Getting ready for 4th of July with ForYouGiftBags

I was looking for some inspiration for 4th of July gift wrapping. I have some pretty cool white packing material I am going to re-use. I was trying to think of what I might use for the red and blue portions.  Haven't quite made up my mind yet, but while I was hunting around, I came across these very cute gift bags.  VERY red white and blue! And eco-friendly!

Set of two fabric gift bags

Here's what the Etsy seller says about her gift bags:

"This set of 2 reusable gift bags in red white and blue is perfect for birthday, July 4th or Fathers Day celebrations.

The medium closes with a gathered cuff and has 12” x 14” fillable space, and the small has 10” x 10” of fillable space. The ribbon is diverted from landfill.

You save $1 by getting the set. If you prefer, you select sizes and colours. 

It is easy to switch to fabric gift bags, and with a selection of sizes and patterns you will find you have one that fits every gift and each occasion. 

Recycled Content: The ribbon is from Creative Reuse Toronto which receives material from fabric stores closing down and would otherwise send the material to landfill. 

Shipped in Kraft mailers made of recycled paper, biodegradable and recyclable.

Simple, stylish, eco-friendly gifting. "

xxoo
N

more wrapping from jurianne matter

My all time most viewed post was wrapper of the week jurianne matter.  An incredibly talented designer, Jurianne's story shows how a passion for beauty and a passion for ecofriendly can meld.

Pop up poster!

From her site:

"In 2008, I started my label carrying my own name and I went all out, because I believed in it. Some way or another, the designs struck a chord: paper, craft, rituals, traditions, pretty prints and all produced in an eco-friendly way… it became a success. 

By now, the paper has been joined by textile, my second love. Functional, with beautiful prints and naturally made from GOTS-certified organic cotton. The fabrics also carry my signature: poetic, graphic and with a major role for nature. Because nature is definitely a thing; ‘eco-friendly’ is not just an empty marketing term for me. ‘Beautiful’ is only beautiful to me when it’s been produced in a clean and fair way. 

In addition to constantly developing my collection for my own company, I also work with great passion for other companies. I often advise and design for completely different audiences, in other styles, but funnily enough everything always features my own signature."

I  visited her site for new wrapping inspiration:

Crazy about these leaf gift tags. They transform!

you can turn the gift tags into a cute garland, just by attaching to a ribbon.

I think these would make an incredible topper for a ship mad toddler gift!

And look how cute for a mobile!

Happy Mother's Day To Me!

When I started this blog, it was mainly to share pretty gift wrapping ideas.  As time went on, I became more and more interested in practical yet pretty ways to be more eco-friendly with gift wrapping. Since then I have featured many gift wrap makers who use recycled paper and ink, shown ideas on how to re-use gift wrapping and featured a lot of alternate materials.

One idea that really captured my imagination was a gift box that could be re-used to send gifts back and forth between family or friends. Something that could turn into a family heirloom in itself.  So imagine how thrilled I was when my husband made a prototype for me for Mother's Day!

 Here's the before:

A candy box.

Kevin had taken some classes with Charles Douglas Gilding Studio. Gilding is an old art, which involves applying metal foils with brushes to all sorts of things. While I thought he might use some of the decorative finish materials he has used before, this was a great and special choice. He applied gold and copper foils.  Here are the afters!

He used gold and copper foils. I love it so much!

The box actually opens up with multiple levels.

So question -- what do you think of the idea of heirloom gift boxes? if we were going to market these, how much should we charge? Let me know in the comments!

And finally I hope you had as amazing a Mother's Day as I did. Between my lovely children, fur-babies, and my incredible husband, I am simply beaming!

Norine

Wrapper of the Week Almost Makes Perfect

This lady has a beautiful lifestyle blog. I mean she even has a color theme running throughout!  Besides home decorating and other DIY, she has a number of great free printables. Just in time for Mother's Day, you can find:

Mom Day bouquet gift tags HERE

Free printable Mother's Day giftwrapping HERE

and some great, graphic Mother's Day gift tags

Mother's Day gift tags HERE

Etsy Monday Mother's Day

I put together a fantasy wrapping kit for Mother's Day.

MidCentury Addiction has a large stock of vintage wrapping papers.  This one is kitschy cool.

Pretty lily wrapping paper

Add this pretty ecofriendly cotton ribbon from CraftyWoolFelt

Maybe yellow and pink

And finally top it off with a vintage brooch from Vintage Clothiers.

This is such a pretty little brooch, 1940-1950 

Happy Mother's Day!

Etsy Monday Rewrappeduk

Farm wrapping!

There are so many amazing graphic designers in the UK, turning out beautiful paper and card designs. Rewrappeduk turns out gift wrap and cards using recycled papers and vegetable inks. I love these wrapping papers, so perfect for adventurous children.

We all live in a yellow submarine

Animals and balloons

Etsy Monday SpruceGiftWrap

Fabric gift wrap sounds like a great idea, but it can be hard to turn into a gift that looks finished. This Etsy shop had a unique idea. The fabric gift wrap comes with ribbon and a matching tag:

This 20" square size wrapping will work for a book or similar item.

From the shop: "Spruce creates gorgeous fabric gift wrappers with tidy corners and built in multi-loop bows, reusable gift tags and exclusive digital patterns. "

"10% of all profits go to AIR, the Alliance for International Reforestation"

The tag can be filled in with a washable children's marker and then re-used,

The shop also offers a pattern you can digitally download to use your own fabric scraps.
Great idea!

Norine

Etsy Monday Happywrap

Cornflower handmade gift wrapping

Happywrap, a UK shop has handmade papers, recycled wrapping and fabric wrapping options. 

Heart option

"This handmade paper is made from the bark of the Lokta shrub found in the Himalayas. It is harvested by the locals and turned into paper. It is certified Fair Trade by the World Trade Organisation, supporting the local communities that produce the paper through trade."

This pretty recycled paper has great gradations.

Wrapper of the Week Bespoke Press

If I was going to dream up a perfect gift wrapping paper, what would my list look like?

Bespoke LetterPress

1. Environmentally responsible, recycled paper
2. Two sided for wrapping versatility
3. Heavy duty, so I can wrap packages that have to travel
4. Beautiful, rich colors
5. Accomplished graphic design

This producer of "couture stationery" in Australia hits all the marks. Their gift wrap is unbelievably beautiful, as well as everything I list above.  Here are some examples:

Doublesided black cockatoo/teal jungle design

You could get really creative with the double sided wrap if you start folding

I love the colors and scale of these designs

They have beautiful ribbon and gift tags too -- many currently on sale:

10 pack of multi occasion tags

Their story is pretty delicious too.

"Bespoke Letterpress is one of the world’s leading letterpress studios designing and printing fine letterpress and hot foil stationery.

Founded by Alischa Herrmann in 2007, what began as a small business based under an old timber house by the sea, Bespoke Letterpress has since grown into an international recognised and celebrated brand. 

We print the beautifully old fashioned way, using antique cast iron machines, printing on imported luxuriously thick paper mixed with patience, perfection and a whole lot of love."

They name their presses! Here's a picture of Edward.

 xxoo
N

Etsy Monday TheFabWrap

Spring is coming!  Thoughts turn to colors, flowers, green. And pompoms! (well, at least mine do.)  So imagine my delight at finding this great Etsy shop that sells fabric gift wrap perfect for a spring gift and ... pompoms!

Pretty patterns, like polka dot and flowers.

They offer three sizes in each design:

Small: 16x16 inches - Wraps gifts such as a mug, candle, jewelry box
Medium: 20x20 inches - Wraps gifts such as a book, puzzle, photo frame
Large: 24x24 inches - Wraps gifts such as a shirt gift box
and custom sizes as well.

Dandelions!

All patterns come in the following colors: 

Black Green Blue Red Yellow Gray, plus custom colors if you wish.

Every length of gift wrap comes with pompoms!

You get yarn and pom poms (quantity depends on size).

handstamped and handcut.

Love everything about this shop!

Etsy Cyber Monday Gift Wrap edition

Time to start wrapping.  Here are some great choices from Etsy that tend toward the ecofriendly side, are currently on sale but mind you its the LAST DAY for Cyber Monday, but these items are still cute if you miss the sale. Start indulging in beautiful wrapping!

The cottonandcanvasco has a bunch of cute Xmas stuff. Like this cute little bag. Right now 20% off.

Or go big with the super cute Reindeer bag!

How pretty is this? Southerners can get ecopoints by ordering from this Carolina maker. 

thurstonpost sends you three bags, tags and ribbon. Hurry for the discount

Here's where you can get all the special stuff to make your kraft paper look good. Twine, clothespins, gift tags, more.

Etsy Monday Kimshi Boutique Furoshiki

Using and re-using fabric as gift wrap is definitely worth learning. Kimshi Boutique sells great sized Furoshiki, and you can get some great ideas on how to use and re-use from their shop.

Pretty fabric in a simple wrap

This pretty cotton voile fabric has a very country feel

Pretty fabric

Used with wooden handles to make a great bag after the fact

Happy Fourth with Smock

Smock Paper is a green printing company, specializing in beautiful invitations, but it also creates some gift wrap. While it does not have an online store, I thought this example of combining gift wrap was very Fourth of July appropriate, plus the curled gift wrap streamers were a great idea:

Go here to find store locations

Etsy Monday LiveinPaper - Excellent Gift Wrapping for Kids!

I was looking for bright, happy gift wrapping designs appropriate for kids. Live In Paper in Costa Rica had some really great designs, all printed on eco-friendly paper.

Here's what LiveinPaper says about their shop:

Live in Paper, is a small business design company based in Costa Rica and founded in 2015. The owner and designer at Live in Paper decided to create original and exclusive designs, using especially fine eco-friendly papers. People can enjoy different themes, be conscious about the environment and reuse our papers. We try that all the materials used are eco-friendly.

The inspiration for designing comes from everything, arts, music, nature, animals, people, countries, etc.

Now this is dinosaur wrapping paper! 

This makes me like vegetables better. Do you think it would work on a kid?

Hummingbirds and flowers, how summer like is that?