Looking for a unique way to package a gift? Postal mailing tubes are fun to work with and best of all, they often show up in your mailbox, FREE.    Here I have three that I recently “dolled up” in black and white.

These are my favorite kind to work with.  You can either use some of your favorite paper to line the inside (like the black and white striped one with clear ends) or leave it clear to show off the contents.  I added a bit of variety and punched grommets around the top end-caps and then tied some assorted fibers around the top and tied on some more stuff to add interest. 

One of my favorite embelishments to use at the moment are puzzle pieces. I purchased a kid’s puzzle maker for my 6 year old and I have wound up using it quite a bit!  You can make any postcard or photo into a puzzle and then use the pieces like tiny tags. 

 I had a little more fun with the larger one. I took apart an old watch and used the face for a tag and the band to add flair to the tube.  I stamped some black paper with Stampin’ Up’s “Word Search” Background Stamp (retired) in white ink.  Wouldn’t it be cool to fill this with some personalized word searches for someone fixing to go on a trip?