It's a wrap! Happy holidays.

Sunday 24 December 2017

holiday packaging supplies from Creative Bag

From all of the staff at Creative Bag, we'd like to thank to all of our customers for making this another amazing holiday season. We wish you all a happy holiday and a wonderful new year.




Homemade Gifts in a Jar

Friday 8 December 2017

homemade gifts in jars | creativebag.com

We collaborated with blogger Nicole from Simply Nic Nutrition to create a number of handmade holiday gift giving ideas. Nicole created all of the homemade gifts and packaged them using our glassware, ribbons, twine, holiday stickers and gift tags. 


Who doesn't like freshly baked cookies? Give the joy of baking with this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Balls holiday gift jar. Nicole shares her recipe for the dry ingredients on her blog and the gift tag download contains the instructions for how to make the cookies. You can package the cookie mix in 16oz mason jars for this project but we liked the idea of using a mug. Did you know that we have custom printed mason jar mugs online?

homemade gifts in jars | creativebag.com
Featured Products: mason jar mug, baker's twine, moose & buffalo plaid stickers are available in store only. 


Nicole shares her simple recipe for making a healthy holiday jello using cranberry juice and gelatin. The jello was packaged in 4oz quilted crystal jars and decorated with stickers and burlap ribbon. We think that these would be perfect  for holiday entertaining and would look wonderful stack up for guests to serve themselves.

homemade gifts in jars | creativebag.com
Featured Products: mason jar mug, burlap ribbonmoose & buffalo plaid stickers are available in store only. 


Make your own apple cider using this recipe and package it in tall swing top glass bottles. These glass bottles make great single serving containers. Perfect for holiday entertaining, just add straws and let guests serve themselves.

homemade gifts in jars | creativebag.com
Featured Products: swing top glass bottle, twine, moose & buffalo plaid gift cards are available in store only. 



Gifts in a jar don't all have to be something edible. We love this peppermint hand salve holiday gift idea. Swing top jars or mason jars can be used to package the hand salve. 

homemade gifts in jars | creativebag.com
Featured Products: large swing top glass containers and moose & buffalo plaid stickers are available in store only, satin ribbon.


Nicole is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who blogs about recipes, food information and
inspiration that is simple and wholesome. You can find all of the recipes for these projects and more on the Simply Nic Nutrition blog. 

Special thanks to Heidi Lau Photography for all the the photos in this post.



homemade gifts in jars | creativebag.com





Making the Holidays Sweet

Thursday 7 December 2017


making the holidays sweet with the Sweet Life Collection | creativebag.com

We have so many creative customers that make the most incredibly beautiful baked goods.Their cookies and cakes are like pieces of art and they are the inspiration behind our exclusive Sweet Life Collection. 

The Sweet Life collection is basically white and gold with a "sprinkle" of colours. Think of it like holiday sugar cookies that are just waiting for you to add whatever colour of icing and sprinkles that you want - pastel or brights - because everything goes!

making the holidays sweet with the Sweet Life Collection | creativebag.com


Products in the collection were intended to be used for gift packaging. Wouldn't these look amazing in window and instore displays in both bake shops and retail stores. 

Make it fun with lots of colours or keep it sophisticated and simple by just using white & gold like our custom cookies by Emma's Sweets. The DIY cookie cutter ornaments were created using oven baked clay and custom cookie cutters that match our "cookie and sprinkles" print.

making the holidays sweet with the Sweet Life Collection | creativebag.com


making the holidays sweet with the Sweet Life Collection | creativebag.com


Just like holiday baked goods ... this collection will be gone soon.
exclusive sweet life collection - inspired by our favourite bake shops | creativebag.com


exclusive sweet life collection - inspired by our favourite bake shops | creativebag.com

exclusive sweet life collection - inspired by our favourite bake shops | creativebag.com

exclusive sweet life collection - inspired by our favourite bake shops | creativebag.com


holiday inspiration: create your own gift boxes

Monday 4 December 2017


gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com

Holiday gift boxes are wonderful to receive and are so simple to personalize for everyone on your list. Don't over think how to make your gift boxes look beautiful. Use any of our gift boxes to package a collection of holiday gift items and embellish them with a few items like ribbon, gift tags and mini wreaths.

Here's how we were able to add a wreath to one of our gift boxes using ribbon:

gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com

Gather your supplies: gift box, mini wreath, ribbon and a gift tag*
* we used the "hugs, kisses & merry wishes" coaster as a gift tag
Step 1: Loop the ribbon around one side of the wreath as shown above. 
Step 2: Centre the wreath on the top of the box and wrap both ends of the ribbon around bottom of the box. 
Step 3: Pull one end of the ribbon up and around to loop around the wreath as shown in the centre photo.
Step 4: Keep the wreath and ribbon in place by tying a knot. Finish with a bow and trim the ribbon tails to complete. 
Step 5: Tuck a round coaster in the centre of the wreath to use as a gift tag. 
Note - You can use this same technique using a wreath and ribbon on square and rectangular gift boxes


With a little help from our sweet customers, here's some inspiration for what to put inside your holiday gift boxes ... 

 gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com

Emma's Sweets created these beautiful custom cookies using custom cookie cutters designed to match our Sweet Life Collection. We packaged a variety of Mary's beautiful cookies with a mini bottle of bubbly tied up with holiday ribbon in these gift boxes. Emma's Sweets creates custom cookies all year long but you'll need to order early because she books almost a year in advance! Interested in learing how how to decorate your own cookies? Mary shows you how - subscribe to Emma's Sweets YouTube channel .

gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com

Macaronz is located in downtown Brampton and is well known as the place to go for high tea and french macarons. We packaged two of Macaronz hot chocolate kits with a vintage spoon in one gift box. French macarons were tucked into a holiday themed mason jar in another gift box along with a gift certificate for high tea at Macaronz tucked under the sizzle. Check out Macaronz for custom products and corporate gifts.

gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com

If you have ever been in Liberty Village Toronto and found yourself following the wonderful smell of freshly baked gingerbread to Mad Batter Bakery then you already know that they are known for their decorated soft gingerbread cookies and old fashion sugar cookies. We filled these gift boxes with their holiday themed gingerbread cookies and mug huggers along with loose leaf tea packaged in a mini mason jar. In keeping with our bakery theme, we also added recipe cards featuring watercolour gingerbread cookie illustrations by Alicia's Infinity and an adorable gingerbread cookie pin designed by Penny Paper CoMad Batter Bakery creates custom cookies all year round and offers gluten-free options.

gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com

If you like to shop at local holiday maker markets then you might find this gift box inspiring. We filled a clear take out box with tiny cookies from Teeny Tiny Bakery and packaged them along with a mug from Makeology and a DIY wood ornament kit from Kiriki Press. Teeny Tiny Bakery is located in Toronto in the Junction area and creates the most adorable teeny tiny cookies that will just make you smile. Tiny Tiny Bakery will make custom cookies and will ship them out if you don't live in the area.

We'd love to see what you do with our gift boxes this holiday season whether you are a professional gift wrapper or not! Share your photos on Instagram and tag us @creativebagco and use hashtag #creativebaginspire. 

Special thanks to all of our friends for allowing us to use their products! Stay tuned this month for more holiday gift wrapping and entertaining ideas.




gift box packaging inspiration for holiday gift giving | creativebag.com


holiday gift wrapping inspiration

Friday 1 December 2017


holiday gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

"It's not the gift, it's the thought that counts." 
We completely agree. And we know that is why so many of our customer put so much thought and care into their holiday gift wrapping.

gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

We stock a large variety of gift boxes and set up boxes especially with holiday gift giving in mind. Some of our gift boxes are so beautiful we don't think you need to do too much more to them to make them extra special. And that can be a good thing you are packaging a lot of gifts this year.

gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

Look what can be done just using ribbons, wrapping paper scraps, evergreens and wreaths with our gold foil edged boxes and round mod boxes. 

gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

Add interesting gift toppers to your gift wrapping to give a little clue as to what is inside.

 gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

We slipped a "hugs, kisses and holiday wishes" coaster underneath the wreath. 

With a little help from our friends: greenery and wreaths by Flower Treasures, "gingerbread love" pin from Mad Batter Bakers.

gift wrapping inspiration from Creative Bag

Use scraps of wrapping paper to create decorative bands, holiday poppers and paper bows




countdown to the holidays - part three of three

Monday 20 November 2017

countdown to the holidays inspiration | Creative Bag

Here's one more way to countdown to the holidays and add a whimsical element to your holiday entertaining decor. 

http://www.creativebag.com/ca/

Wedding planners and brides love our decorative trees for centrepieces all year round. But did you know that you can also use these trees for display purposes? We painted the base of a four foot tree black and added beach stones and a burlap striped ribbon to match to our rustic themed party decor.

count down to the holidays inspiration from Creative Bag

Two inch square gift boxes were wrapped up with bands of kraft wood grain wrapping paper and tied up with red jute rope. We numbered all twenty-five boxes using blackboard stickers and chalk markers and fastened loops of plain baker's twine to the jute rope for hanging.

Stay tuned for more holiday gift wrapping and entertaining ideas!

If you missed our first two countdown ideas you can find them here and here.



Styled shoot credits:

photography  Heidi Lau Photography 
hand lettering  Love Lettering   
florals Flowerly 
nutrition specialist  Simply Nic Nutrition 
packaging & entertaining supplies  Creative Bag  
creative direction  Lorrie Everitt  


count down to the holidays inspiration from Creative Bag



Countdown to the holidays - part two of three

Wednesday 15 November 2017

sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

Here's a sweet idea for an interactive countdown display. If you read our last blog post you may recognize that we've reused our wood display board in this set up. We replaced the linen draw string bags with 3"x4" natural muslin pouches so that you can see the adorable mini advent cookies from The Teeny Tiny Bakery inside. 

sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

Sources: cookies, rose gold glass box


The Teeny Tiny Bakery will be selling their mini cookies at the One of a Kind Show later this month. You can also contact them here for more information about their 2017 advent cookies.

sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

Sources: advent mini cookies, muslin drawstring bags, chalkboard sign on stand, striped ribbon, battery operated string of lights, glassware, wrapping paper.

sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

Instead of numbering the bags, Learzi from Autumn Grey Designs added gold hand lettering directly to the display board. The bags were left blank so that the cookies could be seen through the fabric. The gold numbers are revealed as each bag is removed from the board. 

sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

Green striped ribbon and small natural greenery were added to make the muslin bags a little more decorative and interesting. Our greenery elements and wreaths were created for us by Christine from Flower Treasures.

Stay tuned for more ways to countdown the holidays.



Styled Shoot Credits:

photography  Janet Kwan Photography 
hand lettering  Autumn Grey Designs 
greenery and wreaths Flower Treasures   
packaging and entertaining products Creative Bag
creative direction Lorrie Everitt



sweet countdown to the holiday idea using mini advent cookies and muslin bags | creativebag.com

Countdown to the holidays - part one of three

Tuesday 14 November 2017

countdown to the holidays with hand lettered pin-back buttons on linen drawstring bags | creativebag.com

Make every day a treat this holiday season with interactive countdown displays.

This do-it-yourself countdown calendar was created using 4"x5" linen drawstring bags, chalkboard pin-backed buttons, clothespins and a wood canvas display board.

countdown to the holidays with hand lettered pin-back buttons on linen drawstring bags | creativebag.com

countdown to the holidays with hand lettered pin-back buttons on linen drawstring bags | creativebag.com

You can find the instructions for turning a large 24" x 36" wood canvas into a countdown display board here.

countdown to the holidays with hand lettered pin-back buttons on linen drawstring bags | creativebag.com

Pin-back buttons were spray painted with chalkboard paint and attached to each of our linen drawstring bags. You can use chalk markers or paint pens to number each button.

countdown to the holidays with hand lettered pin-back buttons on linen drawstring bags | creativebag.com


Doris Wai hand lettered each pin-back button for this project. She approached each number a little differently for a whimsical twist. If you are interested in learning more about hand lettering - what tools to use, how to get started and project ideas - Doris shares all of her hand lettering secrets in her recently published book "Extraordinary Hand Lettering".

Stay tuned for more countdown to the holiday inspiration.





Styled Shoot Credits:

photography  Heidi Lau Photography 
hand lettering  Love Lettering   
florals Flowerly 
cake and sweets  Cakelaine   
nutrition specialist  Simply Nic Nutrition 
craft beer  Hometown Brew Co. 
packaging & entertaining supplies  Creative Bag  
creative direction  Lorrie Everitt  
& the handcrafted artisans:
Gather 33    


countdown to the holidays with hand lettered pin-back buttons on linen drawstring bags | creativebag.com
Sources: handcrafted rabbit and bear and reindeer felted ornament by Milo and Ben