As always, I try to re-use and recycle, rather than buying new. Wrapping gifts is customary, and something I enjoy doing, but at the end of the day, wrapping paper invariably ends up in the recycling, or worse, the rubbish bin. It seems very wasteful.

True, I use discarded gift wrap for other crafts, but in turn, I like to use something that would otherwise be discarded anyway by giving it a new life wrapping presents!

Here I have used some large paper bags, the kind the butcher or bakery put my food in, that I always feel can be used for something, so I keep them in a drawer! With some leftover paint in my palette, they come up trumps as gift wrap!!!

   
    
 
Randomly painted sections with rough textured brush strokes in complimentary colours.

With some shiny ribbon, this birthday present is bright, pretty and uniquely wrapped!

  
I went through my paper bag stash and did a couple of sheets every time I had some leftover paint on my palette, and I now have a new stash- of wrapping paper!