Here's a budget recycling gift wrapping idea that comes thanks to our IKEA purchases back in November last year.
Two year's ago our Christmas gift wrapping was all red paper finished off with inexpensive white gift ribbon and gift tags made from old Christmas cards.
Then last year we have a reverse thing going on, quite by accident!
In November we had some furniture delivered from IKEA, 5 low cupboards to go along one wall in the living room. I don't know if you have ever brought furniture from IKEA but sheets of thin white paper are put between some of the bits to protect them so I ended up with A LOT of really quite big sheets of this thin white paper.
Just that week I had made these paper napkin poinsettias with the intention of using them on presents, it was like it was meant to be!
The IKEA packing paper is pretty thin so I used it doubled up, luckily I had plenty, the ribbon is very inexpensive red raffia from Tesco. I've added the poinsettias for grown up ladies with a little dab from my hot glue gun. For the kids I added a chocolate coin (again with a teeny dab of hot glue), the guys just had the raffia ribbon.
Instead of tags I'd written names on with a red pen and a cute font, I had to write on them after they were wrapped as I just couldn't work out the placement on the paper in advance. It came out ok on boxes but on some of the more squishy presents the letters wiggle a little bit!
I keep reading that normal wrapping paper is difficult to recycle, something about the inks and whatever makes it shiny. I tend to keep big pieces and reuse them anyway but this year I am happy to have saved this packing paper for a second use before it goes in the recycling.
I'm not suggesting for a second that it is cost effective to buy furniture from IKEA just to save money on wrapping paper! However if you are buying it anyway maybe save the paper and give it another use? This idea is not just for Christmas either, plain white paper could be great for birthdays all year round too. Just jazz it up with some ribbon, a flower or two or maybe some doodles, stamping and paint.
Such a great idea and looks really pretty. Thank you for visiting and inviting me to join your link party, I am away this week looking after my Grandchildren but will certainly have a look around when I get back.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I hope you do decide to join the linky sometime, but it'll be on every week so no pressure, just drop by when you can.
DeleteI'll remember to keep the paper next time I buy furniture from IKEA. Your wrapped presents look very effective.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them Pam. Maybe one day when you are in the middle of a flat pack adventure you will remember this post and put the paper to one side!
DeleteGreat idea! I love the way it looks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary, I like to make gifts look pretty if I can, but without spending a fortune .
DeleteWhat a great idea, I will be keeping the IKEA paper in future. I like the poinsettia touch too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Claire, they just love those sheets of paper in IKEA, so if you buy anything substantial you get loads!
DeleteGreat re-purposing project and the poinsettias are so pretty! Visiting from Happiness Is Homemade party.
ReplyDeleteThanks Victoria, it's always nice to find a new use for something rather than it ending up in the bin.
DeleteBrilliant idea and the gifts look so good wrapped with the poinsettia on the top
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolee, I have definitely upped my gift wrapping game in the last few years (blame pinterest) and people do seem to appriciate a nicely wrapped gift, these went down well.
DeleteI love ow you have added a persons name in red pen, its that extra touch which makes the gift feel personal:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Vicky, it meant we didn't need gift tags which saved a job too. Of course I only photographed the better lettering, on squishy parcels it was a little wonky to say the least!
DeleteI love it! We pretty much stick to re-using gift bags that we've received gifts in, so I haven't used anything else for years. My parents and I have even passed the same gift bags back and forth for over a decade!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I have a group of friends who do that too with the gift bags. I remember one especially nice bag with bead handle that we passed between all 7 of us until everyone had had it at least once, then I think someone must have gifted it outside the group and we never saw it again!
DeleteThis a pretty clever idea! And a trip to Ikea is never a bad idea! Thanks for sharing with us at Happiness is Homemade, you are being featured on Sunday!
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely, thank you. I'll pop over to say hi.
DeleteGreat re-purpose! Thank you for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make link party!
ReplyDeleteThese look absolutely gorgeous and so classy! I would spent ages just looking at (and perhaps stroking!) my present if I received one that looked as good as these.
ReplyDeleteThanks Josie, a know a few people who kept their paper serviette flower to use in their own decorating next year which is nice. I know it's probably more important what's inside but I do like a nicely wrapped parcel.
DeleteLove this idea! Maybe I need to use the brown packing paper that is used as filler in all the boxes I am getting from Amazon this season :) Thanks for sharing at the Wednesday Showcase!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, brown paper is so versatile, you can fancy it up in all sorts of ways. I think it's always best to reuse first isn't it, then recycle once you can't reuse any more.
DeleteI love the white and red (and the poinsettias!) Great recycling idea! Thanks for sharing with us at Creatively Crafty :)
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