DIY gift topper inspiration for the holidays

I often add something extra to my gift wrapping and I call them "gift toppers".
They make my gift wrapping look a little more unique and sometimes the gift toppers are an additional gift.

Sources: kraft gift boxes, ribbon, clear ornaments

Take for example these ornaments. Once the kraft gift boxes have been unwrapped, the ornaments can be enjoyed longer by being added to the Christmas tree.

You can purchase ornaments to be used in your gift wrapping or you can create your own.

I embellished these clear disc ornaments using paint markers. I used a Sharpie water based paint marker which is not permanent but I found it easier to use and make changes because I am not a professional hand lettering artist.  

Source: gift card holder, ribbon

If you are like me and like to give gift cards or cash as gifts, I always try to add a gift topper my gift wrapping. It might not seem like I put a lot of thought into the gift but the gift wrapping gives a great first impression and lets the recipient know that I spent some time on this gift.

I shared how to make these clay ornaments using cookie cutters in this post. These ornaments are really easy to make & paint and something that you can do with the kids in an afternoon. Who wouldn't want to receive a gift with an ornament attached as a gift topper like this?!

If you like the faux lettering that was added to this plain kraft bag you can find my DIY how to post here. 

 

Gift toppers can also be photos and fresh foliage ... or both! Here I added photos that were printed on cardstock to a magnetic closure gift box and a simple kraft paper shopper.

If you look at the close up details below you can see that I 

1. cut slits into the photo to slide a ribbon through it so it could be attached to the box

2. added fresh foliage using two sided tape that was covered up with decorative washi tape

3. used two-sided foam tape to give the photo a lift on the paper shopper that I decorated with a white paint pen.

I hope that these gift topper ideas inspire you to add some to your holiday gift wrapping.

You can see more of my holiday gift wrapping and decorating ideas on Instagram.

DIY your holiday gift wrapping using faux lettering and more - you can do it (really!)

Christmas is just around the corner. If you have been pinning inspirational ideas for your holiday gift wrapping, I hope that some of these ideas will make one of your "I'm actually going to do this" Pinterest board.

I used plain kraft paper bags, boxes and wrapping paper and made them my own with just a few simple supplies like white paint markers, stamps and ink, fresh foliage, ribbon and twine.

I stamped a truck image on this box and bag and added snowflake doodles using a white paint marker. 

The fresh cedar foliage was adhered to the packages using two-sided tape. As you can see in the close up photos (below), I added a small slit in the kraft bag just above the trunk area so I could slip the cedar into the bag for extra support.

I created my own printed bags, boxes and wrapping paper by simply drawing free hand doodles of snowflakes and foliage.

Here's the steps for how I created the simple foliage and assorted snowflake shapes ...

Tip: Sketch out your doodles using a white pencil before using the paint marker.

Are you a hand lettering expert?! I'm sure that you've already been adding your hand lettering skills to use in your gift packaging. Not a hand lettering expert? No problem! You can still do this. All of these gift bags and boxes were created with "faux lettering". 

Keep reading and I'll share how anyone can do this too.

I could not have done the faux lettering on these boxes without having some lettering or graphics to trace. My "not so secret" source for the hand lettering graphics on all of these packages are part of Callie Hegstrom's Farmhouse Christmas digital kit.

I purchased the digital files by Callie from Design Cuts a couple of years ago and it is still one of my favourite sources for Christmas DIY projects. If you have a Cricut Maker or Explore Air, you may find the amazing lettering and graphics in this kit useful for vinyl and iron on projects.

Note: You will need Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to open the files in the digital kit. 

This is how I add the faux lettering to just about any surface that you can't see through to trace:

1. In Illustrator, open the Farmhouse Christmas graphics .ai file. Select the lettering and graphic elements that you want to use and copy them to another document. Re size the lettering and graphics to fit the space. Print your file on regular paper. 

Note: Eliminate the excess white space around the design by cutting it out as shown below.

2. As well as lettering to trace, you will need the following supplies - white tracing/transfer paper, painter's tape, pencil, white paint marker, white pencil and kraft bags (boxes or wrapping paper).

3. Position the design onto the kraft bag and hold it in place with tape. Place the tracing/transfer paper with the chalky side down between the art work and the bag. Using a pencil, trace the lettering to transfer the image onto the bag. 

Note: If your design did not transfer at all - The chalky side was facing the wrong way. Turn it around and try again.

If your design is really light and difficult to see, you probably did not press hard enough. Trace it again using a little more pressure.

4. Remove the transfer paper and you should see the lettering. At this point, you can add more free hand details to your design using a white pencil and go over any areas of the lettering that may be a little light or difficult to see.

5. Now we are ready to add the faux lettering using a white paint marker. Test your paint marker to make sure that the paint is flowing properly. Take your time and draw each letter as you go. Tip: If you think about the each letter as an individual element, you will find that it is easier to trace them and your lines will be more precise.

6. Allow the paint from the marker to completely dry and you are ready to start your gift wrapping.

Here's some of the ways that I completed my gift wrapping using ribbon, twine, gift toppers and tissue paper ...

I hope that you try to add some DIY elements to your gift wrapping this year. It's such a great way to personalize your gifts. 

Find me on Instagram for more creative inspiration this holiday season. If you try out any of these ideas tag me @lorrieeveritt so I can see what you did!