35 amazing ways to rock a Christmas present!!!!!!

Posted by Mr Wong at 3:41 AM 0

Good morning....well its clear that we are officially in the serious season of gift wrap overload. I mean this is when you need to get those fingers at their peak performance, making sure they are ready to do some serious overtime. No rest for the weary, survival of the fittest. All ten count. I must admit, it can take me awhile to warm up to the idea that the holiday frenzy is here, but once I commit to it, I jump right in and go full throttle and when I get into my gift wrap, I really get into  my gift wrap. Normally I will start by conventionally wrapping a gift with pretty paper, some kind of ribbon,  a name tag, insert it under tree and repeat. Then as the creative gift wrapping juices get flowing I stare with new found creativity under the tree and promptly remove all the gifts, furiously attaching all sorts of ribbons, adornments, pine cones, glittery objects,  mini ornaments, candy canes, you name it to said packages, and voila new and enhanced gifts are then replaced under the tree and suddenly its really starting to look a lot like Christmas!! So today is all about beautiful ways to wrap up those presents we all no doubt have. Some creative ways to get the job done. Have some interesting creative tips you want to share? Please do!

Ahhhh...damask paper, silver silky ribbon, and sprayed silver adorments....perfection! C.Roehm

Love this idea, white paper, colorful ribbon and attaching a fun Christmas candy like a candycane or lollipop, definitely trying this! Good Housekeeping

Rich reds and oranges with same colored ribbons make for fabulously festive gifts, C.Roehm

Simple brown paper with ivy leaves and berries ala Martha Stewart, creative!

These are just gorgeous! If you want to get really clever and creative, take a box and wrap candies or hot glue flowers over them, tie up with pretty ribbon! Becky Luigart-Stayner

Cannot imagine gift wrap any prettier than these in all the beautiful earthy colors !! The Bella Life

Solid papers with live greens and/or berries makes for a festive package, Martha Stewart

LOVE this!!! Gorgeous shimmery metallic papers adorned with silver ribbons and adornments that have been sprayed silver, does it get any prettier? Carolyn Roehm

This is fun! Brown craft paper with adhesive letters to spell out persons name (you can buy these at Michaels)

Love the idea of attaching a few small metallic ornaments to a box, instant way to add a little glam to a gift, Goodhouse

I like the idea of a simple gift wrap with a little jingle bell! Martha Stewart

Who would have thought silver tissue paper adorned with assorted beautiful ribbons could look so pretty? Martha Stewart

How about taking simple craft paper and adorning it with a fancy costume jewelry broach and ribbon! Heather Bullard

Beautiful metallics and browns are a beautiful way to jazz up a gift! The window scene

I like layering ribbons, a flat ribbon with a curly ribbon on top when you are feeling really ambitious, gives it a little "pop", Goodhouse

Pinecones can be one of the least expensive and most decorative ways to dress up a package

Talk about creative but chic! Newspaper with a big tag with recipients initial! Craftingchics

Love this sheet music paper, wrapped with a pretty green bow and a few little bells, so elegant! Country Living

Aboslutely love this and will give it a go.......How about adding black and white photos to the front of a gift! Love it!

Decadent paper, a silky wide ribbon and a small flower cluster is the picture of holiday elegance ala Carolyn Roehm

Who wouldnt' want to receive a gift like this with a little added Christmas bling! BHG

Something very charming and nostalgic about this craft paper and gingham fabric used in place of ribbon, very sweet. Old charm

Love the ideas of letting kids design their own giftwrap and have done this myself, Martha Stewart

Love this idea, for favors or small gifts, putting them in burlap sacks and adorning them with holly and berries, Southern Living

Or dress up a special gift with fresh holiday flowers! Southern Living

I have done something like this often for birthdays and other occasions besides Christmas, take a simple paper, get a big initial and a flower or fresh greenery, get your glue gun ready and go!

Notonthehighstreet

Sometimes just choosing a really beautiful and elegant paper with a pretty ribbon is enough, Heather Bullard

Not all gifts must come in a box and paper, how about a favorited baked good or candy given in a pretty little ice bucket and wrapped up with a beautiful ribbon!

Love this idea, a neat vintage looking postcard of a place that has meaning to the recipient, perhaps a place you visited together or a somewhere you want to go! Fantastic...Songbird

Sometimes, less is more like using a plain colored wrapping paper and adding a festive tartan bow! Familyfun

Look at this chic animal print paper in rich browns and greens topped with colorful ribbons, berries and mini pinecones...fabulous! Carolyn Roehm

When in doubt....go all out, on color that is! How about neon pink and green, that is bound to wake everyone up Christmas morning! Fourteen feet ceilings

Sometimes, even household staples can be used for pretty wrapping, like a newspaper cut into a flower or craft paper or a comic book page or tying with simple twine, Ellinee

Stickers have never been big bigger, get  plain paper and get creative with stickers!! MS

Using rich velvet ribbon is a surefire way to dress up an elegant gift!!

So....get your glue gun out and ready to do battle, start stretching those fingers...its time to get to work!  The season is here and in full swing! Hope you got some ideas and would love to hear if you have some of your own! Happy wrapping!

Get your sparkle on!!

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:17 AM 0

 Good Monday morning..hope everyone had a superb weekend. I don't know if you all caught my "random Sunday musings" post yesterday where I included a hysterical video on the "Uggs vaccine' but I also meant to say despite the throngs of teenagers and moms that think they look like their 16 year old daughters but are sadly mistaken who adore them and have succumbed to the puffy phenomenon, I DO LOVE MY UGG SLIPPERS! They are incredibly toasty and cozy, and I wouldn't give them up for a lifetime supply of Swedish Fish (well on second thought I might need to reconsider, I mean we are talking a lifetime). So the video is for both those who love them and those who are no so fond of them...its all in good fun!


Normally I run my "behind the blogger' posts on Mondays. I have one more to post which will be next week, and then taking a break from that and have another idea cooking, which I hope to start up sometime after the holidays. Stay tuned......

With the holidays officially in full swing, like it or not, its time to start thinking about holiday plans, gift giving, entertaining, and decorating your home for the holidays. Admittedly, it makes me a little weak at the knees just thinking about it, but once I start the ball rolling, normally there is no stopping me........ I turn into the Christmas decorating beast unleashed!! This year will be a little different because we are going to be moving and I think unpacking and making our house a home will take precedent over Christmas decorations but I know I will still have to do my share no matter what. At no other time other than Christmas and Dec. does adding a little sparkle make a home look more beautiful. Gold, silver, pewter a little mercury glass there, a dose of gleaming crystal here....there are so many ways to add a little bling to your home. So below are some beautiful examples of how to get your sparkle on........what are your favorite looks to add holiday sparkle to your home?

There is no such thing as too much sparkle in December! Case in point here.

Gold and silver mix beautifully together, check out their "garland" on the stairs..fun!

Love the combination of silver all a glitter on a rustic beautiful table, Lisa Luby Ryan

Sparkle looks perfect on a Christmas tree...love seeing gold and silver on a tree

Adding a shiny bowl of beautiful same colored ornaments to a table is a instant way to jazz it up

Soft gold and silver work beautifully in a neutral softly toned room, love how the gifts are assorted into silver tins....clever!

Get a favorite silver bowl and fill it with gold and silver balls.....it works every time!

Adding a little something shiny to a beautiful gift is the perfect sparkle touch

The impact of big oversized metallic ornaments is dramatic and beautiful

A beautiful mini tree all decked out in gold...why not!

Mercury glass in all its many colors is perfect way to add a little bling to any space

A little holiday sparkle is for Hanukkah too!

A stunning place setting all a glitter is a perfect way to make a sparkly statement

I love the mix of silver and gold, even done simply but elegantly

Love mixing the natural greenery with a bit of gold and silver sparkles on a table....

A tree all a glitter in an otherwise neutral setting is quite breathtaking, Lisa Luby Ryan

Look at how much this adorable little glitter birds add to these ivory wrapped presents

How about a fabulous wreath made of glittery shiny ball ornaments?

Even taking simple ivory paper and wrapping them with silver and gold ribbon and adornments is a beautiful way to add a little holiday sparkle to a room

There is no denying the magic of a table laden with silver!

Here's something everyone can do...fill two large cylinder vases with gold and silver balls and sprayed pinecones, talk about instant impact!

I love the idea of keeping all the gifts wrapped in the same metallic tones

Mercury glass is such a beautiful way to dress up any table

Love the soft muted sparkle mixed with earthly colors...spectacular!

Love how Centsational girl used wallpaper in the back of this cabinet and filled it with small gold and silver objects....beautiful!

A dining setting is picture perfect when adding silver or gold.....

Perhaps the most beautiful way to create sparkle is to smother a Christmas tree in it, its pure magic when you do!

Sometimes something as simple and small as a single candle done in beautiful mercury glass such as this one by Pottery Barn is just enough sparkle for a small table or console

Sometimes adding just a touch of sparkle is just enough as is the case here, its perfect

I love a color brought in like this beautiful green with the silver....so pretty!

Carry the magic outside....add sparkle to the outdoors by lit Christmas figures and oversized hurricanes...its magical!

A fabulous place setting set with a gold china service is always picture perfect!

So the question is will you get your sparkle on? How will you do it? Would love to know! To me, nothing makes the house feel like Christmas's magic fairy dust is sprinkled all around us like having little bits of sparkle throughout the house. The living and dining room are obvious places but don't forget about a little something in your kitchen and adding something to the guest powder room is always a great idea, it is those little touches that make a big difference! Would love to know what you like to do!! Sparkle on.........