Wrap it up Thursday - Knitted Basket of Goodies

I have been in a foul mood lately.  I don't know if it is hormones, weather or what but everyone better just look out.  When I feel like this I need to find something meditative to do until I feel better.  That usually is knitting.  So, for the last two nights I tried to squeeze it in before bed.  Just a quick project.

I have made a couple of these knitted baskets from Joelle Hoverson's (purl bee) more last-minute knitted gifts.  The smaller of the three baskets whips up in a jiffy.  Really.  Then, after, you feel much better.

A couple of weeks ago I made some felted macarons and I was having a hard time trying to wrap them up.  Nothing looked right.  Our good friends have a little girl that I have knit a few things for and her birthday is coming up.  She loves to pretend and I thought that she could pretend she has a little bakery with a few knitted items including the macarons.  So now she will have a basket of goodies including a cute little cupcake that comes out of its wrapping - you can find it here.  (beeknits)  I have made a few of the larger cupcakes (the one out of the basket) for my etsy shop.  I call it the inside out knitted cupcake because when you turn it inside out it becomes a head of lettuce.

So I will pack this up for our little friend.  I can just hear her sweet little voice now - pretending to give her daddy a little goody - there now I am starting to feel a little bit better - a little bit -

hmmm ... I may need to knit a blanket...

Wrap it up Thursday - Newsprint

Happy Thursday!  Each Thursday I'm going to focus on gift giving, wrapping, packaging and in general the unique way people wrap up their goods.  And Thursday is kind of leading into wrapping up the week ... sort of ... give or take 24 hours.

My best friend's little guy had his fifth birthday on Monday.  He is a huge super hero fan.  When they are driving in the car he always says to his dad, "Tell me another story about Batman, Daddy." How cute is that!  Now with a small family of mostly girls I must admit the super hero thing is a little out of my  "league"  but I decided to just go for it.

I found one retro looking hardcover book and then found some early reader comics.  I thought it might encourage him to start to read on his own (and that maybe they wouldn't be too violent!)

Then I found some extras that fit the theme. Striped straws, striped twine, lego superheroes, comic strips and best of all - a pdf of comic pows and zaps from one charming party.

I wrapped it up with parchment paper so he could see inside.  I thought that would make it more exciting.  The phrases I printed out looked so cute peeking through the paper.  And his mom told me that was his favorite part of the gift.  So I'm glad I went to all the trouble.

Here are some other newsprint/comic strip wrappings.

My friend Tiffany, of Glitter Pie, wraps a mean package.  Newsprint looks great with the right topper.

You can even top your newsprint, comic strip etc with another newsprint bow.  There is a tutorial at How About Orange for this.

I guess that wraps it up (sorry)

Look for another wrap up next Thursday!