| Create Your Own Paper-Flower Bows |
Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza, cohosts of Creative Juice, explain how easy it is to craft your own gift-wrapping supplies.
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For just a few pennies you can get creative and craft your own gift bags, boxes and paper-flower bows.
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By Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza
April 7, 2008 — Creating recycled gift wrap is really taking trash and creating a treasure. It is not only great for the planet, but it is also good for your wallet. With the prices of designer gift wrap, you could easily spend $10 just to wrap a small gift. For just a few pennies, however, you can get creative and craft your own gift bags, boxes and paper-flower bows. For quick and easy gift-wrapping, you can transform plain gift bags and lunch sacks into stunning designer-look bags with the simple addition of paper flowers. Who says a gift box can't be a tube? Drink-mix containers can be stripped of their labels and decorated with scrapbook paper and ribbons. They are the perfect-size box for a bottle of lotion. If you have some small jewelry boxes and they have a department-store logo, cover it with a scrap of decorative paper, ribbons, silk leaves and a paper flower. You can use just about any kind of paper to create paper-flower bows. Grocery bags can be cut, crinkled and layered to create a natural-looking bow. You can add a layer or two of colored plastic wrap for a shiny look. By adding a petal from a mismatched silk flower, you can create an organic look. To add a pop of color, use magazine tear-outs and bits of scrapbook paper. Flower bows are super-easy to make and they add so much flair and style to a package. Now that you have the basics for creating your own paper-flower bows, all you need is a gift to wrap. To create a small bow: 1. Cut eight circle shapes from paper or plastic. Begin with a three-inch circle and work your way down to a one-inch circle. 2. Add an organic look to the edge of the circles by cutting waves, scallops or zigzags. Gently crinkle each circle in your hand. 3. Layer the circles from largest to smallest and secure in the center with an office or scrapbook brad. Attach to your package with hot glue or tape. (Emmy nominated Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza cohost Creative Juice. For more information log on to www.cathiefilian.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.) | Get DIY On Your TV. Just follow the instructions to see if DIY Network is available through your cable or satellite provider. |
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