bow camp

growing up, there were very set rules when it came to wrapping packages. it was super fun and something i loved to do with my mom, but rule #1, was no pre-packaged stick-on bows. my mom is one of the biggest bargain shoppers i know but we always splurged on ribbon. afterall, “it is all about the presentation,” an ongoing life lesson in our house:)

so here you have it, my top 10 personal tips from “bow camp with becky:”

1. don’t think you have to know how to make bows. if you look closely, they are not all bows. the secret is strips of ribbon. tie them on one at a time in different directions until it grows.
2. tulle is key. it is cheap and makes for great texture and gives your bow/package a good base and some height!
3. layer. combine your tulle with your strips and just keep tying and adding it on. don’t be afraid to use too much! you will find with strips that your ribbon goes so much further.
4. mix and match patterns. as i preach in my photography and if you check out these few photos of packages, you will see i love to mix polka dots, stripes, and argyle – i say the more, the better. picking complimentary colors helps them coordinate.
5. shop for a variety of ribbon sizes and textures. get all sorts of ribbon widths and go for all sorts of textures. sheer ribbon is some of my favorite kind and i love ribbon that has embellishments like sequins or glitter. i do like wired ribbon on some occasions but i don’t buy everything that way. when you are in the store, don’t over-think! go with what strikes you and once you get home and get it all laid out and up against your wrapping papers, you will get a vision for your package! if you stand in the aisle and try to do all that while staring at all the options, it is way too overwhelming.
6. recycle ribbon – don’t throw any ribbon away! i store bins of bows from each christmas and we recycle. sometimes we layer on top of those bows and other times we tear it apart to use just some of the strips. plus, it is fun to pull them out and remember memories from the previous years’ gifts and packages.
7. put something in the middle of your bow. this is especially key if you really do not make bows and you only use the strips. this finishes it off plus it really elevates the package presentation! one of my favorite items are the 3D costco gift tags but other great ideas include ornaments or even something small that would complement the gift such as a wooden spoon for a set of mixing bowls. and this year, my newest and favorite addition are my  little miss poppy flowers!!! check out the “parakeet” bloom below:
8. pull out the hot glue gun and get creative! you can glue rhinestones, sequins and anything else you dream up to your package to really make it sparkle and shine!
9. glue dots are another great idea. they replace tape, allowing you to keep ribbon ends glued down, giving you more control over your bow shape.
10. sources. some of my consistently favorite places to find ribbon are hobby lobby, garden ridge, michaels, and nashville wraps. but always be on the hunt – sometimes i find things at world market, pier one, costco, target and walmart, and even dollar bins! the container store has great stuff but i find they do not put as much on the role as i like:)

happy wrapping!!

PS – if you are a nut like me when it comes to packages, then you might try a wrapping paper gift exchange!! this was a fun party i was invited to – you all bring a roll of wrapping paper and then have fun stealing from each other:)