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
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?
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.
Featured Products: mason jar mug, burlap ribbon, moose & 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.
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.
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.
Making the Holidays Sweet
Thursday 7 December 2017
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!
Featured products: gold heart wrapping paper, cookies and sprinkles wrapping paper, satin ribbons, striped ribbon, baker's twine, pink and gold gift box.
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.
Featured products: gold heart wrapping paper, cookies and sprinkles wrapping paper, satin ribbons, striped ribbon, baker's twine, pink and gold gift box, gold heart tissue paper
Featured products: gold heart wrapping paper, cookies and sprinkles wrapping paper, baked with love printed ribbon, striped ribbon, baker's twine, blue and gold gift box, gold heart tissue paper, sprinkles tissue paper, cookie tissue paper, cookie and sprinkle gift bag, gold cookie gift bag, scallop window cookie box, custom cookie cutters
Just like holiday baked goods ... this collection will be gone soon.
holiday inspiration: create your own gift boxes
Monday 4 December 2017
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:
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 ...
Sources: cookies, clear candy bags, holiday ribbon, mini wreath, sizzle, herringbone ribbon, coaster, mod boxes
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 .
Sources: hot chocolate kits, macarons & gift certificate for high tea, mason jar, grosgrain ribbon, jingle bells, mini wreath, sizzle, herringbone ribbon, coaster, mod boxes
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.
Sources: gingerbread cookies, mug hugger & gingerbread pin, recipe cards, linen bags, mini mason jar,grosgrain ribbon, holiday ribbon, clear boxes, candy bags, mini wreath, sizzle, herringbone ribbon, coaster, mod boxes
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 Co. Mad Batter Bakery creates custom cookies all year round and offers gluten-free options.
Sources: cookies, clear take out box, mug, DIY wooden ornament kit, mini wreath, sizzle, herringbone ribbon, coaster, mod boxes
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.
holiday gift wrapping inspiration
Friday 1 December 2017
"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.
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.
Look what can be done just using ribbons, wrapping paper scraps, evergreens and wreaths with our gold foil edged boxes and round mod boxes.
Add interesting gift toppers to your gift wrapping to give a little clue as to what is inside.
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.
Use scraps of wrapping paper to create decorative bands, holiday poppers and paper bows.
Where to find it: gift boxes, set up boxes, gold metallic ribbon, striped ribbons, herringbone ribbon, holiday ribbons, holiday wrapping papers, gold dessert forks, personalized "hugs, kisses and merry wishes" coasters.
Special thanks to Janet Kwan Photography for all of these beautiful photos.
Special thanks to Janet Kwan Photography for all of these beautiful photos.
countdown to the holidays - part three of three
Monday 20 November 2017
Here's one more way to countdown to the holidays and add a whimsical element to your holiday entertaining decor.
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.
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.
If you missed our first two countdown ideas you can find them here and here.
Styled shoot credits:
Countdown to the holidays - part two of three
Wednesday 15 November 2017
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.
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.
Sources: advent mini cookies, muslin drawstring bags, chalkboard sign on stand, striped ribbon, battery operated string of lights, glassware, wrapping paper.
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.
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
cookies The Teeny Tiny Bakery
hand lettering Autumn Grey Designs
packaging and entertaining products Creative Bag
creative direction Lorrie Everitt
Countdown to the holidays - part one of three
Tuesday 14 November 2017
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.
You can find the instructions for turning a large 24" x 36" wood canvas into a countdown display board here.
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.
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
cake and sweets Cakelaine
craft beer Hometown Brew Co.
packaging & entertaining supplies Creative Bag
creative direction Lorrie Everitt
& the handcrafted artisans:
Sources: handcrafted rabbit and bear and reindeer felted ornament by Milo and Ben