Making Christmas Gift Wraps

©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Here is a finished Silver and Gold wrapping.

• Cream 90-pound water-color paper, cut into a 23x121/2-inch sheet
• Silver and gold acrylic paints
• Disposable foil containers
• 2 paintbrushes, approximately 11/4 inches wide
• 6x6x41/2-inch gift box
• Double-sided tape
• 2 yards of 11/2-inch-wide wire-edged silver nylon ribbon cut into
• two 1-yard lengths
• 2 yards of 11/2-inch-wide wire-edged gold nylon ribbon cut into
• two 1-yard lengths
• Green floral wire
• 1 gold or silver pinecone or ball ornament

1. Cover work surface with cardboard. Put paper, right-side up, on cardboard. Place small amount of silver paint in a disposable foil container. Thin with water until mixture is the consistency of heavy cream. Repeat with gold paint. Dip a brush into the paint. Starting at the upper corner of the paper, paint silver daubs every two inches using quick brushstrokes. Using the gold, fill in between the silver strokes. Repeat the rows, alternating the starting color, until paper is covered. Allow to dry.
   

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Alternate two-inch silver and gold sections over the entire surface of the paper.

2. Turn paper wrong-side up, wrap box using double-sided tape, then turn box right-side up. Slightly overlap one silver and one gold ribbon, placing them under the box with equal lengths extending. Bring ends together at the center and tie in a knot. Pass end of remaining gold ribbon under first knot. Bring ends together and tie into a bow over the first knot. Repeat using remaining silver ribbon. Place small piece of floral wire around the pinecone. Attach it to the knot in the center of the bows.

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Tie silver and a gold bow around the package to echo the wrapping paper.

• 12 to 15 squares of paper, about 41/2 square inches each
• Scissors
• Iron
• White wrapping paper
• Plastic snowflakes (optional)
• Blue spray paint

1. Start with a square of paper. Fold the bottom edge of your square up to the top edge to make a rectangle. Fold this rectangle in half so you have a square. Fold this square from corner to corner to create a triangle.
   

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Repeatedly fold a square of paper until you have a compact triangle.

2. With the single fold at the bottom, fold down side with several creases to touch bottom edge. Cut off the paper that hangs off the end.
   
   
3. Now you're ready to cut designs in the paper. Some designs can be cut on the side with the single fold, but don't cut it away completely or snowflake will fall apart. Experiment with cutting out diamonds, circles, and odd shapes from the multicreased side. Unfold paper. Cut 12 to 15 snowflakes. Iron them so they lie flat. Iron sheets of white paper.
   

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Experiment with various cuts to produce differently shaped snowflakes.

4. In a well-ventilated area, arrange snowflakes on white paper so they overlap slightly. If you have plastic snowflakes, use them to weigh down paper ones.
   

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Arrange the snowflakes on the wrapping paper so that they slightly overlap.

5. Shake can of paint well before spraying lightly over paper, using gentle back and forth motion. Hold can high off paper, and spray from directly above to avoid moving snowflakes. Allow to dry for a few minutes so you don't smudge paint when you remove snowflakes. Snowflakes can be reused.

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Lightly spray over the surface of the wrapping paper.

• 1 yard of 60-inch-wide midnight blue velvet,
• cut into a 31x31-inch piece and a 15x15-inch piece
• 10x10x9-inch rigid gift box with top and bottom
• All-purpose craft glue
• Scissors
• One 3- to 4-inch plastic foam flower arranger
• 41/2 yards of 2-inch-wide gold wire-edged nylon ribbon,
• cut into one 2-yard and two 11/4-yard lengths
• Assorted dusty rose and blue silk flowers
• 2 bunches of artificial blue or dusty rose grapes

1. Place the 31x31-inch piece of velvet on your work surface, wrong-side up. Drizzle a line of glue around the outer edges of the box bottom. Center the bottom on top of the velvet. Wrap the bottom, using the craft glue to secure the velvet to the inside of the box. Trim extra fabric as needed when executing folds. Allow to dry. Repeat using 15x15-inch piece of velvet and the top of the box. Allow to dry.
   

   ©2006 Publicatioins International, Ltd. Lightly glue the underside of the velvet and attach the box lid.

2. Place box right-side up. Glue the flower arranger on the top-left corner of the box. Place 2-yard piece of ribbon over the bottom-right corner of the box with equal lengths extending. Pass the ends under the bottom-left and top-right corners. Bring the ends up together at the top-left corner over the flower arranger. Tie them tightly into a single knot over the flower arranger to secure.
   

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Glue the flower arranger to the top-left corner of the lid.

3. Press ends of flowers and grapes into flower arranger. Trim ribbon ends. Pass 11/4-yard ribbon length under first knot. Bring ends together. Tie into a bow over first knot. Repeat using remaining ribbon.

   ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Place the ends of the flowers and the grapes into the flower arranger.