CasaSugar

Wrap Star! Winter Tweets Gift Wrap

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:30:32 -0800

As much as I love making my own wrapping paper, I can't resist manufactured wrapping paper with a beautiful design. Such is the case with the Snow & Graham Winter Tweets Paper ($7 for two sheets). Featuring small, vibrant red birds perched on brown and green branches, the paper is festive and seasonal. But its clean lines and unfussy shapes give it a hip, mid-century modern vibe - an infinitely better choice than kitschy Santa Claus and reindeer designs. Of course, your Walgreens-variety wrapping paper will come at much more manageable price, but the look of these sweet birds under your tree is oh-so-worth it, and hard to resist. Would you splurge on this gift wrap?

Wrap Star! Letterpress Buckle With Ribbon

CasaSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:30:39 -0800

When you're no longer stuck on stick-on bows and curling ribbon doesn't make the cut, spend a few bucks on the DSharp Letterpress Buckle With Ribbon ($7.50). This large oval belt, comprised of letterpress red striped printed paper, will replace your fussy bows in a cinch. The buckle arrives with ribbon, and that's all you'll need to dress your gifts: Just slide through and pull. No tape required! We all know a belt can easily transform a basic outfit, so why not use one to dress up your solid gift wrap or some brown packaging? Instant style.

Nice and New: Amy Butler Eco Giftwrap and Tableware

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:00:51 -0700

Sometimes, when you're hosting a large party, there's little choice but to go with paper. Luckily, Amy Butler has been working with the Gift Wrap Company to come up with an ecological alternative to gift-giving and paper partyware. She has just released a new line called "Giftwrap Green," including gift wrap, bags, and gift-card boxes made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled materials, printed with her beautiful designs. In addition to the gift wrap and bags, she has also developed an ecologically-friendly line of paper tableware, "Eco Tableware," including coordinating plates, napkins, and towels. The plates and napkins are printed with 100 percent soy ink and the plates use a water-soluble coating so that they can be rinsed and recycled, too. So, whether you're going to a party (gift giving) or throwing one, you can be green and chic in Amy Butler style.

Wrap Star! Frank Lloyd Wrap

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:29:17 -0800

If you want to impress your architecture grad friends this year, you should buy them this house. Since that's likely impossible, why not go for some Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired gift wrap instead!? This Coonley Gift Wrap was adapted from an art-glass design from the Avery Coonley House in Riverside, Illinois that Wright designed. It's a vision in red that's built for the holidays, not to mention just cool. So if you want to give a wrap sass, buy it.

Deck the Haus: Homemade Wrapping Paper

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:15:45 -0800

TeamSugar member AmberHoney sent me this photo of some decorating paper she made for a business associate of her husband's. She says, "I have only ever used newspaper or grocery-store bags (the inside of course) to wrap my gifts. I started because wrapping papers are just too expensive to rip open and litter the earth. I usually stamp, spray paint, or stencil paper bags. It's fun and you can personalize each."

I also sometimes make my own wrapping paper, though I have to say that AmberHoney's is some of the most sophisticated, design-savvy homemade paper I've seen in awhile.

What about you? Do you make homemade wrapping paper?

Wrap Star! Map Wrap

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 04:17:40 -0800

Forest Saver Designs Map Wrap ($3) are reclaimed New York City subway and USA topographical maps turned into wrapping paper. It would look great wrapped with a big red bow, but then again—doesn't everything? I appreciate the intention of giving new use to old maps. But I can't shake the feeling that it's more wasteful to purchase this Map Wrap instead of using your own old, unused maps lying around. What do you think? Would you buy it?

Wrap Star! Rapping Paper

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:00:04 -0800

Your gift will be the flyest one under the tree with this Rapping Paper ($5.90), which is printed with either the lyrics of Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" or Eminem's "My Name Is." Although these wrapping papers are totally hip, the downside is that they are sold from the UK, which means extra shipping costs, and a currency conversion that's not quite in the US's favor. But, you know how I love a good pun, so I had to share.

Wrap Star! Year Round Holiday Paper

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:00:36 -0800

If you're looking for wrapping paper that you can use for Christmas and other occasions, or just for something different than your pharmacy-variety holiday paper, The Paper Studio Red Cardinal Wrapping Paper ($3.25) is the way to go. The red cardinals on an aqua green background make for a Christmas color palette, but the theme and design of the paper make it appropriate for use year-round. I'd personally love to see this paper tied with a big, red bow! Do ya like?

Wrap Star! How to Gift Wrap a House

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:00:42 -0800

On the off-chance that there is a large segment of you readers giving houses as holiday gifts this year (are you out there Extreme Makeover: Home Edition?), I thought it necessary to share this "tutorial" on gift wrapping a house.

"The Art of TPing or How to Gift Wrap a House" is a video that I stumbled upon, which shows you just that. The film was made with 8mm film in 1971 for an English class project and recently digitized. This mockumentary chronicles what was then America's fastest-growing sport: TPing. Highlights include a getaway-car crash scene and some pretty-tight pants. I hope you enjoy!

Source

Wrap Star! Secular Wrapping Paper

CasaSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:00:53 -0800

If you're giving a gift this month to someone who, as far as you know, may or may not celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Britney Spears's birthday, it's best to leave the nativity scenes, dreidels, and bad hair extensions off of your wrapping paper. Choose a paper solely wintry in theme, and avoid symbolic colors like red and green. This Paper Source Moss and Pool Retro Snowflake paper ($6.50), for example, is a good choice of secular wrapping paper. Its snowflake pattern is nostalgic for Winter, yet its color palette of green, yellow, and blue is nondescript, not to mention that its vintage '50s feel razzes my berries.