Gift Wrapping Ideas 《晨光第一线》之玩物壮志：创意环保包装礼物 - 8频道新闻及时事节目

Hope the ideas I shared with the audience this morning on 9 am news, Channel 8 on Gift Wrapping are useful to those who need to wrap presents for the coming festive season!

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花心思包装礼物，将满满的诚意送给对方，今天的《玩物壮志》请来一位包装达人，与您分享礼物包装的心得，还有圣诞节的包装点子，包括用布料包装礼物，既精美又环保。

《晨光第一线》之玩物壮志：创意环保包装礼物 - 8频道新闻及时事节目

Hobby Gift wrapping: green and creative ideas, Broadcast on 9.00am morning news , Channel 8, Dec 12, 2014.

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Hope you like it.

Below the main clip, on the same Web page, there are 3 more video links not broadcast this morning! The video clips are quite detailed in showing all kinds of objects I used to demo the gift wrapping! I THOUGHT it was cut after filming and not used since it was not shown on this morning news!
 

• 《晨光第一线》之玩物壮志：圣诞礼物包装教程——第三弹“方形包裹”

Unlike paper wrappers which can be torn after the present is opened, soft cloth or scarf as wrapping material can be reused.  Here is a simple way of using a scarf to wrap  a square shaped present!
 


Unlike paper wrappers which can be torn after the present is opened, soft cloth or scarf as wrapping material can be reused.  Here is a simple way of using a scarf to wrap a square shaped present!

今天的《玩物壮志》请到“包装达人”舒敏，在圣诞节来临之际，为您提供一些包装点子。第三弹教您包装方形包裹。

• 《晨光第一线》之玩物壮志：圣诞礼物包装教程——第二弹“瓶装酒”

Wrapping wine is made easy if you use a square-shape wrapper. Just pull the four corners up, tidy up the fold, and turn all the folds in one circular direction.  Add a bow to secure it, and no tape is required.  With this method, the wrapper can be re-used and still look new all the time!

今天的《玩物壮志》请到“包装达人”舒敏，在圣诞节来临之际，为您提供一些包装点子。第二弹教您包装瓶装酒。

• 《晨光第一线》之玩物壮志：圣诞礼物包装教程——第一弹“毛绒玩具”

Wrapping a soft toy is not that difficult, if you create a bag using wrapper!  Look at the video, and see how to transform a bag to a blouse.

今天的《玩物壮志》请到“包装达人”舒敏，在圣诞节来临之际，为您提供一些包装点子。第一弹教您包装形状不规则的毛绒玩具。

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This blog entry was originally posted on 17 Dec 2014.
Revised on 7 Jan 2015.

何舒敏
Dexterine Ho Soo Miang

HP: 9660 4692 

http://dexterine.blogspot.com

view my other blogs through my blog list:

• Handicrafts Guide
• Inno Hands-on Workshop
• Some Learning Tips
• Tips On Learning Chinese
• Understanding DDC through INNOvative Displays!

email:

smho@e.ntu.edu.sg    

dexterine@yahoo.com

Gift wrapping ideas: sharing my joys in creating ...

Here are some of the photographs taken at the workshops etc ...:

The following works were created by the staff from Singapore Police Force, during the workshop at the HQ at Cantonment Road:

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This box of gift does not need a lot of wrapper to enhance the look.  The white wrapper I used is just to go over the original box cover and turns it into a lady's jacket with a outstanding paper bow in leave shape:

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You can add a red ribbon bow with a pearl to the white bow and change the look of wrapping:

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To bring out the Christmas mood, green and red bow is rather attractive too:

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For Christmas gift, ribbon rose in green looks elegant too:

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For other festive occasions, sending gifts with a flower arrangement, is a way to create double "happiness" for the recipients:

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If you use the bag ideas I shared in the workshop, and create the collar shapes with some decorations will definitely add more charm to the end results. 

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Sometimes, gift is part of the gift wrapping designs too!
 
You can show some of your gifts and use it as a decoration for your gift wrapping, like the way this butterfly brooch is being used:

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If the box in the gift is intended for a lady, just add a unique card with the profile of your recipient and use it as a gift card.

When you wrap the gift card with the gift, you may add a hand-made rose to it, it will be adorable:

Hope your like the above ideas!

Dexterine Ho Soo Miang

How to wrap a book as present!

 

Christmas is a gift giving season, and I like to give friends and family members books I think they may like to read, as presents.

To match the Christmas theme, I use red colour graphic paper for one book, and white colour one for the other.

As both books are for my lady friends, I use lady's collar to decorate the top of the wrapping. 

To make the white one look more appealing, a paper rose from the same wrapper was made and added to the collar.  The little add on made it more feminine.

For the red one, I made a ribbon bow and sealed it with double sided tape, then attached it to the collar.

At our lunch gathering on 11 Dec, I was glad that both friends liked the wrapping design I created, and received it with a smile.  I do hope that they find the book a good read too! 

As they liked the design of this gift wrapping and did not like to unwrap it so soon, my advice to them:

Use a pair of scissors or a letter opener to open the bottom of the wrapping, then hold the item upright, with the force of gravity, the book will drop on the floor, or on their hand.  

They may display the gift wrapping design, and enjoy the reading before boxing day!

Have a Merry Christmas!

Dexterine Ho Soo Miang

Gift wrapping ideas: NTU Library collection

Today, I revisited Lee Wee Nam Library in NTU after two full days of LAS/WSQ assessment at Instructional common, and was surprised to see that all the gift wrapping items I created years back were well kept and treasured by the staff.  

Since Christmas is coming, I took some photos at the end of the day, to share these gift wrapping ideas with readers of this blog.

Hope you like the various wrapping ideas and may I wish you a Merry Christmas! 

Festive Gift Wrapping Course: single session workshop

For organisations interested in a shorter version of the Gift Wrapping Course, I have the following 2-hour session to meet the needs.

Festive Gift Wrapping Course: single session workshop

* Duration of the workshop: 2 hours

* For a minimum of 20 participants

* $50 per participant

* Fee charged is inclusive of materials used in the course. Participants just need to bring their own scissors.

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Festive Gift Wrapping Couse: one single session workshop
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This 2-hour workshop will enable you to design your own gift wrap and learn the creative art of gift wrapping through innovative hands-on experience.

Not only that the gift wrapping ideas is interesting, innovative and creative, most of them are designed with Green thought in mind and they may be recycled!

*How to wrap gift in box shape: hands-on

*How to dress up your wine bottle: demo

*How to wrap soft toys or soft items without using boxes: hands-on

*How to make ribbon bows to enhance your gift wrapping: hands-on

*How to design gift wrapping that can be recycled and keep the world green

The course will be conducted at your club or organisation's premises:

2-hrs session for a group of 20 participants (Minimum)
Fee: $50 per participant (inclusive of all materials)

Additional participants will be charged at a rate of $50 per person

If the total number of participants is less than 20, the total fee for the 2-hour course for 20 participants will be charged if the club or organisation wishes to have the workshop conducted.  The class will be given 20 sets of materials which maybe used collectively.

Confirmation of class: one week before the actual date, with Booking fee of $250 (Will be counted as partial payment in advanced.)

Dexterine Ho Soo Miang
HP: 9660 4692
view my other blogs with the tag "Gift wrapping" through http://dexterine.blogspot.com/

email:
smho@e.ntu.edu.sg
dexterine@yahoo.com

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INNOvative HANDS-ON, INNOvative minds-on
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Similar workshops conducted:

Jurong Point Mall, at Learning Corner
on 8 Dec 2012, 2pm to 4pm
Organised by Jurong Point Realty Limited

Singapore Police Force, HQ at Cantonment
on 13 Dec 2012, 2.30pm to 5.30pm
for Police Welfare Division, Manpower Department

Notes: The above are similar sessions, i.e., 2 - 3 hours workshop. For every additional 30 minutes, the add-on fees is $10 per participant!
The workshop contents are tailored made to meet the requirement of the organization, and similar courses can be designed upon request.  Festive wrapping, like Valentine day gift wrapping designs, is available!

Odd Shape Items: How to wrap it

"How can I wrap odd shape items?"

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Friends and course participants always have the above problem to solve and find it a tough job in gift wrapping.

Sometimes, it may make them change their mind in the gift shopping process, and buy something that is easy to wrap instead of the gift that matches the choice of their heart.

The gift wrapping service provided during festive session can create a joyful gift giving experience. 

Hence, departmental store which provides gift wrapping service, especially during the Christmas season, does help to boost their business as shoppers will focus on shopping gifts and have the task of wrapping delegated to professional gift wrapping service.

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Now back to the Q and A:


"How can I wrap odd shape items?"  

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A simple solution most people used is to look for a box that can contain the item and wrap it like a box.  Departmental stores now turn it into a business, and gift boxes in various sizes are available for sale.

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I use this method too as it is the most convenient way!

I usually do not purchase gift boxes since I know how to make them myself.  It is not hard to make gift boxes if you have 100-120 g paper and some ready template to follow. Designs of boxes is available in books or Internet.  Google "gift boxes design", you will get lots of ideas for your applications.

I also recycle old boxes that serve the same purpose, or use nice shopping bags and convert them into boxes for wrapping.

To make the boxed gift more interesting,  I would suggest that you wrap the box with some add-on, and give some personal touch to the box shape. The add-on could also reflect or reveal the contents:

If your gift is for a lady or a teenage girl, you may like to make it lookfeminine. Here is an example, I use the box shape to create a lady's blouse and add a friendship knot below. 

To make it more attractive,  a handmade rose is placed on top of the collar and act like a brooch, which makes it looks interesting and appealing!

Here it is:

If the gift is for gift exchange party, gender neutral gift will be the usual choice.

Hence, wrapping the gift can be more straight forward, and here is one suggestion:

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"If I can not find a box, how can I wrap odd shape items?" 

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Sometime, t is hard to find boxes that match the shape of the gift. Problematic shape, like a soft toy, a pair of jeans or a key chain are common gifts that most people like to purchase.

I would suggest that you use gift wrapper to make a bag, which look like a shopping bag without the handle.  Leave more balance on top, so that you can create some design on top.

Here is one design for your considerations:

(Notes: The gift inside this "lady's shirt" wrapping is a scarf)

If the gift is for a gentleman, then, just make it gentleman-like for your collar design, and add a bow tie:

(Notes: the gift inside is a table tennis' bat)

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For soft items, you have to wrap them with tick wrapper, as the bag shape will then be able to stand on it own.  If you run out of wrapping paper, you can use drawing paper as an alternative.  The above gift is wrap with an A3 size white drawing paper.

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If you find it too troublesome to wrap gift with collar design, you can just fold the top of the paper bag and seal with tape, or add a ribbon bow to decorate it. The fold can be a straight fold or a V shape fold, and the seal can be colourful tape with design that you can purchase from the bookshop.

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Alternatively, if you do not like to seal with tapes, you can staple a rectangular gift tag or gift note to cover the folding too!

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There are many way to make the folding attractive:

*you can modify the rectangular gift tag add-on to Heart shape gift tag, use two-layer method and have red colour heart shape overlaying the green one... for Christmas mood!

* you can also cut-out the Christmas tree shape and make the rectangular shape a see through label add-on. Use the cut-out create a greeting card!

* you may cut-out shape of Christmas tree in different size with different colour paper and glue the center line, fold the paper to make it look 3D...

* you can use craft punch with any design you like to save time if you are in a hurry!

Alternative are endless and you will be amazed with the result.

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The above are some ideas I enjoy during Christmas and festive sessions all these year!

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With that, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!



Dexterine Ho Soo Miang

HP: 9660 4692 

view my other blogs through my profile at  

http://dexterine.blogspot.com/

My Christmas Memories

Dad was a staff in Singapore Polytechnic, and all of us kids were invited to a Christmas Eve Party every year.

During my childhood (before I entered secondary school), I like and look forward to Christmas every year. It was a day filled with fun and joy. That was also the only day I can enjoy many cartoons in one run and eat many types of candies, cakes and chocolates at the full day Christmas party organised by the Staff Welfare Club or Association.

Singapore Polytechnic was the only polytechnic I knew when I was in primary school, and we could only follow our Dad there on Christmas Eve. The whole family went together, and enjoyed good food and entertaining programmes all day long. In addition, we were given colourful balloons and wonderful presents to bring home.

The highlight of the day was the present-giving time. Santa Claus in white and red, wearing a warm smile, gave us presents one by one. We lined up and were very obedient in this present-giving parade. Unfortunately, we were not rich enough to own a camera. I do not remember having any personal photos taken on Christmas Eve with Santa Claus at the Poly. Yet the Christmas pictures in my memory are so clear that it could have happened yesterday!

Santa Claus is always a round-faced Westerner with a white beard! I have never seen one Chinese Santa Claus when I was a kid, and it matches what is found in the story book illustration pages. So, I believed Santa Claus is from the West, and it is only white Westerners who are qualified to dress and act like one. I will see this group of Santa Claus as the real ones. The Chinese ones I see in  the later part of my life, cannot be the real one in my mind! I am not kidding, I mean it!

That is perhaps the result of colonisation, or just the fact that the Staff Recreation Club at Singapore Polytechnic make it a point to have the role of Santa Claus acted by overseas senior or teacher staff. 

Many of us take it for granted that a Westerner will be chosen to play Santa Claus. I as a kid, just take what I see as real and undeniable!

你是否知道12月22日是什么节日?

12月25日是圣诞节，估计没有几个人不知道。

12月22日是什么节日，你知道吗？至少我在收到朋友的祝福信息才知道!

今天是农历的“冬至”。民间有“过冬大如年”的说法。

冬至是农历中一个节气，通常为每年公历的12月22日或23日。

这虽然是简单易记的方法，可我是在收到朋友的祝福信息才知道!

冬至的习俗和过法，对于现在的人来说，是一个遥远的名词。

传统节日冬至除了字面符号的意思，缺少了实在承载的形式。所以现在的人自然倾向于圣诞节。现在看来，冬至的重要性，可没法和圣诞相比。

冬至是北半球全年中白天最短、黑夜最长的一天。

北方地区有冬至宰羊、吃饺子、吃馄饨的习俗，南方地区则有吃汤圆、冬至米团的习惯。

许多人家利用这一年之中最长的一夜用糯米粉做“冬至圆”“添岁”，表示“年”虽还没有过，但实际上大家已加了一岁。

许多年轻人就算知道今天是"冬至"，也不会特意去过。更多是准备过圣诞节。

小时候在大家庭过冬至是件大事，全家大小都动员搓汤圆！ 耳濡母染搓汤圆过冬至! 年复一年的追随着。

小时候在这一年之中最长的一夜吃“冬至圆”“添岁”是件大事！小时有幸添岁是件大事，会特意强调吃“汤圆”加岁。

冬至这天，老年人老早就开始张罗准备祭祖、包汤圆之类!

超市里的人大多在圣诞用品区挑选商品。（因为不爱吃汤圆或不喜欢甜汤的人，就不特意过这个节日!）

但喜欢吃汤圆的年轻一代会特意挤着买汤圆之类过"冬至"。

冬至这个节日，应该有望继续下去，幸甚！

Source of information: email from friend dated 21 Dec 2011

YWCA Christmas Bazaar: A Giving Day for All

YWCA Christmas Bazaar today at Fort Canning Lodge is from 10am to 6pm.

As one of the vendor, Norliza and I came in at 9am t0 9.30am to set up our "Stall 30" on level 2.

We are among the 40+ non-food stalls in the ballroom on the 2nd level of Fort Canning Lodge (FCL). Food stalls are on the ground level in the courtyard with some on the 2nd level outside the ballroom.

Bazaar coupons was used as the method of payment. Coupons can be purchased at the head office at Outram Road before 10 Dec or at the reception areas of Level 1 and 2 today.

Proceeds from each stall were counted and a cheque will be sent to the respective vendors approximately a week after the Bazaar.

Counting of the coupons were staggering at 3 different time slots, namely at 1pm, 4pm and at 6pm at the end of the Bazaar. Counting was done and verified by YWCA staff and the stall vendor.

As coupons are in denominations of $1, we were advised to have our items sold and priced in dollars as no change in cents is possible.

The Christmas Bazaar today, according to the organizer, is bigger and better than last year. Many games stalls run by YWCA were there to attack pre-schoolers and young children. Singing performances, carolling and photo-taking with Santa and the Star Wars Troopers were some of the highlights that make the day filled with Christmas joys!

I share the joys of the Bazaar, and it is a day of giving and sharing for all of us!

I see this Christmas Bazaar a way to promote and create awareness of the courses on "Innovative Displays for Library and Classroom" at http://innoworkshop.blogspot.com/2011/11/innovative-display-ideas-for-school-and.html and share my paper cutting and pop-up card ideas with the kids at the nominal fee of $1 for one A4 paper crafting experience.

For most of the stall owner, if they are thinking of earning from this one day event "YWCA Christmas Bazaar" would make them feel disappointed, on the contrary, if they see it as an event and opportunity to give away their time, skills, goods or clear some of their home storage space, it is a GOOD day! That will make the day memorable!

My surprise for the day was to meet my Nephews' families and have a fee-based Art and Craft session with two grand-nieces and the only grand-nephew.

As the joys of doing paper art and pop-up card were so contagious, their classmates joined in and do the art and craft on the stage. My friend, Fion's daughter's interest is also being aroused and join in the fun after the kids' session were over.

With Norliza who prepared fruit cake for our lunch and my oranges for our in between break, we have a "Full" and enjoyable day.

I like the "Chinese New Year" scarf Norliza gave me as a present, and I hope she will like the pop-up card with heart shapes "in and out" and star all over to shine her day in and out!

When I was home in the evening, I was happy to continue with my grand nieces and grand nephew on their art and craft session.

And guess what? They still ask me why I was there as it hard to believe that I was there to create fun craft for them.

It was a great surprise to them in the afternoon and equally surprising for other siblings who learn about the event at dinner time.

I think today is a "Giving Day" for all as both my Nephews' families spent a total of $100 at the Bazaar. The pre-school teachers have a great way of promoting the Christmas Spirit by selling coupon through influencing Kids in YWCA branches!