kendra may: minimalist and crafty

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

I love Christmas. I love gift giving and receiving. I love how pretty everything is from the lights dangling from roof awnings to powdered sugar delicately settled on a fresh set of brownies. But if there is one thing I am a scrooge about it is gift wrap. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE a pretty package. I personally feel that the presentation of a gift is almost if not more important than the gift itself. BUT, I cringe at the thought of spending a quarter of what the gift was worth in paper, ribbon, bows and tags for it only to be balled up and thrown away. So I went all "GREEN" this year and took advantage of what I had around me and hopefully it doesn't scream "i'm cheap and tacky" but rather "i'm a minimalist and crafty." The later sounds great, don't you agree? So here's what my minimalist self went to town and did:

Wrapping Paper = recycled grocery bags
Ribbon = Twine + Ric Rac + knitting yarn + fabric scraps
Ornamentation: handstitched "merry", natural twigs and pinecones, candles {stole idea from here}

It's cheap of me, I agree. Maybe when husband graduates with his Master's and gets a big man job and we have mega bucks I'll toss all my twine, backyard twigs and grocery bags out the window and scream "hello, glittery gift wrap and silver tinsel!" But for right now I'm ~~tacky~~ crafty.

For more creative and better use of minimalist wrapping check here, here and here.

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Also, I'm guest posting today over at A LOST FEATHER.

You're going to love Sarah. She's a doll! Check it out.

25 comments:

Life HappensDecember 7, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Way to go green! I love how it's simple and clean and pretty.
Rebekah ByronDecember 7, 2011 at 3:04 PM
Even when your hubby does graduate, has a big man job, and makes the mega bucks, you'll still look for ways to save! Cute ideas!
Liz HarrellDecember 7, 2011 at 3:59 PM
This is a fabulous idea!
CarlieDecember 7, 2011 at 4:17 PM
That is a really nice idea actually, and I don't think it is tacky!
Elle Keeps MovingDecember 7, 2011 at 4:21 PM
i think it's classy, not tacky! maybe i just think that because i'm also a cheap wife on a student budget. :)
Jessica HollyDecember 7, 2011 at 7:17 PM
Ok. I just saw your guest post over at A Lost Feather...You look super familiar to me and I can't figure out where I've seen you before! Are you by chance from the Fresno area? Oh and P.S. your blog is super cute, consider me your newest follower :)
Emily [Bulldogs and Babies]December 7, 2011 at 8:30 PM
I hope you never toss the twine. It's really sweet, and so is your blog. Thanks for stopping by mine, I look forward to following along with you and your sweet evelyn.
Megann MondayDecember 7, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Great idea! Really lovely. Even the packaging itself can already be a gift. :) Nothing beats making something from the heart!

♥♥ Megann of STYLE SURGERY
Katie LewisDecember 7, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Love this! Thanks Kendra!
Katya kateDecember 8, 2011 at 1:00 AM
hahaha! I love your post! And definitely you're not cheap and tacky! It's really crafty! I love the ones with candles! Now, I'm getting inspired to being resourceful! :)

I'm a new GFC follower :)
...December 8, 2011 at 1:54 AM
these are awesome and earth friendly?! Perfect!
JillianDecember 8, 2011 at 9:35 AM
I'm a self-proclaimed minimalist too and this is right up my alley. I really wish I could have saved all those bags I had from the store now! Awesome idea!
AimeeDecember 8, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Thanks for stopping by our part of the blog world, I am your newest follower. What part of VA do you live in now? My hubs is from NOVA near DC. Would love if you follow back :)

And love the look of these packages. Wrapping presents is one of my favorite things at Christmas time. :)
BridgetDecember 8, 2011 at 11:18 AM
my FAVORITE type of wrapping.
Emily's Moose - Karolina KubikowskaDecember 8, 2011 at 11:34 AM
Oh I packed my presents today, I can't wait to see my family and friends open them!

<3
K
MichelleDecember 8, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Thank you for stopping by! These aren't tacky or cheap at all. I love the one with the pinecone!
AlyxDecember 8, 2011 at 2:49 PM
Haha, I just spent like, 2 minutes looking for the comments, then realized I'd been staring at them the whole time, asking myself what the heck is a holla'back!? Anyway, now that I look slightly ridiculous, let me get to what I was originally going to say. Ahem. :
This is awesome, and I'm going to have to see if I can make an old grocery sack look that cool.
LizDecember 8, 2011 at 3:13 PM
These are well done, with a simple classy style.
jen fullerDecember 8, 2011 at 3:20 PM
i just picked up some grocery bags to do this with :) such a cute and easy way to wrap (and cheap, thank you very much!)
The EggDecember 8, 2011 at 3:31 PM
SUCH amazing ideas! Thanks for the "green" ways. Personally, I think they look better.

I'm having a give-away over at my place today. Stop by and say hi! Love your blog.....new follower!!

xoxo the egg out west.
GabyDecember 8, 2011 at 6:43 PM
i'm right there with ya! personally, i like to use newspaper to wrap my gifts because i think it's eco and kind of cute :)
ConnieBDecember 9, 2011 at 12:47 AM
love love love this! Definitely crafty(: Can you believe I found a commercial size roll of brown paper at a thrift store for $2??! I think it'll last me for the rest of my life :p
UnknownDecember 9, 2011 at 1:34 AM
love these ideas, simple yet so cute! Had a great time browsing your blog :)
FebeDecember 9, 2011 at 5:22 AM
Hi Kendra! I would prefer to receive these kind of gifts. It only shows that i took thinking and effort to make this one special.
BeccaDecember 19, 2011 at 6:15 AM
ooh, loving your wrapping! I'm using newspaper and fabric scraps this year, but brown paper is so yummy! Nice blog, missy! :) x