Gift Wrap

(this pile is for my cousin.  we spoil each other ROTTEN!, but in a really good way!)

every year my cousin, aunt, and i exchange gifts, that we have been gathering all year.  they taught me at a young age that presentation is of the utmost importance.  i am so thankful for their tutelage! 

i LOVE wrapping presents!  especially when i have a creative idea in mind to make them ultra special.  if you have been in the shop you may have noticed my collection of ribbon.  beautiful ribbon is usually a major component of gift wrapping.  but you will see here that it's just as easy to come up with other solutions to finishing off a well wrapped gift too.

(this pile is for my auntie karen.  we will get back to these in a minute.)

have you ever seen these old-school flash cards from back in the day?!  they are pretty rad!  you can see here that i used them to convey messages!

most of this set of gifts is wrapped in mulberry paper.   it comes in all different natural looking shades and with different plant material embedded in it.  i love the homemade and natural look of it!

the following few gifts just have a simple tag attached for decoration.  these awesome silhouette tags came from my favorite stationary/paper store in ballard called Lucca.  love that place!  anyways, these are cut black paper silhouettes in glassine envelopes so you can see the silhouettes and they stay protected.  i know my cousin will like these and find a good use for them!

and then of course there are always old vintage photos to use for decoration.   easy peasy!

the one above if of a beach/swimming scene.

another of a family at the beach

i love this one!  it used to hang in my kitchen!

it's two best friends gettin their drink on!

i love any photos that show costumes!

this photo is so sweet!

and i had to include a spanish moss hanging from trees photo since my cousin and i are both obsessed with new orleans.  it's our thing!

so, thus, the okra seed pack too!

so you can see, that as a group, the whole lot works together.  it's cohesive yet textured and can be enjoyed as is for as long as it takes to get them opened! 

here is the group for my aunt this year.  the "wrapping paper" is a vintage paper table cloth!  the colors are so great and the dogwood branches almost look as if they have been painted on the paper.  even though it's not super "christmasy" she will still love them!

here is a closer up detail of the paper and ribbon.  the three of use love ribbon and we often reuse the ribbon we give each other year after year. 

something i started doing a few years ago is looking for really fantastic and unusual boxes to put the gifts in.  the more vintage, the better.  and the cool box just adds another layer of beauty that makes gift opening so so fun!  some boxes have been really funny and some so gorgeous they didn't even need wrapping!  i wish i would have thought to photograph these boxes but i forgot.   i will try to remember next time!

another wrap-tastic idea is to use old tissue paper sewing patterns for wrapping the gifts into the boxes, instead of plain old boring tissue paper.  especially if you are crafty, giving to a crafty friend, or just want to surprise the recipient.

there are so many beautiful ways to wrap gifts!

including my using vintage A Christmas Story wrapping paper for the boys!  what fun!

what's your favorite way to wrap?!

i'm putting our our new SkyDain Botanicals lotions, creams, and teas out in the shop!  come check them out!  they smell fantastic and make great gifts not to mention being so nourishing to your winter skin!  crafted by the lovely goddess Simone, fellow herbalist, right here in Carnation, WA.

and please remember, the shop will close early on Saturday December 24th, i hope to be gone by 3:30, so come grab your last minute things soon!  And then we will see you when we return, after a short break, on Wednesday January 4th!

rocking out in the shop to Yule B, Swingin Too, a new orleans christmas cd,

xoxoxox,

jennette