Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Hi all, Pretty Handsome Guy here filling in for Brittany. Last night Brittany and I were wrapping presents and I thought I’d share with you some common gift wrap problems and how to deal with them.  Think of this as the polar opposite of her Creative Gift Wrapping series of posts.

The Squish and Tape and Tape and Tape

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Do you ever end up with a present that hangs out of the wrapping paper?

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

No problem, simply squish the gift inside the packaging as far as you can…

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

…and quickly fold over the end and slap on some tape. Then use some more tape to close the gaps,

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

and just for good measure add some more tape. Hey, tape is cheap, no need to be stingy with it!

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

All done, and the goal of hiding the present has been achieved!

The Panel (not to be confused with the type of pants pregnant women wear.)

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

How many times have you cut your wrapping paper only to realize that it is too short to go around the package? When it comes to wrapping presents I adhere to the adage “measure never, just cut it”.  I mean seriously people we aren’t building a house here, what you are wrapping is meant to be destroyed anyways.

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Here is the solution! It is called the panel. Simply cut another piece of wrapping paper the width of the gap (or maybe a little wider.)

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Tape it on (no need to match up the pattern, no one will see the bottom when it is under the tree.). Bonus points if you can manage to use 2-3 different types of wrapping paper – just tell everyone it is a “holiday medley”.

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Super easy solution and the best part is that you don’t have to go back and cut a whole new piece of wrapping paper.  The environment will thank you for this one.

The Nip, Tuck & Roll

Now we are down to one of the most common wrapping problems. What to do when you have too much wrapping paper on the ends of your package.  And yes I realize most of these “problems” are a function of not measuring in the first place but whatever.

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Normally I would simply roll the sides in until they meet the package, but in an effort to neaten things up a bit, you can simply gather the end in your hands and snip off the excess.

Now simply fold in the end towards the box.
Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
Continue to roll the paper in…

…until you reach the box, then smash the end down with your hand to flatten it.

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
And tape your end down.
Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
Done. Problem solved, any questions?
Adding a Gift Tag (bet you’ve never seen it done this way!)
Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
I found the little key tags that Brittany bought for tagging her presents. Creative idea and all but sheesh a lot more work than a stick-on “To/From” tag.  But I devised a new way to attach them to the gift without ribbon.
Simply grasp a corner of your package and use a hole punch to make a hole in the gift wrap.
Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl

Then take a piece of tape and twist it into what I call a “tapepick” (looks like a toothpick.)

Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
Thread the “tapepick” into the hole you made in your gift wrap.
Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
Then grab another piece of tape and fold it over the ends of your tapepick to secure them.
Fixing Common Gift Wrap Problems | OMG! So funny, you have to read this. | Pretty Handy Girl
That’s it. Thanks for reading my post today. Hopefully Brittany will invite me back to show you how I make a bed in less than 10 seconds!
– Pretty Handsome Guy

Pin for later!

how to fix common gift wrapping problems
Pretty Waterlogue April Best of Week 1

Pretty Waterlogue April Best of Week 1

I am absolutely blown away by all the Waterlogue artists that are partipating in #PrettyWaterlogueApril on Instagram. There are so many beautiful images. Some would make beautiful greeting cards or garden flags. Others need to be framed and hung up to enjoy immediately! Scroll down to see my top picks this week!

I’m still working on that amazing giveaway prize, but I can tell you so far I have some great sponsors! Check back soon to learn more. In the meantime, I thought you might get a kick out of some photos from our Spring Break trip to Beaver Creek, Co.

Pretty Handsome Guy, myself and the two Handy Boys enjoyed some fresh powder and beautiful vistas.

PrettyHandyBoy #1 and I taking a rest at the top of the mountain:

phg-handy-boy1

This is my favorite picture that was taken of me. I don’t think anyone could miss me in that bright coat. LOL.

#PrettyWaterlogueApril Best of Week 1 | Pretty Handy Girl

The boys truly wowed me as they carved turns down some intermediate trails at the end of the week. Considering this was their first time skiing beyond the North Carolina mountains, that’s saying a lot!

#PrettyWaterlogueApril Best of Week 1 | Pretty Handy Girl

You know this chocoholic chick was on the slopes everyday at 3pm when the Cookie Ambassadors passed out fresh chocolate chip cookies!

cookie-time

Beaver Creek also had loads of fun things for the kids to do. Pretty Handy Boy #2 was thrilled to do backflips on the bungee trampolines:

handy-boy-flying

Somehow I was talked into trying it out. At first I was enjoying it…

bouncing  

…but after I was pressured into doing a backflip…I began to regret eating the cookie right before jumping.

Flying Scared

I had a chance to see my Aunt Bonnie who lives in Denver. We had fun shopping, eating and catching up.

aunt-bonnie   

I also enjoyed snapping a few pictures of the landscape and turning them into beautiful Waterlogue paintings for the #PrettyWaterlogueApril challenge (you can see the rest of my pictures on Instagram):

#PrettyWaterlogueApril Best of Week 1 | Pretty Handy Girl

It was extremely tough choosing my favorite paintings this week. In no particular order, these were the chosen images. If you are on Instagram, be sure to click on the links to follow these talented artists: Read more

how_to_replace_a_car_battery

Hey Pretty Handy Girl readers, I’m stepping up to the podium today to prove to you that I can do more than just wrap presents around here.

I also have a handy side (don’t let Brittany fool you) that occasionally comes out.

Pretty_handsome_mechanic Read more


I feel like I’m constantly shouting safety messages at you. But, I can’t stress enough how important it is to wear hearing protection when you are exposed to loud noises. But, did you know that the noise doesn’t even have to be super loud? Exposure to higher levels for an extended period of time can also cause hearing loss.

Here is an infographic from 3M that shows common household noises that may be harming your hearing:

I have a pair of 3M Tekk ear muffs that I use when sawing wood and using my power tools. But, Pretty Handsome Guy doesn’t have a pair. He isn’t allowed doesn’t use my tools very much, but he does do most of the yard work. When he cuts the lawn he uses ear plugs. I decided it was time to upgrade his little foamies to some rockin’ headphones! Last week, I gave him a pair of Digital WorkTunes™ HearingProtector and AM/FM Stereo Radio ear muffs. He was thrilled to try out something that allowed him to rock out while he was chopping blades.

Read more

Winter is almost over, and not a moment too soon! I have been hanging onto my Christmas cards and warm fuzzy pillows and throw (from Pier One). But, I have been feeling the Winter blues. So, I decided to make a quick change to the line up in our living room. (Hey, Pretty Handsome Guy, did you like how I used a football term?! ha, ha.)

By the way, speaking of Pretty Handsome Guy, today is his birthday! He’s the big 4-0! Woohoo! I have four months to tease him about being 40 until my counter ticks over too. Then I’ll have to shut up about it.

Okay, sorry for the diversion, back to the topic at hand, falling in love with your room by changing out pillows.

Couch Before – Christmas Pillows and Throw

Sometimes falling in love with a room again is simply a matter of changing out your fabrics or pillows, throws, place mats, runners, a rug, etc. (Especially if you have an old couch that you are hiding under a slipcover.)

I had a few minutes without the kids the other day and suddenly found myself at the back of Steinmart in the pillow section. Within 15 minutes I had grabbed several discounted pillows and was running for the register before I had to pick up Pretty Handsome Boy #2. (Anyone else been in that mad dash to the register using up EVERY single minute before it is time to reclaim your children? Yeah, I figured I was the only one.)

When I got home, I performed transformation magic on the two chairs and sofa in our living room.

Wingback Chair Before

Wing Back Chair After

Club Chair Before

Oh – you eagle eye you – Yes, I know you just saw that pillow in the wingback chair above. I just moved it. FREE transformation Baby!

Club Chair After

Couch Before

Couch After (Throw from Club Chair Before)

Couch After – Close Up Pillows

As you can see in the above picture, I FINALLY put away all my Christmas cards that were displayed on the shutters in the background. So, how about your home? Do you have a room that could benefit from just a few new fabrics? Try it, this is the quickest way to transform a room.
I hope you will check out some other ways to “Fall in Love with Your Home Series”. in February!