DIY Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap

EchomerxBlog — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:47:12 +0000

This “wrapping” season, let’s try something creative AND eco-friendly, using fragments of paper and

miscellaneous items from around your house. Save money, save earth and enjoy the work of art.

Two Fragments

Ribbon Join

This wrap uses two pieces of typical wrapping paper. These fragments often have damaged parts. When you cut them away you are left with odd-shaped pieces. The fearless wrapper applies the striped piece first, then adds a second piece along the angled edge of the stripes.

Easy: A ribbon is applied along the edge where the two papers join. It precludes the need for a perfect cut along the join. The ribbon can be taped on the back of the box. If necessary you can use rolled-tape strips or glue gun to overcome challenges of ribbon placement.

Contrast: stripe/floral. Foil/flat.

Different Paper

While wrap art can be made with scraps of regular wrapping paper, I also save special papers. The yellow paper is an art paper. The checkered paper was a shopping back. Their contrast is a delight. The white bow brings it all back into the realm of gift wrapping.

Contrast: color/black & white. pattern/solid. The bow’s shiny complexity/the yellow’s flat simplicity.

Small Package

The two-fragment technique is an obvious choice for little packages. It uses up small pieces of charming paper. Thus it justifies saving small pieces of charming paper.

Easy: The ribbon smoothly joins the two papers, hiding the papers’ cut edges. Tape it on the back.

Contrast: bright color/dull color. Pattern/no pattern.

Contrast Cap

The paper you have on hand may not fit the gift box. Take an even smaller piece of paper, like the red paper here, and wrap one end of the box. Then wrap the remaining part of the box. Finish with ribbon taped to the back, and a bow.

Contrast: the flat red contrasts with the fibrous green paper. The rough deckle edge contrast with smooth red paper. The green paper is light; the red paper is dark.

Easy: the gold ribbon tapes to the back.