Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Easter Favors

For several years I have wanted to make a basket full of favors for our Easter celebration. But like I talked about in my last post I usually always run short on time. But by golly this year will be different. This year I will have a basket full of treats for everyone to take home with them. I have held this idea in my head for several years, crepe paper favors. I was so surprised when I opened my recent Martha Stewart magazine and realized she had them featured.
The first time I saw this done was in the April/May 2007 issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine. I now must admit to you that I still have this magazine,along with many other issues.Yes I am a magazine hoarder. So many good magazines have been lost in the past few years due to the economy and it seems so sad to me. But the Home Companion magazine I probably miss the most.

The artist that was featured is from Berkley named Anandamayi Arnold. She is incredible, and can duplicate just about anything using this technique. The magazine showed an example of a rabbit and giraffe heads, bee hives,roses as well as various fruits and vegetables.
Last year I made several of these crepe paper favors for our office to use as gifts for several customers. I have not been able to master the shape and perfection that these artists have done. Possibly because the gifts I've chosen to use are larger. I've noticed that most of the ones in the magazines are made with teeny tiny tokens and trinkets. The size of your items will dictate the shape and size of your finished gift.  I like to use small sample sizes, but I also prefer to buy items that will be used and serve a purpose. Like hand sanitizer or lotion,chap stick,nail enamel,gum,mints,etc. I even made a few with small pieces of jewelry,and they were a big success.Just let your imagination run wild with this and pick items that your family will love.
 Think about all of the fun shapes you could do. I also think these would be a fun addition for a Christmas party,and Thanksgiving dinners. The possibilities are really endless.Several ladies said they were so cute they hated to unwrap them, kids on the other hand rarely care. They just have fun ripping into them as fast as they can.Sadly the destruction of all the work that went into them is the down side. But crepe paper is so inexpensive, and the fun everyone has with them is what it's all about.
 Once you decide what gifts you want to include,simply start wrapping. As you wrap add the next surprise treat,then continue to wrap more layers of crepe paper until you have it to your desired shape. I have found that making a bug or a berry shape works best for me. I was thinking just now that a mummy, or Frankenstein head would be so cute for Halloween treats.

 When you have it complete,add some details like a paper or felt berry cap with a stem. I used a permanent marker to add the little black dots to the outer layer,hoping to make it look a little more like an actual strawberry.
I had been considering trying my hand at an Easter egg shape this year, but I'll probably end up making all strawberries.I think the shape will be easier. Sure they look a bit deformed but after all they're just for fun.

11 comments:

  1. The surprise treats after few layers is a good idea. The strawberry is so cute, wrapping has become an art in your hand :)

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  2. Oh, those are adorable! What fun you could have with the different holidays! :)

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  3. That's such a neat idea! I'd probably be one of the "I don't want to unwrap it and ruin it" people. :)

    By the way, that boat/garden is AWESOME! I love it!

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  4. You're so clever...this is such a cute idea!

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  5. What great ideas! I wish I could wrap like you have that strawberry!
    That banner of your blog...is super duper kewl! Love that picture....

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  6. this is so cute!
    i love visiting your blog and i find myself excited to read all your posts, they tickle my creative side

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  7. How ceative and cute! I have never personally seen these, but they look wonderful and so appealing. Isn't if funny Martha published them? I guess you have been doing a "good thing" all along.

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  8. How fun! I want to make some myself!

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  9. Fun idea. But I am absolutely WOWWED by your header. Is that how your house looks? That neat garden and wonderful boat full of neat rows and dark earth - and that swell porch rail? May I live with you?

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  10. Now I think of it, I remember something from my dim, shadowed childhood. I remember these balls - and I actually think they were wrapped in crepe paper - and they did this very thing. Little rings and things fell out as you unwrapped them. Like Cracker Jacks except way better. I'd completely forgotten about that till this very minute. Hmmmm. How could you not want to make a kid feel like that, when you remember how mysterious and wonderful the thing was for you??? Another thing on my list now -

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