A great way to make gift-giving a little more special for the holidays this year is to make your own wrapping paper. Or use store-bought paper along with plants, flowers, and winter garden elements to make the gift unique. It’s not as hard as it might seem. Here are some fun and simple projects to get your creative juices flowing.
Handmade Wrapping Paper with Seeds
This is a fun DIY wrapping paper project that is also sustainable and useful. The wrapping paper itself is a gift that keeps giving. Embedded with seeds, the recipient of the gift can keep the paper and plant it outside in spring. You’ll need:
- Tissue paper
- Seeds (wildflowers make a good choice)
- Water in a spray bottle
- Cornstarch glue (a biodegradable mixture of 3/4 cup water (177.5 mL.), 1/4 cup cornstarch (59 mL.), 2 tablespoons of corn syrup (30 mL.), and a splash of white vinegar)
Here’s how to make your own wrapping paper:
- Spread out two matching pieces of tissue paper on a flat surface.
- Spray them with water. They should be damp, not soaking wet.
- Brush a layer of cornstarch glue on just one piece of paper.
- Sprinkle the seeds on top.
- Put the other piece of paper on top of the glue and seeds. Line up the edges and press the two sheets together.
- Let the paper dry totally and then it’s ready to be used as wrapping paper (don’t forget to tell the recipient what to do with the paper).
Decorating Wrapping Paper with Plants
This is a great art project for kids and adults. Use plain paper, white or brown, and decorate it using leaves and paint. Gather a variety of leaves from the garden. Evergreen branches work well too.
Paint a leaf on one side and press it onto the paper to make a print. It’s that simple to make pretty, garden-themed wrapping paper. You may want to arrange the leaves first to create a design and then start painting and pressing.
Using Wrapping Paper with Flowers and Winter Foliage
If making paper crafts isn’t your thing, you can still make a gift special by using materials from your garden or houseplants. Attach a flower, a sprig of red berries, or some evergreen foliage to the string or ribbon tied around a present.
It’s a special touch that takes just minutes to achieve.