Wrap it up Thursday - Krafting a Package

Look at all this krafty goodnes.  Gorgeous twine, simple paper bags, kraft labels and parchment- like twine.  There is something so beautiful with these somewhat utilitarian wrappings.

From top clockwise - twine  Hempcraft, bags The Party Studio, Scallop Tags Inspire Lovely,
Paper Twine PaperPhine

First Row, Jute wrapworks, Kraft Paper Bags Inspirelovely

Second Row, Paper Bags  Wrap so Pretty,  Cotton Twine, Inspirelovely

I just love the simplicity of a gift covered in kraft - it's spareness seems to somehow add a sophistication to a gift.

Rice Krispie Squares seem gourmet (Thinkgarnish), A simple gift wrapped in a kraft coffee filter (a creative mint) and food gifts simply wrapped and tagged (sweet paul)

All somehow seem elevated in a plain but beautiful wrapping.

So grab some office supplies, pantry staples and garden twine and wrap up a hostess gift - it will always look chic and stylish!

Wrap it up Thursday - French Country Wrapping

There is a lovely french shop in my hood that carries all sorts of french milled soaps.  So cute but often they are displayed in pots for purchase and ... they are naked!  It is hard to pass these on as a gift unwrapped but you don't want to go too crazy ... it's just a soap... but it is a french one, so I went with a french country wrapping, using twine, ticking, paper tape, office labels and something extra.

I nestled the soap in some kraft paper shredding.  It looks cute but more importantly it stops the soap from getting banged up on the corners.  I just used a little candy bag from the bulk food store and punched some holes in it and added a strip of ticking.  I ripped a strip from the fabric strip. I think it looks more french all tattered.  I love the look of taking those boring labels from the office supply and jazzing them up with Japanese Paper tape. It's a trick from Leslie Shewring of A Creative Mint.  If you peruse her blog you'll see all sorts of great labels and other creative ways with paper tape.  

I think the key (sorry) to this little package is this adorable key I found in another French store uptown. And with the keys at only 75 cents each - I should have picked up more - hopefully they aren't all gone .... ANYWAY - at 75 cents it makes the package quite inexpensive.  The worst thing is when you spend more on the package than the gift - and if, it would be hard to believe, your recipient doesn't appreciate the key detail and trashes the wrapping - hey it's no great loss.

There it is. 

 A cute little package for a cute little soap.  

It would make a great hostess gift or teacher gift. 

I know I said I liked the shabby ticking I used for the bow but it is all I can do, now that I see this picture,  to not snip that one loose thread off and take another picture... but it is getting too dark this afternoon for another picture.  Must resist...must...

Wrap it up Thursday - Kraft Paper and Red

Wrapping up tradition -

Kraft paper and red accents

First Row - left to right  - Sweet Paul (photo by Frances Janisch), a creative mint, creature comforts

Second Row - left to right - flickr (patchwork pottery),  a creative mint, how about orange

Third Row - left to right - Whipperberry, angel at my table,  achica living

Well if you celebrate Christmas - it all comes to a close in the next few days and in keeping with tradition I've created a collage with tried and true red.  What makes these combinations more current is the use of kraft paper as a backdrop.  I just love how Leslie Shewring (top centre photo), of A Creative Mint, uses a simple grocery bag as wrapping.  There is something so beautiful about a simply wrapped gift. 

 If you still need to wrap a few- grab some paper grocery bags, red yarn and a candy cane ...

 and go to town!