Just before Christmas

I was watching my favourite afternoon tv show.  Steven and Chris on the CBC.  They were giving ideas on how to gift wrap with bags!  I love the bags and the new ones we found will be around for awhile as they  feel like plastic so they won't be tearing and ripping.

We had two birthdays before Christmas and this was one of the ideas I took away from the show and used for Heather's gift.  First of all remove the strings on the bag.  Fold over the top and with a length of ribbon go around the entire bag and make a bow.  Add something decorative and you have a whole new look.  As Ssteven said, almost like a clutch purse.

As you can see I used a huge pinecone decorative piece I found in the scrapbooking aisle at Michaels.  I'll be looking for more ribbon and hopefully wider to add a bit of pizzazz to my bags.

On another show Sarah Richardson on HGTV gave an idea for giving cookies at Christmas.  She used a candy dish and filled it with snowball cookies, put it in a little bag and tied it up.

I give butter tarts so mine is slightly different and I added to it.  We found the little dishes at Home Outfitters along with Christmas cupcake papers.  I put each tart in a paper, stacked them, put them in the dish and added a little something extra to the parcel, tied it with curly ribbon and here you have it.

Something that is everyday, is now something special, for special people.

Okay, now to just give you an idea I have plans for next year's gift for 7 special people.  I bought little boxes I'm putting their tarts into, then I'm tying them up in a decorated tea towel.  How's that for planning ahead?  Sickening, isn't it?