Out of wrapping paper? Look around the house

Out of wrapping paper? Or just cutting corners on the holiday budget? You can find colorful holiday wrappings around the house -- with a little imagination, tape and a glue stick. Release your inner recycler with these frugal last-minute gift-wrapping tips:

-- Fabric scraps: Leftover fabric can make pretty and colorful gift wrap, and it's easy to wrap around unusual shapes.

-- Brown paper bags: Cut them to the size you need, wrap the gift and then decorate the paper with stickers, crayon or ink.

-- Ice cream container: This round package can become a gift itself. Clean the container, then decorate with fabric, stickers or decoupage.

-- Paper quilt: Don't have enough of one giftwrap to cover a present? Make a crazy quilt of paper patchwork. Embellish the "seams" where two designs come together with ribbon or colored duct tape.

-- Wrap a gift with a gift: Use a hostess apron to wrap a cookbook or a dishtowel around cookware - it's a bonus as well as decoration.

-- Eco-friendly cloth bag: Use a canvas shopping bag for packaging (again, two gifts in one).

--Children's artwork: Kids take pride that they put a personal touch on packages. Great idea for grandparents' gifts.

--Comics: Another use for those colorful pages in the Sunday funnies.

--Old Christmas cards: Treat them like the paper patchwork, taping together several cards to cover a present. Or turn them into gift tags with bits of ribbon.

(Contact Debbie Arrington at darrington(at)sacbee.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com)

Source: Sacramento Bee