So my found wrapping paper is going to be the newspaper comics, the brown wrapping paper that comes as packaging in amazon boxes, and fabric.
I like this organic approach to more eco-conscious choices. The next good thing seems to come to me when I'm ready to do it without resentment or strain. (I say this knowing there are still a number of rolls of "real" wrapping paper in my closet).
8 comments:
I have recently decided to start doing this too. I am saving paper grocery sacks and Amazon packaging. We don't take the paper, so I'm hoping that our supply will hold out at Christmastime.
I suppose I could take a page from my grandmother and start saving wrapping from gifts I receive, too.
Sewing patterns that you're planning to discard make wonderful wrapping too! Also, use your children's drawings (not all of them!) as wrapping, or have them decorate your recycled brown paper from Amazon.
I always think of "brown paper packages tied up with string" from the song in Sound of Music - it lets me package my gifts in other things besides store bought wrapping paper - and I feel like I'm doing a creative service to the world ; )
I've used sewing patterns (use an old tape measure as ribbon), foreign language newspapers (I got some old free ones from China Town on a trip to London) and out of date maps and road atlases, as well as the brown paper.
I also make all my own envelopes out of 'found' paper, which sounds terribly worthy, but I was shown how to make them so that I could teach it to 5-7 year olds! No cutting or templates required. I've found an Amy Karol tutorial that shows the same way-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYFHwMlTTBU
My children love it and we make stacks at a time. We use a glue stick rather than tape. I tell the children to unfold the flap and glue 3 times from the centre crease to the bottom and we also glue down the triangle flaps if we're not using the envelope straight away.
We've used road atlas pages, magazines (gardening ones are good- I got a stack on freecycle), comics, junk mail, used wrapping paper, books too damaged to sell/pass on, calendars....
We have a stash of envelopes for birthdays, Easter, Christmas, 'personalised' ones (outdoor clothing advert for my nephew, for example) and flowery ones to cheer up the ladies in the finance office at school when the children have to take in trip money!
After a few you get more creative, folding off centre to get the image in the best place and so on.
grr...my comment went away into cyberspace...BUT what i said is that i hate wrapping presents. so i do the plain brown bag + fun tissue paper. not as thrifty as you, but gives me less gift-giving stress. ha!! the other thing i did a few years ago was take some sale Christmas fabric and sew it into variously-sized bags (super simple). we use these every year to wrap Christmas gifts, and reuse them!
Hazel, I used to make envelopes in college. Wonder why I stopped. . . thanks for the great tutorial link! And foreign language newspapers are a great idea!
Rachel, I like the plain bag/tissue paper idea, too.
I am definately in favor of the found wrapping paper. I like to decorate mine sometimes with whatever is appropriate for the event. Its a fun way to save money. be creative, and not have all that unnecessary wasted paper.
Last year I found three rolls of wrapping paper in the recycling bins at the library in the fall. It was NASCAR Christmas paper...which I used for everyone's Christmas gifts...and which elicited many questions as to why on earth I owned NASCAR wrapping paper. Frankly, I like the decorate it myself approach better.
My mom used to make envelopes. Now I want to!
What a great idea.. I loved the idea of using old pattern instructions for wrapping paper.. Great ideas!!!
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