With Whipped Cream and Cherry On Top: Making boring gifts fun

Have you ever struggled to find the right gift for a bridal or couples shower or a wedding present? Registry gifts can be so boring. I mean who gets excited about a set of towels really? And gift cards (although greatly appreciated by the couple) are even worse. That's when the urge to go off registry kicks in, and once it does it's hard to fight. But your practical sides reminds you that sticking with the registry or purchasing a gift card are the most sure fire ways to make sure that the betrothed couple gets something they can actually use.

I'm reminded of a FRIENDS episode where Monica and Chandler receive a particularly hideous punch bowl. Upon Chandler asking if they can return it, Monica states that there is no receipt so where would they return it. Chandler then says, "I was thinking maybe to the street... from the balcony?" :-) You don't want a similar conversation to go on about your gift. So, I encourage you to stick with the registry or gift cards from the registered stores.

So, how then to solve the dilemma spicing up boring gifts? Well, I have two suggestions for you today, and I'd love to hear the creative ways you have solved this problem.

First we have an idea for that old stand by of a set of towels. Well, actually it's two sets of towels but you get the picture. For a while now I've been hearing about the "diaper cakes" that have been making their rounds through the bridal showers lately. It's a simple idea. Cloth or disposable diapers are rolled up and stacked on top of each other to resemble a tiered cake.



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So I started thinking, why can't I do this with regular sized towels for a shower????

Well, I jumped on my trusty Google and started searching. Come to find out I'm not the first one to have this idea. After obtaining some inspirational images and downloading some instructions, I ordered the double set of towels and crossed my fingers.

When they arrived I immediately sat down and started working. It was amazingly easy to do. Simply fold the large towels into thirds and roll up. Do the same with the hand towels and the wash clothes. Then stack them on top of each other and decorate with silk flowers, ribbon, and anything else you think looks pretty. Having a creative block, then simply flip through a few pages of wedding cake pictures on The Knot and you'll most likely have more inspiration then you've ever wanted! So... what did my towel cake look like? Well, please excuse the crappy picture. After all that work I only got one picture of it and it's not the best, but...



But that's not all! With two showers back to back for two couples, I had another opportunity to get creative. This couple doesn't know quite yet where they are going to be living. On top of that they are both young and therefore really need everything. So, with Charlotte just getting a new IKEA (sound the angles, aaaaaaahhhhhh!) they simply requested IKEA gift cards.

Well, I couldn't just give a gift card, because, well... I'm just OCD and crazy like that! While at IKEA to get the gift card and introduce my mom to the awesomeness that is IKEA, I spotted my favorite type of flower vase. It's short and rectangle and awesome! There is something about the shape of this vase that makes even a flower futz like me into freaking Martha Stewart. So, I decided to pick it up and figure out how to package the gift card in it. That way they got what they really needed, but I was able to pass on some of the wisdom I had gained as a spouse. (Although two whistles, one for each, to blow when they feel that a fight is getting out of hand and becoming unfair would have probably been just as wisdomuss.)

I filled the vase with tissue paper and made a paper rose to fill the vase. (Paper flowers, especially roses, are incredibly easy, just time consuming. So, if you have a wonderful, amazing, selfless husband like mine who is happy to "crinkle" paper petals for you, you are extra blessed!) I then slipped the gift card in the back of the vase. And wrapped some matching paper and a tag to the front. So what did it look like?



Don't ask me why I forgot to get pictures of the towel cake but remembered to take this one outside in order to get awesome artsy pictures! I, myself, don't even understand the inner workings of my brain sometimes.

So what creative, fun ways have you all found to package sorta-kinda-boring gifts? We'd love to hear! Happy Friday everyone! I hope your weekend is full of creativity and joy!