The Art of Eco Friendly Gift Wrapping
Wrapping presents is one of my favorite holiday traditions and this year I am challenging myself to only use recycled or reuse items. After five minutes looking around Art From Scrap I had so many ideas, I wanted to share some of them with you.
The easiest way to start is just grab some old maps. The more the merrier!
Then wrap your presents with them, bonus if you can find maps that have a special meaning for the person receiving the gift. Some bright yarn makes for an easy bow on top. Then add a leather scrap for a cool gift tag that could become a key chain after all the presents are unwrapped.
If you are wanting to decorate your gift boxes or wrapping paper yourself I would suggest cork stamping. Take a cork and draw the shape you want to stamp on the top. Simple geometric shapes seemed to work the best for me. I drew a triangle then used an X-Acto knife to carefully cut around the shape. Here are some examples of my stamps.
Find some paint that you want to use. I used acrylic paints, but any thick paint should work. Press your cork stamp into the paint, then dab it off on a scratch paper to make sure you are getting your image. Now it’s time to get stamping!
If paper isn’t your thing, fabric can be a beautiful reuse way to wrap any gift. The Japanese art of Furoshiki, wrapping goods in fabric, has so many ways to tie knots and create beautiful little fabric creations.
You can create your own Sustainable Gift Wrapping in our free That’s A Wrap! Workshop on Saturday, December 15th from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Art From Scrap. Part of our Handcrafted Holiday Marketplace, our gift wrapping workshop will show you some beautiful and eco friendly ways to wrap your gifts this year.
We hope you visit the Art From Scrap Creative ReUse Store to see what inspires you to reuse a little more this holiday season. We are open Thursday and Friday 11:00 – 6:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 – 4:00. Our Store will be closed from December 24th until January 2nd, reopening on January 3rd.
Happy Holidays!
Joey is grateful to have grown up with an abundance of nature around him and is happiest in the water or in the sun. From a young age, Joey felt a responsibility to take care of the Earth in return for all the ways she has taken care of him. This led Joey to pursue a degree in
I love coming to work and getting pets from everyone. In my spare time, I like to sleep, eat, hike, and explore nature. Did I say eat and sleep?
Emma Serr is an artist and a student studying Studio Art at SBCC. Emma has a background in art and customer service, having worked as a camp counselor at sewing camp and assistant for sewing events and classes, and display manager and cashier in previous positions, and was recently a nanny to several young children. Emma first found us as a customer who loved what Art From Scrap represents!
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent her last four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife. Veronica is very passionate about conservation and sustainable agricultural practices. Veronica has spent many summers working in environmental education at various zoos and museums and loves introducing kids to the plants and animals that coexist with us. In her free time, she likes to sit at the beach and read, take dance classes, roller skate, and walk around fancy neighborhoods to look at the houses.
Lu’s love of all things Earth began at James Madison University in Virginia, where they got their Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Lu has a Master’s degree in Spatial Ecology- the study of how creatures interact across landscapes- from East Carolina University, where they studied rock pools along a river and the critters that dwell in them. Lu is thrilled to be teaching budding scientists about the Earth and why it’s important for us to protect and preserve the environment. 
Lydia
Jenny joined Explore Ecology first as an Environmental Educator, then as a Program Coordinator, and most recently moved into the newly created Programs, People & Culture position. Prior to Explore Ecology Jenny worked in science research and consulting, however her passion has always been science education and outreach. Jenny loves all things related to the ocean, especially free diving, and enjoying the beauty and wonder that is the underwater world. Her greatest life passion is traveling, which she hopes to do more of again soon.
Ian Docktor
MELISSA BROOKS
Lindsay Johnson
