a holiday project: it's a wrap, with a few twists

I spent most of Sunday afternoon wrapping gifts.  I'm one of those people that is pretty picky about my wrapping paper and ribbons.  I like it to coordinate, usually with the tree, but definitely with each other... no wild cards usually show up here!

This year I came across the most beautiful paper... this winter scene that is in soft grayish, aquaish, blueish colors, found both at a local store and my favorite wrapping heaven, Paper Source.  I knew I could make this work with my existing tree "theme" but a regular or deep red wasn't quite right.  Since the paper was made by Rifle Paper Co. I checked their website to see what they had that coordinated... and found this fun polka dot that is almost a persimmon color.  Not quite red but not quite orange.   Then I stocked up on tags and ribbon from my go to, Paper Source, the tags also by Rifle Paper... I guess that's why it all worked together!

I had plans for this little guy since last summer... my grandmother's old shopping trolley (?).  I've been meaning to make a cute little bag for it and fill it with all my rolls of paper.  With time running out, for the holidays it just got a piece of cardboard in the bottom and no bag... maybe by next year!

I did however tie a cute little cardboard fruit basket (Sweet Lulu, my go to party place for boxes and containers) with ribbon and tags.. along with this fun ball of yarn ribbon!  Would I date myself if I told you I always wanted pony tails tied with some of this kind of yarn?

Even without the liner this trolley made a great place to corral all my paper rolls in one spot... I have many more rolls but these were just the Christmas holiday rolls.

And then it was time to get to work wrapping.  I really took my time this year, it seems in the last few years it's always been a last minute thing to get everything wrapped, sometimes even on Christmas Eve... long ago before my working days, I would have all the gifts wrapped, beribboned and bowed before December even got under way... all ready to pile under the tree!  This year I wanted to enjoy it again and not have it be a chore or item to get crossed off a list.

I took my time selecting paper and ribbons.  Writing tags and even using some yarn I had to make braided or twisted "ribbons" and lots of pom poms!  I thought the pom poms would be fun for the little one's gifts.

And even some of the big boy's gifts!

Even got a little wild and mixed some of the yarn together for some pom poms so I guess there was a wild card after all!

Two of my nephews are getting to be teenagers and gift cards are the best gift for them.  I wanted to present them in a bit different way and originally thought about making wallets out of duct tape and filling them with the cards.

But a stop a Michael's craft store a few weeks ago gave me the idea of a mason jar, this particalur one came in red and has the lid and straw together... and bonus they were on sale for cheaper than a plain jar.  Filled with gift cards, and of course something sweet like m&m's, fun ribbon, an envelope of cocoa and it was all finished.

As I wrapped I placed the gifts under the tree for now... ready to deliver to their recipients soon.

And by nightfall the pile had grown as the lit tree glows through the evening.

And now just a few more left to wrap, including a special one for my little Miss Bee.  We were fortunate to have her overnight on Friday and before heading out on Saturday, she was investigating a little tree in my kitchen that was just her size, complete with a little Santa on top!  It was hard to get a picture since she kept carrying it to me, her Gigi!  At almost 19 months old she is becoming quite the entertaining little toddler!

Time to finish up the wrapping and begin the sugar cookie making,