Gift Wrapping

I know that some folks just grab a gift bag and tissue when it come time for wrapping presents, that's their style.  Really, I don't like to do that.  Granted, with my busy life I do typically resort to the oh so common gifty bag, but deep in my heart I want to go all out with wrapping paper and all those grand extras! 

Such as these weddings gifts I wrapped.  They were taken to an indoor/outdoor chapel wedding this past May.


Pic snapped with my Mom's I-Phone!

 Sometimes the wrapping costs as much as the gift!  *sigh*  Even if you do go with the gift bag, they can run you $4 or $5, plus tissue paper, plus a card!  (Heeeello dollar store!) 

If you want to give wrapping your gifts a try, here are some nice ideas I found...

http://www.realsimple.com/



www.adelle.com/au



http://www.cathiefilian.blogspot.com/



http://www.marthastewart.com/

Get creative...send me pics of what you wrap.  And think outside the box - comics from the newspaper, craft paper, a cloth napkin or scarf, maps from that last vacation, etc.  Have fun!!!

Wood Block Photo Frame and Canvas Art (Copy cat!)

Admittedly, I'm a copy cat.  Yup.  Here and there you can find my inspiration. 



Now atop my refrigerator!

The canvas art was fun and simple to make.  I didn't invest in expensive foam stamps, just bought the cheap-o's from Hobby Lobby.  Since I'd never tried this line of craft before I didn't want to spend a lot just in case this wasn't going to be up my alley.  I had fun and it stretched me a bit.  I've seem to have lost some of my crafty-creativity and enjoyed gettin' back into the swing of things.

Actually, this was simple!  Sanding on the canvas was trickier than expected as the canvas would stretch and it wore around the wooden frame underneath.  Stamping was easy.  Practice beforehand was the key for me!  Because of the cheap stamps, my method was odd, but it worked in the end.

Obviously, I didn't take any "step-by-step" photos.  Forgot to!  *smiles*  But, it spurred on the following project!



Already given as gifts and one is on my mantle.





My husband went about and beyond helping me with these.  Pulling out the router was his idea.  He even picked the style!  (The router usage was not in the original idea from ByStephanieLynn.)   I opted for a thicker rougher twine, as that's what we had on hand.



Waiting for the paint to dry was the hardest part for me.  Of course, I didn't use the saw or the router, my sweet man did.  *winks*  In the end I was proud of the project we did together!