Wrapping it Up

How long does it take to wrap a gift for a baby shower?  I guess if you only have 15 minutes to get it done on time, anyone could do it.

 

 


It might even go more quickly if it is a small book and a box of blocks.

I thought I might like some letters on the outside of the package.

I had these stamps that I bought on clearance and have never used and it seemed like the right opportunity to break them open.

I decided to stamp them onto pages of a book.  I don't do much with stamps so my ink pads are a little dry.  I really wanted the ink around just the edges of the letters. But given the ink pads I was using, I had to be satisfied with what I got.

I mounted the book page paper onto a sheet of black paper for firmness and to keep the glue from wrinkling the paper.

After I cut them out, I had to figure out how to use them.  Originally I was going to punch a hole in each and dangle them from a small ribbon but that plan changed as things progressed.

I covered the book with kraft paper the way we used to cover our books in grade school. I wrapped the blocks with the same paper but with the stars on the inside.

I cut some strips of this same paper and pleated them as I sewed down the center to hold the pleats in place.

I wrapped that around the sides of the package and added the oversized rick rack to cover the stitching.  Then I twirled a little burlap into a rosebud and glued it where the ends met.

Next I attached a tag to the book with a little piece of black ribbon, stuck the letters onto the book and added a button to each.

 

And voila, my package is wrapped.  I'm glad I started this a week in advance of the shower.

(Seriously, give me some pretty paper and some colorful ribbon and I could have the present ready in record time.  But sometimes, it's just nice to fiddle around with supplies you have on hand and be grateful that you have the time to experiment with the materials.)