It's a WRAP!

My supply box

Instead of spending a load of money on gift wrap, how about use common items around your home?  Here I will show you a few new ways to wrap presents for your family and friends this Christmas, using items you can find at the Reuse Centre or around your home.

Here is the list of the supplies I used:

• Foam/decorative tape
• Decorative paper
• Scissors
• Old shopping bags
• Tissue paper
• Brown/white paper
• Used boxes
• Old magazines

Double sided tape

Idea #1
Paint swatches make great gift tags.  You can also visit Rona, Home Depot or even Walmart to find them. I used paint swatches in shades of green and brown. I cut them up like Christmas trees. You can hole punch one end and add a ribbon or use a safety pin.  My friends were not surprised with my choice to use paint swatches as an element in gift wrapping since I have a thing for interior design!

My Christmas tree gift tags

Idea #2

I keep all of my shopping bags, especially the recyclable and paper ones to reuse. I like to add  a cute bow or gift tag to reuse them as gift bags. Here is what I have created:

To create the bow, I used five layers of tissue paper and a rubber band.  I folded the sheets back and fourth to create a strip and then tied it with the rubber band in the middle. I cut both ends kind of like petals. Put it on its side and start puffing the edges and pulling the layers of paper towards the middle. I then used double sided tape to attach it to the bag.

A pretty, bright bow!

The final product! 

Idea #3
A neat way to get kids to help out is if you ask them to paint onto plain paper, and then use that as wrapping paper. It is also a way to personalize a gift. Using my finger, I dotted different colours onto a large white piece of paper I found at the Reuse Centre. I doodled the wires on with a sharpie to create a Christmas light design.

Painted dots

Sharpie lines between dots

You almost don't want to open it!

I enjoy doodling so much that I created some other designs. It's a great way to personalize a gift for any season.

Idea #4
I use the pages from old books, maps and magazines like scrapbook paper. Another idea for using old magazines is that you can try a weaving design.  I did this by cutting out pages from magazines and then cutting them into strips. Begin to wrap more than one strips around the gift in one orientation. Next, take one strip and weave it over and under perpendicular to the strip that are already wrapped around the gift. It looks quite neat with more layers. As I was doing this I think I was purposely trying to make this gift difficult for my sister to open. Oops!

Supplies needed

Weaved gift wrap

Here are some other ideas that I found on the web that I did not get to try out.

1. Newsprint flowers from Brit + co..
2. How to make a gift bag from Craft and Creativity.
3. Wrap Party from Design Love Fest.
4. Cute DIY Gift Wrapping video from Michelle Phan.

These ideas and gift-wrapping techniques are great for any gift-giving occasion, not just Christmas.  Have you tried any? Comment or leave a picture on our Facebook page. I would love to see your creation!

-Michelle (Volunteer)