Decorative Packaging

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.

Tins are a novel way to promote your product or showcase your gift. Durable and sturdy, our brushed silver tins are reusable and designed to last many years.

These tins are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Some are shaped to hold CDs, while others are large enough to hold a host of trinkets or mementos. Some lids have a window; some are solid metal.

The lids are printable. A fresh presentation idea is a clear walled paint bucket. They are reusable and the handle creates a handy tote. Paint buckets are available in 3 sizes: 3 ½ dia x 3 ½ h, 4 dia x 5 h, 5 dia x 6 1/3 h. Sold in cases of 10, prices start at $3.18 each.

For more information on these tins, CLICK HERE to contact our customer service department.

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.

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.

Does your sweetie have a sweet tooth?  Why not make special chocolate dipped candies and cookies and decoratively package them in a special way for Valentine’s Day.  If cooking isn’t your thing, then buy small portions of gourmet delicacies. They don’t have to be expensive treats, but just stuff that isn’t something they would randomly have as a treat for every day.

This tower of boxes is a beautiful way to present your sweets.  You could use plain boxes and wrap them with decorative paper or buy painted boxes.  Decorative tins come in all sizes too.  Use graduated sizes and shapes too. Stack them up and choose a decorative satin ribbon to add the dramatic finishing touch.

These pretty colors would be great for anyone.  If your Valentine is a sports fan, then why not use the team colors for the boxes and alternate the dark and light then use a sports ribbon for the bow.  The ribbon doesn’t have to be tight, you can use one length of ribbon or two so that ribbon reaches up all four sides and ends in a beautiful bow.

Gingham Checked Ribbon and Gingham Shirt

Here is an original idea for wrapping!  This is like getting three gifts in one.  If your friend or family member likes plaid or gingham checked shirts they will love it, if not, I guess it can be a gag gift.  But the idea is still very creative and pretty in its own way.

This is the perfect way to wrap a gift for a friend who is a faithful recycler and only uses eco friendly items.  They will marvel at your resourcefulness.  Be sure to use a cotton shirt if this is the reason you are wrapping like this.

This idea would be patriotic if you used blue and white gingham checked ribbon to attach little bows in the corners instead of the broach.  It would also look very sloppy if you did not iron this shirt first.  You can even pick up shirts at the thrift store to save money.

Winter has officially arrived in my neck of the woods.  It has finally started snowing, and temperatures are frigid.  As much as we try to stay warm, it seems to chill to the bone on those days when we have to be out in it.  Most of us have to go out in the cold every day for work, or to take the kids to school.

Some of us are able to stay home most of the time or part time with the kids.  This is a great idea to surprise a friend, bus driver, or mail man with. Any jar will work but these types of jars are available at hobby stores for very inexpensive prices.  You can be a blessing to several people with one recipe.  When they come in from the cold they can mix up a cup of hot chocolate and unthaw from the inside out!

Here is a recipe for hot chocolate mix that would be wonderful to mix up and put into jars.  Include the recipe on a gift tag. The gingham checked ribbon around the top adds a touch of country home made love.

HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

1 box powdered milk (8 qt. size)
1 lb. powdered sugar
11 oz. Coffee Mate (store brand is fine) If you like mint, try using peppermint mocha…
1 lb. Nestle Quick mix

Mix well in large bowl and store in canister. Use 5 heaping teaspoons per cup of hot water.

If you like mint, try using peppermint mocha creamer, I have also used French vanilla creamer for a richer taste.  Another way to add a yummy twist is to make the original hot cocoa mix but include some individual wrapped white chocolate mint candies to melt into each cup.  This way you can please the whole family.

Here is a fun idea for packaging.  Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we all know someone that could use a little love by remembering them on this day.  The red and white theme can be for Christmas or Valentine’s Day.

Coordinate your candies and the basic ribbon color you have chosen to embellish the gift.  I have seen this type of candy in just about any color.  Cotton candy would also be cute in little baggies.  Your college student will be a big hit on campus when they open the box and see all the goodies to share.

These yummy melt-away mints are light and provide the same protection as the Styrofoam peanuts without all the static mess and recycle mess.  The packing material is useful and no need to dispose of it, just share them with friends.

Perhaps you don’t need to protect a glass item from breaking, but simply to stop an object from clunking around in the box while shipping, these candies are perfect.

Floral ribbon or plaid ribbon can dress up any plain paper, even this brown mailing paper.  This beautiful green plaid ribbon could easily be used for St. Patrick’s Day surprises or any occasion at all.  Stocking up on a wide variety of decorative ribbon will insure that you are prepared to wrap anything for any occasion.

Adding embellishments like flowers or bows is always welcomed.  These flowers could have come off of a hair bow, or floral arrangement.  My mom has a purse that has a flower on it like the small gift on top.  It looks much prettier as a gift topper than it does on that purse.   Sorry mom!

Wrapping a round box isn’t difficult.  Just lay ribbon out in a cross pattern, and sit the box down on top, bring the ends up and tie in a knot, then a bow.

This gift looks as if they planned it to look like this instead of a last minute way to wrap a gift when you have no paper. A decorative package is much more fun to receive than an ugly one.  So Be creative when you are wrapping!  And Have fun!

Have you ever received a gift that was wrapped in expensive designer wrapping paper?  I have and always felt very special to think someone would wrap something for me in such expensive paper.  I cannot afford the expensive paper so I am always on the hunt for imaginative ways to wrap in a way that it looks expensive but doesn’t break the budget.

If you have a box of crayons then you can make this very artistic gift wrap yourself.  You will need six sheets of tissue paper, two pieces of wax paper the same size as the tissue paper, and your favorite Crayola colors and an iron.

Remove the paper from the crayons and use a crayon sharpener to make piles of shavings.  Let the shavings fall in separate piles so you can distribute them where you want them.  Place the crayon shavings between the tissue paper.  (Three on top and three on bottom) Then place wax paper on the bottom and the top.  Set your iron to medium heat with no steam.  Then begin ironing the paper with constant pressure until the crayons have melted.  The wax paper will preserve your iron from any seepage.

Let the paper cool off and wrap your gift. Don’t forget to include a beautiful satin ribbon and equally beautiful and creative bow to complete your artistic masterpiece.