# wrapping paper



## nanadee (Sep 16, 2011)

Hi Kpers,

I have received many gifts with beautiful wrapping paper. Is there anything I can make from them? I just hate throwing them away-they're so pretty.    

Love to all,

Diane


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

I used to make origami stars for the next year from some of the paper.


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## Sunny70 (Jul 25, 2014)

I saw a way of making gift bags that you might try. Look on youtube and see if it is there they would be great for next year.


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## mthrift (Jan 2, 2012)

Sunny70 said:


> I saw a way of making gift bags that you might try. Look on youtube and see if it is there they would be great for next year.


I think someone posted a link to a U-tube link to make bags here on KP. Maybe use KP Search.


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## Damama (Oct 2, 2011)

Hmmmm?


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

Cannot think of anything. We had fun tearing ours up, but it was the Dollar Store paper and would not have been worth saving!


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## marmarcas (Apr 2, 2011)

I think even dollar store paper is worth recycling. It's not the value of the thing being recycled, it's the idea of saving something like a tree to make another thing out of the first thing.


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

A few years back I saw plain brown paper bags being used to iron on, with stitchwitchery, a cut out, the ones I saw were candy canes, stockings, and mittens. I suppose you could cut out anything and iron it on, just don't have the iron too hot to burn the ink or paper. it made cute gift bags out of cheap lunch bags.


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## laceluvr (Feb 16, 2012)

One year I wrapped my sister's gifts in some very nice thick foil wrapping paper that had a beautiful Nativity pattern on it. She loved the gift wrap paper so much, she cut out one complete Nativity motif & framed it. Haven't found paper that pretty since. Bought it from my boss at the time who was selling it for his kids' school.

Maybe your leftover wrapping would look nice as framed artwork.


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## Kanitter (Jan 26, 2014)

make paper beads............


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## cat_woman (Sep 21, 2014)

Kanitter said:


> make paper beads............


Paper beeds are so beautiful made from Christmas wrap. I usually make my own Christmas cards every year and have used Christmas wrap on them a few times.


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## Jalsh (Aug 6, 2012)

For heaven's sake throw it out.


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## Annekeetje (Apr 10, 2014)

I use it for Iris Folding cards. 
I like to use envelopes (inside out) for that too but only if it has a nice pattern inside.


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

Annekeetje said:


> I use it for Iris Folding cards.
> I like to use envelopes (inside out) for that too but only if it has a nice pattern inside.


oh yes I forgot about iris folding..maybe I will do some and incorporate it into my cards this year...


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

Jalsh said:


> For heaven's sake throw it out.


we wont save the world but fun to feel we have done a little to reuse and not fill the landfills...guess it is the crafters in some of us lol


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

laceluvr said:


> One year I wrapped my sister's gifts in some very nice thick foil wrapping paper that had a beautiful Nativity pattern on it. She loved the gift wrap paper so much, she cut out one complete Nativity motif & framed it. Haven't found paper that pretty since. Bought it from my boss at the time who was selling it for his kids' school.
> 
> Maybe your leftover wrapping would look nice as framed artwork.


before Christmas my friend sent me a picture she did using a frame and some vintage paper and a very old christmas card..really was neat...made a nice decoration to use


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## Brawny (Feb 2, 2014)

Oh Yes! I use beautiful paper to make envelops for my cards.


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## amberdragon (Dec 12, 2011)

we have gift bags that have been used over and over for at least 5 years...just keep changing the name tag... it is fun, my 40 year old daughter, commented that one she had this year, she had last years... how she remembers these details i will never know!
Blessings to you all!!


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## knittingagain (Apr 12, 2011)

I save all my wrapping paper & use it next year. I've done this since I was a child & my Mom did it. Every decade or so I need to buy a roll, just to have the larger size, otherwise, all of it is re-used. My family is used to it, & Sweetie's family is getting used to it!


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## Gweneth 1946 (May 20, 2012)

If not to wrinkled or damaged I roll it onto a tube and re sue the next year.


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## barb37 (Sep 25, 2011)

Years ago, I would make wrapping paper out of plain white shelf paper and crayon shavings. Take old used crayons and a potato peeler, to make shavings, sprinkle all different colors over a section of the paper, than fold a sheet of the paper over the shavings and iron. Pull apart and roll up. Keep 
going like that until you have used all of the roll of paper.
I used this "gift Wrapping" for all sort of gifts. As the kids got older they would help make it.


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## Schatzie (May 5, 2011)

What is Iris Folding please? Always like to learn new things. Blessed New Year to ya'll.


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## Longtimer (May 23, 2013)

Jalsh said:


> For heaven's sake throw it out.


I was born in the Great Depression and brought up with parents and grandparents who lived through it. Every package was opened carefully, the paper was smoothed it out and reused. That learned frugality, practiced for a lifetime, has allowed me to enjoy many things that might not have been possible otherwise.


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

Schatzie said:


> What is Iris Folding please? Always like to learn new things. Blessed New Year to ya'll.


http://www.circleofcrafters.com/irisfolding/makepatterns.html


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## NCAknitter (Sep 28, 2013)

All above ideas are great, I have done many....another idea I used for red wrapping paper that had different shades of red I punched heart shapes out of it and sewed the hearts in a line like garland and hung them on the mantel for Valentines day


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## bellestarr12 (Mar 26, 2011)

My grandmother (who raised her family during the Great Depression) opened packages carefully to preserve what she could, then ironed the sheets and rolled them around wrapping paper and paper towel tubes to put away for re-use. I feel so fortunate to have had so much time with her; she taught me so much and her thrift, creative talent, and skills enriched our family's life immeasurably!


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

bellestarr12 said:


> My grandmother (who raised her family during the Great Depression) opened packages carefully to preserve what she could, then ironed the sheets and rolled them around wrapping paper and paper towel tubes to put away for re-use. I feel so fortunate to have had so much time with her; she taught me so much and her thrift, creative talent, and skills enriched our family's life immeasurably!


smart lady


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## quiltdaze37 (Nov 16, 2013)

I like the idea of origami stars that a member mentioned earlier in this post


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## boots (Jan 24, 2011)

TY for the link to Iris Folding. Another very fun and exciting craft to try.


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

boots said:


> TY for the link to Iris Folding. Another very fun and exciting craft to try.


i wish i had a link for the way someone on the old carol duvall show did it..sio much easier and end result looks the same but once you try this you will find it is pretty easy


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## Sine (Jun 12, 2011)

We recycle ours.


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

Sue Fish said:


> i wish i had a link for the way someone on the old carol duvall show did it..sio much easier and end result looks the same but once you try this you will find it is pretty easy


There are some old Carol Duvall/HGTV shows on YouTube. Don't know how hard it would be to search to see if iris folding is there. probably pretty tedious and might not get you anything!


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## KateLyn11 (Jul 19, 2014)

A friend used clear glass plates from the dollar store and decoupaged thin Christmas wrapping paper to the BACK. Some she gave as gifts, some she used as serving pieces for things like candy and cookies when she entertained. Word of warning here, modge podge gets tacky when exposed to heat so seal it (same company makes a spray on sealer) if items are going to be exposed to heat. You can do the same thing with fabric.

I have become increasing bothered by the waste involved in Christmas wrapping. I just got back from Joann's where I used a 20% off coupon on already half price cotton fabric. I plan on making a set of gift bags for each adult on my Christmas list. Hopefully they will use them each year, cutting down on costs and waste. It is part of my plan to give everyone an earth friendly gift each year.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

You could save any in good condition to re use next year.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Kanitter said:


> make paper beads............


Fabulous idea. :thumbup:


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Longtimer said:


> I was born in the Great Depression and brought up with parents and grandparents who lived through it. Every package was opened carefully, the paper was smoothed it out and reused. That learned frugality, practiced for a lifetime, has allowed me to enjoy many things that might not have been possible otherwise.


My parents lived in Europe during the depression and had very little, in fact at times they went hungry... I too, grew up learning to save and re use as much as possible. It still goes against the grain to just toss stuff out. I'm pretty sure my frugality has allowed me to have things I might not have otherwise had...


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## gginastoria (Jun 2, 2013)

I Modge Podged pcs of wrapping to a tall carton to use for rolls of gift wrap in a storage closet. I can spot it right away!


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## KateLyn11 (Jul 19, 2014)

chooksnpinkroses said:


> My parents lived in Europe during the depression and had very little, in fact at times they went hungry... I too, grew up learning to save and re use as much as possible. It still goes against the grain to just toss stuff out. I'm pretty sure my frugality has allowed me to have things I might not have otherwise had...


Frugality allowed me to retire early, when my work situation became untenable. It allowed me to easily weather financial set backs that had most of my coworkers wondering how I was going to manage. A friend with a similar outlook and I were talking, I commented how nice it was to have reached the stage in life when you could buy whatever you want and she replied that the key was in not wanting much.


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## Na5ty49 (Oct 12, 2015)

How about envelopes for those awesome cards. That is what I do!!&#127794;


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

KateLyn11 said:


> A friend used clear glass plates from the dollar store and decoupaged thin Christmas wrapping paper to the BACK. Some she gave as gifts, some she used as serving pieces for things like candy and cookies when she entertained. Word of warning here, modge podge gets tacky when exposed to heat so seal it (same company makes a spray on sealer) if items are going to be exposed to heat. You can do the same thing with fabric.
> 
> I have become increasing bothered by the waste involved in Christmas wrapping. I just got back from Joann's where I used a 20% off coupon on already half price cotton fabric. I plan on making a set of gift bags for each adult on my Christmas list. Hopefully they will use them each year, cutting down on costs and waste. It is part of my plan to give everyone an earth friendly gift each year.


That is a good idea..my friend does that using pretty napkins and uses them for gifts also.. and funny you mentioned the fabric bags..years ago i made a lot of them in all coordinating christmas fabrics and used them when my children and their children and spouses came to our house 
christmas eve and they opened the gifts and the bags stayed there..I folded neatly and used them year after year and they looked like new and when I moved I gave them all to my daughter to use..now I am thinking I will make more and use up lots of christmas fabrics I have and no longer want for other projects...feels good to do alittle to save from filling the landfills..


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## boots (Jan 24, 2011)

KateLyn11 said:


> I have become increasing bothered by the waste involved in Christmas wrapping. I just got back from Joann's where I used a 20% off coupon on already half price cotton fabric. I plan on making a set of gift bags for each adult on my Christmas list. Hopefully they will use them each year, cutting down on costs and waste. It is part of my plan to give everyone an earth friendly gift each year.


 A KPer used dollar store dish and hand towels to wrap gifts. I "borrowed" that idea for my DD and her family gifts. She and her DH loved it as they always needs those. We're talking about a family that can afford [too] much.


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## nanadee (Sep 16, 2011)

Hi Kpers,

THANKS so much for all the great ideas!!!!!
Kpers are the best and I am never disappointed.

Thanks again.

Love to all,

Diane


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

KateLyn11 said:


> Frugality allowed me to retire early, when my work situation became untenable. It allowed me to easily weather financial set backs that had most of my coworkers wondering how I was going to manage. A friend with a similar outlook and I were talking, I commented how nice it was to have reached the stage in life when you could buy whatever you want and she replied that the key was in not wanting much.


That's it exactly. Some years ago I decided to stop buying every lovely thing just because I could... You end up with far too much 'stuff' that way. Now I only buy what's needed. Like you, I don't need much.


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## Pansy Blabberfingers (Oct 29, 2011)

I saw this on the internet a couple days ago. I haven't tried any of them. Looks like lots of ideas here.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-reuse-gift-wrap.html


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

Pansy Blabberfingers said:


> I saw this on the internet a couple days ago. I haven't tried any of them. Looks like lots of ideas here.
> 
> http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-reuse-gift-wrap.html


One of those ideas reminded me I sometimes curl the paper for matching "ribbons."' I just did one quickly to demonstrate:


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## Grammy Toni (Apr 30, 2011)

deshka said:


> A few years back I saw plain brown paper bags being used to iron on, with stitchwitchery, a cut out, the ones I saw were candy canes, stockings, and mittens. I suppose you could cut out anything and iron it on, just don't have the iron too hot to burn the ink or paper. it made cute gift bags out of cheap lunch bags.


A group of us got together several years ago and did this. The bags turned out just wonderfully, and yes, we did use some inexpensive lunch bags too along with a huge stack of brown bags with handles that one of the group was able to find at a bargain price.


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## Mirror (Jun 23, 2014)

Cut flowers glued them on flower pots and put pva glue on all pot by adding half water to seal them .


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## SouthernGirl (Dec 28, 2011)

recycling is good


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