Just Say, "NOEL"

What's your favorite crafty thing about the holidays? For me, it's got to the increased opportunities for fancy giftwrapping! Don't get me wrong, I love making cards and presents, but it's my belief that upon seeing a really beautiful package, everyone kind of secretly hopes that it's for them! The good news is, it doesn't take much effort to make that be true for everyone on your list. My secret weapons: plain gift bags, bought in bulk; and Eyelet Outlet holiday washi tapes!

There are soooooooo many beautiful varieties it's hard to choose... so I didn't, lol; this bag has five tapes and five brad styles! But this idea would easily work with all the letters from the same pattern. I really love the way different tapes mix and match, though, so I've used Holiday Ornaments Tape, Pine Tree Tape, Heart Washi (who says hearts are just for Valentine's Day?!) and Holiday Dots Tape. To construct the sentiment, I've lined up neat strips of tape on scraps of white cardstock, traced around some old chipboard alphabets, and hand cut each letter. But to save time, you could use alphabet dies, or dress up storebought diecuts.

After my letters were complete, I trimmed a piece of holiday sheet music and added a border made from Christmas Washi. Finally, it was time to add a few embellies. I chose a Poinsettia Brad, a Cardinal Brad and a Holly Brad, as well as some Elf and Snowflake Brads. But again, you could still get a beautiful effect by choosing just a couple... why not mix and match a few new treats with styles you already have in your stash? Remember that hearts, flowers, foliage, musical notes and many other motifs can work for ANY occasion, so feel free to combine holiday and non-holiday elements!

I hope you'll be inspired to consider using items from your own crafty stash when it comes to wrapping presents this holiday season!