DIY gift wrap

Austin_Allegro_2

You can get dirt cheap wrapping paper from market stalls, especially just after Christmas.

Also, check Fads and similar DIY shops (as well as charity shops) for bin ends of wallpaper. Some of the high quality marbled wallpapers look like very expensive wrapping paper (Christmas or birthday) but cost pennies per roll.

I make gift tags by cutting up last year's Christmas cards into miniature cards.

Chipps

The nice thing about this forum is that its full of people who don't think you're odd if you wrap up presents in wallpaper! ;D
And I'm glad not to be the only one who doesn't wonder what to do with last year's Christmas cards? It's obvious that they are to be cut up & made into tags etc... isn't it? ??? ;D ???

Austin_Allegro_2

Actually, Chipps, when I first wrapped pressies in wallpaper, I was a bit worried what people think - but my mother opened her gift and said 'gosh, what expensive paper'. I said are you joking and she answered no!

And if you're careful you can get about 3 tags off one Christmas card. They look good if you cut them out with pinking shears as well.

16011996

pinking shears are nice to cut the paper with too, makes the edges look nice. ;D

greenqueen_3

Hello all you crafty people!

HOMEMADE GIFT BAGS

Template here:

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/images/ftp_images/Crafts/shop/bag.jpg

You can copy this template any size, depending on gift, and use any nice paper you have to hand. (You all seem to have plenty of wallpaper!). All you need are scissors and glue. I think the template should be pretty self explanatory. Finish off by puching holes for handles and thread with any bits for ribbon etc you may have.

Fun and easy for older kids to make.

greenqueen_3

I meant punching holes. ::)

By the way for handy pieces of ribbon I always cut off the stuff stitched at the shoulders of new tops and jumpers to keep them on the hangers.

Its just the right length for the job.

16011996

thanks for that, the gift bags look great and easy too.

Chris25

I'm going to use some remnant fabric from Ikea to make bottle bags this year, it's sheer like what you use for the windows and is a lovely purple colour (couldn't think what else to do with it!).  I've been collecting ribbon and bows over the year to fasten them and have bought the wine (a nice claret 6 bottles for £14.99 at Aldi).  I like the idea on another thread of using christmas ornaments on the fastening as well.

What a great idea Love it - i have so many lengths of sheer fabric that I bought as remnants, thinking I'd do something with later - now I know what to do, many thanks.
I often use Christmas ornaments as decorations on presents or cards and also when we've bought crackers, I use the ornamants from those aswell.

Austin_Allegro_2

If you think cutting up crimbo cards for next years' tags is thrifty, you should see my mother (brought up during the post war austerity period) who keeps the blank sides to make into notebooks to put by the phone - then once written on they go into the recycling bin!

Wiggly_Worm

"This year I've bought a couple of 15m rolls of brown paper for £99 or £1.99 from Ikea and I'm going to decorate them with traditional potato stamps."

And there was me thinking I had an original idea! Brown paper and potato stamps - looks fab and keeps kids happy for hours Do it every year ::) Good colours are gold, purple, reds and greens. But you knew that...