Friday, January 22, 2010

Frugal gift wrapping


    The other day the UPS truck pulled up and delivered a couple of packages to us. I don't know about you but that truck pulling up is always a fun sight! We recieved a giveaway that I had won over at Metropolitan Mama. The packing of the company that sent it rather amazed me, they used a box that was about 4 times as big as the stuff in it and they put the stuff on the bottom and then just stuffed the top with all the brown paper that you see above.

   When I saw all that perfectly good (though crumpled) paper I knew I would want to resuse it. So yesterday I took a little bit of time and ironed it all out and rolled it up. Now I have this:


A large roll of brown paper. I think this is fun to use for wrapping packages (I like to pair it up with pretty ribbon) and it also works great for craft projects. I doubt the business that sent the box realized how happy I would be with all the filler! :-)

   We were wrapping presents yesterday as it was my brother Luke's birthday and in the process I had fun coming up with another present wrapped in recycled materials. I thought it would be fun to share with you.

The kids and I made candy for him and I had a box that most of it fit in but the last 6 pieces I couldn't find anything for them to fit in. So I found a butter box that was empty. I put them in it but there was extra space and it looked rather cheesy. So....
I cut down in each corner almost to where the candy was and then turned each side into a triangular shape. (see picture) Then I found some recycled wrapping paper and cut it into an X shape (see photo) big enough to fit over the box. I then carefully taped the wrapping paper on, folding the edges down over the triangle.


Then I punched a hole in the top of each point and threaded a piece of ribbon through. Then you can pull the points together and tie it in a pretty little bow.


I think it ended up making an elegant little package. It was fun and easy to make too. And free, since I used recyled things, and free is always nice!




What is your favorite way to wrap things cheaply?
Here are other ideas for frugal and green gift wrapping.

For more frugal posts visit Life as Mom.

12 comments:

Michelle said...

I love your thrifty ideas! For Christmas I used a lot of boxes from the kitchen (though not as cute as that butter presentation of yours!). It was fun to look through the pantry and see what I could recycle. My neice really thought I got her crackers...!!

Martha said...

Your butter box is really sweet!

Nola said...

Thats so cute! We got some "filler" paper in the mail in December and also used it. Although I did not think of ironing it. We just had the crumpled look which can actually be pretty if done right. I taped pieces of it to the kitchen table and let my 3 1/2 year old draw on it, and also we did potato stamps together in paint and wrapped presents for Christmas. She loved being able to do a craft, it reused something and it was pretty and useful!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog Abbi. I always try to use the paper for something as well, usually I just save it to re-pack boxes I'm shipping out but once in awhile I like to have fun with it! :)

Jessica

Jackie said...

I never thought of ironing crumpled paper. What a great idea! I also love your little butter box gift box!

Lenetta said...

Nice work, Abbi! Now, tell me... how soon are you starting on Handmade Christmas 2010? :>) I started in October, and ended up feeling kinda rushed! I was so pleased with how everything turned out, but I am afraid that if I start too early, then I'll end up getting different ideas and re-doing and/or changing my mind. (You may remember that I opened up the I-Spy bags TWO TIMES after I stitched them shut!)

On the flip side, perhaps I need to think through more on my list of things to make? There's a reason that kids used to get ONE gift - especially when there's a lot of work involved in it...

Don't mind me thinking out loud in your comments box. :>)

Frugal Sara said...

They all look great. For Christmas we wrapped some packages in white easel paper that we had used for a previous project. I just turned it over and had my kiddos colored on the backside. It made cute paper and everyone loved it!

Abbi said...

Thanks for the ideas everybody! I love hearing what others do too!

Netta, I am not sure when I will start on the Handmade Christmas. It seems like it might be nice to start a bit earlier this year. Actually my personal goal is to start a lot earlier and then just blog about them later (or actually pre-blog and have them post later). I don't really want to start having Christmas posts real early in the year but perhaps October would be good and then maybe not go all the way up to Christmas.
I am also rethinking about how much I really want to make this year. Even with us keeping things very simple, at the end it almost felt like to much to me.

Unknown said...

I wrapped several presents this year but I got the most compliments on the gift that I wrapped in butcher paper then stamped leaves over it. I think I'll do this from now on. :D

Lenetta said...

It DID seem like too much... and the flip side is that I looked at some of the store-bought new presents I received and thought "that didn't take much time or effort!" Shame on me, of course! It just really gave me a different persepctive this year. I wonder what my recipients honestly thought.

I like your idea of starting early-early but not posting right away. I'm still new enough to blogging that such a thing hadn't really occurred to me. :>) I also need to keep my focus on making things for people I love - not so I can blog about it, for heaven's sake!

I really appreciate this "conversation", Abbi. Thanks so much!

Camille said...

What great ideas! I love the look of brown wrapping paper tied with a pretty ribbon ~ well done to iron all that stuff out for future use! :) Your little candy box turned out so lovely ~ you are a very creative girl.

Blessings,
Camille

P.S. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment ~ it was sweet of you.

Abbi said...

Kris_tea, stamping it with leaves sounds very pretty! Was your paper brown or white? I think it would look pretty on both.

Lenetta, I appreciated our "conversation" too! I guess we just keep learning as we go. Someday maybe we will have everything all figured out! :-)

Camille, Thanks for coming to "visit".

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin