DIY Holiday Gift Wrapping with Simone LeBlanc

I love to take the time to wrap my holiday gifts in a beautiful way. I think this makes the process of opening the gift even more special for the recipient, and shows them how much care you put into selecting it. A stylish wrapping paper always works but there are plenty of other creative options that are affordable, like kraft paper or recycled fabric, and toppers that go beyond a simple bow. 

Earlier this week in our West Hollywood store gifting expert Simone LeBlanc led a wrapping workshop for some of our favorite customers and friends. Zen Bunni served hot chocolate and chai—two highly gift-able treats—and Simone taught participants how to wrap their gifts with linen and dried flowers. The results were just beautiful. Here are Simone’s instructions on how to do this at home yourself. I hope you enjoy! XXJKE

P.S. If you’re still looking for the special gifts for the people on your list, check out our selection of gifts under $200 and receive free gift-wrapping on any order! 

Instructions:

Lay out a piece of linen like you would wrapping paper, cutting it to scale with the gift you are wrapping. Placing the gift in a box will make the job of wrapping it that much easier. Simone recommends Paper Source and Paper Mart for lightweight options in a variety of sizes.

Rustle up the linen with your hands or even throw it in the dryer to give it a messier, lived-in look. This will look much better than clean, ironed linen. 

Lay out the piece of linen again, putting the gift diagonally in the middle of the fabric, instead of squared off with the corners.

Pull two of the side corners over the gift to cover it, holding in place with one hand.

Then twirl the two remaining sides of the linen and pull them up and tie them into a knot. It’s okay if this looks messy! Once you tie the knot, tuck in any bumps or loose pieces so the sides look a little bit neater.

Once you’ve done that, double tie the knot to secure.

To complete the look, assemble a small bundle of dried flowers to put on top. Simone brought a mix of green, white, and red florals  but feel free to improvise with whatever you find at the flower market or in your own backyard!

To secure the flowers to the top of the gift, wrap the bottom of the flower bundle with twine, then tuck it under the knot.

 Alternatively, you can use a small craft ring (available at most craft stores) to make a mini wreath. Tuck the flowers into the ring, then secure the wreath to the gift using twine.