Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

Even though my Missionary is home, I couldn't help but still put it together like a package I would send him.  I think it would still work to send out to a Missionary. Here it is!

 I started like I usually do, and decorated a bunch of random containers.

This is a frosting container that I covered the outside with scrapbook paper.

This is a folded box.  You can find the instructions here. The boxes can be made in any size.

After that, I filled other small boxes and things with dollar store toys like bouncy balls, finger skateboards, and jumping frogs.  The big gift was a Mickey Mouse 49ers Football blanket, because he loves football and Disney.  I also put in Hershey's Hugs and Kisses, Peanut M&M's, and I made some simple treats.  The recipes for those can be found in the following links.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Wafer Cookies

Pink Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

Cookie Goldfish M&M Mix

The link above was under maintenance when I posted it, So here is a picture as well.

Then, I wrapped the individual packages in brown paper that came with some textbooks that I had ordered for school, and using scrapbook stamps, I stamped on the packages. (I suggest stamping the paper BEFORE wrapping.  I did it the hard way.) Then, I printed out the free postage stamps found here on off-white paper and made them look old using a brown stamp pad, and glued them on with Elmer's Glue.  Finally, I wrapped twine around the outsides of the packages and this is the end result:

Thanks for reading! Be creative, and have fun! :)

A Very Late Christmas

It's been awhile since i've posted on here.  My Missionary came home toward the middle of January, but I still intend to keep updating this with Missionary related things.

So for Christmas, this is what I sent him:

And this is the quote.

Missionary 'Trick-or-Treat' Package!

Happy Halloween everyone! It's just around the corner! This package kind of has a Fall/Halloween theme to it. I got the idea from all of the Trick-or-Treating that happens this time of year.  I mean, who doesn't like to get candy?!  With this package, I didn't want to go with the usual American candy, so I splurged and got the really good European stuff.  You could use any kind of candy bars though. :D

 Some of the candy I chose: Toffifay (Chocolate, Caramel, and Hazelnut), Toblerone (Chocolate and toffee), Milkinis (Chocolate and Creme), Lindt Truffles, Milka White Chocolate, and Cadbury Caramel Dairy Milk. You can use any kind of candy bars though!

I chose a whole bunch of Fall and Halloween paper, and wrapped each of the candy bars.

They ended up looking like this:

I then decorated each of the candy bars using stickers, paper, whole punches, ribbon, and string. These are what they ended up looking like:

 

I always like to add a letter to the package too, so I thought I would decorate the envelope as well.

This is the quote I sent in the package as well. (I always include a quote in each letter and package)

 These two pictures are the finished product! :D

I packaged it all in the smallest USPS flat rate box I could find. This was by far one of the easiest packages I have put together thus far. Thanks for reading! Have a marvelous Halloween! :)

'Birthday Box' Package Idea

This next package is for his birthday.  He has been out for 19 months now, so I sent a birthday package last year as well.  You can always substitute in a cake mix for the cookie mix, but I thought the cookie mix might be a nice change, and different from last year (I sent a cake mix, frosting, and candles). Honestly, this time I was on a tight budget, so I hit the Dollar Store. But they had plenty of great stuff! :)

Some ideas of things to buy: Cookie or Cake Mix, Happy Birthday Banners, balloons, Happy Birthday Streamers, noise makers, small party favors, party hats, candles, and a Birthday Card.

What I added in for a personal touch: Fortune Cookies (I bought way too many in bulk from Oriental Trading, so I added some in his package), Stickers, Golden Rules of Missionary Work (Purchased from Deseret Book), Fireflies (Glow in the dark helicopter things), a letter from me, and some letters from other friends.

The gift: A tie pin from Seagull book.

 With every package and letter I send him, I also send him an inspirational quote.  This month the quote was probably more for me than for him, but I still sent it because you never know who else might be needing to hear the same quote.

I shipped it in a USPS Flat Rate Envelope, and it was relatively inexpensive to ship.  Just have fun putting the package together! Missionaries love to get any kind of mail!

Until next time, Enjoy! Thanks for reading! :)

'Box of Sunshine' Package Idea!

Hello! Here's the first package idea! This one is for January, although it didn't get sent until February.  Anyhow, the idea of the "Box of Sunshine" is to brighten up a Missionary's day.  Sometimes during the winter (Especially after all of the excitement of Christmas time), things can start to look kind of gray, so a little bit of Sunshine can help brighten up their day! As you can tell from my pictures, I bought as many things as I could find that were yellow. :)

 Some ideas of things to buy: Rubber Duckies, Mr. Goodbar, Everlasting Gobstoppers (I pulled out just the yellow ones, and I'll use the others in other packages), Butterscotch candies, Lemonade Packets, Peanut M&M's, Lemon Heads, Sugar Babies, Reeses Eggs, Yellow Post-it Notes (Star Shaped), Yellow Highlighters, Butterfingers, and Laffy Taffy.  I also found some other things Like a Yellow Bucket (Which I later filled with Ping-Pong Balls) and Pac-Man bandaids.

 So I started off by gathering up a whole bunch or random containers.  (The rectangle ones are from model train cars.) Any kind of container will work! I found baby food jars, sprinkle containers, bead jars, salt and pepper shakers, and even a container from some bath fizz. (Which I washed out.)

 Grab a bunch of craft stuff that's yellow and decorate your containers! You can use paper, stickers, ribbon, you name it! Any of it will work!

Here are some of the containers I decorated:

This is the bath fizz container.

These are a baby food container, a sprinkle container, and a salt shaker.

Baby food container.

Sprinkle container.

I took the Butterscotch candies and drew cute smiley faces on them using a Sharpie.  The container is a To-Go Pack cookie container.

 With every package and letter I send him, I also send him an inspirational quote.  This quote was fitting because it had to do with the theme of the package.

On the inside of the box I shipped the stuff in, I used a Die-Cut machine and cut out the suns.  I lined the inside of the box in yellow paper, and used stickers to put 'Box of Sunshine' in the bottom of the box.

 My box had writing on the outside, so I put a die-cut sun on each side over the writing so that I could ship it. It never hurts to use what you have.  One can never be too resourceful! :)

I put everything inside the box and wrote song lyrics that were uplifting that had the words 'Sun' or 'Sunshine' in them.  I also wrote a letter and put it in a yellow envelope.  (The red envelope was a Valentine's Day card because I was slow getting it sent... Haha)

This is what everything looked like once I got it all finished and put together.


This is a good package to send state-side.  It was kind of expensive to ship, just because I packed so much into the box.  Other variations you could do: If they're somewhere that's already warm and sunny, send the a box of snow! Find things that are blue, white, and gray and decorate the box with snowflakes. :)

The bottom line of this whole package: have fun putting it together.  Enjoy! Thanks for reading! :)

Let Me Introduce Myself

Hello! I just wanted to take a minute and introduce myself.  My name is Jessie.  I have started this blog with the hope that I can help other girls that are in a similar situation to myself.  I am waiting for for a boy who is serving a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I want to do what I can to support him as he is out serving.  So, over the past few months I have found out that it is somewhat difficult to come up with ideas for packages and such.  So I have decided to compile as many package ideas, helpful websites, quotes, letter ideas, and everything else Missionary related that I can find.  I hope this turns out to be useful to not only myself, but others as well. :)

Now that you know what I want to accomplish with my blog, here's a little bit about me. I have been a member of the LDS Church for my entire life.  I am currently attending college, and I am studying to be a Theater Major.  I have been involved in the theater for almost 9 years, and I have loved every minute of it! Some of my favorite shows that I have worked on are Les Miserable (In the Ensemble), South Pacific (Ensign Janet McGregor), and Honk! Jr. (Fluff/Snowy/Froglet).  I love drawing, photography, and almost anything artsy. I play the acoustic guitar.  And I absolutely love laughing and telling jokes. :)

That's about all I have to say.  So, over the next few months, here's what I hope to have posted:

-24 Package Ideas
-Inspirational Quotes (I send one with each letter, so I will post them as I send them)
-Fun Holiday Package Ideas
-Anything else I can think of that may be helpful. :)

Any questions are welcome, and any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks!