Sans bow - a different path

Who says that gifts have to be wrapped in a sheet of paper and a bow? Two sheets can be better than one. And scraps of paper and ribbon can be just as exciting as a store-bought bow.

Just pick two colors that work together. Complimentary for harmony, opposites for excitement. Black and silver for instance or lime green and pink. Once you’ve decided on a color look consider balance - do you want symmetry or unbalanced. One will give you a formal look the other - off balanced, will be more dynamic. With the asymmetrical look a ratio of 1:2 or 3:5 will work well.

With so many magazines and printed material around there is no reason to limit yourself to bows. By snipping colored shapes from magazines you can make your own embellishments. It so easy to personalize a gift wrap project by adding cutouts of flowers and figures. By pasting some of them on thick pieces of cardboard or shaped paper and adding some snips of ribbon you can create a 3-D corsage effect.

The funny wrap

What's your favorite comic strip? You may have noticed; Dagwood and Blondie are having a big anniversary. They're old as dirt but have managed to adapt to the times, still giving us a chuckle with their everyday antics. Thanks to the funny papers we have a small handle to hold on to in a wide sea of grim news.

So recycle your favorite comic strip and use it for wrapping paper. If you have a scanner/printer and Photoshop you can do some tricky things to make the wrap job more unique. Or even with just a few basic tools you can add punch by thinking up your own word balloons and pasting them on.

Color is fun

Pastels are a natural for spring. It gets even better when you have a sheet of rainbow paper to set the mood. A ribbon and bow would have been fine but there was an urge to do it a little differently. This led to using a red net bag - the grocery store fruit kind. It easy to work with, you just need scissors and clear tape. The large pink tissue paper flower was a natural finish.

Wine is a great gift

Isn’t it great when you come up with an idea on the fly.

How many times have you been in a situation, like an invitation to a dinner? You’re running late and you want to bring a gift, a bottle of wine will do just fine, if only there was some way to make it look pretty. Sometimes it just takes a look around the kitchen to find help.

A bottle is an odd shaped gift to wrap , that’s why we’ve included several examples. Here’s one way to do it. By wrapping first with colored tissue paper and then with clear kitchen wrap you can create a very nice gift wrap in no time. A ribbon around the neck will be the finishing touch and you are on your way.

A bright idea

The gift itself can often suggest ideas for wrapping For something like an I-Pod, for instance, day-glo printer paper would work well to create a modern, dynamic look. Sheets are small of course but there are ways to improvise. If multiple sheets are needed, apply like you would if doing a wall papering job. Try mixing colors so that joints are a part of the design. Apply cutout shapes of contrasting colors. Shapes can be snowflake-like designs or torn paper for added interest. This is also a good time to experiment with diagonal strips of paper or ribbon.

Wrapping with cutouts

The old standby, construction paper, is great for adding free form shapes to a gift. So is bright colored printer paper. Try your hand at making flowers and leaves. Or for summer, a tropical bird or fish. Even geometric shapes can be fun. Working with a theme is a great way to put cutout shapes to work. All it takes is scissors, gluestick and a little imagination.