Caxton magazines staffContributing decor editor Candice Botha shares a few creative gift wrapping tips
I love wrapping presents, especially for Christmas – gifts will be displayed under the tree for a while, rather than being ripped open as soon as they’re given. This year, to keep costs down, I’m using inexpensive, easy-to-find items for wrapping, starting with brown paper – I bought three large rolls from CNA and I’ve not even finished one roll yet.
HOW TO WRAP YOUR GIFTS
Let’s start with the labels.
To make this one, I used corrugated cardboard I saved from a recent delivery. I simply cut it into an oval shape, punched a hole in it and added a cheap bauble for an extra bit of Christmas cheer.
Wide packing tape is ideal for creating this decorative starry strip. I laid the tape sticky-side up on the desk, dotted the stars and sequins onto it and then placed my present on top of it, pressing down evenly so that the tape stuck. For extra colour, I added some striped tissue paper from Mr Price Home.
Doilies are inexpensive and add a whimsical touch to a parcel.
A bit of tulle is a lovely change from a ribbon and works well with a piece of doily to create a pretty, feminine gift.
I can’t stand wrapping awkwardly-shaped or very small gifts, so I often use a jar as a fun solution. Drop a rolled up piece of paper (like the brown paper I’ve decorated with Tippex dots here) into a jar and allow it to unwind until it fills the jar. Then drop the gift into the middle so that it’s covered. I also like to use a bit of washi tape stuck over the lid and onto the jar to ensure there’s no peeking – you can find a wide selection of washi tape at Paper Tree.
Miniature bunting is easy to create and makes any parcel look festive. For this bunting, I cut red paper into strips, folded them over a piece of twine and glued the two sides together. I then cut the ends into different shapes. You could also use pieces of washi tape. The other simple, but effective, idea is to criss-cross ribbon over the wrapping to create an interesting, abstract pattern.
One of my favourite ways to add colour to wrapping is to cover the gift wrap with a layer of transparent cellophane and then sprinkle in some confetti made by punching brightly coloured sheets of paper. The gold bits are from a leathery leaf I sprayed gold with spray paint and allowed to dry. The paint didn’t adhere very well and started flaking off, so I gathered some to add some sparkle to my confetti.
