Christmas Wrapping using Brown Paper Sacks

It's that time of year again...and as we are traveling out of town, I need to get my wrapping done early so that the packages will arrive in time for Christmas.

Here's the mess I start with...

I don't have a great area to wrap in my great room, so I just decide to camp out on the rug in front of the couch. You can see I have my work cut out for me-ha ha!

I decided to sort of "color code" gifts this year by child. My oldest daughter's favorite color is blue, so I wrapped her gifts with blue accents. Here are a few of my favorites:

Blue Accents

I love using tulle to make bows. It allows for "springing back" after getting smooshed in the mail.

I also added star stickers on it purchased from my favorite online store, Amazon.

I used Washi tape on this package. Oh, and all the writing is done with chalk pens. 

Here's another one done with a different washi tape.

 Quick and easy.

I used self-adhesive jewels on this gift. Rubber cement 

helps if the adhesive doesn't work well.

I added stamps to this one. I used the white chalk pen on the stamp.

Pink Accents

I used a lace washi tape on this one and a bow. I also used 

some self-adhesive jewels to give it a little bit more "punch." I added rubber cement to the bow in several places to help it stay 

on the paper.

Simple round stickers decorate this pretty package. If you make the tulle extra long, you can tie more bows, if that makes sense.

More tulle and self-adhesive stars. 

I love this Washi tape and pink chalk tape with a hot pink bow.

I used some old foam stickers that I had from making Valentines for the kids' classes on this package to sort of make a snowflake. 

Other Decorations:

Here's a variety I put together with different craft paper, etc that I had at home. I love making Christmas trees from Washi tape.

Here's a variety of different of different leftover crafts I have at home again. As you can see, tulle, washi tape, foam stickers, and stamps are staples.

Don't forget to invest in a good brown paper craft tape like this one. It works much better than scotch tape. I use a very small spray bottle to wet the adhesive on the back of the tape-like the spray travel bottles. Using a big spray bottle leaves the tape too wet and it takes too long to dry.

Hope you have gotten some good ideas about wrapping with brown paper sacks! It's fun and allows for a little creativity. Plus, if you are like me, you have a bunch sitting around waiting to be recycled or used in some other way. It will save you a trip to the store during the busy season!

The Wrapping Mommy

Today is a beautiful fall day and we are off to our 3rd Frozen themed birthday party of the year. I decided to use some princess themed stamps from Melissa and Doug to dress up some plain brown wrapping paper. Unfortunately, the purple and pink stamps didn't show up too well. My oldest daughter suggested putting on the foam stickers we used before on the present they helped decorate for their Father's Day present. What the heck? Sure, why not? Here's the finished product:

Here's a close up of the almost invisible stamps:

The stamp is a glass slipper. I've decided stamps in general show up better on plain white paper. I love using tulle for bows. I think it gives gifts such a pretty touch.

After I was done and getting ready to jump in the shower, I hear my oldest call me the "wrapping mommy." I'll take it😀. 

Father's Day

Father's Day around our house usually consists of a weekend of activities with my husband's side of the family. Last night we went to a local Serbian festival. We didn't stay too long, but we did get some tasty food. Before going, however, I had the girls help me wrap their present for their Dad.

I got into gift wrapping with brown paper bags last Christmas, mostly because I thought I would try and repurpose all the Starbucks' bags I had at work. The hospital I work at has a Starbucks in it and it has become almost a daily habit. I realized that most of the bags were too small for wrapping. However, Whole Foods' bags turned inside out work great.

Here's the one the girls decorated, with my help:)

The girls are into princesses, in case you can't tell. I bought some foam stickers a while back from Amazon. The hubby and I are Amazon Prime members and we LOVE it. The girls decided to use the stickers to decorate his present. I then let them pick out tulle to make the bow. Each girl wanted a different color, of course. I think my hubby will appreciate the irony of the wrapping lol.

I wrapped one other present the other day. I again used a Whole Foods' bag inside out:



Underneath the bow, and around the sides are rhino stamps. My husband collects rhinos, so I thought he might like it.

Here's what the stamp looks like up close. Stamp purchased via Amazon:)