DIY Gift Wrapping with Washi Tape

Even CB2 is onto washi tape this year. Clever inspirations from Bonnie Cauble turn simply wrapped packages into works of art with craft paper and colorful tapes.

Paper as Sculpture

Catching up on lots of design ideas and inspirations this season, I would like to introduce some fabulous creations I've seen recently - made of paper. Enjoy!




The paper sculpture shown here is the work of artist Makiko Azakami.

Universal Design as Nouns

Free, fun, educational and loaded with really good designs - that's a winning combination. And you, the design savvy followers at 973 Third, can be part of the effort.

Check out the the Noun Project - the mission is "sharing, celebrating and enhancing the world's visual language."

"The Noun Project collects, organizes and adds to the highly recognizable symbols that form the world's visual language, so we may share them in a fun and meaningful way."

Click here for more on universal messaging.

Thanks to Grain Edit, a print design blog, for introducing us to the Noun Project.

Creative and Green Gift Wrapping

Gift wrapping can be beautiful in its simplicity. Here are some ideas for inspiration from the goddess of good things, Martha Stewart. Above, brown craft paper tied with string works nicely with a fresh sprig of greens tucked in and a red bordered sticker label for a tag.

Recycling the drawings or doodles of your resident artist makes a cheerful and personal wrapping tied up with a bow.

A solid color paper or tissue looks elegant with a pretty bow and a little greenery attached.

Japanese style wrapping, furoshiki, with a piece of fabric or scarf self-tied as a carry-all is a thoughtful practice of the 3 Rs.

Natural materials as leaves and pods wrapped in rafia or grasses add an organic touch for your gifts.

Newspapers, maps, and strips of paper can be layered for an entirely recycled and creative wrapping.

Twist a sparkling or contrasting pipe cleaner into an initial or monogram to personalize your packaging.

Stamps and stickers, with a touch of red or green, make ideal tags for marking your gifts.

All images from here.

Baskets to Inspire Spring

With Easter almost upon us, here are a few baskets to enjoy. Cheery daffodils and moss are joined by little chicks for a sunny tabletop landscape above, while the monochromatic greens of the basket below offer a more sophisticated take. At the bottom, the paper basket crafted from a lunch bag offers the simple elegance of nature and resourcefulness.


All images are from Martha. See more beautiful ideas here or click on the images.

Green Wrapping with Paper

Looking for green wrapping solutions often brings me to patterns in eco-friendly inks on recycled paper or tote bags that can be used again. For sources closer to home, recycling a sheet of newspaper or a map works nicely as an eco-wrapping choice, especially when it's brightened with a colorful bow made from a magazine.

Jessica Jones of How about orange... shares her brilliant and green (well, orange) bow made from a magazine page in a tutorial here.

May your wrapping be inspired and fun!

Happy Thanksgiving

If you need a few extra turkeys to put around the table this Thursday, here's a quick and charming idea for DIY place cards.

Thank you for being our guest at 973 Third Avenue. Have a wonderful holiday!