How to gift-wrap with style

Here are some helpful tips to make a present into a presentation! Stop spending money on impersonal department store wrapping and give your friends and family the gift of style.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Interesting paper- Comic book pages, butcher paper, colorful tissues, art paper, etc.
• Computer with a printer (optional)
• Scissors
• Tape (scotch)
• Rubber cement/glue
• Ribbons, cords, strings, yarn, mardi-gras beads, etc. (anything stringy!)
• Photos, magazine clippings, stamps (anything decorative!)
• Trinkets, ornaments, magnets (anything small!)

1. 
    
   Large or small, wrap them all!

   THE GIFTS - Assess your gifts. Take stock of the shape and weight of each gift. Larger gifts require more paper, and smaller ones can be wrapped individually with light tissue and put into a gift bag. Very heavy gifts will need heavier paper.

2. 
    
   Save interesting papers for gift-wrapping

   THE PAPER - There are many exciting alternatives to the plain, printed wrapping-paper you get in the gift-section of your local Walgreens. Try some brown butcher paper for a woodsy look, cut pages out of an old comic book for kids (or kids-at-heart,) or use any kind of decorative paper. Check out your local art store for a wide range of deco-papers. Look for something with texture to add depth. Try shiny mylar paper for a more modern look. Scrapbook papers provide high-quality detailed wrappings. For heavy items, consider using cloth instead of paper. The effect is the same, it won't tear as easily as paper, and can be re-used for future projects.

3. 
    
   Fold carefully!

   THE WRAPPING - Plain scotch tape works great, just be careful of using shiny tape with shiny paper, and matte-tape with soft or textured paper surfaces. This will disappear easily when applied carefully. For cloth, use a needle and thread to seal the edges. No reason to get too picky...large stitches work fine.
   
   First: Lay your paper flat on a clean, smooth surface, decorative side-down. Make sure the paper area exceeds twice the height and width of the longest side of the gift. Lay the gift face down in the center of the paper.
   
   Next, fold the rough edges of the paper inward, giving you a clean, straight edge. Pull the paper tight around the middle of the gift, but not so tight as to tear the paper. Lay the smooth, folded edge over the rough edges to hide the unsightly cut portion of the paper. Tape the paper down securely, with pieces of tape every few inches.
   
   Finally, carefully grasp the open ends of the paper and fold them inward from the top down. Crease the paper from the inside, forming a small triangle at the bottom. Add tape to secure inside if necessary. Pull the bottom triangle up, and tape again.

4. 
    
   Ribbon doesn't always have to come on a cardboard roll.

   THE RIBBONING - Choose a ribbon, cord, string or yarn to further secure your gift and add style. Slightly frayed light rope looks great with butcher paper, earth-tones and textures. Yarn will give your gift a "country" look, and sleek, shiny ribbons are perfect for bows and patterned paper. Try two or even three types of trimmings together! Lay thin ribbons over thick for a layered look. Try to find colors that compliment your paper. Try wrapping the ribbon around the corners instead of through the middle for a different look. Tie small bells, cinnamon sticks, ornaments, jewelry, smaller gifts or cards to the ribbons to add that extra touch. Try to think of an object that describes the recipient. If your gift is for a race car enthusiast, tie a small matchbox car to the ribbon. Check the miniatures aisle of your local arts and crafts store for ideas.

5. 
    
   Go crazy!

   THE FLAIR - Finally, that extra "special touch", that makes your gift truly unique. Here are some ideas to get your gift to really stand out!
   
   Glitter: A light application of glue on the ribbon or paper and a dash of glitter adds shimmer and glamor to any gift. Try swirling the glue around in patterns on plain wrap paper for a different look.
   
   Decoupage: Take photos, magazine clippings, bits of colored paper, material, printed photos from the web or anything flat and glue it to the sides of your gift. Apply a thin layer of glue (plain Elmer's is fine)to the top and edges of the glued-on pieces. This will seal them to the package, and provide a snazzy matte-coating.
   
   Trimmings: Stickers, stamps, stencils, raffia, ribbon curls, confetti, small toys- you get the idea! Go wild!
   
   Just like "it's the thought that counts," it's not the expensive paper or ribbon that makes your giftwrap special- it's the work and care that you put into it. Most of all have fun, and good-wrapping!

Tips & Warnings

• Look online for art that you can print and cut out. Think about what your gift recipient would like, and try to incorporate it into the style.
• Origami is a great way to add a little flair to your package. Try an origami kit from your local arts and crafts store, and attach little paper cranes and balloons all over. Origami paper also makes a great decoupage paper.
• If your gift is a food item, tie cinnamon sticks or a wooden spoon to the ribbon! It's cute, and who couldn't use a new wooden spoon?
• Gift bags don't have to be fancy to make a great wrap. Try plain colored bags and decorate them yourself.
• Scent-sations- Spritz a little perfume onto a bachelorette's gift for a sexy aroma. For automobile related gifts, tie an air freshener to the ribbon.
• Don't put too much tape on! Your gift will still need to be unwrapped eventually. Some people like to save wrapping paper too and going light on tape will help them remove it.
• Be careful how wet your decoupage glue becomes- you don't want to soak the paper and damage your gift.
• Measure the gift before cutting the paper. Measure twice, and cut once.

Resources

• Free printables
• More free printables

[Suexi]

on 6/8/2008 Very good article. This is a weak area for me, so I appreciate the details of your details. For example, I swear, I did not know about the paper being twice the length/width of the longest side. My "guesstimations" were nearly always too big or too small. In both cases, wasted paper and frustrated wrapper. Great job, 5*!!