In this post, I’ll be sharing a few easy and creative gift wrapping ideas using kraft paper and upcycled materials.
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First impressions are everything, and this also applies to gifting! You’ve already gone above and beyond to find the perfect gift for someone. But, why stop there? If you have the time, take it one step further to create a unique and memorable presentation that will enhance the entire gift opening process. Today, I’m sharing a few easy and creative gift wrapping ideas using affordable (and even upcycled!) materials – perfect for those on your list who love the Anthropology aesthetic!
Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas
1. Painted Kraft Paper
Materials: kraft paper | acrylic paint | assorted paintbrushes
Not only does kraft paper act as the best “blank canvas” for personalized gift wrapping, but it’s also super accessible and affordable. You can purchase an entire roll of 100 ft for under $15 which will stretch super far and wrap a ton of gifts. I often also use my kraft paper roll to create grazing tables or at the base of charcuterie boards.
Start by wrapping your gifts as you normally would. Tip: if you’re using acrylic paints and want to make sure nothing transfers through to your gift, you can double wrap the gifts to create an extra layer of protection.
Once the gifts are wrapped, the options are endless when it comes to hand painting patterns or details. You can customize the design to reflect your recipient’s favorite colors and hobbies, or even tie the design into the gift itself as a little preview of what’s inside.
But, if you’re stumped for ideas and don’t consider yourself artsy or talented with a paintbrush, there are 2 super easy themes that seriously anybody can paint: fruits and florals. I’m not kidding… if you can draw a few basic shapes, you can recreate these without a problem!
For today’s examples, I chose a simple allover orange pattern, a basic vine, a small group of florals, and a deceptively easy wavy stripe.
1 | Orange pattern: Paint a combination of full and half circles on all sides of the gift. I chose oranges but you can create oval shapes and use green or yellow paint to create limes or lemons instead. Next, add a few green leaves on random sides of each orange. You can alternate adding 1 or 2 leaves for variation. Tip: use a flat tipped paintbrush to easily “stamp” on a quick leaf shape.
2 | Basic Vines: Start by painting a vertical row of oval shapes, alternating their direction from left to right. These will be your flowers (I chose blue for this example). Next, paint a wavy green line down the center of the ovals. Connect the ovals to the green line with smaller green lines on either side and stamp on a few extra green dashes. And that’s it, you have now painted a vine!
You can choose to leave it as is, or add a few extra details: paint a bit of green over the base of each oval, and use a lighter shade to add small dashes to the ovals for highlights.
3 | Group of Florals: Start by painting random “blobs” in your desired color to create the flower petals. Don’t overthink this, they can be abstract and random! Next, use green to draw a few wavy stems and leaves. Add a bit of green to the center of each flower. Using a lighter shade, add some highlights to the petals with a few quick strokes. Finish by adding some small white dots to the center of each flower. Remember, nothing has to look perfect, it’s meant to have a loose and hand drawn vibe!
4 | Wavy Stripe: Using a flat topped paintbrush, create a simple stripe pattern. Every few lines, create dashes in the stripes for more visual interest. To make this design extra easy, add a slightly wavy effect to each stripe. This way you don’t have to worry about keeping the lines straight, and it creates a more whimsical aesthetic.
2. DIY Gift Tags
Materials: patterned cardstock paper (or upcycled giftbags!) | scissors | hole puncher | oil pastels, crayons or markers
One of my favorite ways to add a small handmade detail to any gift is with a DIY tag. These are so easy to make using upcycled gift bags, small scraps of leftover cardstock paper, or even the front of a pretty greeting card (just make sure you cut out a section without any writing on the back).
You can cut out a standard “tag” shape like the example above, or keep it simple with a rectangle or circle. Then use a hole puncher to make a hole that can be used to attach the gift tag to a ribbon or omit this altogether and simply tape the tag onto a gift.
If you don’t have any printed gift bags or cardstock paper on hand, you can also get creative with the shape of the gift tag. Here I used an oil pastel to draw out a bow on a piece of standard white paper, then cut around the bow to create a unique shape.
3. Extra Embellishments
The third and final step to a super memorable gift opening experience lies in the final touches. I love to include little extra embellishments to my gifts, adding an extra layer of love.
Some of my go-to extra embellishments include:
- Chiffon ribbons / satin ribbons: these are classic for creating statement bows and it’s great to have a small collection of colors on hand.
- Dehydrated citrus slices: perfect for adding a natural element to the gift wrapping. Learn how to make them here!
- Stickers and stamps: can be used to secure gift tags, or simply add a pop of color. These faux wax seals come with sticky backings for ease of use and are also great for sealing an envelope. A letter stamp kit is also a sustainable way to personalize messages or add a name to gift wrapping paper. Click here to see how I also used stamps to create a personalized clay dish.
- Small ornaments: for the holidays, you can use mini baubles or other small ornaments tied to string or ribbon.
- Beads: I love to add wooden beads to gift wrapping especially when using jute twine (like these easy DIY wooden bead tassels) but there are endless bead options for any kind of aesthetic.
- Greenery: whether real or faux, adding a small sprig of greenery makes the perfect finishing touch to any gift for any occasion.
Another easy and affordable way to add an embellishment to your gift is by using the same wrapping paper to create a small fan. To do this, simply cut a long strip of paper, and fold it using the accordion method. Add a staple in the middle to secure it, and a piece of double sided tape to attach the open sides.
Gift-giving can be made even more special with unique and creative gift wrapping ideas that will leave a lasting impression. By using your creativity and available resources, you can create a more meaningful gifting experience that is both beautiful and sustainable, with personalized touches to show loved ones just how much you care during the holiday season or any occasion worth celebrating.
Looking for more ideas!? Check out my Pinterest for tons of DIY and gifting inspo… updated daily! And be sure to check out my complete gift guide collection here!
This post was all about creative gift wrapping ideas. If you like this content, check out these posts below!
– 10 Beautiful Handmade Gift Ideas
– DIY Wavy Clay Trinket Dish
– 3 Easy Boho Chic DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments
Xx- Laura
PS – Follow along on Instagram for more posts and stories related to this topic!
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