Packages and Parcels

Thank God it's Friday! This week we saw the transformation of different boxes from boring blah to terrific Tada!. Today is no exception. I'll recycle these packaging boxes culled from stuff ordered on-line or enclosed with a gift from across the world.

I'll use them for some packages I need to mail in the next couple of weeks (ex. birthdays, swap parties & Mother's Day). This will save me from buying a new box & prevent me from adding to the trash pile. But of course, I had to pick the good & sturdy-looking ones.

I dismantled the box and removed any old tape. Then I turned it inside-out so that the "ugly" side is inside. The loose flaps, I attached with a glue gun.

As a final step, I filled the box with festive paper and soon I'll be stuffing it with goodies for some very special people ('Ill share with you what I put inside in a future post).

The "new" box is clean & neat outside and imagine the look on the recipient's face when rummaging through this happy pile of confetti!

Happy weekend folks! May you receive lots of Tada! surprises!

Gather Ye Ribbons

Our blah to Tada! project today is related to yesterday's aluminum-foil-box-turned-gift-wrap-organizer. We're waving our magic wand on this box that once contained resealable freezer bags. But before I reveal the Tada!, let me show you how I came up with this idea...

I have ribbons like these, both brand new and recycled from old gift boxes, that I keep handy for birthday presents. I just stuff them in a plastic bag but they end up getting crushed wherever I store it. Such a blah! How do you revive a droopy ribbon anyway? So I thought it was better to keep them in a sturdier container...

Tada! By wrapping the box with an old map (you can use gift wrap or old magazine pages) and cutting off the box top, it now holds ribbons, keeping their shape! Also, it's easy to stash the box in a drawer or closet shelf.

Gift Wrapper Organizer

Does this ever happen to you: when wrapping gifts, small sheets of gift wrap are left over? What do you do? You probably can guess by now that I don't throw mine away. I save them for a smaller gift I need to wrap in the future. So I wind them around the giant roll it came from and tape the end to keep it from unfurling. But one day, an idea came to me when I saw this:

A box of aluminum foil...

Once it's empty, time to turn it into a Tada!

Give it a little make-over...

Using scissors, glue & an old map...

Measure the panels of the box & cut corresponding strips from the map.
Apply the strips to the box with glue.

Roll the loose sheets of gift wrap around the cardboard roll.
A little tip: attach the inner end of the gift wrap to the cardboard roll with some tape.

Tada! A nifty way to organize smaller sheets of gift wrap!
The sharp metal edge helps cut the wrapper to your preferred size
without the need for scissors.

Now, wrapping smaller packages will be so much easier!

See you tomorrow for another Tada! idea.

Gift Boxes

I'm sure you have a lot of boxes in your pantry, from cereal, to granola bars to pasta. Before you roll out the red carpet towards the recycling bin for them, maybe you can consider a blah to Tada! suggestion? It's easy, I promise!

Step 1: Cut out the box tops.
Step 2: Cover the box with gift wrap.
Neatly tuck the edges & secure with glue.
Step 3: Punch holes on the sides of the box; insert a ribbon that
will work as a handle.
Step 4: Put a gift inside the box, conceal with colorful tissue wrap
& attach a tag!

Tada! Effortless, instant gift-wrap!

Imagine how much money you'll save on pre-made boxes and gift bags
just by recycling boxes from your kitchen cupboard.

See you again tomorrow!

A Box-full of Ideas

It's a brand new week and I certainly hope you had a good Easter!
This week we'll be transforming boxes in all shapes and sizes
from blah to Tada!

I'm a big fan of tea. It calms, soothes and is packed with health benefits. I like to try different brands but I'm particularly fond of Yogi Tea. Different blends, an inspiring quote attached to the string and beautiful packaging are the reasons why. C'mon, even the inside of the box is decorated:

Inspired by the beautiful art of Mehendi.

Turn the box inside out -- this is what you've got!

Here's an idea for a wedding: fill several of these boxes with rose petals. Distribute them to guests for them to shower the bride & groom when they leave the ceremony or as they enter the reception site!

See you tomorrow for another blah to Tada! idea.

An Easter Wish

Hi Everyone! No crafting today...just a few Tada! images from my neighborhood that announce spring's arrival.

May you have a solemn Good Friday.
May you be blessed with hope & new beginnings
that Easter Sunday brings.
Happy Easter!

Easter Ain't Just for Kids

It's Thursday and still there are more ideas on how to re-use the egg carton. I'm gearing up for a Sunday brunch and even if there are no children on the guest list, I think we adults can be kids again with Easter eggs and surprises.

I'm turning this blah plastic egg container into another
fun & easy centerpiece.

By simply removing the lid, opening it up and filling it with Easter treats like chocolate eggs, Skittles and M&Ms, I've got a centerpiece that guests can help themselves to!

I also included Easter eggs that I colored & decorated myself. The number of eggs correspond to the number of guests. At the party, I'll have each guest pick an egg and look, there will be a surprise inside:

Inspired by the fortune cookie, I printed out Easter quotes for each egg. I think everyone will welcome a few inspiring words like Alice Freeman Palmer's "For I remember it is Easter morn, and life and love and peace are all new born."

If you're a little generous, another alternative is to give out prizes like, "Congratulations, you won a Barnes & Noble gift card" or other little gifts like a bar of chocolate or a bottle of beer. Here's wishing you an Easter that's blooming with peace, hope and a lot of cheap thrills that's simply Tada!