Brown Paper Packages...

We have had a house full of visitors the past week or two, and it has been so much fun! (Well minus the cold that Avery has been afflicted with.)

But now that things have slowed down a bit...for a few days at least, I am busy busy working on some Christmas gifts. But I can't show you photos of those.

I can show you photos of the wrapping though...which to me, is almost as good as what's inside.

Growing up, my mom went to special effort to wrap presents beautifully. It was so fun to walk past the tree and admire the gilded papers and yards of fancy wired fabric ribbons tying them. Yeah, Meier and Frank had nothing on her! It was something that started first thing in December and we got to enjoy all through the month. You could always tell which gifts were purchased and wrapped early in the Christmas season, and which were quickly done the night before, by the fanciness of their wrapping.

I love to make things look beautiful. I love giving gifts, because it means that I get to think about how I am going to wrap them. I love using real ribbon, and pretty tissue paper, and most often a plain brown or white box. I love crafting a note card. And it is all kind of silly and fleeting...but that's what makes it special I guess. Anyway, I love wrapping gifts, and I hate waiting until the last minute to do it.

This year I am reprising an idea I had three or four years ago. I lived in Omaha, and the great thing about Omaha (yes there are some) is that folks still think their junk is junk, and don't realize the wonderful repurposing potential. Their yard sales, and thrifts stores were a trove of crafting goodness.

I found these gaudy costume jewelry earrings at a yard sale and bought the lot. Then I just broke the post off the back and glued a pin in its place (although in retrospect...I could have just kept the post on...but who wants weird ear gunk on their ribbon?). Then I wrapped the gifts with simple plain paper, tied with a pink, brown, or blue velvet ribbon (LOVE velvet ribbon!), and finished with a sparkly jewel.

Honestly it was hard for me to part with them, so if you received one, I really love you. Funny thing is that I remember exactly who I gave which jewel package to, and what color of ribbon went with it, but I have no memory of what gift I gave them.

I kept at least one of each pair of jewels, and I might just part with them this year,

...unless I decide to put the posts back on and actually wear them. I am kind of tempted.