Iron Craft 2014 Challenge #14-Natural Wrapping (Project 28)

For this challenge, we were asked to complete a project based on Nature--using natural elements as products or inspiration. This is a project that I had percolating for quite a while. I have been tossing around the idea of making "packing tape" wrapping accessories.

There have been plenty of ideas using washi tape and gift wrapping. I wanted to do a variation on that theme.

Step One--wrap the box. I decided to use materials that were readily available so I decided to use simple brown craft paper. I could have painted it as I did in previous examples (here) but I decided to leave it plain. 

Plain brown paper wrapping

Step Two-- Use a belly band for decoration. I forgot to take a picture of the plain belly band. But in the picture below, it is the brown decorative paper with the ferns.

Step Three--Make the Packing Tape accessory. I took cheap packing tape and placed dried flowers on the underside (sticky side) of the tape. In this case, I alternated dried ferns with dried orange and yellow flowers. I then turned to tape right side up (sticky side down) and placed it on top of the decorative paper (belly band).

Belly band with
flower tape

Belly band detail

Step Four--wrap the belly band around the package and tape in place.

Package with belly band

Step Five--add final decorative touches. In this case, I added raffia in a contrasting color.

Final product.

Not content with what I had, I decided to make another belly band. With the brown decorative paper and the dried ferns, I was afraid that there wasn't enough contrast to highlight the floral packing tape. In this case, I simply used a piece of white butcher paper as the decorative paper.

White belly band
with floral packing tape

Final product in white.