Creative Giftwraps: Ideas and Inspirations, Tips and Techniques

Clever, artful, diverse: the many inventive wrapping concepts in Constance E. Richards's Creative Giftwraps completely counteract the boredom of ordinary package presentation without overly taxing the patience or challenging the pocketbook. Richards explains how anyone can enliven a package with readily available materials such as handmade papers, pretty ribbons, holiday ornaments, found natural objects, old maps, raffia, scraps of fabric, buttons, and even colorful socks. A rolled bamboo place mat disguises a wine bottle; an ingeniously folded bit of wallpaper creates a star design laced over black corrugated cardboard; a cluster of seedpods, feathers, and bark transforms a lowly brown paper bag into a piece of environmental art; a fan of tea bags forms a bow that hints at the present inside (a teapot). Tips are also included for tying great bows and making attractive gift tags. A talented team of contributing designers and an array of beautiful photos help Richards provide nearly 50 ideas for wrappings so appealing that gift recipients may actually hesitate to open them. --Amy Handy