Green Gift WrapHave you thought about making an effort to use green gift wrap this year? It's unusually pretty and you'll feel good about using it.
Using the newspaper after you've read it for gift wrap is great -- it gets one more use before it hits the recycle bin. Newspapers in other languages are good for this use -- since you can't read the words, they kind of form a pattern. The cartoon section is also good for this use since they are generally the most colorful pages. For small packages, using a page from a magazine can make a beautiful gift presentation. Just pick a page with a pretty picture and get to wrapping.
Click
here for a tutorial on how to make your own gift bows out of magazine pages.
Set aside that sturdy little box that previously contained soap, a box that once housed cookies and perhaps a couple jewelry boxes before they get to the recycle bin. Hoard those little white plastic inner seals from juice and milk. Used in a group they make a cute little "bow-like" decorations for packages. Ornaments can also make beautiful package decorations.
There are so many gift items that can be used as the outside wrap and contain another gift inside. Just be creative! For instance, a fun little evening bag could be great gift wrap for opera/symphony tickets. A large glass storage container could contain a gift certificate for a cooking class and be disguised by a lovely set of kitchen towels.
A gift card can easily be disguised in a box or other container. For those items that are just too big to wrap or have a shape that would be a giveaway, treasure hunt hints can be left to lead the recipient to a closet where the items are waiting.
by b.liscious/brenda 
by b.liscious/brenda 
