Wrap It Up With Customized Gift Wrap

Packrat that I am, and by good graces – my mother still has my first grade papers —  I rescue gift wrap, old maps, interesting calendars, brown paper bags, tissue papers stuffed in my shopping bags – you get the picture. All of this paper is then transformed in wonderful and very inexpensive gift wrap. Here’s how.

Rescue discarded gift wrap, maps, outdated calendars, brown paper grocery bags, tissue papers, and don’t overlook the possibilities of using thin corrugated cardboard sheets, graph paper, want-ads, funnies, or stock quotes from newspapers, or some of those numerous art projects – you know the ones that need to move off the fridge to make room for more. Why buy expensive wrapping paper when you can recycle? Don’t forget to save the ribbons as well. Collect colored rubber bands, hang onto left over ends of craft ribbons or fancy needlework threads, lengths of copper or colorful plastic coated wires. For a few dollars, add a ball of jute twine, a twist of raffia, a skein of colorful yarn from the craft store. Now you are ready to wrap up a gift for any occasion.

Before adding to your stash, carefully remove any bits of tape, and then just tuck your paper in a storage box until you need it. You can easily press creases out of gift wrap and old maps using a warm steam iron. If, it’s tissue paper, crumple it up into a ball then gently smooth it out, giving it a more exotic look. Photo and art calendars are great for wrapping small boxes. Spend a rainy day livening up your brown paper bags. Just cut down one side, remove the bottom and flatten out. Remove the creases with a warm steam iron. Splash on acrylic paint or stamp with colorful inks and create your own custom-designed gift wrap. Now you have the perfect wrap for any occasion.

Match the paper to the occasion and the person. Auto ads, stock quotes, graph paper have a masculine bent. Tie these up with bright ribbons, wrap with colorful rubber bands, or wind with multi-colored wire. Add contrast using delicate tissue paper tied with raffia. Last year’s desk calendar is perfect for this year’s new journal. Make it personal by using the month of the recipient’s birthday. Brown paper stamped with gold medallions and tied with fancy left over ribbon makes quite an elegant gift.

Be creative, look around you for all the possibilities available for your next gift wrapping occasion. You will be amazed by the comments and compliments you get the next time you arrive with a custom-wrapped gift. And no one need know how little it cost!

Resources:

Creative Giftwraps, Constance E. Richards, Lark Books.
Creative Rubber Stamping Techniques, Mary Jo McGraw, North Light Books.
The Crafter’s Recipe Book, Jessica Wrobel, North Light Books.
The Crafter’s Project Book, Mary Ann Hall and Sandra Salamony, North Light Books.