ECO FRIENDLY GIFT WRAPPING

Oh the bliss of early morning, calm, quiet - birds singing and lovely coffee!

Welcome to this little corner of my world - a world where everything tinkles and shines - a world of Christmas.

Now we are into November and all around the world gift shopping and wrapping is being done - Oh I love the hustle and bustle and the crackling of the paper and the tangle of ribbons and bows.

I am sharing with you some of the ideas I have used over the years for gift wrapping (not just Christmas but all year round. Some I have copied from friends and others are my own ideas - share them with your family and your friends.

I have wrapped gift thus:

1.                   Newspaper and tied with red raffia for the editor of the Uni. Newspaper

2.                  Brown paper and tartan ribbons for the Scot (at least it's in his blood.) who has joined our family.

3.                  Beautiful pictures from magazines (the glossy ones)

4.                  A calico bag for kitchen things.

5.                  One of the eco friendly shopping bags we use in South Australia  with the handles tied with a bow and of course the recipient keeps the bag and it is an extra to their gift.

            

http://www.pinupbags.com.au/

http://www.nonwovenbagsdirect.com.au/?gclid=CKrV87e7haUCFQpBbgodTS8DNw

We buy these at the Supermarkets etc for approx. $1.00 and they are reusable again and again – I have ended but with quite a collection but then I am “the Bag Lady.” I try to colour coordinate mine with what I am wearing and from December 1 use my Christmas ones.  It is just a matter of disciplining yourself to remember to take them into the Store.  I did this by keeping mine in the boot of my car and when I travel (for safety reasons) I keep my handbag in the boot so when I get it out I remember to collect the shopping bags.  Lots of Companies use them for promotion and advertising.

6.                  Shoe boxes tied with string

7.                  A pretty envelope opened and turned inside out for a gift card.

8.                  A tea towel for a kitchen gift

9.                  A bunny rug for a baby gift

10.               Baby towel also for baby gift

11.                I once used a summer dressing gown for my daughter to wrap other gifts and tied the parcel with the belt of the gown.

12.               I sometimes make a drawstring bag from fabric I have on hand to use for children’s gifts and they are very popular with the Mums.

13.               A piece of shade-cloth for a gift for the gardener –(a smallish piece of shade-cloth is often very useful.)

14.               A kitchen bowl for kitchen things

15.               Baskets, of course

16.               A plant pot to hold things for a gardener

17.               Fabrics for those who sew

18.               A towel for an indulgent gift of bath goodies etc.

19.               A picture of a pop idol for the teenager (they generally iron it out afterwards.)

20.               A small cosmetic bag with the cosmetics inside and tied with a bow.

           I hope this gives you some different ideas for Christmas and all year round.

Recycling is such a great idea (one of my daughter's used to say "Don't stand still or Mum will recycle you!." 

 I have received the ultimate recycling gift - an organ transplant.

Enjoy this exciting time up to Christmas and have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Love and hugs,

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."

Burton Hillis