Photography by: Bryan Gardner
1. Baking Cups
Liners for muffins, cupcakes, and candies come in a whole slew of sizes and a multitude of colors. It’s no wonder they make delightful gift toppers.
1. Tassels
Cut a piece of waxed twine long enough to go around a wrapped box several times. Pinch liner at its center to form a conical shape; knot pinched end with twine to close. Wrap around box, then repeat to make another tassel on other side.
2. Dots
With a glue stick, adhere flattened cupcake liners directly onto a wrapped box or envelope, layering smaller circles over larger ones and folding designs over edges.
3. Tags
Flatten 6 or so liners; fold a few, if you desire. Then layer them and glue them together. Using a craft knife, cut 2 slits in center and thread a ribbon through.
Sources
Baking cups, from $2 for 100, partycity.com
Mini top-open and gift-card envelopes, $4.75 for 25, paperpresentation.com
Tight- and loose-weave cotton ribbon, $10 for 5 yd., shopangelaliguori.com
Photography by: Bryan Gardner
2. Silver embellishments
Make your presentation really pop with inexpensive metallic accents (hint: think inside the bow). They add a wonderful three-dimensional element to boxed gifts.
1. Bold bands
Center a strip of paper-fringe garland on top of a wrapped gift; tie down with silver ribbon, as shown, top left. Or stick a line of self-adhesive mini bows down center of box, as shown, top right.
2. Star box
Glue the bottom of a small gift box on top of a store-bought star-shaped tag. Then glue another star tag on top of lid.
3. Bow boxes
Nestle a tiny box inside an oversize metallic bow.
4. Tassels
To make bow tassels, bottom center, first adhere two mini bows together, flat side to flat side, with one end of a length of bakers’ twine in between. Wrap around a wrapped box, then repeat on other end of length of twine.
Sources
Silver-star wire garland, $1 for 12′; small silver-star cutouts, 5″, $2 for 5; and silver gift bow, 13″, $8, partycity.com
Silver metallic mini star bows, 1″, $4 for 100, papermart.com
Metallic line cotton ribbon, in Silver, $9 for 5 yd.; and metallic loose-weave ribbon, $9 for 3 yd., shopangelaliguori.com
Fringe garland, by Martha Stewart Crafts, $10, michaels.com
Photography by: Bryan Gardner
3. Confetti
Instead of tossing the bright paper cutouts, use them to dress up your holiday presents. These happy circles, sold in every color in the rainbow, provide endless cheer.
1. Like glitter
With a small hole punch, punch out tiny bits of confetti from colorful paper. Adhere double-sided tape to an envelope flap and trim to fit; cover with confetti. Or simply place one strip of double-sided tape on a gift tag, then cover with confetti.
2. Under cellophane
Put a handful of store-bought and mini DIY confetti in a small cellophane bag (trim as needed to turn it into an envelope), and slip a gift card inside. Or cover a wrapped box with cellophane and toss in confetti before taping up final flap.
3. On wrapping paper
Adhere a strip of double-sided tape down the side of a gift box, and cover with confetti in different sizes and colors to create a fun band of circles.
Sources
Custom tissue-paper confetti, ¾”, 1″, and 1½”, in Red, Orange, Tangerine, Carnation Pink, Hot Pink, and Silver Mylar, $10 a bag, shopsweetlulu.com
Cellophane roll, $1.50 for 5′, containerstore.com
Clear treat bags, from $3 for 25, partycity.com
SOURCE:http://www.marthastewart.com/1136581/gift-wrapping-ideas-surprising-unexpected