Recycled gift wrappings

This year is finally the year when I eschewed traditional wrapping paper in favor of using up all the odds and ends I've been hoarding. The random pieces of packing and kraft paper, leftover ribbons and other assorted bits. What's the point in saving things if I never use them?

The flowers were all made from those plastic mesh produce bags. For tags, I punched large circles out of card stock I already had. None of it was "Christmas," but I just used patterns and colors that coordinated.

I didn't have enough materials to cover our entire gift list, so I used remnants of normal wrapping paper from years past for the others. And that can be marked as an accomplishment too. Usually, I crack open new rolls each year because I don't like to repeat the prints. It's my weird wrapping quirk.

Also in the eco-friendly category are these reusable drawstring gift bags I made. It can be considered a small extra gift, or the recipient can wrap something else up and pass it along. I had grand plans to make a bunch of them in all sizes, but time got the best of me this year and I only made a couple small ones. Put it on the to-do list for 2013!

Coin purses: Cute gift card packaging

Sometimes giving gift cards can seem a little empty, but there are certain situations where they really are the best option. I wanted to give Elise's teachers gift cards for Christmas, so I decided to personalize the gift a bit by making some coin purses (similar to those I made for Elise's birthday party).

I used the same black and white striped fabric I used on my recent baby quilt and some pink cross-hatch fabric for the lining.

I had zippers on hand from my last go-around with coin purses and all the fabric as well, so these cost nothing to make. I think they'd price out between $1 and $2 each if you had to buy all the materials.

These really are so simple to make. I made them assembly-line style, but they probably only took around 20 minutes a piece. (Same as last time, I generally followed this tutorial at Noodlehead.) I even made an extra for myself!

Gift wrapping + pop-up paint chip gift tags

For me, wrapping gifts is a get-to, not a have-to. Love love love it.

At the risk of sounding anal, I will admit I like to use different wrapping papers to organize our gifts. I wrap gifts for my side of the family in one paper and the gifts for Dan's side in another. This way, it's easy to grab the right gifts for the right occasion without examining every teeny tag. Plus if you write "mom" or "grandma" on the tag, you don't have to guess which mom or grandma that might be; the wrapping paper will tell you.

I also like to wrap my handmade gifts in a different paper than any store-bought gifts, just to set them apart. This year I ended up having just about equal parts store bought and handmade, so the effect was lost a little, maybe.

For small gifts and gift cards, I like to disguise them a little by packaging them in jars or larger boxes. For the jars, you can slip a little scrap of wrapping paper inside the walls of the jar (or use tissue paper, or shred some scraps).

I am vehemently opposed to buying gift tags. Waste of money. If nothing else, I just cut up a sheet of cardstock into little strips. This year, I punched some shiny foil paper circles with a 2 inch paper punch; the silvery paper was upcycled from some packaging. I also used some leftover paint chips in neutral colors.

I used some oversized white paint chips I had from painting the playroom to make some pop-up Christmas tree tags. You could also do this with plain cardstock.

It's so super easy and you can be as simple or intricate as you like. Just (carefully) cut the sides with a razor blade and fold downward toward the base. Write your to/from info wherever you like and stand the tree upright. (You can fold them back down so they don't get smooshed during transport.)

I was kind of sad to separate my little white paint chip forest, but I guess I'll share.