Sheri McCulley Studio: The gift of Love . . . Joy . . . and Peace

Let’s give love, joy and peace this holiday season and every season. Today I am going to share the techniques and tips for gift wrapping these gift tubes. I shares some of these tips on my Dec 5 blog posting (you can refer to it also). The trick for wrapping in this style is in the tissue paper, I believe. Each of these (tubes and boxes) are wrapped first with tissue paper (multiple sheets if you need to have a rich, solid color). This is an easy step, but do be careful as tissue tears easily. Once wrapped, I secured with magic transparent tape (using as little as possible).

For the “Joy” and ”Love” gift wrapped tubes. I cut a piece (about 8 inches long) from a tube that upholstery fabrics come on (although a wide, cardboard wrapping paper tube could also be good to use or a paper towel tube (though it’s a little more narrow). I then wrapped each tube with multiple layers of tissue paper (about five layers) in two shades of a color (greens for the joy tube, pinks for the love tube), alternating back and forth until it was wrapped with the dark tissue as the final layer. I would suggest taping each layer as it is wrapped. I made sure to have about three inches of extra tissue at each end of the tube. This was done to make the multi-colored curled ends.

Once the tube was wrapped (with 3 inches extra on each end) I carefully cut slits in half-inch widths up the tissue (from the ends toward the tube itself), making sure not to reach the tube itself (leaving about an inch) for the ribbon ties. I found that as soon as I cut the strips of tissue, they automatically curled themselves. For the few strands that did not, I simply used a bamboo skewer to curl the tissue (much as you would ribbon with scissors, thumb and forefinger, but be very careful as tissue is so delicate).

I then cut out the “Joy” and “Love” wraps in light green and pink 70 lb. text weight stock using the LD Cut Flowers Holiday Wraps set. I positioned each word (wrap) over their tubes, putting tiny pencil marks on the tubes, to show where I would past the wraps once I had adhesive on the backs. You will want to position the wording on the opposite side of the tube from where you have taped your tissue (which I will call the back). It is important to know your exact positioning prior to pasting. Once I knew exactly where my “Joy” and “Love” wraps would go (making sure to center back and forth and around), I used spray mount on the back of the wraps to adhere to the tissue covered tubes. I think spray mount is the best glue for this process. You might want more than one set of hands to position and adhere. It never hurts to have octa-craft hands.

After the tubes were covered (though still hollow), I used vintage seam binding tape to tie the ribbons on each end of the tubes (use ribbon of your choice). Oh, at this time, if you are using this as a gift box, you will want to slide the small gift inside the tube before tying the ends shut. I would suggest even wrapping the gift in tissue, to keep it from rattling around inside the tube. Be careful when tying the ribbons around the tissue at end of tubes because, once again, it is delicate paper to work with. Tying the bows loosely might work best, while closing the ends yet maintaining the delicate look.

For the “Peace” gift, I covered a thin stationery style box with brown tissue paper. I then cut out the moss green stencil wrap of “Peace” (from the LD Cut Flowers Holiday Wraps set). I positioned it over the box, creasing the wrap at the edges of the box (where the wrap would fold over the edges), I put tiny pencil marks on the box, to show where I would past the wrap down once I had adhesive on the back. When I knew exactly where my “Peace” wrap would go, I used spray mount on the back of the wrap to adhere it to the tissue covered box.

Once I had the wrap secured around the box I embellished it with brown seam binding tape and 3D pine cone and needles (attached together with a small, brown brad). The Cut Flowers Evergreen set from Lettering Delights will have the pine cone and needle shapes you will need. I curled and pinched each petal of the pine cone pieces, then stacked and alternated each layer before bradding together and positioning on the box. (See detailed photo below).

Here are the supplies you will need for the tubes and box gift wrapping:

• Colored Paper ~ I use 70 lb. text from Paper Source—see my previous blog posting (“Paper Chains ~ Simple Pleasures” for the specific paper colors from Paper Source).

• Tissue Paper ~ I use tissue (light pink, watermelon, chartreuse and moss) to wrap the tubes and brown to wrap the box.

• Cardboard Tubes (wrapping paper tubes, paper towel tubes and even toilet paper tubes work)

• Boxes that the gift will go in. I recommend that this project be done with smaller sized boxes, like a chocolates box, large jewelry box or stationery box.

• Ribbons, bakers twine, bias tape or any other creative ties you like to use.

• Spray Adhesive

• Bamboo Skewer or tool to curl tissue and paper with.

• Files from the Cut Flowers Holiday set (Holiday Wraps and Evergreens)