When I was a girl, my grandmother had a large straw bag (the kind from the '60s that said Acapulco on the side, often used as a beach bag), kept in a closet in the hall of her house. Inside this bag were ribbons, bows and used wrapping paper, carefully folded up, to preserve it till the next use. My grandmother's reuse of gift wrap was something of a novelty to me. In our house, my mom always bought new paper, for every occasion. My grandmother reused her wrap for two reasons, I believe. One, she was an artist. I think she couldn't stand to crumple up a beautiful piece of paper. Two, she was living on a small income. Saving money on the wrap meant she had more money for the gift. I completely identify with both of these reasons for reusing wrap. I, too, don't like to junk a beautiful piece of paper. It feels almost like art to me. And also, I like to spare as much money as possible for the actual gift. So whenever I come across pretty paper, I set it aside to use as wrap.
Do you scavenge paper for gift wrap, homemade cards and craft projects? It isn't just gift wrap, but I come across some wonderful paper in the form of shopping bags and store tissue, to which I give a second life. In the last month, I was able to reuse tissue from four different shops, (one tissue plain pink, another pink with hearts, and the other, plain purple), a tan and ivory muted print shopping bag, and now a piece of heavyweight paper in a nice black and white print. A couple of the vintage shops I like have the best papers and bags.
I cut the good side off the tan and ivory shopping bag to use as gift wrap for my nephews birthday. And reused some of the pink tissue for my niece's birthday and a good friend's birthday. The purple tissue will also be used for a birthday gift. And with the black and white, heavy-weight paper, I have a number of possibilities swirling in my mind. I could use it to make a couple of cards or possibly cover a small cardboard box, used as a desk/dresser organizer.
For readers of old Tightwad Gazette newsletters, you may recall a drawing of a tightwad iron setting. It had the standard wool, linen, cotton, and of course, giftwrap. Do you iron giftwrap? Just before I reuse a sheet of tissue or other gift wrap, I give it a quick once over with the iron, on a cool setting. It really can make a slightly rumpled piece look new. One caution with ironing paper, do not iron over tape or glittery decor on the wrap. And if the creases in the paper remain noticeable, remember that smaller sections of the paper can still be reused. And strips of the gift wrap can be curled to make bows, in the same way that curling ribbon is curled.
My grandmother's bag of wrapping supplies was a treasure in itself for a small child. I loved digging through the papers and bows. She often let me create art projects with these supplies. I never questioned why she saved her gift wrap and bows. I just thought it was a grandmother sort of thing.
