Wantist: Give Amazing Gifts

Posts Tagged ‘tutorials’

How to Make Delicious, Delightful Dipped Pretzels

DIY Dipped Pretzels wrapped in a box

We’re down to the wire and you’re thinking, “What could I make with a lot of love, a lot of fun, but not a ton of time?” Dipped pretzels! These are sure to blow the tastebuds off of teachers, friends and neighbors. Let me show you how to turn ordinary pretzels into a fun and classy present that you’ll love giving. Trust me, they are a huge hit.

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Hot wot make Dipped PretzelsMaking Dipped Pretzels - Part 1Making Dipped Pretzels - Part 2

How to Wrap A Present – The 18 Best Gift Wrapping Videos

Time to wrap! Whether you’re looking for inspiration or how-to help, we’ve gathered up the best videos to help embellish or upgrade your gift-wrapping skills.

The first few cover the basics of wrapping a box. You’ll also learn creative ways to reuse materials already around your house and crafty DIYs with pom poms and potatoes.

For veteran wrappers, learn clever fixes for when your paper is too short, how to wrap a cookie tin and make it look beautiful, a dramatic way to wrap a wine bottle, and how to make glossy confetti-filled gift wrap.

These first two are simply to get you in the mood. They made me smile. I hope they do the same for you!

Holiday video by Amsterdam media company, Suikerdepôt

From the ever-festive folks at Kate Spade.

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wrapping-vidsdandeeonekingslaneetsynormandailycandytwinstriperecyclenowthreadbangerconfettiheidielsagekatescookietinjapanese-winemay-diagonalucgoodswrapcatGift Wrap Video Tutorials from The Container Store

Martha’s Gift Wrap Challenge—Cast Your Votes!

Vintage Portraits Wrap by Something's Hiding in Here

Vintage Portraits Wrap by Something’s Hiding in Here

As if it were possible to pick! Well okay, we’ll try.

All this week over at the Crafts Department on Martha Stewart, some of our most favorite crafty bloggers have been sharing creative and inexpensive wrapping ideas as part of a Gift Wrap Challenge.

The ideas are bursting with inspiration, and now the trick, to choose the most inspiring! Will it be color copies turned gift wrap? Sleek and stylish stitching? Homemade bows with confetti inside? Or whimsical glittered gift tags?

Pictured are each of the submissions with links to their tutorials so you can give them a go. Wrapper friends, these bloggers are true stars and their sites are wonderful corners of the internet. So go get lost, but don’t forget to vote!

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Adorned Glitter Clothespin Gift Toppers by Creature ComfortsConfetti Bow Ribbion and Pom Pom Topper by Hello SandwichStitched Wrap and Printable Pull Tag by Shimtokk

Make This Gift: A DIY Pompom Necklace!

DIY Pompom Necklace

DIY Pompom Necklace, photo by Erica Coffman

A great gift for your stylish sister, those sassy book club ladies, or your color-loving girlfriend, these DIY pompom necklaces are Classy with a capital “C”!  Inspired by the high-fashion tribal necklaces of designer Nicole Akong, the brilliant ladies behind Honestly WTF created this do-it-yourself version.  I love the cheery colors and playful poms, but the real magic is in the customization–this necklace can be as bright and bold or subtle and subdued as you want!

Put on your present-making pants and head over to Honestly WTF for the complete tutorial. Happy gift-making!

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Gifts From Kids: Homemade Mini Art Magnets

Mini Art Magnets by Momtastic

Mini Art Magnets, photo by Liz Stanley

I remember making holiday gifts for my grandparents a lot as a kid, mostly giant “works of art” that consumed about 80 percent of their refrigerator door space. I’m sure my creations were cherished (at least my little heart hoped so–I was giving away my masterpieces!) even if their epic size went unappreciated. That’s why these mini art/canvas magnets from Momtastic are so, well, fantastic! You can encourage your budding Picasso and get them on the “Meaningful Gift-Giving Wagon” early, while still respecting Grandma’s  precious refrigerator real estate. And like I said, they’re magnetized, which means they’re totally practical. Right?

Head over to Momtastic for a supply list and tutorial–you may even find yourself joining in on the fun!

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Tasteful Type: Make Your Own Typographic Gift Wrap!

DIY Typographic Gift Wrap / Image: Chris Gardner

DIY Typographic Gift Wrap, Photo by Chris Gardner

Hey, remember that awesome alphabet wrap?  If you loved those letters but want something a little more custom ‘n’ crafty, we’ve got the perfect DIY gift wrap for you!

DIY Typographic Gift Wrap by ManMadeDIY

DIY Typographic Gift Wrap, Photo by Chris Gardner

Our buddy Chris from ManMade created this clever typographic gift wrap using craft paper and an old book. If you’re hesitant to start hacking up tomes however, you could try magazines or newspapers for the same print effect. For a more colorful spin, I love the idea of using Chris’ downloadable alphabet templates with bright neon card stock or patterned scrapbook paper! Whatever you decide, gather up your dutiful brown craft paper and grab your trusty Xacto. Then head on over to ManMade for the full tutorial and free typeface downloads (there are 4 to choose from). Happy crafting!

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DIY Typographic Gift Wrap by ManMadeDIY

Easier Than It Looks: Make a Woven Paper Gift Topper!

DIY Woven Paper Gift Topper / Mini Eco
We love a good burst of color, especially in the form of delectable gift wrapping. If you can make that gift wrap yourself all the better! So when I spied this tutorial for a fun and funky paper gift topper, I was over the moon (or should that be ‘rainbow’?).

Aside from looking super awesome, this woven gift topper is surprisingly simple to make. Kate from Mini Eco (the same brilliant lady that brought us that colored pencil jewelry–yum!) shares this simple tutorial for creating your own show-stopping topping.

All you need is colored paper and sticky tape. The colors, of course, are up to you! What do you envision? Shades of a favorite color? Silver and gold? The possibilities!

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Freebie Alert! Printable Birthday Invites and Goodie Bags

Printable Birthday Invites and Goodie Bags from Funkytime

Printable Birthday Invites from Funkytime, Photo by Sibylle Roessler

I know we’re all gearing up for fall and winter holidays, but last time I checked, birthdays are always in season! (Right Libras?)

To help your celebration go off without a hitch, Funkytime blogger Sibylle Roessler is offering up super festive invitation and goodie bag printables. She also shares some pretty great DIY ideas for sprucing them up with pompoms, rickrack, and fringe—yum! And wouldn’t you know it, her techniques are equally snazzy for homemade treats and wrapped packages too.

Happy downloading and, of course, happy birthday-ing!

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Make This Gift: A Simple Leather Passport Holder

DIY Leather Passport Holder / Image: Alicia Jepsen

I don’t know about you, but when I think about making something out of leather my mind short-circuits and I start babbling about how hard and impossible such a task must be. I mean, c’mon! It’s made out of leather! Sure, us humans have been doing that for, well, a really long time. But somehow it seems like something only highly skilled craftsmen can do–people who have been doing it for generations, even.

Surely I’m not alone in this thinking, right? Good! Because that’s exactly what people are going to think when you give them this leather passport holder YOU MADE YOURSELF. They’re going to think you’re some sort of leather-working god. You’re going to blow minds, climb the ranks of awesome gift givers, and maybe, just maybe, have a statue erected in your honor.

Or something like that.

DIY Leather Passport Holder / Image: Alicia Jepsen

Turns out, making a simple leather passport holder is SUPER EASY. On top of that, it’ll only take up about 2 hours of your time–not bad for something that’s sure to go down in the gift-giving hall of fame! If you’re ready to cut your leather-working teeth, as it were, check out Alicia Jepsen’s tutorial over on Poppytalk. She shares loads of photos and detailed instructions for making your own leather passport holder. Now go! That statue isn’t going to erect itself.

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DIY Leather Passport Holder / Image: Alicia Jepsen

Make this Gift: Typographic String Art!

How to Make Typographic String Art : ManMadeDIY

How sweet would it be to make someone a piece of art? It hangs on their wall, when they see it they think of you and when friends come over they get to tell all about how crafty and thoughtful you are.

But what if there’s very little Michelangelo in your blood? Should that stop you? Of course not. In addition to being looking great, this Typographic String Art idea is not at all difficult to do and is quite the impressive gift when you’re finished.

You could make string art house numbers for a house-warming present, string a favorite Princess Bride quote shared between you and your sister, do the baby’s name in string art for hip new parents, or a really big AWESOME for a big girl bedroom makeover.

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How to Make Typographic String Art detail : ManMadeDIY