trixiebeth :: wrapper's delite

Inexpensive and fresh wrapping ideas at Country Living Magazine

2009-11-30T23:04:00.001-08:00

Instructions and details on Country Living

DIY for holidays

2008-12-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

Fun package bows made using recycled shopping bags at Design Sponge

Kate's Paperie has patterns for lovely ornaments and boxes

Carlos n Molinas' site is such fun to browse and has an amazing variety of paper objects, like these paper balls.Instructions here
select "tutorials" and then choose the ball ornament.

Japanese Packaging Design

2008-03-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Ping Mag has some noteworthy posts about Japanese packaging.

Really enjoy this post about packaging that uses and/or imitates nature

And this post on packaged gifts is also lovely

Lovely origami boxes and instructions

2008-03-06T21:47:00.001-08:00

Happened across Fitful Flog today, it features so many lovely origami boxes with crease patterns.

Helpful illustrated Japanese wrapping instructions

2008-02-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Shimojima in Japan has a nice collection of how-to photos and illustrations. It's also a great source for ideas.

Check out their "wrapping clips". They are pdf's with step-by-step photos. The instructions are in Japanese, but the photos give so much info you don't need to read Japanese to find these useful.

Also nice is this page of links to illustrated step-by-step instructions for a few methods of wrapping and creating bows, including on the diagonal (like they do in department stores in Japan.

And for idea shopping, these images of the techniques taught in their various wrapping classes.

Save a trip

2007-12-20T22:19:00.001-08:00

Wrap with what you've already got. Wrap Art has lots of ideas. They were recently featured on the cover of Craft Magazine.

Nice furoshiki tips from Kakefuda

2007-12-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

Found this nice video where Kakefuda, who makes the most beautiful and modern furoshiki in Kyoto, shows a few ways to tie furoshiki

Also found a few illustrated instructions for tying on their site (instructions are in Japanese) as well as a page with images of them in use:

Petit Bag (seen late in video above)
Drop Bag (as seen in video above)
Shopping Bag(seen in video above)
Notebook Bag
One-knot Wrap
Two-knot Wrap
Four Corner Wrap
Cylinder Wrap
Two Bottle Wrap

Japanese Furoshiki Video

2007-12-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

Appears to have been created as part of the Mottainai furoshiki effort by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment to encourage people to use furoshiki rather than disposable bags.

Note: Some wrapping instructions start about 43 seconds in and end at 1:06.

Hopefully this has arrived by now

2007-11-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

It's a present for my sister's birthday.

A few new favorite things....

2007-01-06T16:41:00.000-08:00

Step into our home office and you'll see I have a bit of a paper fetish. A new favorite is cards from ThePaperPrincess.com . A few arrived in the December Sampler and I promptly ordered more. They arrived today - the quality of the paper is luscious — a smooth satiny matte that takes ink nicely. The images, colors, and patterns are sweet without being sappy. Fresh without trying to be hip.

Tasty Sourdough? Until 2 weeks ago that was an oxymoron for me. But then I tasted the fantastic Sour Rye bread at Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. The owner was the captain of the GOLD medal team in the World Baking Competition in Paris. If you go there, you won't be able to miss the ginormous trophy sitting on the counter. The place is still fairly new. When I went, the sign was just handlettered on a piece of paper taped to a sandwich board. You'll find it just a few doors south of Northwest Art and Frame in the Junction.

Bento Boxes

2006-09-23T01:09:00.000-07:00

I love packing my son's lunches in bento boxes. They are reusable; they keep the food in good shape; and they help make lunch more fun and attractive. They make it fun for me and that's important, dammit -- because making lunch every night is boring!

We just bought this Shinkansen bento box at the Sanrio store at Bellevue Square.

We bought this Pokemon bento box during our trip to Japan last year

Feeding a 7 year old food critic

2006-09-23T00:21:00.000-07:00

One night after returning home from working late, I found this little critique of the Fontina cheese I had purchased waiting for me in the refrigerator. A very poor image due to the dim light and my inept use of my new camera, I'm afraid. I was told the green colored blob is someone who died from eating the cheese. The face on the bottom is someone who "is sick and will likely die" from eating this cheese. I like the coining of the term "off-demand". I use it all the time now.

School has started and it's back to making lunches. I've decided to start keeping a log of all the lunches I make - since it consumes more of my energy and time than I would like.

This lunch menu: Prosciutto,Turkey & Havarti Wraps; cherry tomatoes from our garden; and kiwi/huckleberries - plus milk and a secret tiny ritter bar hidden in his lunch box.

Furoshiki Tips

2006-04-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Recently found another helpful furoshiki wrapping guide
.

This site also took me to a great photoblog with loads of interesting images taken in Japan.

Origami plus

2006-03-04T22:36:00.000-08:00

I love origami - but I can't make anything that doesn't already have a pattern. Check out the what MIT students created for the MIT Origami contest

Artful Manhole Covers...err...Hatchcovers

2006-01-11T23:57:00.000-08:00

Seattle Utilities has a new hatchcover design (will hatchcover really ever catch on?)

Here are some lovely utilitylids/ manhole covers /hatchcovers I saw in Japan recently. Looks like there are loads of Japanese manhole appreciation sites: Frangipani has a striking collection , here is a collection of Tokyo manholes...even quilts inspired by Japanese manholes

Kamakura

Iga Ueno

Samurai District, Kanazawa

Shitamachi,Tokyo

Kyoto

Takayama

Having Trouble remembering...wonder if it was Kanazawa

Squeezable Mimi balls

2006-01-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

During my recent travel to Japan I came across this interesting stress reliever. You really should click on the image and view it at the larger size so you can note other variations of the mimi ball (keychain, wristpad, etc.) and have a good look at the text on the display box. They appear to be selling rather well. According to the signage it's a great toy for ages 5+....ooooh baby!

What to do when the box is huge?

2006-01-05T23:13:00.000-08:00

My mom's present required a VERY large box. So large that I couldn't find any nice paper that would fit. So, I ditched paper altogether and just used decorative tape and a funky Target Christmas ornament...and I was pretty pleased with the results. The tape was pretty hard to cut - probably pretty apparent by looking at the picture, so next time I would cut in ways that don't require precision.

Sampling of this year's holiday packages

2006-01-05T23:11:00.000-08:00

This is how I wrapped my friend Jen's gift. I have all the steps photographed...let me know if you'd like to know how this was wrapped. By the way this paper was from DZINZ( possibly here...not sure)

This is how I wrapped a Japanese iron teapot and trivet (testsubin). This is sort of a variation of the previous wrap except I used Mizuhiki and I worked to keep the lovely washi borders intact and visible on the sides and across the top.

This is how I wrapped a gift certificate we gave my parents. I like to use those flimsy plastic boxes that the holiday cards come in. I wrap the gift cert in a pretty tissue with a nice sticker to hold it, then slide it into the plastic box and wrap. They are usually the perfect size and it actually looks quite nice!

It's that wrapping time of year

2005-12-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

Last year this time I was so much better about posting wrap ideas...I need to get back on it!

Making holiday cards

2005-12-07T00:38:00.000-08:00

As ususal, I haven't started my holiday cards yet...when will I learn? Impress has some great card ideas. PhotoWorks has some nice cards, too. Paperzone has some interesting holiday crafts. I especially like these icicle boxes.

Most Gifted Wrapper 2005

2005-12-05T23:22:00.000-08:00

This year's winner was Doug Alves from Fresno. He won $10,000, a Vespa and loads of other prizes.

So what did they wrap?
Round one (12 min.): Wrap a 15-inch Sharp television and a boxed set of DVDs.
Round two (10 min.): Wrap a saxophone.
Round three (12 min.): Wrap a Vespa scooter and diamond-encrusted helmet.

I really need to get in on this next year. Isn't that what I said last year?

More photos from the contest here and story/wrapping tips here.

Profiles of other contestants here and here.

How to wrap Japanese style

2005-12-01T07:35:00.000-08:00

Found this resource that shows how to wrap on the diagonal just like they do in Japan.
(Note: this post was updated to fix broken image and update the link to the Japanese content on 2/3/08)

Nice resources for furoshiki wrapping

2005-11-30T05:45:00.000-08:00

Even though I can read very little Japanese, this this site has some nice illustrations that step through the wrapping process of several different shapes and styles.

This English language furoshiki study group site has a great list of resources

This site has great images and steps in English including how to wrap a watermelon as shown below.

This site is great one, too.

And Kakefuda-san is kicking out some lovely furoshiki designs.

How to wrap a shirt with a furoshiki.

The Japanese Space Agency's "furoshiki".

Vintage gift wrap

2005-11-29T17:56:00.000-08:00

Just found the vintage gift wrap pool on Flickr.

And this book of groovy 60's gift wrap.

Ebay is also a source for some cool vintage papers

Paper Mojo has some nice retro style papers

Thanksgiving placecards

2005-11-27T23:13:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: I noticed that the Martha Stewart link had moved and lots of folks were coming to this entry, so I've updated this to a working link and picture.

I hosted Thanksgiving this year and was so busy that I forgot to take a picture of the table. For the placecards I created Thanksgiving Trivia Turkeys (borrowed the idea from a Martha Stewart idea for the kids' table).

Here's Martha's version

Template is located here

I collected Thanksgiving trivia from around the web and include more detailed answers than Martha's version so I had to increase the size of the feathers, which in turn meant adjusting the base size. I also opted for computer text rather than handwritten.

Good Thanksgiving trivia here and here.

Mom brought some lovely flowers, but I was so busy I didn't have a chance to get them into a proper vase until after she and Dad went home.

I found a good use for all the cranberries I neglected to use, too!

Great Japanese store - in Alderwood Mall of all places

2005-11-10T01:15:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we hit the new Daiso store at Alderwood Mall (next to the Sears). Only a Japanese 100Yen/Dollar store would lure me to that vast confusing suburb of Seattle. I loved it...and I will be back. I love the random collections of things like backscratchers (I don't think I've ever been in a store with such a variety), patches that claim to refresh and heal, great cheap gift wrapping material, dishes and much more. There was so much interesting cheap stuff...not your usual dollar store date. There are actually quite a few Daiso pics on Flickr.

The aisles are VERY narrow and the shelves are loaded with stuff. Note to the ladies with the huge strollers this is not a good store for you unless you leave the stroller at the door.

Furoshiki at the Ginza Mitsukoshi

2005-11-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

I love how Japanese wrapping integrates the shape of the object rather than just covering a box. Here's more about furoshiki. These furoshiki were in the tea and gift department of the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo.

It's here...at last?

2005-11-10T00:40:00.000-08:00

There's been a ton of hype around The Container Store opening in Bellevue. I haven't yet had a chance to go check it out. I know this is mean to say about your regionally based businesses, but I hope the intensified competition from The Container Stores gives Storables some incentive to improve their service and pricing! For years I have gritted my teeth when shopping at Storables...they are overpriced and the service is mediocre to lousy. Even their bag/packaging situation is always fouled up. Every visit leaves me with a bag that is way too big and awkward or far too small and ripping as I carry the goods to the car. Interesting issues for a store that is all about organization and containers, boxes and bags.

One sticker wrapping

2005-11-10T00:32:00.001-08:00

The only adhesive holding this wrap on is the flower sticker on the front. I saw loads of stores wrapping with just on piece of tape or sticker when I was in Japan.

100 Yen Shop Masterpieces

2005-10-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

This cool site shows all sorts of cool stuff you can create from items found at the 100 Yen shops (Japanese equivalent of the dollar store...but often bigger)

For those who think papercraft is for intellectual lightweights

2005-09-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

Check out MIT professor Erik Demaine's folding and unfolding page or read about wrapping polyhedra. Or have a go at one of these wrapping puzzles.

Japanese Paper

2005-09-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

This looks like a fantastic place to buy paper and supplies — if you live in Toronto. The inspiration gallery is great, especially these paper curtains one of the employees sewed.

Flourish

2005-09-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

Should have put this up eons ago. Flourish is a great shop in Wallingford for lovely wraps and things.I can hardly ever get there myself because their hours just don't fit my work/life schedule.

Here's a tower of loveliness that was in their window when I dropped by a couple months ago...and yes, they were closed!

Handling It

2005-09-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

When I wrap purses or lunchboxes or anything with handles, I love to leave the handles out. This one was a soft bag, so the shape was hard to manage.

How the world sees the Katrina response

2005-09-03T22:49:00.000-07:00

I spent most of the day working on lists and message boards of katrina survivors and family looking to reconnect and/or find help. We were getting about 1500 new entries an hour!

Unfortunately, just the way that snakes and 'gators come out in a flood, cranks and wackos come out in times of crisis. Time to take a break from reading yet another "Second coming/Rapture" thread and take look at how the world sees the Katrina response.

From a lucid BBC commentary:

"When President Bush told "Good Morning America" on Thursday morning that nobody could have "anticipated" the breach of the New Orleans levees, it pointed to not only a remote leader in denial, but a whole political class.

The uneasy paradox which so many live with in this country - of being first-and-foremost rugged individuals, out to plunder what they can and paying as little tax as
they can get away with, while at the same time believing that America is a
robust, model society - has reached a crisis point this week.

Will there be real investment, or just more buck-passing between federal agencies and states?"
A few selections from the BBC round-up http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4211320.stm
Colombia's El Colombiano
It is now urgent that the world's leaders take heed of nature's warning, look at the evidence and realise that the climate, on a global scale, is changing. This is already known from scientific reports, but they continue to ignore it, to play it down, or not to care about it.
France's Liberation
Bush had already been slow to react when the World Trade Center collapsed. Four years later, he was no quicker to get the measure of Katrina - a cruel lack of leadership at a time when this second major shock for 21st century America is adding to the crisis of confidence for the world's leading power and to international disorder. As happened with 9/11, the country is displaying its vulnerability to the eyes of the world.
Musib Na'imi in Iran's Al-Vefagh
About 10,000 US National Guard troops were deployed [in New Orleans] and were granted the authority to fire at and kill whom they wanted, upon the pretext of restoring order. This decision is an indication of the US administration's militarist mentality, which regards killing as the only way to control even its own citizens.
Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po
This disaster is a heavy blow to the United States, and a lesson which deserves deep thought... [It] is a warning to the Bush administration that the United States must clear its head and truly assume its responsibility to protect nature and the environment in which humankind lives.
Ambrose Murunga in Kenya's Daily Nation
My first reaction when television images of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans came through the channels was that the producers must be showing the wrong clip. The images, and even the disproportionately high number of visibly impoverished blacks among the refugees, could easily have been a re-enactment of a scene from the pigeonholed African continent.

Rough Science

2005-09-02T23:31:00.000-07:00

I love this show!

It's so much fun to watch the scientists tackle challenges like powering a lighthouse on a deserted island with only coconut oil.

Richard Nixon tomato - proof of reincarnation

2005-09-02T23:06:00.000-07:00

Since the seventies were my formative years, this Richard Nixon this tomato touches my heart. So many people wanted to throw tomatoes at him in the seventies -- looks like he has come back as one of those tasty nightshades. What could it fetch on ebay?

Clairfountaine notebook homebrew

2005-08-24T21:50:00.000-07:00

Follow up to previous post on my favorite notebook.

Inside front of my Clairefountaine notebook customized with sticky pad and envelope.

Inside back of my notebook with larger flap:

Japanese Calligraphy in English

2005-07-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

Australian Inkslinger, Merissa Walker does a creative turn on Japanese calligraphy and the result is fresh. Her calligraphy adorns spunky cards and cushions among other products.

Organizing Demons

2005-07-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

This list of note-taking tools and techniques entrances me. I keep coming back to it and looking for more. These organize-it demons are trapped inside me and I don't know if I can keep them at bay much longer.

Dan was right

2005-07-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

I like these D'Addario Guitar Strings much better than whatever it was that was shipped with my guitar.

Pho Cyclo Cafe - Tasty, fast, fresh

2005-07-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Last night we ate at the Pho Cyclo Cafe new location on Broadway (near Harrison). The folks there were so nice and helpful to us (we don't know a great deal about Vietnamese food). We had the fresh rolls and the #19 and #25 (as usual I can recall numbers much better than names) both were delicious and fresh. Iced Tea was tasty, too. It is definitely worth a repeat visit and we are glad to have a new place we can bring our curtain climber to.

Summer Fun

2005-07-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

When the sun is relentlessly beating through the craft room window, it's good to get out of that hot,stuffy craft room and into a fast and furious water fight. And these Hydro stiks are the BEST armaments! You can get them through NSR and other whitewater outfitters.

Puzzler Father's Day Card

2005-06-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

I made this card for my husband. He really is "1 in a million". The scan loses the nice colors of the card which looks black, but is actually choclate brown. The greens are much nicer than they appear in this image, too.

Tea for two on Father's Day

2005-06-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

Our Dads love tea so we purchased them some great teas at the Queen Anne teacup, found some nice tins and created lovely labels for (I regret not taking snaps of those). I found some mailing tubes at the Paper Zone, dropped the tea tins in, wrapped and ran out the door. I like the way they turned out. Festive and remind me of bamboo.

I must plant these next fall

2005-05-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hair Allium
One of the key features listed by the catalog is "conversation piece"

Alphabets and such

2005-05-19T23:11:00.000-07:00

I could spend hours reading through all the alphabets and languages on Omniglot!

When I was a wee one, I used to keep a notebook that I filled with samples of typefaces and calligraphy that I liked. Some girls had scrapbooks of idols, mine were filled with fake chinese lettering and big bubbly seventies writing among other novelties.

I even made up a language that I taught my friend at summer camp. We thought we were so cool, until we kept evolving it to the point where she and I both had very different dialects.

Favorite Notebook

2005-05-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

Moleskine notebooks seem to have a cult-like following. I admit I have lusted after them in my heart. I love the look; the size; the elastic; the pockets; and they have some interesting formats like the storyboard. I used to carry something very similar. But I find that I hate writing in a notebook that I can't fold completely open so I tend to like wirebound (or any other binding that allows me to fold it over).

So here's what I've been using for years now. I always get these Clairefontaine notebooks with the grid paper...I really hate writing on anything other than grid. Don't ask why - I have no rational answer. And I always use the 6-3/4 X 8-5/8 for work and the 4-3/4 x6 -3/4 for carrying around with me to jot down ideas,etc.

I always end up hacking them a bit:
- Always create two pockets: one inside the front cover and one inside the back cover. To do this I usually hack up a couple 8-1/2x11 envelopes.
- Glue in a pad of sticky notes
- At one time I tried hacking on a pen holder...that wasn't so effective

The covers are not beautiful, I'll probably try my hand at hacking some sort of cover one of these days.

I have to admit I have recently been tempted by the Rhodia but they are too large.

How interesting that someone would bother to create a notebook and paper with "Sensuous curved edges". Must be some interesting market research behind that one.

More Papercraft fun

2005-05-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Chao Labratory has patterns and instructions for these sweet characters and others projects.

Tea Productivity

2005-04-28T23:57:00.000-07:00

I love the 43folders site , especially the all the life productivity tips (AKA life hacks). Closest to my heart are the tea hacks.

Paper Adventurer

2005-04-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...I can just feel the wind trying to blow through my big hair. Damn that Aqua-Net is strong!Can you believe this is a paper motorcycle? Yamaha has a pattern and instructions to make this and several other motorcyles.

And what could be more adventurous than a paper safari ?

The Art Wrapper - Christo

2005-02-03T23:08:00.000-08:00

For those of us who whine about how modern packaging makes wrapping more difficult, imagine wrapping a building...in this case the Reichstag (in 1995)

Christo is currently working on The Gates installation in Central Park. It's slated for completion on Feb. 12

Finally... ice spikes explained!

2005-01-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

Before I got a fridge with an icemaker, these ice spikes were very common in our ice cube trays and very interesting to me. I developed a theory that they were little ice volcanoes. Kenneth G. Libbrecht, chair of the physics dept. at Caltech explains how ice spikes are really created. I wasn't sooo far off.

I found this link on Caterina Fake's blog

One diversion down - finished Blink

2005-01-21T22:10:00.000-08:00

I finished "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking". Like most of Malcolm Gladwell's work, it is a fun read. Gladwell really has a gift for simplifying the complex simple and making the science both personal and general at the same time.

I've always felt pretty cognizant of using what Gladwell terms "rapid cognition" (aka intuition, snap judgments) as a starting point, so this book didn't seem groundbreaking as much as reinforcing. I was an easy sell for this book. However, I work in an environment where it seems the appetite for data can never be satiated...I'll be looking to see what those folks think about this book.

As much as I like to work with hunches as a starting point, I also need to see supporting data and research. So, I was happy that this book featured more supporting evidence than "The Tipping Point". It still feels a little anecdotal to me. I would like to see more research and data, but that would probably undercut the readability for the mass audience that this book was clearly written for.

It's been a few years since I read"The Tipping Point", so I can't recall the precise points in the book which annoyed me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but there were areas where the supporting/scientific evidence was very thin. That left me unconvinced of certain points. My copy is out on loan.When I'm done I'll have to re-read it and pinpoint the issues.

Malcolm Gladwell was speaking at work today, unfortunately the auditorium was overflowing out the door and into the hallways. It was impossible to see or hear him, so I bailed. Listened to him on KUOW's show Weekday. If I could have seen him in person I would have liked to ask about how he decides how much data to put in the book and what kinds of data he left out.

Diversions, diversions, diversions

2005-01-16T00:32:00.000-08:00

I have the attention span of a tick in a goatherd these days. Here are some of the random things fighting for my brain cells.

Some good lines that I need to write songs for: Yesterday's was "The warmest thing about you is your television." I suppose television is too old school...it would need to be updated to home theater.

These Masters of Origami mystify me. Check out their Gallery

Admiring these Happy Owl nightlights

Wishing Seattle had a crafter collective.

Wondering why my home ec classes (now called family & consumer science) never taught me that modern ketchup was borne of the great ketchup debate of the early 1900's.

And reading "Blink" even though I wasn't a complete fan of "The Tipping Point"

A decent picture is worth so much more than words

2005-01-15T23:18:00.000-08:00

This is a very poor shot of my Dad's present which he'll be unwrapping tomorrow, so I won't have time to take a better shot.

It's hard to tell in this photo, but this is wrapped with layers of paper. The layers shift at the crease and move up slightly to add a little interest. Stars are some leatherette (hah) "Do-Jiggies".

I'll do over and post with instructions later...with a better picture.

More Professional Gift Wrappers

2005-01-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

This team,Platinum Touch Design Studio, does some amazing, luxurious, and beautiful work.

World's Smallest Gift Wrapped Present

2005-01-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

This present was wrapped by Radka Krivankova, a professional gift wrapper in Prague.

It took her three hours to wrap the gift - using tweezers and a magnifying glass. The gift was a three mm Australian opal, in a box 3x4 millimetres in size. It was wrapped in gift paper, tied with a string and decorated with a miniature fan and feather.

Bubbly Wrap

2005-01-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart's team has this quick and fun idea for regifting...er...wrapping a bottle of bubbly . Even if you don't go as far as matching the gift wrap to your coat, this would still make a pleasing presentation.

If Champagne is not your style, you could always bottle your own Hillbilly Wine .

A better use for money - Donate to NW groups helping tsunami victims

2004-12-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

Mercy Corps
Southeast Asia Earthquake
Dept. W
PO Box 2669
Portland, OR 97208-2669
800-852-2100
www.mercycorps.org

Northwest Medical Teams
SE Asia Disaster Relief Fund
PO Box 10
Portland, OR 97207
800-959-4325 (HEAL)
www.nwmedicalteams.org

MSNBC has done a good job of pulling the satellite pictures of the earthquake/tsunami impacted areas into a format that allows you to really grasp the destruction.

Throwing money at the problem

2004-12-29T20:54:00.000-08:00

Hog tying I can handle, but bow tying is another matter...they go wonky on me several times before I can make them passable. One way around this is to secure the ribbon with something other than a bow. In this case I used an asian coin (origins unknown)

Here's how the full package looked.

Scrappy Ribbon

2004-12-26T20:53:00.001-08:00

Because of my organizing challenges, I often have the chance to get creative. I'll have a lovely piece of ribbon that's just the right shade and texture, but a bit too short to wrap and tie a bow for my package. Here's a sneaky trick...just do a partial ribbon wrap. For this package I tied it in back and pulled the ribbon length to the front and affixed it with a glue dot. I finished the front with a Jolee's Boutique snowflake sticker. I then trimmed any excess ribbon off the knot in the back.

Scrappy Wrap

2004-12-24T20:54:00.000-08:00

Seems like I always have loads of lovely scraps of paper left over from wrapping other presents. Purty as they are, they just aren't big enough to wrap a whole gift. So I do what any self-repectin' scrappy lady would...I cheat. I find 2 (or more) papers that look good together and work with it. In this package I only had enough of the gingko leaf paper to cover the ends and only enough of the green paper to cover the middle.

This time next year?

2004-12-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

More evidence that gift-wrapping can be profitable. The person won $10,000 in the Scotch 3M gift wrapping contest.

More photos from the 3M "America's Most Gited Wrapper Contest"

Gift Wrapping as a Career?

2004-12-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

This firm in the Czech republic wraps gifts. They also offer gift wrapping courses. Here's one of their more tasteful packages.

Dot 2 Dot

2004-12-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

Another variation on the dot wrap. This time the package includes ribbon and a little copper monogram purchased at a scrapbooking store.

Dot to dot - another ribbonless wrap

2004-12-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

Grab yourself some cheap wrapping paper (the stuff I used is from Ikea) and a 3/4-inch Marvy hole punch (or whatever punch you have) and save the ribbon for your hair. Here's how to wrap this...

And here's another variation on this wrap

I feel pleaty...oh so pleaty

2004-11-25T01:03:00.000-08:00

This a good one for the perfectionists out there. They will have much tidier pleats than I did on this one. Some alternate views of this wrap.
Materials used:

plum mulberry paper
scraps of pearlized tissue paper for flowers and pleat accents
tape/glue/glitter glue
Flower Paper Punch

Eventually I'll add steps.

The Running Stitch Wrap

2004-11-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite easy wraps. All you need are the ususal suspects (paper, ribbon, and tape) and a hole punch that makes a hole large enough to thread your ribbon through. More about how to wrap this...

Simple Net

2004-11-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

Materials used:

shimmery green tissue for underlayer
red produce net over tissue
red beading wire
vintage beads

Adding pleats when wrapping the tissue layer adds nice texture.

What's Trixiebeth doing here?

2004-11-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

I love the art of wrapping gifts and haven't had much luck finding much about it on the web. Years ago I lived in Japan where gift wrapping truly is an artform. Store clerks held me spellbound as I watched them adroitly wrap an entire box using just one piece of tape. How did they always start on the diagonal and end just at the right spot?

Most of the discussion on the web is around the waste of paper. I'm interested in fresh ideas (green and otherwise). I also like the idea of wrapping the impossible; like a vacuum cleaner. Or disguising easily identified gifts, like CD's.

I like using left over materials, like these plastic net produce bags.

I'm working on a couple projects that I'll post as soon as they're done and I have some decent images.

Trixiebeth dips

2004-11-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

Dipping my toes in.

Dot to dot - the hole story

2004-10-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Step 1:Wrap the under layer (the green paper on my package). You do not need to wrap the entire package, you can wrap it just to the point where the top layer will overlap by approximately 1-1/2 inches or so (depends upon how big your paper punch is).

Step 2:Fit the top layer over the bottom layer,making sure that you have ample overlap for your paper punch design. DO NOT tape it into place, but make plenty of crisp edges so it will be easy to fit it into place later.

Step 3:Remove the top layer and punch your designs onto the edge of the paper that will be on the top of the package and will overlap the bottom layer.

Save the designs that you punch out and set them aside for use a little later.

Step 4:Now fit the top layer into place. Secure with tape under the package and on the side.

Step 5:Align the dots as you like and secure with a bit of glue.

How To Wrap the Running Stitch Wrap

2004-10-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Leaving enough overlap to make a fold to your liking, fit paper around object you're wrapping as you normally would, except overlap the two edges of the paper on the top surface of your package rather than the bottom of the package. Anchor the paper to the object with a piece of tape, but leave the rest of the taping until after all the threading is done.

Step 2: Take the end that overlaps and neatly fold over so that the back side of the paper is exposed. Fold all the way across so that the fold will continue down the sides of the package. Package in this picture has about a half-inch fold.

Step 3: Using hole punch make holes. Can be evenly spaced or some other pattern.

The package is now ready to thread. Remember, don't tape the edges down yet but make sure you have clean sides, you can neatly trim them if you need to.

Step 4: Cut a length of ribbon that will fit around package with room to tie a bow.

Step 5: Center ribbon under package and use ends to thread through both ends of the package. I like to make sure the ribbon goes from the outside to the inside of the first holes on the sides.

Here's what the back and sides look like:

Step 6: Tie a bow where ribbon ends meet in the middle of the package. Trim ribbon as necessary. Add tape to anchor the sides. And it's done!

Such a pleaty thing

2004-10-01T01:18:00.000-07:00

Pleaty - with three flowers vertically aligned.

Pleaty - with three flowers horizontally aligned and a spot of glue showing because I flip-flopped on the issue of flower placement.