It's a wrap

You all probably realize by now that I'm quite a dork, so it probably won't surprise you to know that I get SUPER EXCITED over wrapping gifts. I am so not even kidding. When I was in college, I volunteered at an AIDS organization in San Jose one winter and my duties were to man the gift wrapping booth at the mall (all proceeds to the organization, get it?). I thought it was so much fun getting to wrap all these presents and learning about all these gadgets for shredding and curling ribbon. (Imagine how excited I was to discover my mother-in-law has a closet full of gift wrap and tissue paper!) Another time I was at Michelle's while she was wrapping a gift and asked her if I could do it for her. (More like took it away from her. See ... I have a problem.)

Anyway, last year we received one of our wedding gifts in a shoebox, and it was adorable. The bottom of the box was all black, the top wrapped in wrapping paper and decorated with a ribbon and some faux-flowers. It was very pretty and, I thought, a great way to wrap a gift so that the box could be re-used without having to be re-wrapped. Since then, I have re-gifted that box but decided to make my own this weekend for a birthday present I was dropping in the mail. I was pretty excited at the result so I thought I'd share.


First, I took a box and wrapped the lid with some scrapbook paper. I decided it needed a little something else, so I pulled out my basket-o-ribbons, but none seemed quite right. Finally I decided to experiment a little, and cut a circle out of some red scrapbook paper, cutting a scalloped edge with scrapbooking scissors. Then, I cut a strip of some white paper and placed a letter "b" (first initial of the gift recipient) in the middle. Finally, I cut a slit on each side of the circle, and slid the strip of white paper through so the "b" showed in the middle. Then I used double sided tape to wrap the white strip under the lid. I was really happy with the result, especially considering I didn't have to buy anything to make it - I just used stuff I already had laying around.

Instead of the letter strip, you could also embellish a wrapped box lid with buttons or feathers or ribbons or beads and it can be used again and again and again. For another super easy, eco-friendly gift wrap option, check out Savvywrap, a sustainable giftwrap brought to you buy my cousin Mandy in Seattle! Isn't it awesome?

P.S. Happy Birthday Becky!