Christmas DIYs

Here are some on-the-spot (unplanned) DIY wrapping projects which I did this Christmas. Disclaimer: Not a lot of time was spent making these. They're products of boredom. Haha!

Using brown paper bags

I got the brown paper bags from Bestsellers in Robinsons Galleria, the washi tape from Fab Manila, and the ribbon and Christmas decor from National Bookstore.

 

My friend got these cute little jars from True Value, I used the same washi tape from Fab Manila, and the ribbon from National Bookstore. Recognize the tag on top of the jars? Those are the ones I made using Microsoft Paint. LOL. (See here)

Not bad given the time constraints and limited resources! Haha! Everyone at the office loved our little jars of goodies. Hooray!

I have one more rather major DIY project (my gift for Chi) but I'll post about that after I've given it to him. To Chi: I know you're reading this now. Please resist the urge to open my gift until the 24th! Haha!



P.S. I'm leaving for Bacolod tomorrow morning so no blogging till I get back after Christmas.

P.P.S. Merry Christmas everyone!!!  I know. I'm 3 days early but better late early than never. Haha!

P.P.S. Last one, I promise. For those who are still doing last minute shopping, happy hunting and happy giving!

DIY Wrapping: Wine Bottle

Sometime last week, I was searching for unique gift wrapping ideas and I stumbled upon Formal Fringe. They have a really cute idea for wrapping wine bottles. It's fast, easy, and unique. In my books, that makes it a perfect DIY project, especially for those lacking in the creative department (like me!). Haha! All you need is a pair of socks. This way, you end up giving two practical gifts instead of one- the wine, and the socks. For me, the more gifts you give, the merrier so hooray! LOL.

Here's how to do it: (All photos are from Formal Fringe)


Insert the bottle inside one sock.

Fold over the extra length of the sock and use the other sock to tie around the neck of the bottle. 

Tie a knot or a bow. Any will do.





And there you have it! See, told you it was real easy.

I suggest using long socks and those with adorable prints. As for the tag, I'd punch a hole and pin the tag on the sock with a safety pin. 

via thekrossroads

via creatingkeepsakesblog

via fatimajakoet

Happy wrapping and happy giving! :)

The classic button down

Men's button down shirts have recently been worn more and more by women. First, there was the boyfriend shirt look with leggings. Then, women started sporting button downs with practically anything- shorts, skirts, and even alone as a cover up at the beach. 

Soon after, wildly creative gals were using wrapping techniques to transform their boyfriend's button down shirt into dresses, tops and skirts. 

via collegecandy

via indulgy

Well, taking it from the gift wrapping trend of Furoshiki, the classic button down shirt can actually be used for gift wrapping! I think Jennifer Playford's instructions best show how to do it. 

It's real easy to do and it doesn't require any sewing or cutting. I love this technique because whoever is receiving the gift can actually use the wrapping after. I'm all for reusable wrapping and I think this is as green as you can get. Here are some finished products.

via Wrapagami book

Use a red or green shirt for a Christmas gift.

 

via stagetecture

via serenityindesign

This one used the button down shirt to cover the top of a box. 

via blogs.babble.com

Don't they look amazing? I'm definitely trying this out soon. Maybe my brother or boyfriend has an old shirt that I could use. After wrapping the box, I'd pin the tag with a tiny gold safety pin and that's it! 

Happy wrapping! 

For the boss

The Christmas party at your office is fast approaching and you and your team have no idea what to give your boss. Here are some gift ideas that are both fun and functional.

Pen Zen 

via Qrius

via Qrius

It's the best desk organizer with rubber extrusions to keep items in place, whether he wants the box standing up or lying down. The wooden finish is nice and clean and the hidden magnets within the bamboo surface are for clips and notes. It's dimensions are 7.25 x 2.5 x 2 inches and it comes in black or blue. It's P999 and it's available here. 

Agenda Dry Erase Board

via Quirks

Perfect for the boss who takes it a week at a time and can't sustain a planner for too long. The board includes a dry erase magnetic pen. It's dimensions are 13.75 x 13.75 inches, just the right size to have by her computer. It's P695 and it's available here. 

Sticky Pad

via Qrius

via Qrius

via Qrius

The sticky pad is the most practical gift you could give. It's a silicone mat that's sticky on both sides. You can use it to hold your keys, notes, pens, cellphones and eyeglasses. Your boss can put it in his car or on his desk. He can even stick it on the wall! It's available in black, grey, and green, in mini (13 x 9.5 x 0.2 cm), small (19 x 13 x 0.2 cm) and medium (14.5 x 5 x 0.2 cm). It costs from 380- 580 pesos and you can buy it here. 

Audrey Auto Notes

via Zalora

You can never go wrong with a nicely designed notepad. Every boss needs it for those important reminders and messages. This one comes with a pen, clip, and a stand for that extra professional look. There are 4 various designs for P495 each. It's available here.

Franklin Covey pen

via Zalora

via Zalora

This is for the boss who has everything. It has a slim and simple design, perfect if you don't really know your boss' preference. The Greenwhich Satin Chrome Franklin Covey pen comes with a lifetime mechanical guarantee and uses Cross BP ink refills. It costs P720 and you can purchase it here. 

Nest

via Qrius

via Qrius

via Qrius

The Nest is perfect for the boss who cannot survive a day without his tablet. He can rest his iPad on it either horizontally with nonslip rubber cushions on the back, or vertically using the hidden cradle. Without a tablet, he can use it to hold small items like his keys, USB, paperclips, etc. It comes in 5 colors- pink, blue, black, green, and orange. It's P680 and it's available here. 

For gifts for your boss, I'd keep the wrapping pretty simple. No need for extravagant decorations and details. I don't think my love for brown paper gift wrapping will ever die. Here are some simple gift wrapping ideas for you to try. 

via adoseofsimple

via notonthehighstreet

via rubberstamping.about.com

via etsy

via thesweetestoccasion

Busy bee

Five company Christmas parties, one with my high school barkada, our annual trip to Bacolod (my mom's hometown) and my birthday. These are all happening this month and it seems like there aren't enough nights to party! While I'm out buying Christmas gifts like everyone else, let me leave you with these adorable polka dot gift wrapping ideas.  I find dots to be more fun and happy than stripes so these are great for gifts for kids and young adults- or maybe even those who are young at heart. Haha! But, as you scroll down, you'll see that polka dots can look quite elegant as well.

via 4men1lady

via marthastewart

via thetomkatstudio

via onekingslane

via holidash

via pinterest

via etsy

via pinterest

via lovelymorning

via afabulousfeast

via erinzam

via forchicsake

The last one is my absolute favorite. The packaging is already a gift, isn't it?

Bobble

Bobble. Bobble. Bobble. Funny sounding word, isn't it? Sounds like a sound (whut?) that a fish or some water animal would make. Haha! According to Google, 

bob·ble/ˈbäbəl/

Noun:

A small ball made of strands of wool used as a decoration on a hat or on furnishings. A mishandling of a ball.

Hmmmm. I don't think these meanings fit the product I'm about to show you. Let's try Dictionary.com. 

bob·ble

 [bob-uh l]  Show IPA noun, verb, bob·bled,bob·bling.

noun

1.

a repeated, jerky movement; bob.

That's more like it. That meaning makes much more sense because the product that I'm going to talk about is the Bobble Brush toothbrush stand from Qrius. It "keeps your toothbrush upright and grime-free", according to Qrius.

via quirky.com

I think it's such a FUN toothbrush stand. Haha! It comes in blue, pink, and grey. It's this cone-ish shaped thing (for the lack of a better word) with a rubberized weighted base. The base keeps the stand in place while on any wet surface like your bathroom sink. 

It has a hole on the top where you insert your toothbrush. It's form fitting so that your toothbrush won't fall. It can firmly hold all standard sized toothbrushes with the exception of electronic ones. 

via Qrius

To clean the stand, you simply unscrew the top and middle sections. It's that easy. 

via Qrius

It's a great gift for anyone really. They can use it for their toothbrush in the bathroom or any elongated object like pens and pencils in their office. 

It's P600 and you can buy it here. 

via Qrius

via Qrius

Since it comes in a box, wrapping will be real easy. If you want to make the wrapping just a bit more special, you can stick with the bathroom theme and use a towel/ cloth for wrapping. 

via designbright

via stylegoesstrong

via giverslog

via pinterest

Click here for instructions or search for videos on Youtube. There are lots of them going around....bobble, bobble, bobble.