribbons to smaller items and come up with cheaper alternatives for large bulky gifts.
• Glitter Wire - This is a useful item for all sorts of gifts in bags. This glitter wire (or garland) is metallic covered wire with sprays of metallic cutouts (stars, hearts, trees, etc.) bursting out in every direction. You can use wire cutters to trim to shorter lengths and use them as "twist ties" to close cello or paper gift bags. Lastly, wind the ends around a pencil for a curly finish.
• Wired Ribbon - Wired ribbons are becoming widely available. Most prevalent beautiful colors or sheers with the convenience of wired edges.
- Making a package look gorgeous is a snap with wired ribbon since you'll be able to "fuss" with the bow to get it looking just right. You should trim the ends of wired ribbon on a slant or in a V-shaped "swallow tail" cut.
• Bags - Gift bags - plain, colored, with or without handles - are terrific for giving items that don't have a box or for gifts that include multiple items. Use raffia, ribbon, or glitter wire to close the top of the bag. Search for inexpensive colored lunch bags (we found purple and green in the photo at right) that might be used to contain party favors or children's gifts.
|
|
