Wrapping your holiday gifts can be really fun and a great expression of your personality! Think outside the box and have fun while you wrap!

Find a signature wrapping style that you come back to time and time again. Or choose a different theme each year and then wrap all of your presents in that style. (Hot tip: My husband opts for the not so glamorous but convenient plain newsprint found at your local newspaper–he buys a big roll of the stuff and wraps for years with his signature plain white paper with his block print in Sharpie. Everyone knows who the present is from!)

Basic Supply list: sharp scissors, wrapping paper, clear glossy tape, boxes in various sizes, a trash can, colorful tissue paper, gift tags and pens and markers.

Over The Top Supply list: hot glue gun, pipe cleaners, feathers, pom poms, double sided tape, paper punch, little birds and butterflies and the list goes on. (Michaels is a great resource for all of these supplies and much much more)

Technique tips:

1. Before you begin, set up a temporary area in your house where you can leave your supplies. I use a Costco folding table in my bedroom.And try to buy all of your supplies at once so you don’t have to go out again at the last minute.

2. Does the item fit appropriately in a box? If so, then line the bottom of the box with tissue paper folded with a neat crease in the middle and then place the item in and cover with another layer of tissue (over the top–wrap the item in tissue so the suspense is even greater). I prefer boxes that have not been taped so I can reuse them. Oddly shaped items can be wrapped in tissue and a cellophane bag or a fabric reusable bag –they become part of the present!

3. Judge how much paper you’ll need by laying the box on top of the paper and wrapping around the box and then cutting it. Fold the edges of the paper over about an inch so that the rough edges don’t show. Here’s a link to great step by step instructions on how to wrap a present. Use as little tape as necessary. (Over the Top tip: fold edges so they land on the edge of the box or even better, don’t use tape at all!)

4. Tie your present with ribbon and attach a gift card. There are many beautiful ribbon techniques out there. Check the web for other how-tos.

Here are some other fun ideas:

• layer printed paper over solid, textured ribbon over solid satin or grosgrain ribbon and cards over cards with deckled egdes

• visit a fancy paper store (like Ro Sham Bo here in Bozeman) to pick out really special wrapping paper to use as accents

• skip the bow and use wide ribbon instead to make your gifts easy to ship

• use geographic maps and twine to make a traveler excited about an upcoming trip

• use brown packing paper or blueprints from an architect’s office  or butcher paper from the local meat shop and embellish the gift with ribbon and all the extras.

• one year my sister wrapped all of her presents in the weather page (really colorful)  from the USAToday newspaper and then glued big jeweled sequins on the boxes in lines to represent the ribbons.

This year, I am wrapping everything with red and gold tissue and then covering the tissue with cellophane. The cellophane makes each present shiny and sparkly. I am slipping a card with an inspirational quote on it in between the tissue and the cellophane with the recipient’s name on it. Then a big bright bow and I’m done. When they are all lined up, they look so festive and pretty!

The kitchen apron has be long recognized as a symbol of domesticity. Traditionally worn to keep the housewife’s dress looking fresh and pretty, the apron was and integral part of the outfit. Today, the apron is back and is just as fashionable as always. These modern reproductions are festive, colorful and very feminine.

Designers and artisans nation-wide are remaking the apron, pairing modern and vintage fabrics and the result is irresistible.

“The apron is experiencing a revival, an amalgam of feminism, femininity and function. While the apron has been around as long as soup has sloshed, it moved from drab broadcloth to a cross-stitched sash of domestic honor in the 1950s,” says Kim Ode, writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, posted Wed Jan 7 2009

With the current trend toward casual home entertaining, these flouncy aprons make the perfect hostess outfit. (Some even consider them a jean cover-up!) More stylish than functional, an apron is now acquired as a mainstay of a woman’s wardrobe. The apron makes an easy and fun throw-on for your next party.

HeyDay is always fully stocked with adult half and full and children’s half and full aprons to support this revival.  Shoppers can choose from various styles and fabrics to find the perfect aprons for their next at-home entertaining event!

Show your appreciation and treat your hostess to one of these gifts that are sure to please. Each of the following 10 gift items have been personally selected as being inexpensive yet impressive!

A festive hostess apron. A set of three reusable shopping bags in brightly colored prints. A hand soap and lotion dispenser with a cute kitchen scrubber. A set of three dish towels and fancy dish washing gloves. A candle scented with seasonal aroma. A cutting board with a wedge of artisanal cheese from the Joe’s Parkway case. A new set of magnets for the fridge. A collapsible vase with a bouquet of fresh flowers. A box of reusable fabric napkins with a bottle opener for the bar. A selection of gourmet dips from Joe’s Parkway. Click any of the thumbnails for an enlarged view! Fun dish gloves Scented candles Hardwood cutting board Refrigerator magnets

A frilly apron Reusable shopping bags Soaps and lotions

It’s a contemporary charm bracelet!

With over 500 beads to choose from, a Trollbeads bracelet or necklace becomes a lasting and meaningful piece of jewelry. Everything is interchangeable and easy to work with – no design skills required. Just start choosing the beads you like and the ones that have meaning to you.

The website www.trollbeadsus.com is a great resource so check it out when you have time. You can choose beads and put them on a sample bracelet and see what your design looks like before you buy. We have wish lists here at the store that will help your friends and family please you at birthdays and Christmas!

Handcrafted from the finest quality raw materials including 18K gold, sterling silver, Italian glass, natural pearls, precious stones and Swarovski crystal, each bead is a treasure.  Every irresistible piece has its own story inspired by love, nature, fairytales, mythology, cultures, and the diversity of the world around us.

New beads in intriguing shapes and colors continue to revitalize the collection. With an infinite number of combinations, the piece of jewelry you design will be completely unique and personal.  The possibilities are endless.

Give us a call anytime with your questions or stop by the store to take a closer look!