It’s a Wrap

It’s a wrap for 2011, that is.  Onward to 2012!  I don’t know if it’s the fresh start of a new year, the fact that I’m now in my second trimester, or being back under the delicious sun and blue skies of Colorado, but I’m just itching to do things!  I’m back to making lists, hunting down bargains, planning meals, spending time with friends, and just plain enjoying life.  It’s been great!  Some of that is probably also due to the delightful pampering of being at my parent’s house for 10 days, enjoying some of my favorite people, good eats, a golden birthday on December 28, and of course, the annual (err…multi-annual?) shopping excursion.  What about that wouldn’t make a girl feel energized going into the new year? 

Over Christmas, my sister, Hannah (cutie on the left—would you ever guess I’m older by eight years?), who is a sophomore at Purdue University, wrapped all her packages using brown butcher paper, twine, buttons, maps, pom poms, and hand made chalkboard name tags. 

Here’s a peek at them just sittin’ pretty under the tree.

Take a closer look…

(Lest you think we just snapped these photos on the fly, it was quite the contrary.  Since we decided to host our photo shoot near midnight, we had to improvise on the lighting.  It was comical, to say the least.) 

I love the natural, easy look of these gifts, plus the recycled embellishments!  This type of gift wrap can be used all year round, and it won’t lighten your wallet too much either.  The butcher paper came from Walmart at under $5 for a roll that apparently lasts forever, the maps stem from an atlas found in a used bookstore, the button was a lost soul without a mate, the tags were wooden ornaments from Michael’s—painted with a tiny bottle of Martha Steward chalkboard paint—and the pom poms were hand made using stolen leftover yarn from Mom’s knitting bag.  *I’ll be posting a pom pom tutorial soon!*

Snootz, thanks for sharing your creative juices!  I’m headed to Wally World tomorrow to snag some of that butcher paper and twine, and I’m definitely keeping my eyes peeled for an old atlas. 

Don’t you love how one person’s ideas and projects can inspire you to tackle your own?  Inspiration simply leads to more inspiration.  And that, folks, is a wrap!