Decorative Packaging

Paper crafts are so much fun and a great activity to involve the kids.  These 3D sweet hearts hanging like a garland look difficult, but they are very simple.  I’m a big fan of improvising so use what you have.

You will need card stock or paper plates, glue sticks, various shades of pink and red paper or decorative gift wrapping, a box of kid’s valentines or the used ones from the year before.  (Our girls loved to keep their little valentines, and I always wondered what to do with them… well, here is that idea!) Red ribbon or plaid ribbon, long ribbon or thin clothes line, decorative scissors, and a hole punch.

The hearts are actually four card stock heart cut outs.  I recommend making a template in a couple sizes so you will easily match the hearts up when it’s time to glue.  Cut out 4 hearts and decorate one side of each heart.  Fold each heart with right side inside.  The back sides should be plain or white.

With all four hearts lying on top of each other, use a hole punch to punch a hole in the dip of the hearts.  Glue the back of the right side of heart A to the back left side of heart B, then glue the back right side of heart B to the back left side of heart C, glue the back right side of heart C to the back left side of heart D, glue the back right side of heart D to the back left side of heart A.

As you glue, use paper clips to hold the hearts in place.  Make sure that all the folds meet edge to edge in the center and that all the points meet perfectly.

After the glue dries, thread a red satin ribbon or plaid ribbon through the hole and tie a knot at the top about 3 inches down from the ends. The rest of the ends will provide enough room to tie a bow onto the garland string.  Continue on making hearts until you have made enough to fill the space you plan to drape the line.

Are you looking for a new idea to surprise the kids for Valentine’s Day? This is so cute and easy to make. You can adjust the materials to whatever you have already or can find easier.

You will need:  Marshmallow hearts and peeps or any other candy shaped in hearts that you can easily skewer, Red tissue paper, thin green ribbon, Hors d’oeuvre sticks or floral wire, polka dot ribbon, striped ribbon or heart printed ribbon, and a love note.

Gently push the pointed end of the stick or wire into the point of the heart at least half way into the candy.  Use a variety of sizes and colors.  Tie a tiny thin green ribbon bow just beneath the tip of the candy. Trim the ends short.  Stagger them in cascading heights to form a nice bouquet.  Position the thick layers of tissue paper on a table and place the bouquet on top, allow part of the bouquet peek over the top edge of the paper and the stems flow out the bottom, gently gather the tissue paper and cinch the center and tie a beautiful ribbon bow.

Don’t forget to attach the love note or Valentine.  Place the pretty bouquet in their place at the table for breakfast, or supper.  It will be sure to make them smile.

It seems that no matter what channel the TV is on this time of year, everyone is talking about football.  If you live in the house with sports fan, you soon learn that the 4 seasons are not winter, spring, and summer and fall, but football, basketball, baseball, racing and golf.  Not in that order, and sometimes at the same time!

Using sports themed gift bags or sports ribbon to decorate a gift for the sports enthusiast in your family will put a smile on their face.  They make clear gift bags that you can have ready for any season.  Just pick up some tissue paper in their team colors and a few decals or stickers to put in the bag.  If you are real talented, you can paint a sports scene on there.  Or just wrap the gift in plain paper and use sports ribbon.

Sports ribbon is also cute to use for girls hair bows.  They can help daddy cheer for his favorite players.

When you are planning centerpieces for holiday dinners, don’t forget the kids table.  Decorating a kids table should be fun for them not stressful like a formal adult table.

These fun dishes are mix and match and can be found at most discount stores and dollar stores as individual pieces.  You don’t have to buy complete sets of dishes, just a few pieces to accent the holiday and coordinate with what you already have.

This doesn’t have to be expensive.  Use your own dishes but pick up a holiday salt and pepper shaker, and possibly a mug to fill with candy for that season.  This table is set for Easter brunch so the mug and plate have pastel colors and spring shapes.  A fall party could have mini pumpkin mug or bowls with candy in them.

I love the jelly beans and peeps for table decorations.  They added some Easter grass and nested the peeps in them.  Add some curly pastel ribbon streamers and use the same color holiday ribbon as a napkin ring then slip the fork into it.  It looks fancy and expensive, but it isn’t.  The kids will be so happy you took the time to make them a special place to sit.  If a cup gets broken, it’s no big deal; it’s not your china, its only dollar store decorative dishes.

Homemade gift bags are so easy to make.  You can have a craft day where you make a variety of sizes and colors of these beautiful little bags.  Then you will have a gift bag for anything on the spur of the moment.  Whether you put jewelry, candy, cookies, perfume or gift cards in the bag, it will look amazing in this type of bag.

It would also be an easy craft to do with linen fabric or cotton muslin and use organic cotton ribbon as the draw string.

The picture shows a bag made from  a blend of polyester Voile.  Any sheer fabric can work, they make metallic types and some that are tighter woven and less see through.  You can actually use sheer curtains that may have snags in place and you don’t want to hang them in your window any more. The fabric can be dyed to any color you choose or even tie dyed.

Depending on the size bag you want to make, you can start with a 7×11 inch piece of fabric.  Sew a 5/8 inch seam all the way around to prevent fraying and raveling.  Then fold the long end up to meet the other, keeping seams inside. Stitch up the sides.  A pocket or pouch is the result.  You can twist the top shut and use a nylon satin ribbon to tie it shut.  You can also stitch the ribbon to the bag at the side seam buy centering the length of ribbon along the edge then sew it as you stitch up the edge.  You can also fold down inside another ½ inch seam and stitch it down except for the sides.  Then insert a length of ribbon through each side and you can pull the strings like a draw string bag.

We don’t have to wait until Valentine’s Day to be romantic and surprise our loved one with little gifts.  We should find ways to express our feelings to them every day through little things like a love note on a napkin in their coat pocket, or a heart shaped pancake for breakfast.

A simple canning jar, velvet ribbon and chocolate hearts are a wonderful surprise for Valentine’s Day and every day.  If you don’t have a glass jar, then use a small box or tin to place a favorite treat.  Wrap the gift up in velvet ribbon.  You can place some flowers or a bow on top for a more dramatic look.  But any gift given in love is never a bad idea.

I love Valentine’s Day!  Some can give expensive gifts but they aren’t required.  It’s the thought that counts and this cute little box of red-hot’s is adorable.  Mini heart shaped boxes are available in bulk at craft stores that can be easily painted.

If you are real crafty, you can make the heart shaped box.  I don’t have the patience for this craft.  I have tried it and it was very difficult to make it come out perfect.  At least it was difficult for me.  Card stock paper, craft glue and scissors are all that is required.

These little boxes would be fun for school parties, or Sunday school kids. Curling ribbon would be the perfect type of bow for a mini box.  It adds enough frills for decoration but does not consume the box.

With a little planning ahead, anyone can make creative gifts for Valentine’s Day.  Your sweetie will appreciate that you saved money by making them yourself.  The kids will love to make these too.  You can change the type of paper and candy and make this cone hanger for any occasion. Choose some special candy and small gifts to put in the pouches.

You will need: 12×12 scrap book paper or wall paper samples, tissue paper, hole punch, paper clips, tape, yard and half of wire ribbon 1 ½ inch wide, craft glue,  yard and a half of ½ inch contrast striped ribbon.

Fold the paper corner to corner and press the fold crisp.

Hold paper towards you with folded side on top.

Fold the outside corners towards the center and overlap them.  The points will stick out the top and create a cone.

Roll the paper to make a tight fit at the bottom.  Make the seam face the back so it will be hidden.

Hold the top with a paper clip between the points.

Glue the seam, use tape to secure it while the glue dries.  Make sure the tape is only seen from the back. Remove the paper clips and glue the seams there and replace the paper clips till it dries.

Measure about 1” from each side of the back and ½ inch down punch two holes.  The holes should be about 2 to 2 ½ inches apart. If the paper is too thick for a hole punch, use the point of sharp scissors.

Place the thin ribbon on top of the wide ribbon. Push the ribbon ends through the back of the cone and pull up through the center of the cone.  Make sure ends are even.

Tie the first bow about 4-6 inches from the cone.  Tie the bow and play with it till it the bow loops are pretty.

Place the tissue paper inside, and put the candy, gifts, and love notes inside.

Small cones will make great party favors for school or church kids.

Hang one of these from your husband’s mirror in the car before he goes to work.  He won’t forget its valentine’s day, and he will be thinking of you all day!

You don’t have to be a hunter to love camouflage.  Woodland camouflage is about blending in with nature.  Some try to dress in camouflage so they can hopefully not be seen by the wild life they are trying to hunt for food.

Others are trying to blend in so they won’t be seen by the animals they want to take pictures of or just enjoy nature.

Camouflage ribbon is a fun way to bring the outside in doors. This adorable nursery is decorated in all camouflage fabric.  I love looking at home décor magazines.  Most of us don’t have the budget to purchase everything they see in these pictures of room redecorating.

But you can add your own personal touches to a baby’s room with camouflage ribbon on items like pillow cases, and curtains.  Purchase earth tone fabrics and make blankets and curtains then trim them or swag them with camouflage ribbon.

Decorative ribbon has so many uses.  Ribbon can be used to dress up a basket and give it a whole new look.  It can also personalize an Easter basket or transform it into a storage basket for craft items on your little artist’s desk.

This simple wicker basket is lovely with the mixture of several types of pink ribbon.

Baby pink satin ribbon looks so sweet with the pink and white gingham checked ribbon in two shades then add a delicate pink grosgrain and polka dot ribbon in the copy this look.  Tie the tiny bows and hot glue them on the basket all the way around.  If you wish to wrap the handle with ribbon also, then do it first so your bows can hide the ends of the ribbon you have hot glued down.

Teaching kids to keep their things organized at an early age will help them later on in school.  Be sure to provide many ways for your little ones to store their crafts and toys.