Paper Scraps + Celery = Fabulous Gift Wrap

I found this absolutely fabulous blog called Creature Comforts with an appropo post for DIY gift wrap using celery. For anyone who knows me, I am having a love affair with celery. This could be more perfect. I am reposting this blog and give credit to Ez over at Creature Comforts Blog. Check em out!

Yes, you read the title correctly... Celery! Today I put together a little photo tutorial on creating your own gift wrap and tags using celery as a stamping tool. This has been done before (it's not an original concept)... this is just my take on it.

I got into trouble for calling my last project "eco" so I don't want to make the same mistake here. I do however encourage you to use paper scraps that you have laying around your home. For the wrapping shown here I stamped paper bags from Trader Joe's as well as scrap tissue paper and other tiny bits of paper I had saved up from random craft projects.

You will need:For the Gift Tissue (shown in the main image) you will need:
Scraps of tissue paper (white or colored)
Scissors
Paint (I used acrylic, but you can try other options)
Celery stock base. You will need to have cut this as smoothly as possible to leave a nice straight stamping surface)
Art tray or plate (basically just a flat surface that you can pour your paint onto)

For the Gift Tags:All the supplies listed above + paper scraps such as paper grocery bags, patterned, lined or graph papers
Standard Hole Punch
Large craft punches in the sizes you wish
Twine, ribbon, or string.

Optional:Jazz up your package with little treasures from around your home. Buttons, beads, pinecones, mini animal figurines, etc... all have potential!
Create sturdier gift wrap using paper grocery bags (for small gifts) or kraft papers.
Don't forget to save the wrapping after your gifts have been unwrapped. Even if it's been torn you can still create gift tags, etc from the leftovers!

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1) Cut open a brown paper bag so that it lays relatively flat. You can use either the printed side or the blank reverse (I used the printed in my example because I really loved the design).

Step 2) Put paint (any color you want) onto your tray/plate (you may need to brush it around so that it's not all in one lump). Take your prepared celery stamp and dip it into your paint. Check and be sure that it's fully coated.

Step 3) Press your stamp down onto your paper with steady even pressure. Be sure not to rock it from side to side or let it slide around. Lift off your paper with a smooth motion.

Step 4) Repeat as desired. In the image I am stamping an area intended for gift tags, so I chose to make more than one print so that I could cut several tags from it.

Step 5) Once your stamp has dried (if you're impatient like me, you can dry it with a hairdryer on a low setting) use craft punches to cut out your tags. Punch at the top with a standard hole punch (so you can string twine through it later).

Step 6) Using tissue paper or other gift wrap sized paper, repeat steps above until paper is covered in as many stamps as you like. TIP: For tissue and other thin papers, be sure to place a scrap piece of paper beneath the sheet you are working on in case some of the paint comes through. If you use more than one celery stock you can overlay colors for a really cool effect.

Step 7) Allow paper to dry completely and then wrap up your gifts.

Step 8) Embellish as you like!

This is also a great project to do with the kids in your life. Always be sure to supervise, and take care when selecting your paint (you might want to pick something that is not permanent). Whomever you create this with or for, have fun!

By EZ from Creature Comforts