How to Make Unique Wrapping Paper

Traditional, store-bought wrapping paper can be very lovely, but wrapping paper that you embellish yourself adds a truly special touch to any gift package.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Brushes
• Ribbons
• Rubber Stamps
• Acrylic Paints
• Crayons
• Fabrics
• Glue Guns
• Hot Glues
• Acrylic Paints
• Scissors
• Markers
• Brown Or White Kraft Papers
• Colored Pencils
• Colored Pens
• Ink Pads
• Markers
• Colored pens
• Rubber stamps
• Crayons

1. Use brown or white kraft or butcher paper to wrap your gift. Place a sheet of kraft paper onto a flat work surface. Embellish the paper using rubber or sponge decorative stamps, with a stamp pad or paint from a shallow tray. Keep stamped designs evenly spaced, and allow paint to dry thoroughly before using the paper to wrap a gift.

2. Use decorative stamps on plain brown or white boxes. Simply decorate the box with the stamped design of your choice. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly and decorate the box with ribbon and a bow.

3. Let your children draw pictures on white kraft or butcher paper using crayons or colorful markers. They can use this paper to wrap their own gifts to friends and family.

4. Recycle plain or colorful gift tissue paper and use it to wrap a gift. Decorate tissue paper with silver or gold stamped designs and tie it off with a matching metallic ribbon. Use this option for small, delicate gifts.

5. Use stamps to decorate the plain, white tissue paper used in most shirt boxes.

6. Use fabric to wrap your gifts instead of paper. You can find inexpensive fabric scraps in the remnant bins of most fabric stores. Try wrapping winter holiday gifts in velvet or velour. Use coordinating metallic ribbon to embellish your packages.

7. Wrap your gift in a fabric that serves as a gift itself. For instance, use scarves, towels, cloth napkins or tablecloths instead of wrapping paper.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a brush to paint paper and boxes with freehand designs - if you have the patience and talent to do so.
• Use gold, green and red paint to decorate your holiday wrapping paper.
• Iron recycled tissue paper, using the lowest setting, if the paper is excessively wrinkled or creased.
• Explore all available trimmings for your packages. Plain ribbons are nice, but don't limit yourself to those.
• Use glue instead of tape when wrapping a package with fabric, and allow the glue to dry thoroughly. Place a weight or heavy book onto the glued areas, if possible, to hold them in place while drying.
• Don't tape or glue fabric wrapping that is also a gift itself. You'll need to secure the wrapped package with a ribbon alone.

[sharishops]

on 12/19/2008 I love making each gift unique even down to the wrapping!*****

[iamageniuster]

on 12/18/2008 Very neat article. Thanks for sharing.

[wcs40110]

on 12/16/2008 Nice idea!

[LauraSpringer]

on 12/14/2008 The students in my school were making holiday gifts for parents that needed to be wrapped, so I decided to employ them to create my wrapping paper also. They loved dipping the sponge-cut holiday shapes (star, tree)in red, green and gold paint to create their own wrapping paper. The students also used stencils in the same holiday theme together with crayons, markers and gold and silver paint to make creative personalized wrapping paper. Stamps of trees and stars, together with gold, red and green ink were also used, but the students mostly enjoyed working with the paint.

For a recent baby shower, I wrapped the gifts in baby blankets rather than standard baby shower wrapping paper. The larger gifts were wrapped in crib sheets. Very cute!

[triciagoss]

on 12/7/2008 Very nice ideas!