BROWN PAPER Packages Tied Up With String

When looking back on this year, I have fallen short on many of my goals to live more green and sustainable.  But since my main goal was improvement, I feel satisfied, when comparing last year to this year.  I have done OK with the Christmas preparations, but must admit, I have not bought local goods as much as I should.  One of my goals was not to buy any wrapping paper.  So far, I have succeeded.  A couple weeks ago, I did spend money on some nice reusable sturdy boxes that I hope to get many years of use out of.  A few gifts are wrapped with wrapping paper, but it was left over from last year.  Years ago, when LL and I had little money, I wrapped presents with brown bags that the kids painted.  I have many paper grocery sacks, so I decided to get creative.  When talking to LL about my ideas, he says "Oh you have been looking at magazines again."  I for the life of me, don't know why he thinks I can't come of with these ideas myself. 

So I go outside with the clippers and get some greenery.  Let them dry on a towel.  I go into the garage and get the green and white nylon twine that's all tangled and balled up.  I grab a stack of brown paper sacks, and a wrappen I a went. 

Now, in the past, I have reused sacks as wrapping, but must say the creases and wrinkles always leave the results disappointing.  So I take the sacks and wad them up so that the wrinkles look intentional.  And NO LL.  I did not get the idea from a magazine.  See he doesn't know everything.  No, I got the idea from a earth friendly web site:)  The pink ribbon was bundling up one gift I bought, so I put the ribbon on the outside of that gift.  Instead of buying one of those paper, use once wine sacks, I bought a burlap wine tote at World Market that was only $1.99 that can hold several bottles and be reused over and over.  Our local grocery sacks for the holiday has a cute little gingerbread man on it.  So I cut one gingerbread man and have him peeking out from the sack and looking around the branch.  I decorated the gifts with twine, branches and old Christmas balls.

Besides the reusable boxes and brown sacks, I have been using fabric remnants as you would tissue inside boxes, or as the wrapping paper itself. 

So, with the exception of tape and a few bows, I am succeeding with my earth friendly, green gift wrapping goal.  And it feels good:)