Decorative Packaging

Decorative ribbon, scrap book paper, tagging supplies and aluminum pie tins all used together can look similar to this.  It only takes a few minutes extra to make gift giving and eye opening experience!  You have taken the time to make your goodies with love so why not package them the same way? 

This could be a neat way to take cookies or a pie to a teacher to show your appreciation for spending time with your child to educate them.  Everyone has a mail carrier or other service people that are a part of your everyday life that could use a little extra encouragement. 

I mentioned in another blog about making one of these in a casserole tin, you can do matching ones for the dessert.  Simply place your treat inside and place the card board lid over it and press down the sides.  Glue decorative paper to the top in the shape of the lid.  Then add any decorative ribbon to the top with trimmed ends and finish off with a bow

Do you have the gift of hospitality?  Maybe you don’t think that you do but perhaps you have taken a dinner to a family whose mom is sick, or recovering from some type of procedure.  Maybe you have taken a hot dish to the home of a family who is in mourning.  Maybe you just made a double batch of a casserole and wanted to share it with a college student or new bride.  Maybe your husband volunteered you to bring a hot dish to his food ball party he was invited to…These are all using the gift of hospitality. 

Here is a fun way to decorate a simple aluminum casserole dish to deliver your warm meal in.  By using aluminum dishes for sharing food, it makes it much easier on the person receiving the gift.  They don’t have to worry about washing it, or returning it to the right person. 

Most stores sell these pans in packages of 2-4 with the foil/cardboard lids.   The decoration is very simple.  Cut a piece of decorative paper from your scrap booking stuff, and tie a wide ribbon around it tied with a simple square knot.  Don’t forget to cut the ends nicely. If this gift is for a sporting event party, you could use sports ribbon to make the bow and the guys would appreciate the gesture.

This is cute idea for a table cloth would look wonderful on a country breakfast nook table.  Choose your favorite colors of ribbon and a solid table cloth in a complimentary color.  Perhaps you have a favorite linen cloth that has some stains on it but it has sentimental value, this is a creative way to disguise the stain or worn spot and still be useful.

You can tack the ribbon to the cloth at every intersection, like quilting with yarn.  You can pin the ribbon in place and then sew it all down.  It will be much quicker to simply make a cross stitch in each cross weave to secure the ribbon from slipping. 

 Use a variety of ribbon for a real country look.  Don’t be afraid to mix striped ribbon with polka dot ribbon.  If you stay with the same few colors, you can use any combination of styles and texture to create a beautiful conversation piece.

Framed Ribbon Pocket Board

I love the detail in old picture frames.  The problem is that what is in the frame is usually faded or unrecognizable.  Now I can have the frame and let it be useful too.  I found a way to transform a flea-market picture frame into a great type of bulletin board.  You won’t use push pins, the ribbon pockets will hold your things.

Once you have made it, and hang it, the wall display lets you show off favorite pictures, postcards, recipes or notes. You can use it by your desk and help sort your bills or greeting cards to mail on time.  Gardeners can even store seed packets or colorful keepsakes.

Matting the Frame

Cut a mat board to fit your frame. Cut additional strips of mat board to the same width as the frame. To create a decorative look, glue decorative ribbon to the top edge of each strip. Experiment with animal print ribbon and make some for dorm rooms. Working from top to bottom, create “pockets” by gluing the bottom edge of the strips to the board with hot glue. Overlap strips as you go. Fit the mat into the frame and secure it to the back of the frame with hot glue or a few brads.

What is one of the most frustrating things you deal with when you are trying to have picnic or outside cook out?  Besides ants thinking we brought the food just for them, or the bees flying into our pop, the one thing that drives me crazy that I can actually do something about is when the wonderful breeze blows up the sides and corners of the table cloth. 

Here is a cute idea for corner weights to hold your table cloth down and add a little spring decoration as well.  I love this for so many reason, one is that yellow is my favorite color!  I love polka dots and yellow and white gingham checked ribbon is a great combination of both. 

You will need:  Gingham Checked Ribbon, Table cloth, plastic Easter eggs, Hot glue / double stick tape, hole punch, and hole reinforcements that you would use for note book paper.

The discount stores carry large plastic table cloths for only a dollar or so depending on where you get them. 

Punch a hole in the corners and a few along a long edges if your table is very long, stick the glue backed hole supports on each side and glue them down. ( you can also place packing tape square on each corner both sides, and punch the hole through that)

Fill a plastic egg with sand, a few pieces of gravel, jelly beans or whatever…. It doesn’t have to be very heavy.

Cut a length of ribbon approximately 48 inches long, place a dot of hot glue at the top of the egg and place the center of the ribbon there.  Let glue dry and cool.  Let the ribbon fall down both sides of the egg and twist at the bottom and turn ¼ so you will come back up the opposite sides.  Place a dot of hot glue at the bottom too and hold till dry and cool.  Bring the ribbon ends back up to the top, place a dot of hot glue at the top again and tie a knot, pressing the knot down onto the glue.

Thread one or both ends ( in opposite directions ) of the ribbon through the hole on the cloth and tie a bow! That’s it.  You are finished.  Complete the job all the way around the table and you won’t have to mess with taping the cloth to the table or however you previously secured it.  

Isn’t this a beautiful Easter basket?   It is shaped as a rose so this could easily be a spring basket favor or centerpiece depending on how large you want to make it.  This beautiful rose design disguises a plastic bucket used to mix paint.  You can also use a butter bow, or whatever you have. 

2 1/2-quart mini bucket or bowl, floral color Crepe paper, Hot-glue gun, Green card stock, Gold velvet ribbon, Leaf pattern

Ribbon and Rose Easter Basket

1. With scissors, snip 1/2 inch down from edge of tub and then all around. If there is a ridged edge, trim that off, too. Wrap strip with a 1/2-inch-wide piece of gold paper (cut against the grain along the height). Set aside for handle.
2. Measure depth and circumference of tub and cut piece of pink paper (along the grain) so, when folded, it lines the inside, outside, and bottom of bucket. Crease paper so the fold lines up with lip, and slide onto tub. Cinch paper at the bottom, and secure with daubs of hot glue.
3. Snip 2 slits in the pink paper 1 inch up from the base on the inside of the bucket. Load up ends of handle with generous amounts of hot glue, slide through slits, and press to secure to tub.
4. To create inside ruffle, cut pink paper, slightly rounding the ends. Place inside tub, and stretch upper edge of paper to create ruffled look. Use a pattern to make exterior petals out of more pink paper, and glue to side. Cut 2 green leaves out of card stock or felt, and glue to base of tub.
5. Add decorative shreds or Easter grass and candy.
6. If you use a butter bowl without a handle, you can easily make one with wired ribbon by hot gluing it to the insides of the basket before you place the crepe paper petals inside.

Decorative packaging doesn’t have to be complicated.  You can personalize any gift bag or box to fit your occasion.  Any package can have the “WOW” factor and it only takes a few minutes longer.  You can give an impressively wrapped gift and stay within anyone’s budget.

Buying in bulk at wholesale prices is the first key to saving money.  These mini gift bags are made from card stock weight durable paper.  Purchase wholesale ribbon to fit your occasion too and save even more money.  Select scrap book paper that fits your occasion and cut any shape you like or just a square like the ones in the picture and glue them on the front and back of each bag.  Use decorative ribbon to gather the handles and keep them closed with a festive bow and gift tag. 

Bags like these would be great for party favors, thank you gifts at weddings, or any occasion at all.  When you buy in bulk at whole sale prices, you are prepared for all occasions that pop up when a gift bag is required. 

Choose a 10 yard roll (for each side) of narrow satin ribbon in an accent color to the curtains.

Thread through a large button about 18 inches from one end; then sew smaller buttons on the ribbon randomly.

Wrap the ribbon around the curtain about 4 times or however many times you like until you achieve the desired look.

String another large button at other end. Tack first large button to wall. Drape ribbon around curtain; wind end around the tacked large button, allowing some ribbon to hang.

This is an inexpensive way to add delicate changes to your room while you spring clean.

This is one of the most creative ideas I have seen in a while.  It really caught my eye.  I have a lot of clay pots of all sized but what I don’t have is a variety of cake plates or cupcake displays.  This idea may not be elegant enough for a wedding but it sure is a great idea for parties.

Use small clay pots; glue them with gorilla glue or hot glue or any glue that is for porous surfaces.  You can also use paint-able caulk to glue the two pieces together.   The large saucer clay piece is obviously a drain plate for larger pots. 

When the glue dries, you can paint the clay any color you wish.  If you use a neutral color then you can add ribbon accents to suit the holiday or occasion.  If you painted it white, then add baby shower ribbon bows to the base or to the edge, it would look wonderful at a baby shower to hold all the yummy cupcakes.

I found this super easy way make hanging flower balls or a kissing ball like I have referred to them in previous posts. My daughter must be dropping gentle hints for ideas concerning her wedding.  I’m glad I have plenty of time to prepare for this.

Instead of using an oasis and fresh flowers, or a Styrofoam ball, this idea uses whiffle balls.  This seems much faster and less expensive which is great for this mom! You can get these balls from a discount store in the toy section.  These same stores also have great prices on silk flowers. Satin or sheer ribbon would be a great choice for this project or you can match  it to the taffeta ribbon from your gown.

Begin by heating up the hot glue gun, and cutting the stems very short on the flowers.  Poke the stem into the hole after you have placed a circle of hot glue around the hole.  Hold for a second or two and proceed onto the next one.  Make sure the bottom of the flower is centered in the hole.

When you get to the last two holes, thread the ribbon you intend to hang the ball from through both holes and either tie it off at the base of the ball so that only one ribbon strand suspends the ball or bring both ends up about 12 inches and tie in a knot then into a bow.

Then they can be hung from shepherd hooks down an isle way, or with one ribbon, can be hung from fixtures or table corners.