This blog is to share what is going on in the world of recycling and eco living. Who's doing what, with what and where? Is it enough? Can we inspire others? The answer is "YES" so start sharing. Let's use this opportunity to share what is being done currently,brainstorm and impliment future ideas.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Really Recycled Wrapping for the Holidays
Shopping for wrapping paper?
You may have everything you need already. Last year I wrapped my gifts in brown paper shopping bags. Around each package I taped a colorful "ribbon" cut from outdated New York subway maps. Around the maps, I tied fuzzy bits of yarn left over from various knitting projects. Now, a few of my relatives thought this was a little weird, but honestly? It looked fabulous!
TIP: Depending on what you have in your home, you could try some of these unconventional cover-ups:
* Old scarves
* Travel and tourist flyers from past vacations
* Photo pages from last year’s calendar
* Children’s artwork
* Fabric remnants
* Subway or highway maps you no longer need
* Wooden crates or cardboard boxes, painted with festive designs
* Pages from magazines or comic books
* Old posters or prints you no longer want
* Leftover wallpaper or contact paper
* Construction paper
* Tracing paper
* Paper bags
* Everyone's favorite--the Sunday comics
I once even received a gift wrapped in a bright green and red hand towel that I now use in my kitchen at holiday time!
There are also plenty of things that don’t need wrapping, just a bit of leftover ribbon, a strand of pretty yarn, or a bit of raffia to dress them up, such as:
* Baskets
* Metal tins
* Flower pots or vases
* Jewelry boxes
Still want regular ol’ wrapping paper? Check your local thrift. They’re generally swamped with the stuff and will charge a pittance for rolls that are still in the plastic—and saved from the landfill. After cutting up all those maps last year, this year I went with a roll of 50-cent paper at my local thrift for simplicity. The selection was better than I expected, with a variety of themes and styles, and what I found looks great.
Cheers and good luck!
Jenn and the staff of New American Dream
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