Brown paper packages tied up with string . . . I love this look! Brown craft paper is a blank canvas for all sorts of pretty gift wrap. It's better for the environment than colored wrapping papers and the looks are really classy, in my humble opinion. Plus it feels like more of an old-fashioned Christmas that I like. Here are some … [Read more...]
Creativity: Sometimes It’s a Disease (15 Ways to Reuse Packing Paper)
Recycling? I know this will come off like bragging, but it's really not. I'm confessing that I have a disease. It's the disease of a brain that won't leave well enough alone. It really is a curse. My disease surfaced recently while visiting our engaged daughter. Wedding gifts kept arriving, often packed in perforated paper, hereafter … [Read more...]
10 Creative Gift Wrapping Tips that Save You Money
Have you finished wrapping your gifts yet? I'm almost finished--don't hate me! I kept thinking of tips I wanted to share with you while I was wrapping. I hope they inspire you to make something beautiful and unique! I do buy a roll of regular gift wrap from time to time, but I keep looking for ways to minimize use of it. Like many people we … [Read more...]
All Occasion Wrapping Paper! What Do You Think?
This is kind of cute, especially if you are giving a gift to someone who loves crossword puzzles. On the other hand, does it say you didn't care enough to find gift wrap that is special for the recipient? You can find gift wrap that is good for most occasions, but most people keep birthday wrap & Christmas wrap on hand. One of my favorites over … [Read more...]
Furoshiki: Using Fabric to Wrap Gifts the Japanese Way
You can have elegant fabric wrapped gifts in the Japanese style with the linked directions. This is the art of furoshiki. You can try this with any fabric, but if you use a scarf or other useful item it becomes part of the gift. This probably won't work well with all sizes of gifts, but it's worth a try. They do show how to wrap different … [Read more...]
Go Green: Make Tree Limb Coasters
These cost almost nothing if you have the right size tree limbs around. (Don't cut any limbs off trees for this, please.) Just the same, I think they are a great gift. Wood is beautiful. Tied up with a red ribbon they look very giftable. =========================================================================UPDATE: I just had an idea. … [Read more...]
What to Do with Old Encyclopedias
No one wants old sets of encyclopedias in the age of the internet. What to do with them besides sending them to the landfill? You have several options.One thing I have done is to stack them on the floor to use as an extra side table. Such a stack fits in places that most tables don't & it is great to hold a cup of coffee and a couple of small … [Read more...]