We just had birthday season in our family… we have the occasional lone birthday but mostly it seems like they come in clusters. It’s funny how that happens, so naturally I thought this would be a perfect time to share my passion of gift wrapping! Confession time: I am that person who used to spend a TON of money on gift wrapping supplies. I quickly realized how silly it was to be spending so much, not to mention the headache keeping my various gift wrapping supplies organized. It was crazy but no longer!
If you follow my blog you know I have a big thing for kraft paper, it’s so versatile and CHEAP! When it comes to kraft paper I prefer the really thin cheap stuff. You can’t beat kraft paper at the Dollar Tree, it’s $1 and easy to work with – a total win! I decided for this year’s birthday season I’d just decorate the packages with stuff I already had around my house.
It was really fun and helped me clear out my overwhelming amount of left over craft supplies. I made a point to photo of each gift before it was sent on its way, most of these ideas are pretty easy to understand. I did however break a few complicated ones down into steps.
PAPER CUT OUTS WITH LEFTOVER PAPER
I love paper crafts which means I always have little bits of paper left over. Use various paper punches to come up with fun designs and shapes. No bow needed here but still lots of fun!
YARN WRAPPED WITH A POM POM BOW
We’ve all got a bundle of yarn stashed away don’t we? You can easily turn that yarn into a festive package. Wrap the yarn around, the messier the better, and simply tie on a yarn pom pom. Simply wrap the yarn around your fingers until it’s thick enough to your liking, carefully remove from fingers and tie off with another strip of yarn, cut the bottom, and fluff. Thank you Ashley for being my fabulous hand model.
A BALLOON BOUQUET BOW
Any time you have a few leftover balloons save them, or stock up at the Dollar Store. Take a bundle of yarn or twine and tape it to your package. Blow the balloons up just slightly and tie them together. I tied the ends of 2 together, the other 3 together, and twisted the ends together. Secure with liquid glue or tape.
LEFTOVER CANDLES
It seems we’ve always got too many candles or not enough, either way I’m always buying them! Create a cheerful gift wrap by gluing candles right on your gift. Have a small puddle of liquid glue, lightly dip the candle, and let dry. Get creative creating flames, anything from pom poms, yarn, or paper will work. Gift wrap lovers like me be sure and find a Happy Birthday stamp!
LOTS OF POM POMS
Ok years ago I bought some bags of pom poms and they’re still going strong. Glue them down, add a simple bow, and poof – fabulous! This makes for a quick gift wrap if you have a hot glue gun on hand.
LEFTOVER RIBBON AND FABRIC SCRAPS
Save every ribbon and fabric scrap! You never know when they might come in handy. Here I used two leftover pieces of lace and a nice strip of ribbon. Use the hot glue gun to shape and glue the ribbon into a floral pattern. So many possibilities!
SAVE SMALL WRAPPING PAPER SCRAPS
Have small amounts of leftover gift wrap? Be sure to save them, it’s a perfect way to jazz up kraft paper. You can come up with endless combinations, add a bow and you’re good to go. You can also use a paper punch for flair.
WEAVED RIBBON
Got extra ribbon? Then get to weaving! This package was one of my favorites. Depending on how much ribbon you have, measure and cut around your box using different ribbons to create a gorgeous look! I taped the pink ribbon ends together first, keeping them off the paper so I could adjust them. Then I weaved my second ribbon and secured with tape. Add a simple tied bow if desired. Think of all the color combinations you can come up with!
I love how a beautifully wrapped gift adds excitement and festivity. Just recently my sister had a birthday and she texted me “thanks for the present you sent me. It’s too pretty to open, so I’ve just been staring at it. It makes me happy”. To me that says it all! The outside of a package is part of the gift too!
You probably noticed most of these birthday gifts were girl themed. Yeah, this birthday season was all girl, boy birthday season comes in the winter and I’m already excited ha! Be sure to check out my Gold Painted Gift Wrap too, it’s simple and perfect for the holidays. Now go grab some cheap kraft paper and have some fun!