How to wrap presents creatively,
using fragments of paper and
miscellaneous items from around your house

NEW WRAP GALLERIES: 181920

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All you need are pieces of paper, tape, glue sticks, hot glue or double sided tape, and these three ideas.

 

Absorb these 3 ideas

IDEA 1: BITS AND PIECES

You can use small fragments of paper.

You can use odd, non-wrapping materials, such as twigs, bottle caps or even colorful breakfast foods.

IDEA 2: TAKE IT EASY

Focus on the front of the package.

The back of the package is backstage; it's ok to let it be messy.

IDEA 3: CONTRAST

Contrast of color.

Contrast of light and dark.

Contrast of texture or material.

Contrast of line (angled paper on rectangular boxes).


WRAP ART: THE BOOK

wrap art book

40 pages, 7"x7", full color, hardcover or paperback.



How to: the Wine Bumper Wrap


wine-bumper wrap

The bumpers

from your local wine merchant

This wrap takes a modern throw-away and gives it new life as a wrap enhancer. It is, of course, limited to those packages small enough to fit inside the bumper. And you do have to save up a few.

The green color and busy texture remind me of pine trees, an appropriate holiday analogy.


wine bumper wrap


Underwrap

You can use almost anything to hide the present in an underwrap. I chose a light color so it would be visible through the dark green plastic.


wine bumper wrap


The first bumper

The first bumper is easy. Just slide it over the wrapped present.


wine bumper slip sheet

The slip sheet

Sliding successive bumpers onto the wrap is difficult without some help; the clipped plastic ends will poke into the lower bumper and resist sliding.

So we use a plain piece of paper, folded around the wrap, as a slipsheet. Holding the slipsheet-covered wrap in one hand, you then pull a new bumper onto the wrap.


remove slip sheet

Pull out the slip sheet

Remove the slip sheet and repeat the process.


wine: multiple bumbers on wrap

Add all the bumpers you want

Add bumpers until the package has a satisfying texture.



Add ribbon

Ribbon affords contrast of color and texture.



Add more ribbon

The second ibbon delivers even more contrast of color and texture.


      

Optional Trim

An object may be glued onto the ribbon to give a visual center and additional complexity.



notecardsNotecards by John Boak— Drawings of Colorado & Utah