It's a Wrap

It's interesting how some of the craft lessons picked up at school, countless vegetation time watching Martha S., Shabby Chic and numerous DIY teevee programs are proving to be very, very useful in these times of resources conservation and waste management. Mind you, I'm not aiming to make my own furniture out of my one and only Narra tree (but the idea had cross my mind when it lost a fat limb in the last typhoon). Borrowing from corporate indoctrination, I am going "to dream BIG; start small"-- or something to that effect.

So for starters, I have done all my Christmas gift wrapping myself spending very little or nothing at all. My gifts got all wrapped up in the most creative and attractive (read: funny) manner possible-- the recipients, though, have remained silent. My materials of choice:

Paper Wrappers: some new; mostly recycled. I turned them into gift bags complete with recycled handles. A de-constructed paper bag helped with the how-to.



Ribbons (most of which were recycled from past gifts. The plastic types easily turns into curls with a quick slide thru my scissors-- so very me.



Empty Cans that have been washed and re-wrapped in colorful paper. I have the most fantastic can opener that allows the lid to come back on without the sharp edge. Cans are great replacements for those plastic food containers to hold cookies, candies, nuts and the like.




Recycled Gift Basket In the picture below, I placed the basket made of woven rolled newspaper in a recycled sinamay bag. I stuffed not one item but several related items I felt the recipient would appreciate: a book, a dainty cup & saucer, a container or chocolate tablets to make into a hot choco drink -- something I picked up from Shabby Chic.



Cereal or Food Boxes The gift can be placed inside and the box dolled up with a ribbon. I just love the look of curiosity on the recipient's face with the possible thought bubble, "Tabasco? Why?"



Stretching my creative muscles by using the gift as wrapper. Like putting some baking tools inside a giant oven mitten.



ta- dahhhh!



For now, its gift wrappers. I look forward to bigger options out there that will help me along with my crusade to do my part in saving the trees from being cut for paper and the world from getting buried in trash.