Decorative Packaging

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.

Don’t wait till the last minute to pick up goodies for your Valentine.  Starts making a list of all her favorite things then pick up a small taste of several of them.  This basket has several premium candies in it, but you could include her favorite lotions or perfume as well.

If you add some decorative shreds to the basket, your presentation will be as sweet as the candy inside.  And who wouldn’t love a plush little teddy bear to cuddle.  Don’t forget to add some holiday ribbon to the basket to make it “POP”.  By adding ribbon bows to the candy it accents them without covering them up.

Putting a lot of thought into your gift means more than the amount of money you spend on it.  Make a date for dinner, and give her the basket at dinner.  Smiles will definitely be on the menu for the evening.

February is national wear red day to raise awareness for heart disease.  Heart disease kills more women each year than all cancers combined. February 3 is the national Wear Red Day.  Wearing a red awareness ribbon is one way you can be sure you have red on this day.

I think that the only red clothing I have all have a Christmas scene on them.  Unless I manage to buy something new to wear for this day, I will be using red ribbon to participate.  I could crochet a red scarf and hat from yarn or red knitting ribbon too.

The whole purpose is to bring awareness to heart disease. You can raise money for medical research and to help promote the education of communities.  This money can help fund programs to teach school children how eat healthy and live healthier lives so they can live longer with heart healthy lives.

Contact the American Heart Association to find out where you can help locally.  You can click this link and get free resources to print flyer’s and posters to help you get started on your fundraising event.  http://goredforwomen.org/wearredday/resources/

Making awareness ribbon is easy; all you need is red ribbon and mini gold safety pins.  You can make ribbons and sell them for an agreed amount then donate all the money to a local division of the American Heart Association.

Indoor weddings or outdoor weddings would both benefit from this style of decorating.  I love an isle that is candle lit, but it also bothers me that a catastrophe may happen with all that fabric and fire.  These little galvanized buckets make beautiful little floral arrangements to decorate the center aisle for a wedding.

If you are a do it yourself bride, you can pick these mini buckets up for as little as $2.00 each. Place a floral oasis in the bottom if you choose to use fresh flowers like these lovely carnations.  Add the flowers and some greenery with baby’s breath of course then.  These country white chairs look so sweet with the satin ribbon or taffeta ribbon bows that attach the buckets to the chair.

If the budget is small, then you could put them on every other row, or every two rows.  You may even choose to use this for the first few rows where immediate family will sit, and then tulle bows on the other chairs.

I have never seen a baby shower wreath. If you can make a diaper cake for a baby shower then why not make a diaper wreath for a baby shower? This is such a cute and unique idea!

Like any wreath, begin with a wreath form, or you can roll up a fleece baby blanket and diaper pin the ends together to make a circle. Open the diapers and fold them around the blanket. I would use rubber bands to secure each diaper until you can tie a length of curling ribbon around the top.  Continue securing all the diapers until you have completed the ring.

Baby shower ribbon can be used to secure little baby needs around the wreath.  By using the blanket instead of the wreath form, the whole wreath is now usable for the baby.

This can be a centerpiece or hung as a wreath.

Are you planning a wedding in the fall?  Is the groom to-be and avid hunter?  Her is a cute way to add a little surprise for him and still keep with the tradition of the groom tossing the garter.

This doesn’t have to match your wedding colors, no one will see it until after the wedding, but the groom will appreciate the fact that you are aware of his hobbies and interests and included his favorite hobby into your wedding day.

When you choose your garter, pick up some camouflage ribbon and add it to the embellishment of the band.  You can sew it on with little gathers and ruffles.  It will only take a few minutes.  But He will remember it for a life time!

Planning a head for special occasions is always a great idea.  There are certain occasions that you know will always happen.  Planning ahead with ribbon is just like planning ahead by buying greeting cards in bulk to save money.

You will always have friends or family getting married, and then there will always be baby showers to go to.  You can buy ribbon with broad phrases on them like “Congratulations on your wedding”, “For your bundle of joy”, “Happy Birthday”,  “Merry Christmas”, “It’s a boy”, “It’s a girl”,  “Baked with love”, any statement that conveys the sentiment wit out being specific to limit the use to only one occasion.

Stock up on baby shower ribbon in pink and blue then you will be ready for the blessed event.  Now is the time to stock up on custom printed ribbon and personalized ribbon and make your gift wrapping extra special.  Your friends will marvel at your ability to have the perfect ribbon for any occasion.

Candles add warmth and ambiance to any room.  They add romance and holiday sentiments to your dining table.  You can easily spend a fortune on candles.  There are candle parties, designer candles, candle stores, burnable candles, nonburnable candles, huge candles, tea lite candles, tall narrow taper candles, and large multi wick pillar candles.  I love all candles and all the many fragrances.

When things are on a budget, you can add a beautiful glow to your table with inexpensive glass votive jars, and any votive candle you have.  A little creativity and time and a few seasonal items can add warmth and a festive flair to your place setting.

This corn-husk embellished votive help set a traditional table, reminding us of the very first primitive Thanksgiving celebration.

You will need: Cutting mat, Ruler, Utility knife, dried corn-husks, Double-sided tape, Votive holders, Organic Cotton Ribbon, Scissors

Place your items on a cutting mat or board; use the sharp utility knife to cut the fattest end of the dry corn-husk to the height of your glass votive gar.  You can use fresh or store bought corn husks.  Wrap double-stick tape around the glass votive, about 1/4 inch from the bottom.  Place 2 or 3 corn-husks, overlapping the edges, to the holder. Finish by tying with an organic cotton ribbon.

There are so many different ways to add little decorative touches to your Thanksgiving table.  Napkin rings are a simple way to add a unique loving touch.  Decorative ribbon can transform a solid black linen napkin into a beautiful festive accent to the plate.  Your kids will love to help you with this too.  This will teach them the art of serving and homemaking at the same time.

Choose a ribbon that compliments your theme.  If you use a printed napkin, then you will want to use a solid color ribbon.  Cut the ribbon about 20 inches long.  Trim the ribbon ends diagonally.  Wrap the ribbon around a rolled linen napkin and thread the ribbon ends through the bead or beads.  Make sure to keep the ends even.

There are so many cute ways to accent your napkins and I know that this has nothing to do with ribbon, I just thought it was so cute for Thanksgiving.  It requires some planning ahead or friends that eat a lot of chicken breast.  Save the wish bone from the chicken, clean and dry well.  Then spray paint them a complimentary color to suit your dinner ware and use it to secure the napkins.  You can write the year on them and let it be a guest favor if you wish.

Thanksgiving is a fun holiday.  Families have all sorts of traditions that make it unique to their own family.  We all have a common focus for the holiday of being thankful for all the many blessings we all have.  Some families have certain foods that are expected each Thanksgiving.  Other families may not focus on the food as much as the fellowship and just have a pitch in buffet.  Sometimes that works best if you have a very large family.  Sometimes families like to watch a traditional parade or holiday movie to kick off the holidays.  And if you are a sports family, there are plenty of food ball games on that day.

But whatever you do, don’t forget the meaning of the holiday.  We forget how the first Thanksgiving was likely spent and it’s important for us to have this reminder.  We have friends that have a re-enactment of the pilgrims with the Indians and the very first Thanksgiving feast.

This organic cotton or green ribbon used to hold the linen napkin in place can be used as a headdress later.  This napkin ring is a head start to that activity.  Let the kids be creative.  Select a length of ribbon long enough to generously go around a child head with a nice length of tails after tying. Cut a slit in the center of the ribbon just wide enough to slip the feather in.  Place a small amount of floral tape on the back side to prevent the feather from slipping.  Now your little Indians are almost ready for the play.  You can also make paper pilgrim hats for boys and girls and decorate the center of the table with so the kids can choose if they want to be an Indian or a pilgrim.