Edible Gifts. Jane Lyster

       CUTTING

      Fit a new blade onto a good-quality craft knife each time you start a new project. A steel ruler and a cutting mat will also make all the difference to the finished cut. Place the paper you wish to cut on the mat and position the ruler. Hold the ruler in place with your thumb and forefinger and lightly drag the blade down the length of the cut from top to bottom. Repeat this with a pressure, again running the knife towards you. If you are working with thick board it might take a few cuts. This is invaluable when tracing around a box you have deconstructed and wish to re-make using another type of card.

Decorating a box

       CURLING / SCROLLING

      Curling, or scrolling, has a long history; it is the art of rolling thin strips of paper into a sort of paper filigree that emulates ironwork. In the eighteenth century it became popular for ladies of leisure as it was considered not too complex for their gentle natures! It is formed by rolling tiny, narrow strips of paper around a cocktail stick or something similar and then leaving them to uncurl slightly before gluing them on their side edges to a base paper or other items such a box lid. You can slowly build up the curls to form a pattern or picture. This works best if you place lots of them together and build up a solid surface texture. White paper on a white background can look very beautiful and sophisticated.

       BOWS AND PAPER POM-POMS

      These really make a difference to the final touches of a gift. I find it easiest to tie a knot first and then continue with the bow as that way you are not trying to keep the ribbon tight at the same time. If you make a series of bows you can place them on top of one another for a glorious effect. For a paper pom-pom use seven sheets of tissue paper on top of each other and fold them into pleats, first one way and then the other. Cut the ends in tassel points or round them off. Now either staple through the centre or secure with wire. Gently tease out the layers of tissue from each other to produce a ball.

       SEWING

      This book only contains a small amount of sewing. It can either be done by hand or machine. The only stitch used is a running stitch so there’s nothing too complicated. If you are very good at sewing you can really go to town by embroidering some of your gift tags.

       COLOURS

      When choosing a colour scheme for your gift tags and wrapping be careful not to overdo it. The best rule to remember is that less is more. Over-complicate your palette and the colours will take over from the structural and visual look of the gift. To help you decide on your scheme choose two or three colours that fit in with the product you have made. That’s not to say that a huge range of colours don’t go well together, just take it easy.