Best of The Gifted Blog

Last week was the 6-month anniversary of The Gifted Blog. To mark the occasion, here are my six best posts! I included a mix of personal favorites and popular stories.

July - Wrap Story: Breakfast Surprise
This gift is not going to win any prizes from Martha Stewart, but I like that this story is unself-conscious, silly and personal.

August - Wrap Story: M&M Bowls
I really enjoyed wrapping this wedding gift for my cousin and her husband.

September - Wrap Story: The Rose in Her Hair
Look how happy the bride-to-be is!
Runner-up - Inspired By: Lupin of Bugs and Fishes
This has attracted quite a bit of attention, I'm guessing from previous fans of Lupin's beautiful work.

October - Tutorial Tryout: Band Practice
Following another gift wrapping enthusiast's creative direction.
Runner-up - Wrap Story: Correspondence Kit for H. & J.
This story got a lot of feedback, not necessarily on the wrapping, but on the contents inside!

November - Wrap Story: Playing With Proportion
This was a gift where I pushed myself to problem-solve.
Runner-up - paminboots Product Feature
A reader favorite, both because of the funky mushroom gift wrap and the reusable gift box.

December - Gift Toppers Workshop Recap
A personal accomplishment for me, communicating my love of gift wrapping face-to-face instead of virtually.

It's been a great six months. Special thanks to my husband G. for supporting me (in two categories: personal and tech support, ha ha). Thanks also to Sarah, silverkeys, Hanna, Makiko, Luci and my sister for their insightful feedback and encouragement. I'm growing to understand the importance of collaboration in this endeavor.

I thank God for His divine, creative spark. The urge to create is a natural outcome of being made in His image. I really think that's why gift wrapping is so enjoyable for me - it's puts me in touch with my made-in-His-imageness.

Finally, thank you, readers, for joining me this past half-year. I appreciate your enthusiasm and participation. Blog lurkers, you're always invited to join the conversation - leave a comment and let us know you were here!

Inspired By: How to Wrap Five More Eggs, part 2

This Inspired By post is part of a mini-series on the things and people that inspire my gift wrapping. Inspiration can strike at any time!


Plate 46, How to Wrap Five More Eggs

As you may have read in my previous post, I found a book called How to Wrap Five More Eggs: Traditional Japanese Packaging at the library. You can browse some of the images here and preview the book itself here.

I appreciated the introduction to Hideyuki Oka’s book especially. Here are some continued thoughts on his observations. Oka contends there are two “lineages” of traditional Japanese packaging. Here he comments:

The second clearly recognizable lineage is what we may call handicraft. This involves more highly developed techniques and more refined aesthetic sensibilities. Departing from considerations of sheer utilitarianism, the packagers of this lineage were self-conscious craftsmen who endeavored to refine their methods and did so in a spirit of artistry. For them the act of packaging came to have important meaning in itself quite apart from the importance of the contents of the package. The package came to have a symbolic value quite distinct from its practical function. (pg 9-10)

I love this section because I see myself in it, and it makes me feel connected to my roots. I had noticed how highly packaged many products are when I visited Japan 5 years ago. The package of sweets from the corner store doesn't just contain sweets, but individually-wrapped sweets, lined neatly on a plastic tray. However, I never thought about where that tradition came from.

As an example of this 'handicraft lineage' of packaging, here is a ceramic peach tied with braided reeds (plate 24). Inside are candies. The peach shape evokes the fairy tale of Momotaro, in which an old couple finds a baby boy inside a peach. The tags are written with not only the name of the shop, but the name of the package's designer. How cool.


Plate 24, How to Wrap Five More Eggs

I think this passage aptly describes Japanese wrap culture, as well as how I feel. Gift wrapping has indeed become something meaningful to me apart from the gift inside. I feel like like an old-time Japanese craftsperson with a blog.

I especially love these sentences - "The motivation of these artisans was entirely personal. They could not resist the desire to perfect their art" (pg 10). I really resonate.

Alright, I have just one more post on this book to go! Look for it soon.

Wrap Story: Letterpress Baby

This Wrap Story is part of a mini-series, documenting every present I’ve wrapped since the launch of The Gifted Blog. Click here for the whole series!

Our dear friends B. and M. are having a baby! We helped throw them a shower a few weeks ago. I have to say I am all for co-ed showers. They really don't have to be frilly affairs. Baby showers should be occasion for celebrating and supporting the couple!

But since I'm not writing a baby shower advice blog, on to the gift wrapping. I chose to take my own advice to showcase this adorable card from Fugu Fugu Press, the local letterpress shop I blogged about visiting in November. The top gift, a book, is wrapped in plain white paper secured with decorative tape (thanks, sis!).

As you can see above, someone in my family decided to help with the photo styling. Here are a couple close-ups.

The bottom gift, a swaddling blanket, is wrapped in turquoise tissue paper and sealed with the same cute tape. I decided to put it seams-side up so the pattern on the tape could play off the pattern of the card.

To top it off, a flash drive with a mix of lullabies!

I love how this gift turned out. It was fun to start with the card and work out from there, seeing what complementary colors and patterns I could find in my gift wrapping supplies. With an illustration as cute as that, it was nice to keep it unhidden by its envelope!

Have you wrapped anything for a baby lately?

Related posts:
- 5 Minute Upgrade: Photo Corners. The original idea behind this Wrap Story.
- Baby Shower posts. You can probably guess my phase of life when the 'Weddings' posts outnumber the 'Baby Shower' ones...but here's what I've got so far!

Inspired By: Erin Jang

This Inspired By post is part of a mini-series on the things and people that inspire my gift wrapping. Inspiration can strike at any time!

My friend M. knows me too well. She sent me over to the blog of graphic designer and illustrator Erin Jang, and it's just my style! Most of her posts are about her super-sharp design work, but there are a few chronicling gifts given and received.

This sweet set of gifts was given to a friend preparing for her wedding day. Following the theme of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something new", Erin wrapped each gift in tissue and labeled it with simple tags. The "something borrowed" package contains borrowed words of wisdom about love and marriage.

The "something old" is a CD with a mix of classic love songs for the couple. Erin designed the cover using one of their engagement photos.

I really like how simple, yet effective, her gift wrapping is. The bright colors and her graphic handwriting are an appealing combination that reflect the tone of the contents inside. I usually get busy with thinking of how to embellish, but here Erin kept the wrapping simple and let her thoughtful presents speak for themselves.

Thanks for sharing, Erin! To see the whole post, click here.


Related posts:
- Inspired By posts. What else am I inspired by? The entire "Inspired By" series to date.
- Wrap Story: The Rose in Her Hair. Do you have a bride-to-be to wrap something for? Here, the story behind the last bridal shower gift I wrapped.

{Images via The Indigo Bunting}

Inspired By: How to Wrap Five More Eggs, part 1

This Inspired By post is part of a mini-series on the things and people that inspire my gift wrapping. Inspiration can strike at any time! 



In search of fresh material for The Gifted Blog, I searched for gift wrapping books on the Pasadena public library system. I love using their website. When I come across books that look interesting online, I just hop on over and request the item if it's available.

I found a book called How to Wrap Five More Eggs: Traditional Japanese Packaging. Based on Hideyuki Oka's out-of-print book How to Wrap Five Eggs(first published in 1965), the book visually documents several examples of packaging from the 60s and 70s.

What a far cry from any packaging I've encountered at the grocery store! Fermented soybeans in a pottery jar, mochi wrapped in bamboo leaves, and seasoned dried fish enclosed in rustic reed matting. You can browse some of the images here and preview the book itself here.


Plates 5 and 6, How to Wrap Five More Eggs

The author write about two "lineages" of traditional Japanese packaging, and I'll highlight the first in this post:

First and foremost is that source that might be called the utilitarian lineage, a kind of crystallization of the wisdom that comes from everyday life. Doubtless the earliest packaging was accomplished by wrapping a given object in whatever material lay at hand. The outcome was often not only adequate for storing and transporting the object but might well have been a simple, beautiful shape free of all excess and extravagance. One example would be the straw holders for eggs. (pg 8 )

What an interesting idea. One way to approach wrapping gifts is to look to the materials in abundance around you (as the farmer did with his rice straw) and use it accordingly.


Plate 12, How to Wrap Five More Eggs

I had a little 'ah-ha!' moment when I read this. I noticed how much of my gift wrapping uses food packaging and started to feel a little self-conscious about it. But with this description, it makes sense. Most of the trash I create is from food. And I am not a rice farmer. It follows that, when I look for the materials around me, food packaging is what is readily available for gift-wrapping!

I feel this post is long enough, so I will save my thoughts for additional posts. For the full introduction text to How to Wrap Five More Eggs, click here.

What about you? What materials are readily available around you? Can they be used for gift wrapping?

Related Posts:
- Wrap Story: Edible Gifts in Jars. Super simple "wrapping" with olive and spaghetti sauce jars.
- Wrap Story: Monogrammed Greens Box. Turning a plastic salad greens box into a gift box worthy of a wedding gift!
- Tutorial Tryout: Bagelope. Speaking of readily available materials, have you looked in your recycling bin recently? Here, a mini gift bag made from an old envelope.

Reader Gift Wrapping Highlights, part 2

The reader images keep coming in, and I am totally delighted! The lovely gifts above were wrapped by Hanna, who wrote an amazing post recapping her gift-wrapping bonanza with her husband. I am wowed by the spark and personality they infused into each present. I think she gives me way too much credit!

Images courtesy hanna-manna

The papers above were screenprinted by Hanna with a happy botanical pattern. I dig the blue/pink combination especially. Read all about it, including her assessment of the free gift tags she used, here.

Below is a recent photo Makiko added to the The Gifted Blog Reader Gallery. She took a Target ad and made these cute tags for her daughter's preschool teachers! I like how she used the paper so tastefully to get a nice pattern on the tags.

In a completely different vein, my friend S. dressed up a set of gardening supplies as a person. I laughed out loud! She writes, "We wrapped a shovel and big clippers to make the body. Then small clippers and a trowel to make the feet. Finally, we added gardening gloves for the hands."

I am loving the flip-flops and painted toenails. Some people might balk at wrapping such odd-shaped items, but S. made it into a fun (and funny) project!

Thanks, readers, for such great images and stories behind them. I am really excited to see your creative work!

For more inspiring reader photos, or to post your own, visit The Gifted Blog Reader Gallery on Flickr!

Free Idea Friday: Catalog Gift Wrap

For today's free idea I wanted to highlight the use of catalog pages for gift wrapping! This is a fast and colorful way to wrap a small present.

If possible, choose a page with an image that fits the occasion. We were recently invited to our neighbor's 1-year birthday party.  I used a page from an Anthropologie catalog to conceal a little book for the birthday boy. (Since when did they start selling children's stuff?)

I used fun tape from my sister to make to/from labels and secure everything in the back. Depending on the dimensions of your gift, you may have to wrap it on the diagonal as seen above.

And that's it! Not a new idea for sure, but one that might come in handy.

Related posts:
- Free Idea Fridays. Every 'Free Idea' post to date! Find more DIY projects and free downloads here.
- Kid-related posts. More fun gift wrap ideas for the little ones in your life.

High School Diary Tells All

In high school, I kept a series of journals. I had the opportunity to peruse them when cleaning out my old bedroom (my Christmas gift to my mom).

I had to smile at one entry in particular about a Secret Santa gift exchange amongst the staff of our high school newspaper, The Messenger.

My Messenger Secret Pal, Manya, loved the presents I gave her!...She even guessed it was me when she saw the funky little tag I put on today's present.

I was positive my Secret Pal was a girl - I'd received a huge platter of Christmas cookies, modelling clay, and today Gelly Roll pens. BUT - at the end of the period this sweet junior, A.W., told me he was my Secret Santa! [H]e didn't have a Secret Pal, so he hadn't gotten ANY gifts...I was blown away by how he was able to put so much care and generosity into his gifts without receiving anything in return. And he told me he MADE the COOKIES HIMSELF, and it took him HOURS. AUGH! And he curls the ribbon on his gifts!

 Insights gained:
1) Even in high school, I was making "funky little tags" for gifts.
2) I was sooo modest!
3) Even then I knew that a man who could curl ribbon was noteworthy.

What about you? If you're one of those "gift wrapping people", have you liked to wrap gifts for a long time? It always amazes me that there are certain types who just love doing it.

Related posts:
- Free Idea Friday: Make Your Own Tags. My high school self might not have deemed these "funky", but this post is dedicated to making gift tags yourself.
- Runs in the Family. I shouldn't be surprised that gift wrapping was a topic in my high school diary - here, read about three generations of gift wrapping aficionados in my family tree.
- Gift Wrapping Arsenal: Fabric Ribbon. More about my family's influence on my gift wrapping practice.

5 Minute Upgrade: Paper-Covered Gift Basket

The idea for this series was born when a friend requested quick ways to make a gift look nice before running out the door. Want more? Click here to see every 5 Minute Upgrade post to date!

When giving a group of small gifts, it's nice to have some kind of container to hold them. This is a super-easy way to make a paper-covered basket!

Start with a clean container. This little box used to hold mushrooms from the grocery store. Set the container in the center of a piece of tissue paper. I happened to use a dip-dyed piece of packing paper. Any soft, thin paper should do.

Fold the edges of the paper into the center of the container, pressing them over the edges. Work your way around until all the paper is folded in. The whole container should be covered, and there should be a nice bed of paper in the middle of your basket to place your gifts!

If the container is still showing, use a bigger piece of paper. If there is not enough room inside the container, trim your paper down so there is less stuffed inside.

Voila!

This particular gift was for my Japanese friend M., who is living here with her family as her husband does research at Caltech. We met through a playgroup. I love getting together to talk as our children rabidly consume snacks.

Faithful Gifted Blog readers will recognize the fabulous paminboots gift wrap. Since M. has been writing a food blog about her home cooking, I thought it would be fun to use the mushroom paper for her presents (a handmade lip balm and soap). As a fun touch I put the card in a sesame seed box instead of an envelope.

Blog note: This post converted a Wrap Story into a tutorial. What do you think? Does this hybrid work, or should I keep the tutorials more distinct? I am rethinking the Wrap Story series as I try to make The Gifted Blog more useful.

Related Posts:
- 5 Minute Upgrades. See the whole series of 5 Minute Upgrades to date here!
- paminboots Product Feature. Read about the inspiration for the mushroom gift wrap by Etsy seller paminboots.
- Wrap Story: Monogrammed Greens Box. Transforming a salad container into something special.

Handsewn Gift Bag

I didn't comprehensively document all the lovely gifts we received this Christmas, but wanted to highlight one I managed to take photos of. The beautiful handmade ornament above was made by our neighbor, J. If that weren't special enough, she wrapped it in a tiny gift bag she sewed and appliqued herself!

The tag is decorated with handstitching. Very sweet.

I have serious respect for anyone with kids who manages to give gifts beyond their immediate family. Thanks, J.!

Related Posts:
- Free Idea Friday: Polaroid Gift Tags. Like the idea of fun gift tags, but don't have the skills to hand stitch your own? Get your free, artsy gift tags here!
- Wrap Story: Souvenirs from the Sea. More gifts in mini bags, this time infused with Hawaiian flavor.

Reader Gift Wrapping Highlights, part 1

Image courtesy silverkeys.writes

After coming back home from our vacation, I was tickled to find 10 new images uploaded to The Gifted Blog Reader Gallery on Flickr. I had seen the one above on Silverkeys' completely impressive post on her holiday gift-giving. This image is of a thrifted tin filled with homemade baked goods. So gorgeous! To see more (and I know you want to!), click here.

Below is Luci's beautifully wrapped gift for her mom. I saw this one on her blog and was pretty excited by what she did. She took a cue from the sewn kraft paper packages I wrote about earlier and infused her own style.

Image via DuhBe.com

The wrapping was originally a brown paper bag, and the tag is a free file printed on her home printer. So economical, yet beautiful! Read more about it on Luci's newly redesigned blog here.

Thanks, Silverkeys, and Luci, for the entertaining and inspiring pictures! If any of you have photos of past gift wrapping jobs, submit them to The Gifted Blog Reader Gallery pronto!

There are even more reader highlights to come, so check back in soon.

Related Posts:
- The Gifted Blog Reader Gallery is Up! Read more about the gallery and view another inventive reader photo!
- A Gifted Christmas: Cranking it Out. See the original packages that inspired the sewn gift wrap above.
- Inspired By: DIY Vietnamese Sandwiches. Cool tins like the one Silverkeys used aren't the only treasures to be found at thrift stores...

Wrap Story: Christmas Gift Wrapping Roundup

This Wrap Story is part of a mini-series, documenting every present I’ve wrapped since the launch of The Gifted Blog. Click here for the whole series!

I know what you're thinking: "I didn't know Charissa's dad had a twin!" Hee hee. Read on for a roundup of all my Christmas gift wrapping endeavors!

I gave Smartwool socks to my sister this Christmas. I was happy to find this slightly dressy-looking style so she could wear them to work.

Since I wrapped them at my parents' home, I took a look in the studio downstairs and found this gift box. I knew I wanted to put the socks in a box (instead of trying to wrap such squishy items alone), and this was perfectly suitable.

It's a nice box, made for reusing. It has a secure Velcro closure at the top. I kept the rest simple with a red paper ribbon and circular, metal-rimmed gift tag.

And if you can believe, it, here's the same box being used last year for a gift for N.! Here he is "unwrapping" it. I wouldn't be surprised if this box gets pulled out again at the end of 2010.

We got my dad a battery-operated razor for his frequent business trips.

Running on the novelty of wrapping a gift with a lump of coal on the top, I turned the box into a little replica of my dad...facial hair and all.

This was labor-intensive, but fun. I used my mom's spray adhesive to do the fabric pants. That stuff is great!

He ended up looking a bit flat, so I added arms and hands for dimension.

Finally, with a magazine page I had saved back in 2007 (also found while rummaging through the studio), I collaged a certificate for my mom.

My old bedroom is still full of my stuff, and for a gift I wanted to get it in better shape for hosting guests.

I used gold tissue paper and the "Band Collage" technique to wrap it and make the outside coordinate with the inside.

Remembering the (mild) controversy that the messy back created last time in the blog comments, I made sure to photograph it.

How did your Christmas gift wrapping go this year? Any lessons to remember for next year? Let me know in the comments!

Related Posts:
- Tutorial Tryout: Band Practice. More about the versatile technique used above, including a pointer from the artist who made it up.
- Wrap Story: Lump of Coal Gift Box I, and II. A gift box with a nod to Santa's naughty list!
- Wrap Story: Monogrammed Greens Box. Tickled by the idea of using a gift box from year to year? Here's another story of reuse, this time straight from the kitchen.