Decorative Packaging

Every summer I work as a camp counselor at Camp Scoopachop in Southwest Maine. And, at the end of every summer it seems like most of the kids are complaining that the strings that tie their sleeping bags together have broken. The kids are left to hulk their bulky bags home wrapped in trash bags, or dragging along the dirt road leading to the parking lot where their parents pick them up.

This summer I had a novel idea–why not grab some of the bulk elastic cord stored in the camp’s arts and crafts shed to use to secure the kids’ sleeping bags into neat rolls! First, I tried my idea out with my cabin. The kids loved it, and they even decorated the plain, white elastic cord with marking pens and glitter. Soon enough the other counselors were asking me how to make the elastic sleeping bag cords. By the end of the summer even the kids who didn’t need them were using the elastic cord! I even won the award for “the best original arts and crafts project!”

Kids love arts and crafts. And, during the dreary dark days of Fall and Winter, there’s nothing more satisfying than watching your kids sit quietly, working on a project at the kitchen table. With Halloween coming up why not prepare in advance a couple of arts and craft projects for your kids to work on during those days when it’s too windy and rainy to play outside. The following instructions will give you all the information you need to be able to make glue ghosts and milk container pumpkins with your kids. Read the rest of this entry »

     Autumn is upon us. It’s time for breezy, nippy days; chili suppers; crunching golden leaves beneath your shoes. It’s time for evenings curled up under a warm blanket with a good book and a cup of tea. I love the changing of seasons. Everything becomes new again. Things I grew weary of just six months ago, when the chill of winter began to drain me, now seem inviting and welcoming; like something familiar yet fresh.

     Maybe I will pull out a favorite book I haven’t read for a while. Maybe the one about the pioneer woman heading west in a covered wagon. She’s hardworking and passionate; resilient and graceful. The cover is worn and old, but the story is like an intimate friend you miss and long to spend some time with. Inside I’ve tucked away an encouraging bookmark with words of hope. The bookmark tassel is a golden yellow, like the fall leaves drifting to the ground, just outside my window.

When you’re willing to admit you have a problem, you are on the road to recovery. That is the basic premise of every self-help/addiction or “anonymous” group I’ve ever heard of. Well, I know I have a compulsion for something that could possibly destroy my happy home, and I need help!

When I started scrap-booking, it was just something I wanted to do in order to display the stacks and stacks of family photos I had in boxes, cabinets and utter disarray. I never imagined it could take over my life. This is a warning to anyone who has a tendency to be an overachiever, perfectionist, or obsessive compulsive in the least. Scrap-booking isn’t something to dabble in. You can’t just create a couple masterpiece pages and then put it away. It will become an obsession you cannot shake, no matter how hard you try.

It has been almost 36 hours since I last cut ribbon, used a glue stick, stamped or embellished paper…I can do this!

An English inventor, Thomas Hancock, founded the British Rubber Industry. He invented a machine called the masticator, which basically shredded rubber scraps, enabling the scraps to be re-purposed.

In 1820, Hancock patented fastening devices for gloves, suspenders and shoes, made from elastic. The masticator allowed Hancock to manufacture his elastic products without wasting the rubber scraps.

Today elastic is used in millions of products. Its ability to be stretched and then return to its original shape and size makes it a valuable packaging commodity, as well. Elastic cord is just one example of a packaging product which might not exist without the ingenuity of Thomas Hancock.

Making a decorative bow takes practice. Here are some basic steps to get you started:

1. Select your ribbon. Choose a ribbon in the color and width for the type of bow you are trying to create. This will depend upon what you will be putting the bow on, when it is complete.

2. Make sure you have enough ribbon. Package bows require around 45 inches of ribbon per bow.

3. Measure six inches from the end of your 45 inch ribbon. Mark this spot with your left thumb and forefinger. Use your right hand to fold under the next 6 inches of ribbon, making a 3 inch loop that ends at your thumb and forefinger. Hold onto the loop with with your thumb and forefinger.

4. Make a second 3 inch loop in the same manner. Repeat step the loop-making process with two 8 inch, two 9 inch, and two 10 inch lengths of ribbon, making 4, 4.5 and 5 inch loops.

5. Place a piece of floral wire, around 20 inches long, between you left thumb and ribbon loops, make sure the wire is center, with about 10 inches on each side.

6. Use your right hand to bend the floral wire around the back of the ribbon loops and twist it together five times. Trim the excess or use it to secure the bow to the package.

7. Fluff and arrange the bow. Trim the ribbon tails with diagonal cuts.

When I look back at my childhood Christmases, it isn’t the expensive gifts that I remember most. In fact, if you ask me what the biggest most impressive gift I ever received was, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t remember what was underneath the pretty paper. I don’t even remember making a list of toys, hoping against hope I would get that doll that wet itself and chewed its food. I remember the smell of apple pie, the laughter and the red ribbon.

It’s the little things at Christmas which make the biggest impression. How easy it is to get caught up in the pre-holiday rush and forget to take the time to stop and take-in the rich colors, aromas and sounds of the weeks leading up to December 25. It may seem as though Christmas is a far off event, but it’s really a sense of wonder you can carry with you all year long.

We all know what we see with our eyes has a lot to do with the purchases we make. This is especially true among female consumers. A nearly identical product wrapped up in prettier, more eye-catching packaging gets automatic bonus points. If pricing is similar, the well-packaged product will make the sale.

With small businesses competing in a global market, via the web, anything that can take your company’s product or service to the next level is an essential part of successful marketing. Whether your selling soy soaps, tube socks, or cookie dough; packaging supplies can help you attract the undecided shopper.

In France, tassels are called passementerie. Adorning curtains, furnishings, graduation caps and even accessories; tassels are an embelishment which can add sophistication that’s a cut above any other decorative trim. Created by skilled craftsmen, the tassel is made through a detailed process which can incorporate different types of thread and even silk floss.

Tassels have a rich history and are said to signify wealth, success, and dignity. Using these decorative wonders to add that extra something special to your home decor, event invitations or anywhere you want to make an impact is a bright idea.

Making creative items with your own two hands is a leisure activity that is both enjoyable and rewarding. Arts and crafts include a wide variety of handmade creations, in fact the possibilities are ever growing.

When beginning a new project or trying your hand at a new type of craft, having a well-stocked tote of craft supplies will make the crafting process more enjoyable and your creative potential boundless.