Recycled & Restyled

With a bunch of summer birthday's, upcoming weddings and friends having babies, I'm constantly gift wrapping lots of little goodies, but lately I've decided to make more of a conscious effort to upcycle instead of buying wrapping paper, and cut back on my environmental waste. My always clever thinking boyfriend fiance (ever since I have known him) has more often than not wrapped my gifts with old newspapers, picking the fun sections that he knows I like. This idea here using magazines, is not so different from that. 

Start by selecting a few publications that you no longer need, then tear out a number of pages and trim the edges. Often times, I tend to select pages that relate to the gift I am giving. Depending on the size of your item, tape together the appropriate number of tear pages that will give enough coverage. In the gift you see here, I needed four pages to wrap a set of six steak knives. Since some magazine paper is thinner than others, I suggest using a little tissue paper or kleenex around your item as padding to help avoid any tearing of thin paper when wrapping. Add a homemade bow, or colourful card and you're done! Get inspired and also try using old poems, maps, CD covers or posters. Take brown paper bags and stamp/paint on a metallic pattern, or wrap it with colourful tape. Try making bows, puffs, or other decorative pieces out of recycled items to add on the top of your gifts. There are so many options and none of these will hurt your wallet. For other ideas, check out Furokshiki or Wrap It Up: Holiday gift giving

D i Y : Wrap & Wear Bracelets

For hot summer weather, I love the look of woven or wrapped accessories. Especially if those items are made from raw materials like hemp or straw, it just gives a a very nautical inspired feel. Whether it is handbags or jewelery, these are often easy and very inexpensive looks that can be created at home in little time. Layering one or two of these wrapped pieces in combination with a well placed brass or beaded bracelet is a great look for summer. Here is a quick DIY project for anyone looking to create their own colourful wrapped accessories to add to any boat and beach wardrobe. Supplies You Will Need: Colourful hemp, leather or even yarn, hot glue gun and old bracelets to be upcycled

Start by gathering all your supplies and find a clean work surface that is ok to get a little sticky. Next plug in your hot glue gun. While it heats up, cut different lengths of colourful hemp, leather or yarn, depending the look you want. If you are making more than one, try and create some variety in your designs to make them more visually interesting when you wear them. Next, working slowly across the bracelet add a small amount of hot glue then work quickly to wrap a few very tight strands of your material. Be sure to work with only a little glue at a time and press firmly with the material. Continue wrapping until you achieve your desired look. For the ends of a strand coat both sides of your material with the glue and connect one end strand to the start of another new strand to ensure that neither will come loose while wearing. Once all your accessories are done, let them dry well and then wear.

Eco-Friendly Wrapping : Furoshiki

Asian Canadian arts and culture magazine, Ricepaper, published an article in 2010 on the art of furoshiki – a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth used in various folding patterns to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. According to research furoshiki dates back as far as the Nara period, with its name, meaning "bath spread" derived from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sentō (public baths). Over time, the furoshiki’s usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport their wares or to protect and decorate a gift. Modern furoshiki can be made out of a variety of cloths, including silk, chirimen, cotton, rayon, and nylon. It is not most commonly seen used to wrap and transport lunch boxes (bento) and often double as a table mat. On March 6, 2006, the Japanese Minister of the Environment, Yuriko Koike, created a furoshiki cloth in an effort to promote its use across the modern world.

 

Here is a great visual guide from the The Japanese Ministry of the Environment  

showing how to wrap all sorts of gift items.

This holiday season, rather than wrapping your gifts in paper that gets torn and tossed after a single use, why not try furoshiki instead. Make your own cloths out of fabric, or use tea-towels or scarves that can be enjoyed by the gift recipient or reused at a later date. Let's make an effort this season to not only give to one another, but to also give back to the environment.