Last year, Ann brought us together when she gleefully confessed that she is a Wrapaholic. Slowly, confessions trickled in from others who admitted their obsession with color, coordinated style and perfect corners. Her post was like a safe place for fellow Wrappers to disclose the amount of time spent preparing packages or share in the joy of present perfection.

This year, Ann revealed her secrets to perfect packages in our latest gift wrapping video. In it, Ann talks about five main components she credits for helping her stay cool, calm and coordinated.

Scissors
Ann recommends having two pair of scissors — one for paper and one for ribbon — but make sure you have at least one pair solely dedicated to gift wrapping, so they stay nice and sharp.

Tape
Always have a full roll of tape on your spool. If you’re a fellow Wrapper, we suggest using double-stick tape — it keeps your adhesive hidden and works really well with ribbon application.

Solid Gift Wrap
Select a few rolls of solid wrapping paper to have on hand. Mix up the colors, so you have a base for any occasion that might come up.

Ribbon
Store a few spools of ribbon, in various colors and sizes, so you can accent boxed packages and gift bags.

Patterned Gift Wrap
It is hard to choose just one, so Ann recommends having a wedding print, a gift wrap for kids, and a colorful polka dot gift wrap to cover events throughout the year. Read the rest of this entry »

From road trips to nurseries to unpacking boxes labeled HOLIDAY DECORATIONS, it seems everyone is ready to deck the halls. And, in many cases, the holiday tree is one of the highest priorities. (Runner up to outdoor lights, for those who brave the conditions for sparkling eaves.)

Personally, my decorating effort is limited. Partially due to our city-sized living quarters and holiday travel, but also due to my husband’s flashbacks of decorating the family tree as a child (It might be familiar to some of you). Despite our modest effort, we do enjoy pulling out the holiday ornaments and remembering all the people and events that have contributed to our collection of keepsakes, even if they never make it on the tree. My mom is responsible for our ornament base, gifting me one each year of my life. Adding to the collection are wonderful handcrafted creations by my father-in-law and gifts from friends and family. Read the rest of this entry »

What do an Ad Man, a Mad Man and an Italian Man have in common? They all fell in love with a custom stamp.

It sounds strange, so let me backtrack.

Nearly four years ago, I had the great pleasure of marrying into a wonderfully eccentric family. My mother-in-law and her three sisters are artists in their own right, each marrying an equally creative gentleman— my father-in-law, the man with a band and a knack for glass etching; Clay, the advertising executive with the thirst for dirty martinis; Rocky, the fun-loving mad man with a major sweet tooth; and Giorgio, the Italian man with expertise in all things booteful.

This combination of characters has produced one large, hilarious extended family, who make every family gathering interesting. This past Christmas was no different.

Each year, I like to give the sisters a little Christmas gift, as a thank you for playing hostess to events throughout the year. So, in December, when Paper Source offered 25% off custom stamps, I ordered a return address stamp for each aunt.

Being such a large family, it’s rare that anyone notices gift opening, but this year was different. True to form, gifts were divvied out as everyone carried on with conversations, stories and dancing, while one of many Rolling Stones albums played in the background. Read the rest of this entry »

We welcome one of our newest crafting accessories: clear cellophane bags! Though the product itself is really basic (how exciting can clear bags be?), there are literally hundreds of ways you can fill and decorate these handy food-safe bags. Here a few easy gift wrapping ideas, perfect for the upcoming holiday season!

Halloween Goodie Bags
What you might need: Papaya #10 Folded Backing • Small Cellophane Bag • Bone Folder • Metal Ruler or Straightedge • Black 1/4″ Satin Ribbon • Scrap Paper • Skeleton Rubber Stamp • White Colorbox Inkpad • Opaque White Embossing Powder • Heat Embossing Tool • 1/8″ Hole Punch

1. To create the skeleton tag, cut a piece of scrap paper to your desired size (I cut a 1 1/2” x 6” piece, which folds in half to create a 1 1/2” x 3” tag). Stamp the skeleton with the White Colorbox Inkpad, sprinkle with Opaque White Embossing Powder, shake off the excess, then heat emboss. Punch a hole in the top corner of the tag to attach to the bag with ribbon.
2. The #10 folded backing becomes a colorful liner for the cellophane bag. To do this, use a bone folder to score the backing card 2″ from the bottom, then fold to make an “L” shape. Insert the backing into the bag – the short folded portion will line the inside bottom of the bag, and the long portion will line the inside back of the bag. Make sure to place the backing against the back seam of the cellophane bag so the seam doesn’t show from the front.
3. Fill the bag with goodies!
4. Fold the top pre-scored portion of the backing card down over the top of the bag to close. Use a 1/8″ hole punch to punch holes through the bag itself where it intersects with the pre-punched holes in the card.
5. Feed 1/4″ Satin Ribbon through the holes and knot in the front. Before tying a bow, string the skeleton tag through the ribbon to attach.

That’s it, so easy! If you’re making several goodie bags, remember that it’s always easiest to work assembly-line style. So score and fold all of your #10 folded backings first, then cut all of the ribbon, then create all of your tags, and so on.

Valentine Goodie Bags
This lovely bag doubles as a Valentine’s Day card and a special gift! Read the rest of this entry »