Comments on: Frugal & Green Gift Wrapping Ideas http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html Loving simple and natural living on a budget Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:41:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Lanette http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5750 Lanette Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:21:07 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5750 We're a brown paper bag family all the way. The girls paint, stencil, draw, place stickers, or whatever else they're in the mood for to decorate. I save the Christmas cards, name tags, pretty wrapping paper, etc. from the previous year to decorate packages and make cards the next year. We also make Christmas postcards out of the front (unwritten in) portion of last year's Christmas cards. We’re a brown paper bag family all the way. The girls paint, stencil, draw, place stickers, or whatever else they’re in the mood for to decorate. I save the Christmas cards, name tags, pretty wrapping paper, etc. from the previous year to decorate packages and make cards the next year. We also make Christmas postcards out of the front (unwritten in) portion of last year’s Christmas cards.

]]> By: Matt D. http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5659 Matt D. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:46:57 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5659 I like the old map wrapping paper idea. I've never thought of that before, and I have a ton of large U.S. road maps that could probably be used to good effect. I've used Danny Seo's cassette tape ribbon idea before, and I have to say it creates awesome looking basically free ribbon. I also recently wrote a review of Danny Seo's book <a href="http://greenstoreandmore.com/greengoings/2008/11/29/book-review-simply-green-giving/" rel="nofollow">on my site</a> if you're interested in checking it out. I like the old map wrapping paper idea. I’ve never thought of that before, and I have a ton of large U.S. road maps that could probably be used to good effect. I’ve used Danny Seo’s cassette tape ribbon idea before, and I have to say it creates awesome looking basically free ribbon.

I also recently wrote a review of Danny Seo’s book on my site if you’re interested in checking it out.

]]> By: Kristin http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5644 Kristin Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:33:30 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5644 My mother-in-law does the CUTEST green wrapping technique....she uses empty 2-liter soda bottles! She cleans them out and takes off the label, then cuts a flap where she can insert goodies like socks, 'stocking stuffers', stuffed animals, whatever can fit! She puts everything in there and then seals the flap closed with clear packing tape. She covers the flap with a pretty, handmade name tag (you could even make it look like a Pepsi or Coke logo but with the person's name) and tapes that closed, then she ties pretty ribbons around the top of the bottle. It's a cute presentation and it's hilarious watching someone try to open in for the first time! (I won't lie, it took me a little while to figure it out, lol.) Sometimes she will even ship gifts like that...it's a unique gift to get in the mail, that's for sure! My mother-in-law does the CUTEST green wrapping technique….she uses empty 2-liter soda bottles! She cleans them out and takes off the label, then cuts a flap where she can insert goodies like socks, ’stocking stuffers’, stuffed animals, whatever can fit! She puts everything in there and then seals the flap closed with clear packing tape. She covers the flap with a pretty, handmade name tag (you could even make it look like a Pepsi or Coke logo but with the person’s name) and tapes that closed, then she ties pretty ribbons around the top of the bottle. It’s a cute presentation and it’s hilarious watching someone try to open in for the first time! (I won’t lie, it took me a little while to figure it out, lol.) Sometimes she will even ship gifts like that…it’s a unique gift to get in the mail, that’s for sure!

]]> By: Megan http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5632 Megan Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:56:06 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5632 My main reason for using newspaper for gift wrap is b/c I don't have the space to store rolls of wrapping paper. When I run out of newspaper I start using magazine pages. One year I wrapped presents in ESPN magazine pages. My main reason for using newspaper for gift wrap is b/c I don’t have the space to store rolls of wrapping paper. When I run out of newspaper I start using magazine pages. One year I wrapped presents in ESPN magazine pages.

]]> By: Julieann http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5623 Julieann Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:01:25 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5623 OHH, I so agree--I think the brown wrapping makes the most prettiest wrapping, so elegant. :) Julieann OHH, I so agree–I think the brown wrapping makes the most prettiest wrapping, so elegant. :)

Julieann

]]> By: Courtney http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5615 Courtney Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:02:11 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5615 My favorite brown paper decoration is using the kiddies feet and hands to make a cute reindeer. Brush brown acrylic (i.e., Folk Art brand..its like $0.88) paint on their feet/toes, press onto the brown paper before or after wrapping. Make sure the toes are pointed down. Then, Brush green paint on their hands, and place strategically on the "reindeer's" head. Finish up with a red dot for the nose, and two black ones for the eyes! So cute! We did this on all the packages last year, and this year we placed them on placemats for the Grandparents! My favorite brown paper decoration is using the kiddies feet and hands to make a cute reindeer. Brush brown acrylic (i.e., Folk Art brand..its like $0.88) paint on their feet/toes, press onto the brown paper before or after wrapping. Make sure the toes are pointed down. Then, Brush green paint on their hands, and place strategically on the “reindeer’s” head. Finish up with a red dot for the nose, and two black ones for the eyes! So cute! We did this on all the packages last year, and this year we placed them on placemats for the Grandparents!

]]> By: Julia http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5611 Julia Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:06:31 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5611 Hi, The japanese tradition of Furoshiki is a lovely way to present gifts. Check out these you tube links, it is so cool! Regards Julia http://au.youtube.com/results?search_query=furoshiki&search_type=&aq=f Hi, The japanese tradition of Furoshiki is a lovely way to present gifts. Check out these you tube links, it is so cool!
Regards Julia
http://au.youtube.com/results?search_query=furoshiki&search_type=&aq=f

]]> By: Sweetpeas http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5609 Sweetpeas Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:45:03 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5609 Along the same lines of "wrap a gift in a gift" for kids, playsilks are an awesome gift (and can be made very cheaply, I buy the silk scarves from dharmatrading.com and dye them, either with dyes from there (if I'm also dying cotton clothing, I get basics like leggings for under my girls' dresses from there as well) or, if you're just dying silk &/or wool, they can be dyed w/ koolaid (google for directions). Then use the playsilks to wrap kids' gifts. I also re-use our playsilks for my kids' gifts, they have just as much fun unwrapping the silks as they would paper and then the silks go right back into their basket for more play. Also for gift tags I save Christmas cards from the year before & cut off the front picture, which generally doesn't have writing on the back, write the to/from on the back and it's a pretty, recycled gift tag. Within our family we'll often save the gift tags to re-use (so as we're cleaning up the mess at the end of the day I'll send the tags that say "from grandma and grandpa to " home w/ grandma so she can use them again next year. Along the same lines of “wrap a gift in a gift” for kids, playsilks are an awesome gift (and can be made very cheaply, I buy the silk scarves from dharmatrading.com and dye them, either with dyes from there (if I’m also dying cotton clothing, I get basics like leggings for under my girls’ dresses from there as well) or, if you’re just dying silk &/or wool, they can be dyed w/ koolaid (google for directions). Then use the playsilks to wrap kids’ gifts. I also re-use our playsilks for my kids’ gifts, they have just as much fun unwrapping the silks as they would paper and then the silks go right back into their basket for more play.

Also for gift tags I save Christmas cards from the year before & cut off the front picture, which generally doesn’t have writing on the back, write the to/from on the back and it’s a pretty, recycled gift tag. Within our family we’ll often save the gift tags to re-use (so as we’re cleaning up the mess at the end of the day I’ll send the tags that say “from grandma and grandpa to ” home w/ grandma so she can use them again next year.

]]> By: Shellie http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5608 Shellie Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:56:33 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5608 We re-use the gift bags a hundred times over. It's actually become a bit of a tradition. We put the gift tag right on the bag, from shellie to brian. then next year, brian has to leave the tag on, and give that bag (with a gift in it, of course) to someone other than shellie. It has to stay in the family, and it has to be given to someone who's name does not appear on the bag. It's more fun to wrap presents when you know it's a game. :-) We re-use the gift bags a hundred times over. It’s actually become a bit of a tradition. We put the gift tag right on the bag, from shellie to brian. then next year, brian has to leave the tag on, and give that bag (with a gift in it, of course) to someone other than shellie. It has to stay in the family, and it has to be given to someone who’s name does not appear on the bag. It’s more fun to wrap presents when you know it’s a game. :-)

]]> By: Lisa http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/12/frugal-green-gift-wrapping-ideas.html/comment-page-1#comment-5607 Lisa Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:17:09 +0000 http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/?p=2935#comment-5607 You can also call your local newspaper and ask for the leftover newsprint rolls. Most newspapers don't print all the way to end of the roll, so they give them away or sell them extremely cheap. (Like $.25 or $.50 per roll.) You can then decorate the paper the same way you would the brown paper bags. You can also call your local newspaper and ask for the leftover newsprint rolls. Most newspapers don’t print all the way to end of the roll, so they give them away or sell them extremely cheap. (Like $.25 or $.50 per roll.) You can then decorate the paper the same way you would the brown paper bags.

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