Valeria Out Loud

In my top 5 obsessions, definitely at number 4 it is wrapping paper.

Recently, my Mom and I figured this obsession stems from when I was a child… of the 80’s. One of my dearest neighborhood pals was celebrating a birthday, and my Mom got me involved with wrapping his present. We wrapped the box in blue paper, then she figured to make this boy’s gift unique. She got a few sheets of lined notebook paper and carefully made a striped collared shirt with a small breast pocket, like a man’s button up shirt (I know how awesome was she!). She drew on buttons, then got more wrapping paper cut out a tie to tuck under the collar. We added his name to the shirt pocket with a marker in stitch print, it was so cute! And it was the hit of the gift opening!

It’s just that extra special touch in presenting a gift to someone you care about. To make someone smile before knowing what is in the box. I love that feeling!

Here are some easy and creative gift wrapping ideas I wanted to share for kids:

The Wrapping Paper Ribbon
This is a great way to change up the look of a regular store bought stick on bow. Or if you don’t have any bows at home!

Take reminants of left over wrapping paper, whether the same or a complimentary color, and cut into 6 inch strips about an inch wide.

Loop the strips in your hand and gather them to make an exaggerated sized bow. Staple in the middle to keep the shape. Then adhere, with glue or tape, to the top of the present. Then in the middle of the paper ribbon stick on the bow on top.

*For this cupcake themed gift, I looped half the strips and left the remaining straight out.

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Tulle Wrapped Gifts
One of my favorite ways of wrapping a gift is with tulle. You can take any occasion’s present to the next level. It makes the gift chic. Playful. Sweet. Elegant. Literally anything. Now they have tulle in every color, size and texture, that you can make a goth gift if you wanted to. Which I have.

I always have a bolt of tulle in my closet. A bolt of tulle can be expensive but you can wrap a lot of special family members’/friends’ presents with a bolt of fabric. Also, go online and shop around! I got my last bolt for close to nothing through ebay.

Featured below is a gift for our 5 year old goddaughter. Well, his goddaughter, but I’m godmother by association!

The gifts were wrapped in a soft yellow colored paper then added on a strip of a coordinating paper down the middle. Stacked together, taped between another to keep steady and ready for tulle.

Once you have the gifts wrapped, gather them inside a large cut square of tulle and tie the top tight.

The trick to holding the tulle in place to trim the top and to fasten on a ribbon is to get an elastic. Fasten the elastic, in a pony tail fashion, as tight as you can get it.

Trim the tulle on top. You can trim the tulle to any desired length.

Wrap a scrap piece of the tulle (which is elasticized) around the elastic to cover it (you can use any ribbon).

Here I tied on a coordinating fleece ribbon on top of the pink tulle knot, then added on a pink flower jewel.

Super cute!

I like to spray glitter all over the tulle presents to add sparkle and shimmer. Very girly! – I always have a can of Halloween glitter hair spray on hand with my two kids!!

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Unconventional Gift Wrap
This is a fun way for your child(ren) to use their creativity to make a special present like my Mom did with me as a kid. Also, for you to use your inner child to create something unique.

Featured here is a present my children decorated for their favorite Uncle’s birthday last year; his birthday is in the Fall. The girls were given the task to pick out the paper and bow. They chose a soft blue paper adorned with a simple yellow gross grain ribbon across the middle. I wrapped the gift, gave it to them along with a bowl filled with foam self sticking letters and pumpkins.

The theme and supply possibilities with this type of wrap are endless!

A few years ago, we created Hello Kitty paper for my niece’s 4th birthday. There was a snowstorm before her big day, and I wasn’t able to get out for paper or bows. Searched through my wrapping paper stash to find a textured white wrapping paper and a spool of pink tulle. SCORE, I love tulle!! Then scurried over to my kids craft box to find two mini pink inked Hello Kitty stamps and decals, along with a box of mini stick-on letters. On a whim, I thought why not make her something more than just a white box with pink ribbon. My girls and I started stamping and stickering the paper in a pattern. Then in complimentary colors, placed the letters spelling my nieces name around the box a few times. Tied on the tulle, cut it and shaped it like a pom pom on top. Then because nothing is complete without glitter in my house, I grabbed some clear Elmer’s glue and pink glitter. Outlined some of the letters and stamps with the glue then sprinkled them with the glitter. Voila! It was avante garde wrapping paper come to life; so fun and unique!

It just takes a little imagination!