Wrapping in a pinch

Usually I take time to properly wrap presents because I love the look of a huge pile of presents, beautifully wrapped in paper and ribbon.    Sadly, though, I don’t usually think about wrapping presents until it is too late, and I need to rush to find things around the house that will work in a pinch.  My stand-by favorite is the inside of a brown paper bag.  It looks rustic and a little vintage, and you can always write or draw directly on the paper (if, of course, you don’t have a card either!).

For the wedding I decided to try something a little different – no wrapping at all.  Instead, I cut a number of lengths of ribbon and tied them to the handles of the wine tote.  I curled the ribbon with a scissors, and created a beautiful multi-colored bow at the top:

Great technique for something that is a kind of wrapping itself – a basket, a tote, a decorative box, or the like – but probably not the best technique if you’re giving fine china, silverware, or anything personal (definitely not recommended for underpants!). 

Just so you don’t think I’m totally off my rocker – that’s a half bottle of wine sitting in front of the tote, which is why it is so small.  The bride and groom gave half bottles of their wine for wedding favors, imprinted with the same logo I used for the wine tote! 

Happy giving!
Caitlin