Hey, Friends! It’s my turn to share a project for TGIF and I issued myself a fun challenge! If you follow me on Instagram and caught my Stories earlier this week, I shared about how I used to go out the day after Christmas years ago, and buy gift wrap and ribbons and such, when everything was like 90% off and then we’d be set the next year! Or, for the next like 20 years…..as the case may be! Hahaha!
I showed a roll of wrapping paper on my Instagram Stories, that we still have from about 20 years ago, that I’d been trying to use up. But as it turns out, we still have FOUR rolls of that same wrapping paper! LOL! I’m sure I only paid like $1 per roll, which is why I felt at the time, like I should stock up on so much of it! Hahaha! But as you can imagine, 20 years later I’m over it with that particular paper! LOL!
Now, of course, a person could always donate rolls of wrapping paper to organizations who need such things for wrapping gifts for kiddos or whomever. BUT, there’s also something to be said for using what we have and not always having to go buy more! There’s something to be said for taking something perhaps outdated or not in your current style or taste, and zhuzhing it up in such a way as to sort of bring it back to life. So that’s what I did!
I decided to use up a bunch (though not even one roll — these things are huge! LOL!) of the wrapping paper on all our neighbor gifts because I had 18 little boxes of chocolate treats to wrap (2 per household). I also had a gigantic sized roll of tan wired ribbon (again, why?!) and it was more than enough to wrap all of them, even doing it the classic way where you criss-cross and wrap it around both directions and then tie a bow!! 🙂
Once I got the little stacks of gifts wrapped and tied up together with bows on top, they were just kind of ho-hum looking. SO, I challenged myself to see if I could use my stamps and dies to really dress them up and make them look DARLING, in spite of that 20 year old clearance wrapping paper and tan ribbon. Turns out, I think I DID!!! But I’ll let you decide….
I’ve got quite a few PRO TIPS about this project for you, over on my blog! I hope I’ve given you lots of ideas you can use as you’re finishing up wrapping your own gifts this year! Raise your hand if you’ve got some less-than-desirable gift wrap hiding in the back of the closet that you could totally pull out and use, and dress it up to give it some new life!!! If you take on this challenge yourself, and if you post it on Instagram, tag me! I’d love to see!
Merry Christmas, friends,
Dawn
The Greetery supplies used in Dawn’s wraps:
- Crimped Circle Tags die
- Round About Winter Foliage die
- Tagged Elegance stamp set
- Tear Strip Tags die
- Tear Strip Tags stamp set
- Big Branches: Pine die
- Big Branches: Eucalyptus die
- Big Branches: Ruscus die
12 comments
Lovely! Such lucky recipients!
Lori S in PA
Very Pretty Dawn, and I loved your sweet story of the wrapping paper! Goodness, don’t we all have paper we’ve been trying to use up!!! Great inspiration!!! I have so enjoyed making the great tear strip tags!!! I think these are my all time favorite for Christmas tags! Merriest of Christmas to you!
Your wrapping is beautiful. I love this last release and the options you provided.
BEAUTIFULLY DONE, Dawn! I laughed through your post! Yep, we tend to stock up when things are on “sale!” LOL I’m with you! 😉 I was playing with all these LOVELY DIES yesterday! Still not done, & will resume today! I used the Stationary Box, made a Belly Band with Ribbon Maker Large Stripes Die, & added some of the same floral dies you used, but dolled them up a bit with Shimmer Spray & splatters & of course a pretty little glittery bow! I filled the box with TAGS for a gift! I too LOVE the Tear Strip Tags! I made those along with MANY OTHER tags in different sizes & shapes! Some are so pretty, you could use them as ornaments! Yes, made with The Greetery! It’s SO NICE to have the last years to pull from too & come up with BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS! THANKS BETSY!!! 😉
I had 2 packages that I have decorated with die cuts after wrapping them in paper and ribbon. They looked beautiful. Do you think I took a picture of them? Gosh, no! Why would I do that?
Your packages are lovely! If the paper is outdated, I can’t tell, but I sure know what you mean about being done with that paper. I have a few “bargains” of my own.
Absolutely beautiful! You have inspired me! I also laughed through your post since I just bought gift bags that were already on sale even though we don’t need any! And I also have paper left from several years ago! It’s always nice to be prepared! LOL
I had several rolls that I bought at least 10 years ago! Fortunately they were printed on both sides so the recipient wouldn’t be the wiser. Love your tips and tricks and that round about winter die is one of my most favorites this season. My sisters loved their xmas cards. Happy Holidays! TFS
Your post cracked me up today. YES! We all have Christmas wrap in our stash from a while back. When my kids were little, we bought the Tinkerbell and Cars paper. They are teens now and I’m still trying to use it up. Love how you jazzed up some paper that you aren’t “in love with” anymore. Merry Christmas!
Dawn, what a fun post. Your chocolate packages turned out so pretty, almost too pretty to unwrap! I’ve bought so much wrapping paper every year, for different occasions, that I still have 5 rolls of pastel violet, 3 with the exact floral pattern and lots more.Also tons of fabric and curling ribbon, it’s endless. Lots of bins full and savings too!
How is it that I start out with an idea and I end up making something else? But it’s like you say- enough supplies to last a longggg time.
This year, I’m using a big roll of twisted red & white yarn that unwinds when cut. So I’ve made tassels at the end. Gift cards are an easy gift, but I still find different ways to wrap them, so it feels festive. Sooner or later, I’ll come up w/ an idea for my violet paper, I’ve forgotten my original. But my favorite is still brown paper, it’s so versatile.
Happy wrapping and Merry Christmas to all!
I absolutely love these!! I sure wish I was your neighbor!! Lol I know they loved them. What a great idea
I just used up some old wrapping paper, and some ribbon. I was so happy! I’m not going to buy more paper until I actually need it because it gets wrinkled, etc when it’s sitting around over the years. These look just wonderful–great job putting them together