Creative Gift Wrapping

Funny story...these past few posts (Christmas gift ideas and this one) have been in my mind for awhile, and when I go to write them up I find that Alisa has beaten me to the punch! And her posts are always much nicer than mine! HA! So I will do my post today, but I will refer you here as well!

I hate buying gift wrap. Hate it. It's usually crappy, and thin and ugly. And also it's new paper, and why use new paper when you can re-use what you've got at home!

Try this:
#1. Re-usable grocery bags. Every grocery store sells them now, usually for $1. And it's the gift that keeps on giving...every time you go shopping. Gift wrap is more expensive and can only be used once. If you want to go a little fancier, invest in nice-looking one that can wrap in on itself. I have about 10 black Superstore bags in my car (and home) at all times. These little buggers are sturdy, yet cheap, and fashionably black. Put your sewing skills to use and make a patchwork pattern to cover the green logo and you have an actual gift to give! Only the really special people in my life get one of these...Hi Jill, Nadine and Martine...so far!

#2. Paper or plastic? Next time you're out shopping, save those bags! Treasured Memories paper bags can be easily altered to fit any size gift...just pull apart the seams and you'll have a nice sheet of kraft paper (I know this from experience). And think how cool you felt when you walked through the mall with your Anthropologie bag! Even if you aren't giving a gift from that store, you can gift the bag...just add some tissue paper and a sparkly bow. You may want to cover up the logo, so you don't get anybody's hopes up only to be dashed by the Zellers socks inside!

#3. To all you scrapbookers out there, why not use some paper scraps to wrap the next gift you buy. Grab some printer paper and go to town covering it with your scraps. You can either glue or sew them on. Try making a snowflake or ornament pattern. Sketch it out in pencil first, then cut your scraps to fit. Now you have some one-of-a-kind paper!

#4. Wrapping stuff in newspaper is so junior high, but what if you wrapped it in newspaper printed in another language. All of a sudden, the cool factor goes up! So buy an issue of Edmonton Asian Times, and get to work.

#5. Is it just me, or are tissue (aka Kleenex) boxes are getting to be more and more fancier? Set aside some empty ones and stuff them full of goodies to put under your tree. Tie a pretty bow (it's all about the bow, y'know) and you're done!

*****
Is anyone as excited about 2011 as I am? A new year always seems to bring so much excitement and anticipation. I could almost skip Christmas, if it meant a bigger new year celebration! I am excited to get working on my word/phrase of the year (this year's was "be positive, think happy thoughts") and keep going on my 30 before 30 list, which didn't happen before I turned 30, but maybe I can make a bigger dent in it before I turn 31! Eek!

The boy is off school this week, but we 'rents still have to work. I'm lucky that the lady I work with lives out of town and wants to get home early. We are wrapping up payroll two days before it's due so we get an extra day off work! Yay!

I'll be back with more holiday-inspired stuff this week, cause you know I love ya! I put my tree up on Sunday...that's early for us! But I'm sick now, and don't have the energy to tackle all the last-minute handmade gifts I have been waiting to finish. Oops!

later skater alligator