This sort of gift wrap takes a good deal of time, but for a small gift experience that you don't want to be over in 30 seconds, this can be a fun idea.
One year, I bought my brother a dukes of hazard leather-encased Zippo-type lighter. But it was so small, I could have inserted it into a mini-loaf of bread(as long as its white). I dedided not to, and multiple layers of boxes and newspapers, only stays fun for so long before it gets old, though we've used that trick as well.
So, I bought a $4 or $5 rubberband ball from Meijer and a small storage tote, with a lid and proceeded to wrap the lighter in wrapping paper first. This serves two purposes...one it protects the lighter itself from the rubberband wear and tear, and two it gives another layer of gift wrap to get through. Then I proceeded to take some time, moving each rubberband off the rubberband ball and onto the wrapped lighter. If I recall correctly, this took about 45 minutes.
Note: if you have a young girl and you are getting her girly stuff, like nail polish or earrings, you can use pony tail holders for a similar effect. Be careful not to make the pony tail band ball too big or you will over stretch them.
So, we now have a gift wrapped in a larger rubberband ball and an empty small stuff tote to put it in. Of course I added some sort of raffia paper or filler to the tote. Then I wrapped the tote and placed it into a box, which I wrapped again. After placing it in one final box, adding wadded up newspaper to fill it, I once again wrapped that box and set it aside until time to present the gift. I think this may have been a birthday gift, but many of them blend together somewhat over the years;-).
My brother went through the work of opening it through out the layers and got done to the rubber band ball. I may have stopped him before he bounced it, and let him know that he wasn't done. It did take a long time for him to remove each and every one of the rubber bands, which he set in the tote. While he took off each rubber band he muttered about it, and told me the rubber band ball would have been a pretty cool gift in itself. I suggested he would just have to reconstruct the one I had given him.
As I type this one out I'm reminded of the scavenger hunt I tried to send him on one year...This one needs to be done very carefully, or in summer when it is warm.
However, next, I will probably review the mop bucket series and some of my brother's ploys at gift wrap.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Last year's Christmas wrap...Chicken wire
HI again, I apologize for two things, 1) the length of time in getting back to our grand ideas, and 2) that I'm starting with last year's first instead of my favorite. I'm still not sure which one is my favorite, but we'll get to them all.
So I finally took the time to finish my brothers fleece/cotton/flannel John Deere quilt, quilted with tractors. This is a nice enough gift in itself...he finally allowed it to be used instead of holding a place of honor on the back of his chair at all times. However, wrapping this in a box or bag was not good enough for me. It needed to be wrapped not once, but at least three times, and well, differently. After searching out ideas, I came up with chicken wire...my brother had chickens after all, and it would be tough to get into unless you came to Christmas with wire clippers...we tend to keep these things nearby as you never know what to expect.
More or less, I worked from the outside in on this gift. I decided it would fit nicely in a Home Depot bucket, and spent a good amount of time with my own wire snippers, snipping wire. However, I did not want the blanket/quilt so much as nicked itself, so I wrapped it in a paper bag. Let me back track here...
I used a fair amount of 1/2 inch thick nylon rope to secure the bucket once I had everything in...bows and ribbons confound guys, providing you use more than one piece of string or multiple bows. I like this trick.
So as not to harm the blanket, I placed it in a paper bag, taped it(probably with duct tape) and rolled it into chicken wire. Then I tied the chicken wire unto itself. I placed the rolled chicken wire bundle into the bucket, with many nicks on my hands from the chicken wire, closed the bucket and proceeded to tie a number of bows on top with nylon rope.
My brother patiently waded through the rope, then pried off the lid, pulled out any filler materials...we always use filler materials, and proceeded to work through the chicken wire. After a few moments of frustration, returned with wire clippers and a sawzall...we like to be prepared. However, in my attempts to protect the blanket, as well as my hands...(leather gloves next try), I did not fold down the ends of the chicken wire. Upon returning, my brother looked at the package again, shoved his fist through the chicken wire into the paper bag and pushed out the gift. Once he was through the duct tape or other tape meant to hold said bag in place, he was in business for revealing his gift, which I'm proud to say took him at least six months to start using it for its intended purpose.
I will admit, I did complain that he didn't use it for his intended purpose of keeping people warm for the fist six months.
Next time, most likely, I'll discuss how to utilize a rubber band ball for gift giving. Until then, Merry Wrapping!
So I finally took the time to finish my brothers fleece/cotton/flannel John Deere quilt, quilted with tractors. This is a nice enough gift in itself...he finally allowed it to be used instead of holding a place of honor on the back of his chair at all times. However, wrapping this in a box or bag was not good enough for me. It needed to be wrapped not once, but at least three times, and well, differently. After searching out ideas, I came up with chicken wire...my brother had chickens after all, and it would be tough to get into unless you came to Christmas with wire clippers...we tend to keep these things nearby as you never know what to expect.
More or less, I worked from the outside in on this gift. I decided it would fit nicely in a Home Depot bucket, and spent a good amount of time with my own wire snippers, snipping wire. However, I did not want the blanket/quilt so much as nicked itself, so I wrapped it in a paper bag. Let me back track here...
I used a fair amount of 1/2 inch thick nylon rope to secure the bucket once I had everything in...bows and ribbons confound guys, providing you use more than one piece of string or multiple bows. I like this trick.
So as not to harm the blanket, I placed it in a paper bag, taped it(probably with duct tape) and rolled it into chicken wire. Then I tied the chicken wire unto itself. I placed the rolled chicken wire bundle into the bucket, with many nicks on my hands from the chicken wire, closed the bucket and proceeded to tie a number of bows on top with nylon rope.
My brother patiently waded through the rope, then pried off the lid, pulled out any filler materials...we always use filler materials, and proceeded to work through the chicken wire. After a few moments of frustration, returned with wire clippers and a sawzall...we like to be prepared. However, in my attempts to protect the blanket, as well as my hands...(leather gloves next try), I did not fold down the ends of the chicken wire. Upon returning, my brother looked at the package again, shoved his fist through the chicken wire into the paper bag and pushed out the gift. Once he was through the duct tape or other tape meant to hold said bag in place, he was in business for revealing his gift, which I'm proud to say took him at least six months to start using it for its intended purpose.
I will admit, I did complain that he didn't use it for his intended purpose of keeping people warm for the fist six months.
Next time, most likely, I'll discuss how to utilize a rubber band ball for gift giving. Until then, Merry Wrapping!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas
Over the years, my brother and I have had a "Gift-wrap War" going on. This started when I was 14 and had my first job. Everyone in the family got paid on his birthday that year, and decided to use that paycheck to buy his birthday gifts. They all hoped he would have his party that Saturday afternoon, but since it was mostly a family affair, my brother opted to have the party the afternoon of his birthday. Unfortunately, in the fray, the gift-givers didn't get to wrap his gifts. They were presented in plastic shopping bags. I, big sister, however did not get paid until the next week, and I'd forgotten to plan for his birthday ahead of time. So, I told him I would present a gift after I got paid.
My brother was very disappointed about his gifts not being wrapped, and I understood where he comes from on this viewpoint. Gifts are supposed to be wrapped, its a little extra way to say, "I care." So, after hearing his side about his giftwrapping issues, I decided to make-up for the lack of gift wrap that year. I gave him a little money, and bought a cute little card. I sealed the envelope tight, added a fun sticker for a 10 year old boy, then bought some birthday gift wrap and proceeded to wrap his card three additional times.
When I was finished, I presented him with a small, 3x3 sized gift that he had to really work at to get into. I smiled and said..."See what you get;-)." We weren't quite kind enough then to say "Be careful what you wish for." I think that's closer to what I meant to say.
Here, in an effort to give out more ideas, and create some more of my own...its been nearly 20 years, and we've moved onto chicken wire in plastic buckets tied multiple times with rope, and a zippo style lighter wrapped in a rubber band ball...wrapped a couple of other times. Sorry, for you extra box people...I'm thinking we're going to end up getting each other jack-hammers and using cement to gift wrap(guess I better buy him something durable), but I usually do find a reasonably good attempt to foil the giftee and provide an interesting show at Christmas.
I expect to post something weekly about our past creative gift wrap attempts that put expensive lace and ribbons to shame. Though ribbons certainly do have their place in my gift-wrap world. Enjoy the journey;-).
My brother was very disappointed about his gifts not being wrapped, and I understood where he comes from on this viewpoint. Gifts are supposed to be wrapped, its a little extra way to say, "I care." So, after hearing his side about his giftwrapping issues, I decided to make-up for the lack of gift wrap that year. I gave him a little money, and bought a cute little card. I sealed the envelope tight, added a fun sticker for a 10 year old boy, then bought some birthday gift wrap and proceeded to wrap his card three additional times.
When I was finished, I presented him with a small, 3x3 sized gift that he had to really work at to get into. I smiled and said..."See what you get;-)." We weren't quite kind enough then to say "Be careful what you wish for." I think that's closer to what I meant to say.
Here, in an effort to give out more ideas, and create some more of my own...its been nearly 20 years, and we've moved onto chicken wire in plastic buckets tied multiple times with rope, and a zippo style lighter wrapped in a rubber band ball...wrapped a couple of other times. Sorry, for you extra box people...I'm thinking we're going to end up getting each other jack-hammers and using cement to gift wrap(guess I better buy him something durable), but I usually do find a reasonably good attempt to foil the giftee and provide an interesting show at Christmas.
I expect to post something weekly about our past creative gift wrap attempts that put expensive lace and ribbons to shame. Though ribbons certainly do have their place in my gift-wrap world. Enjoy the journey;-).
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