Ready, Set, Wrap! Rustic Love Holiday Wrap

I originally posted this as a Valentine’s Day gift wrap idea, but it also works for a beautiful holiday gift wrapping design. Enjoy this repost!

Mystery Box Riddle #200!!

Well, I honestly can’t believe it! You may recall that in June of 2019 I launched BOWhemian WRAPsody; a Youtube channel targeting a very specific niche…gift wrapping! I began the channel not really having a clue what I was doing and basically just learned along the way. My goal was to publish 60 videos in my first year. I really had no idea what the time commitment would be and there was no way to predict the response to the gift wrapping tutorials. I dug and with lots of hard work and determination, I published my 68th video in early March…beating my goal by several months!

This was about the same time Covid-19 was beginning to ramp up. I just didn’t feel right about publishing gift wrapping videos when times seemed so ominous. I decided to use my platform and channel to start producing Mystery Box Riddles for children. It seemed like a good option at the time. I would continue to practise what I had already learned about publishing videos, but in a way that seemed to answer a need in a struggling world. With so many teachers and parents grasping for new and innovative ways to engage online learners, I decided the riddles might be a fun way build language and critical thinking skills! So here I am 8 months and 200 Mystery Box Riddles later! I have decided that #200 will in fact be my last riddle. I enjoy making them, but quite honestly I’m finding it harder to come up with the ideas and avoid duplicating what I’ve already done. I figured that 200 was a good number because there are just under 200 days in a school year. Teachers or parents that wish to make the riddles part of their daily routine, can still do so by showing a new riddle each and every day!

I’m not sure how many of my blog followers actually tuned in each day to see if they could solve the riddles, but either way, I thank you for your patience and support! The riddles will remain on my channel and can be accessed at anytime, but there will no longer be regular publications. Who knows, maybe I will create new ones here and there, but at this point there is no plan to do so.

So, what will become of the channel? I’m not exactly sure. I plan to dabble in gift wrapping tutorials again, but I’m not yet certain of my long term plans. I will probably begin to re-share some of the many Christmas tutorials from last year as well.

With that said, here is the final episode of Mystery Box Riddles.

Mystery Box Riddle #199

ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS #3!

REPOST: TOP 10 HOLIDAY WRAPPING HACKS & TIPS (Originally posted December 2019)

Invest in a few more expensive gift embellishments.

1. Designate one paper design to each member of your family! I sometimes do this and completely omit the tags. I purchase a roll of a paper for each member of my immediate family. This saves the hassle of tagging and prevents them from peeking, as there are no names on the gifts! I use other random papers for gifts that will be leaving our house…extended family, friends and co-workers.

2. Budget hack: Invest in a few more expensive gift embellishments, but reserve them for immediately family. This allows you to re-use them year after year.

3. Gift Boxes: I have a large tub of gift boxes that I use over and over again. Not only does this mean I always have a stash of boxes, but also that the sizes of boxes I use are pretty standard. I have a variety of styles, so that once under the tree, they are not all typical shirt boxes. I also wrap with varied focal points, so some are off centre or even positioned vertically to add interest.

4. Good quality ribbon can get very pricey. By using the same boxes from year to year, I can actually re-use my ribbon/embellishments as well. In fact, sometimes I just slide on a previously tied ribbon with decorative elements still tied on from the year before. (PS When you do buy new ribbon…wait for the 70% sale!)

5. The paper gets recycled once gifts are opened, but everything reusable is kept. (Ribbon, gift decorations and even the tags!) My paper changes. but I am often able to incorporate my gift decor complete with attached tags, from Christmas to Christmas. For example, my daughter might receive a gift in the exact same box with same ribbon, embellishments and tags every year. She doesn’t even realize it because the paper and gift are new! (You know what they say KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid)

6. Everyone loves a TAB TOP surprise! Save your tab top cans (Eagle Brand milk) and create a fun opening experience! Follow the link to check out my video to see how it’s done!

7. Now that I’m wrapping for tutorials, I obviously don’t do this, but for years, my strategy was always the same. I would spend hours wrapping every last gift. NO TAGS. NO RIBBON. NO EMBELLISHMENTS. I would simply print the name on the underside of the gift (tiny so it really wasn’t noticeable). I would “decorate” the gifts on a totally separate day.  I would take out my stash of previously used ribbon and embellishments and re-use as much as possible. This would often just entail a few minor adjustments and perhaps (but not necessarily) a new tag. I would then create new looks for gifts that could not work with items from my previous creations due to size or colour. This method saves lots of time and money.

8.  STOCKING STUFFERS: (This isn’t necessarily a wrapping tip, but I always wrap every gift in the stocking!) I always try to include a variety of items in the stockings. I try to get at least one item per category: Something to WEAR, EAT, READ, USE, and DO. I will often use the dollar store metallic paper and/or decorative tissue to wrap stocking items. I find these papers to be super pliable and easy to work with. For example, you can easily wrap a pair of socks without a box because the paper is flexible and simple to work with. I will be posting some tutorials of how I wrap stocking stuffers using this dollar store paper over the next few days, so stay tuned. 

9.  Wrapping Paper Cutter – I just got two of these to help with my wrapping. They work great, but don’t fit around larger paper rolls. Most of my rolls are standard size, so it’s fine, but something to be aware of if you consider purchasing one. The paper cutters make a nice straight cut and are easy to use….love them!  They work well for storing paper as well, but then you’d need one for every roll. I use my DIY toilet paper roll storage system and just reserve the blades for cutting.

10. Upcycle and Repurpose anything and everything! Some of my favourites gift wrapping upcycles are jewellery, Christmas Cracker Wired Embellishments and cellophane which I love to use to make paper flower style bows. 

Hopefully you’ll find some of these tips helpful….Happy wrapping!

Mystery Box Riddle #198

ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS #2!

gift wrapping

REPOST: Gift Wrapping Tips: Post 1 (Original post December 5, 2013)

I love to decorate gifts. Back in the “olden days” when I didn’t have so much on my plate, I would be done my Christmas shopping by the end of October and be completely wrapped and ready to go by the end of November. I’ve come to accept that my years of getting all my shopping done early are over. I now to do most of my shopping online and tend to leave the bulk of it until Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I still try to support local when possible, but have definitely been sucked in by the convenience of shopping from home. I’ve never been much of a shopper (other than thrift stores of course). I’m not a browser and wouldn’t think of going to the mall just “for something to do”. When I go shopping I’m generally on a mission, with a list in hand. It just does nothing for me.

Regardless of how early I complete my shopping, I always use the same system for wrapping.

  • Basically, I wrapped all the gifts in one sitting (or at least most of them). This might take me several hours, but I find it works best for me. Binge wrap!
  • I do not add any ribbons, bows, tags or embellishments at this time. I simply choose paper, wrap and then write the person’s name (very small) on the bottom of the gift.
  • This allows me to stack and store oodles of gifts without having to compensate for the bows.  
  • I then set aside another block of time (several hours) and set to work decorating each gift. I love to do this and I thought I’d share a few of my favourite tricks!

Wrapping on a Budget

First of all, I spend very little on wrapping paper and embellishments. I always purchase materials when Christmas stuff is on clearance. I often pick up beautiful wire rimmed ribbon at Michael’s for up to 90% off. I also purchase many of the items I use from the dollar store. It’s all about how the items are used and combined with other elements. The example I am sharing today includes mostly dollar store items.

For this particular project, I used dollar store wrapping paper and dollar store wire rimmed ribbon. I can’t remember if I bought the wire holly garland and metallic shreds at the dollar store or not, but probably.  I had both on hand from last year.

I tend to use primarily wire rimmed ribbon. I will occasionally use the curly ribbon, but most often to dress-up the embellishment a bit. I wrapped the gift with one band of ribbon and tied a nice big bow. (Did you know a BOW on a gift represents family ties and the fact that we should be tied together in bonds of goodwill?) I then slipped a bit of metallic shreds beneath the bow. The shreds are not silver or gold, but rather that clear “opalescent” look. (Don’t you love that word?)  I love how it just punches up the bow and seems to fill the dead space a bit. I then like to take a 6 to 8 inch piece of wire garland and slide it under the shreds and then twist it on top of the bow to hold everything in place. I like to leave the ends of the wire garland sticking out. This look is really easy to achieve and yet takes a simple ribbon and bow and kicks it up a notch. I often choose gift tags with a string. I just prefer the “hanging” look over stickers. Such is the case with this tag. I just looped it over the wire garland.

You already know how obsessed I am with re-using and re-purposing items, so I am sure you won’t be all that surprised to know that I collect the ribbons and bows on Christmas morning and re-use many of them the following year. I have even been known to leave the tags attached and use it for the same person. Thus, my stash of beautiful ribbons and bows does not need to be replenished that often.

ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS #1! Cellophane Bows

I decided to dive into the archives throughout December and do some re-posting! I certainly hope to including some new posts as well, but watch for my daily posts about ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS…mostly a trip down memory lane re-visiting posts from Decembers past!

Gift Wrapping Tips: Post 2 (original post December 8, 2013)

I love all things pretty, but am also very frugal. Cellophane is one of my secret weapons when it comes to making gifts look great on a budget. Of course, you can pick-up a roll for a buck and get numerous bows out of one roll.

cellophane

I purchase printed cellophane, solid colours and also love the look of the clear.

 Cellophane Bows:

    • Purchase dollar store cellophane and cut off 2 to 3 strips. I generally make my strips the about 4 inches wide and the length is equal to that of the width of the roll.  The size can be altered to fit the size of the gift you are decorating.
      cut cellophane strips

      This bow was made with only two strips of cellophane.

    • Stack the strips.
    • Scrunch up the strips in the center so that the entire strip is gathered together in the center. (You know, similar to the tissue flowers we made back in the 70’s!) The YouTube video gives a great tutorial for making the tissue flowers, but these are much easier. Less layers, no folding (just scrunch), no trimming the ends to form a petal shape and less to pull apart after.
      Scrunch up cellophane

      Scrunch up the cellophane in the center of the strip, until the entire length of the strip has been gathered up.

    • With the center pinched tightly, tie a string or ribbon around the cellophane to secure it in the middle . You can tie it onto the gift at this stage or after the flower has been pulled apart. Regardless, the final step is to pull the layers of cellophane apart to create a very full looking cellophane flower.

I always incorporate a few other things to finish off the gift. In this case, the final look was made with these three items:

The thing I like best about cellophane is that you can create any kind of look you want depending on the colours and patterns you use. The ribbon and other embellishments can make you gift look fun or elegant, depending on what kind of look you are going for. Get creative and see what you can add to your gifts to dress-up a simple cellophane bow!

 

Mystery Box Riddle #197

Mystery Box Riddle #196

Front Porch Decor: A Wintery Welcome!

a wintery welcome

Last spring/summer, I was on a mission to give our front porch a facelift. It is a beautiful outdoor space, but I had never taken anytime to make it anything more than a place to sit. The overhaul involved several DIY projects and repurposing items we already had. I was really pleased with how it turned and we spent lots of time truly enjoying the new porch decor over the summer months. However, when fall rolled around, I quickly realized that the design was much more suitable for summer and that I would need to somehow “winterize” the look.

Over the past few months, I haven’t had much time for projects, but I did spend several hours gathering ideas and materials. Last weekend, I finally took the time and pulled many of them together to create a new look for winter and Christmas. I didn’t want it too be too Christmassy because I really didn’t want to have to rethink the space when the holidays are over. I think I managed to create a look that has a hint of Christmas, but with a few minor changes, it can transition into a look that will last the entire winter.

To achieve the look, I incorporated some of the pieces that I had used in my summer porch design such as the milk can and the Welcome sign. I may make a Christmas sign at some point, but for now this will work.

I had originally made this rustic tree branch tree for my front porch, but in the end, loved it so much that I decided to place it in the living room because our main tree is always set-up in the dining room where there is more room. We have a wood burning fireplace in the living room and having a smaller tree in this space will be perfect. (It is yet to be moved as we won’t be getting our live Christmas tree until next weekend!)

Pallet Trees:

I love the look of pallet Christmas trees and decided to pick some up through Kijiji. Although there are many places that offer them for free, I ended up purchased two for $30. That might seem silly but they were already stained a dark brown colour and there were no spaces between the planks, so there were plenty of planks to work with.

  1. The first thing I needed to do was dismantle the pallets. This is never a fun job, but I opted for what I deem to be the simplest solution. Use a sawzall!

2. Once the pallets were taken apart, I began to cut, build and assemble. I followed this tutorial from Funky Junk Interiors. I absolutely love the tree she created with old fencing, but I didn’t have the time or energy to recreate the look. The tutorial is super easy to follow and the only change I made was making the bottom plank on my largest tree larger so that the finished tree would be taller. I was on a bit of a roll and ended up making two larger trees for my front porch as well as three smaller ones…and I still have wood left.

3. Once my trees were built, I opted to finish off the look by adding some white using the “dry brush” technique. (Dry brushing is really just what it implies…you add a very sparse amount of paint using a very dry brush and apply it with very light strokes. This may also mean removing some of the paint you put on brush before actually applying it to the surface of your project. I will often use a scrap piece of cardboard to brush off the excess paint before applying it to my project.) Because the pallets were already stained a dark brown, white was the perfect finishing touch. It was well worth the $30 for all the extra planks I got as well as the time saved not having to stain and dry before applying the dry brushed white coat.

Other Elements in the Design:

  • I absolutely love the look of birch and had purchased some birch scrap wood a few weeks back knowing I wanted to somehow incorporate it into my finished project. I decided to use the milk can I already had as a “vase” for the birch. I wrapped the branches in twine, added a simple embellishment and a few sprigs of white “ting” to finish off the arrangement.
  • As mentioned before, I knew that I didn’t want the decor to be too Christmassy, so I aimed at more of a winter look. I found this old rotting sleigh on Kijiji for $30. I scraped and sanded it to removed most of the peeling paint and then gave it two coats of exterior white paint. Once thoroughly dry, I sanded it back to distress it slightly. I also gave the metal gliders a coat of black spray paint in my spray tent. I love the way it turned out. All I added to the sleigh was a plaid blanket that I picked up for a few bucks at a thrift store.
  • The front door holds the rag wreath that I made a few years ago. I still love the white shabby chic look.
Rag Wreath
  • On the opposite side of the front door, I placed a small artificial tree. I decorated it very simply with white lights, pinecones and tufts of white artificial snow. I purposely chose not to use ornaments as I figured the simple wintery look would allow me to leave the display up through the winter. ( I guess I could also use ornaments and then replace them with pinecones/snow after Christmas!?…Maybe next year!)
  • I picked up this beautiful antique speckled pot at an antique sale this fall. I love it and it is the perfect container for the collection of dollar store snowballs!
  • I used scrap wood to create these simple wooden presents that can be removed after Christmas. Once again, I applied white paint using the dry brush technique and then added burlap and twine for a simple rustic look.
  • The finishing touches: To finish off my winter/Christmas vignette, I added a few garage sale finds…..a vintage suitcase, an antique sewing machine drawer filled with pinecones and a very weathered chair (not bad for a $1). I also used a grapevine wreath I had in my basement, a galvanize pitcher and lantern from my summer decor and an antique type writer with the beginnings of a “letter to Santa”. (I will remove the typewriter after Christmas.)

I love the way it all came together in the end. Sometimes it is hard to envision what the finished design will look like. I had so many ideas and items I wanted to incorporate, but really had to wait until I set it up to see what would work and where.

I’m already planning a fall porch design for next year….a back to school theme. I already have something on my “To Do List” for next summer! Yikes!!