Homemade Gift Bow

This is a repost from a post I did about 2 years ago. I still wrap all of my presents this way so I wanted to post this again with better pictures. 

Have you been wrapping all your gifts? I've started and I'm about half way done, now I just have to wait for the rest of them to arrive. My favorite tip about wrapping presents is making your own bow for the top. My mom has made these bows for as long as I can remember and her mom before that. It is one of those things I just kind of thought everyone did, until people started asking me how to make them. So here is the easy bow tutorial.

 Wrap your box.

       Find a scrap of wrapping paper.  I usually just cut off a rectangle and fold it in half.

Now just start cutting strips, you can make them as wide or as thin as you want. Making them thicker or thinner will change the look of the finished bow. I usually cut them about 1/2 inch wide.

When all of your strips are cut, open the scissors up and glide the paper across the blade. I always start in the middle and go in opposite directions. As you glide the paper it should curl the paper. You may have done this with ribbon, its the same thing. Don't push to hard because you could rip the paper.

Now group all of the strips in the middle along the fold line. Secure with a peace of tape with the edges hanging over the paper to attach to the box.

    

Tada! You're done. Easy, beautiful, and inexpensive. Admire your cute festive bow then start on the next one. 

Linking up to some of these great sites. 

Dollar Store Berry Wreath

I wanted to make a large red berry wreath to put on my wall. I had heard that the dollar store had some cute berry branches, so I headed there today to get some. But when I got there they only had two green berry bunches left. I didn't know what I wanted to do with them yet but I snatched them up anyway before someone else could take them. 

Here is what I used to make the wreath. Everything for only four dollars. 

I pulled the berries off into bunches and broke up the silver plant.  Then I just started gluing them on.  Next time I use my glue gun someone needs to remind me it is a HOT glue guns.  Every time I use that dang gun I burn something. This time I burned three of my fingers. So be warned. 

This is where the finished wreath is going to go. I've wanted to find something to fill this space over my stove and I think this is the perfect fit!  

I taped the wreath onto the tile just to see how it will look and it fell off after about an hour. I'm thinking I'll just use one of those 3M hooks or sticky putty.  Anyone have any other ideas?

Linking up to some of these great sites!