Create, decorate, offer and reuse: all words that are very much on my mind this holiday season. I therefore decided to give my guests a little surprise gift…
Here’s my trick for offering two gifts in one and transforming simple kraft paper into a festive gift wrap!
A project created by: Chloé Comte
Materials:
- Kraft paper
- Wool
- Scissors
- Epoxy resin
- Silicone moulds
- Pigment paste or powder
- Glitter
- Dried flowers
- Drill and drill bit
- Wooden picks
- Gloves
- Tracing paper
- White felt pen
Instructions:
Step 1
To create a gift tag with a custom word, cut a piece of tracing paper to fit your silicone mould and write a message or name on it with a white marker.
Step 2
Put on a pair of gloves and prepare your epoxy resin following the manufacturer's instructions.
Step 3
Depending on the look you want to achieve, you can prepare several mixtures of epoxy resin by adding: paint, pigments, glitter, gold leaf, etc.
Step 4
Once your mixtures are ready, you can start pouring your resin into the moulds, while adjusting the order of your mixtures to suit your design.
For example, for the custom tag, pour a coloured resin base and place your calligraphy tracing paper. To avoid unwanted mixing, wait a few hours for the base to dry before pouring another resin mixture on top.
Step 5
Feel like the result is too simple? You can always add some details by sprinkling glitter, for example, on the freshly poured resin.
Step 6
To embed flowers in resin, you'll need to dry them first so they last longer (otherwise they may rot). Pour a little epoxy resin into the bottom of your mould. Gently place your dried flowers on top of the resin before covering with another layer of resin.
If the flowers move, you can always reposition them with a skewer or a wooden toothpick.
Step 7
Let your creations dry flat in a protected area, according to the manufacturer's instructions. I let them dry overnight before unmoulding them.
Step 8
To hang your creations, drill a hole through the top of the ornament using a drill and a drill bit.
Step 9
Now that your resin ornaments are ready, all you have to do is place them on your gift wraps! I used brown kraft paper and wool that matched the colours of my ornaments to further accentuate them.
Your custom resin ornaments become a second gift, as their new owners can reuse them year after year.
Tips:
If bubbles appear in your resin during the pouring process, don't panic! Simply use a heat gun to blow hot air on them and they will disappear.
Epoxy resin is a very sticky medium and can cause skin problems. It is highly recommended to wear gloves throughout the whole process.
Resins mix easily. If you want to make separate layers of colours or materials (paint vs. glitter, etc.), pour your different layers and let dry for at least 1 hour between each layer.
You can easily drill through the resin with a drill bit when it is dry and hard.
