wrapping it up

We like to keep our Christmas simple. Notice I said like and not we keep our Christmas simple. Each year we say it's going to be different but each year it stays the same. Lots of gifts under the tree and too much money spent by everyone. We've already made the attempt to create a handmade Christmas this year. Already is feels different. Yesterday I mailed out gifts to my sister-in-law and two nieces and every gift in the box was in fact handmade. I'll add photos after the holiday in case they happen upon my blog before the 25th. Can I say how incredible it felt to make everything by hand? Although I had the stress of completing them in time, I spent so little money and instead spent effort and heart on these gifts. I finished them off by wrapping them in fabric and tied together with thrifted snowy, fuzzy yarn.

I try to go to the after Christmas sales, making sure Joann's is on my list so that I can stock up on fabric to use the following year. This fabric was .99 cents a yard. My SIL is very crafty so I'm hoping that she will give the fabric to the girls and they can make something from this. "Two gifts in one" type of thing. I mean wouldn't you love to receive a gift wrapped in Alexander Henry fabric. Of course at $15 a yard that wouldn't quite fall under frugal. But very useful. And if the recipient isn't frugal they can either donate the fabric to someone who does sew or reuse the fabric the following year.
 
The yarn was .25 cents at a yard sale and the tag was in a pack at Target 75% off the original price.

Other ways to creatively green your gifts:

-Wrap them in scarves or silks
-Recycled Boxes that you stamp with carved potatoes
-Christmas paper from the year before, use twine instead of tape so that it can be used again
-Fabric sacks (we used to make our own but now I cut fabric like I would paper. It's much faster)
-Thrifted baskets. If there isn't a lid make sure the gift is hidden with fabric
-Chenille bedspread, especially if they are damaged and unusable for bedding, perfect for your shabby   chic friends

Do you have any green wrapping tips to share?

Comments

[Account Deleted]

okay, i wasn't as creative as you, but my MIL and i hit up target last year after chrsitmas and scored the really nice wrapping paper at something like 90% off. plus i got ribbon and tags. will have to try the fabric stores this year. great idea!

[michelle]

I get fabric after christmas too, or remnants. I make gift bags and drawstring with a christmas ribbon, 90% off. Makes great wrapping and is part of the gift, they can re-use it every year.
Kids love carring their own gifts home in their own bag.

[Tammie]

i like how you cut the fabric as if its paper....a simple idea, but i never thought of it.

[Renee]

I love to use thrifted sewing pattern tissue paper you can use multiple layers to wrap things or use it as stuffing for gift bags or baskets :)

[sandy]

I'm taking Danish Puff to friends on a plate from the Dollar Store - no wrapping involved. YUM! :)

[Jenny]

We reuse and reuse and reuse bags and bows! It has actually become a family tradition to see how many times we can use a particular bag...ususally the bag falls apart after 5 or so uses. But that is 5 years worth of gifts...

[carolyn]

Take a look at Caireen's blog - the patchwork dress, she is on my sidebar.

[chelsea]

selena your gifts look absolutely lovely!

[jill]

I reuse all my brown grocery bags and any brown packing paper that's come with the things I've ordered online. I've been doing it totally simple with red and green ribbon and letter monograms cut from last year's cards.

[Monica]

I have several rolls of wrapping paper that I purchased from after Christmas clearance sales. I think the last roll I bought was 5 years ago! I also reuse any gift bags, bows and ribbon.

[cathy c]

Love your idea of fabric for paper! I use thrift store plates for food gifts. I try to find a really ugly one for fun! Make the friends keep passing it around. I cut up cereal boxes with pinking shears, stamp or write a message, punch a hole and use up the tail end of yarn for my package tags.

[cathy c]

Love your idea of fabric for paper! I use thrift store plates for food gifts. I try to find a really ugly one for fun! Make the friends keep passing it around. I cut up cereal boxes with pinking shears, stamp or write a message, punch a hole and use up the tail end of yarn for my package tags.

[Apryl]

not quite so thrifty but I bought wrapping paper a few weeks ago from Ikea, its cheap to begin with but it was on sale that day only for 50% off so it was a pretty good deal... its a rustic sorta look paper and to parcel it up I'm using some garden twine which will look lovely under the tree... if I have recovered from my cold enough to get wrapping and finish off the presents I need to make and need to shop for too..

[mandi]

i've never thought of hitting up fabric stores after christmas- genius! i've hand-made all my gifts this year too! i was surprised by how much i enjoyed it. i was expecting SOME amount of stress/hysteria, but it was all very pleasurable!

[Judy]

I love this idea. I have so much scraps that aren't big enough to make anything with, but I could wrap a gift of two with it.

[Sarah]

I reuse last year's Christmas cards by cutting out pretty parts of the picture front with pinking shears (or any scissors which make a decorative edge) then punching a hole in the corner and using them for gift tags. I then recycle the backs and the leftovers. My Mum always did this when we were kids and I've carried it forward. You get lots of different styles and shapes so you can always find a tag the recipient would like which fits their size of gift.
Thanks for the other ideas!

[earthmama]

GREAT POST! I could kick myself for passing up on this AMAZING but stained KING sized chenille bed spread while out thrifting the other day! We often use trader joe's and whole foods bags for gift wrapping. We jazz them up with fabric ribbon or yarn that we use again and again. The kids also draw pictures, designs & scenes on the packages too for our own custom made look. Each gift is one of a kind, inside and out! Great ideas, BTW! This year, we'll try the stamping!

earthmama

[Michelle Smith]

I wrote a post today about wrapping ideas and linked to this post! Thanks for sharing your great ideas!

[Blue Castle]

Your gifts look wonderful! Great ideas. :)

[Ahrisha]

I love your idea of a handmade Christmas. I love receiving hand made gifts. It's so special to know that someone put time and love into my gift. I just put up a short story about a hand made gift on my blog. Stop by for a visit to see.

[artdeme]

Old National Geographic maps make great and sturdy (reusable) gift wrap. So do old blue prints that we get from our architect friend.

Great post!
xo arlene

[Laura McCullough-DeLorme]

I love wrapping presents in fabric. Happy Solstice by the way!

I am so happy because this is shaping up to be one of the most "handmade" holidays we have ever had. It's been so much fun making things.

Have a great holiday Selena.

[Thimbleina]

Love the wrapping idea and well done on making the handmade gifts, I too have tried to make as much as I can.
I saw this link today for using fabric scraps for labels http://inchmark.squarespace.com/inchmark/2008/12/19/last-minute-christmas-tags.html

Hope you and your family have a great Christmas

[Denise]

What a wonderful idea to use fabric as gift wrap.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

[Heather Schrock]

That looks so very adorable. Love it. I do believe I may try that.

Have a great holiday!