Holiday DYI

I can’t count the times I found myself without wrapping paper? Without a miss it happens at the least opportune times. The stores are already closed and all the people you could call are unreachable? 

A gift looses a little of its magic unwrapped and off course the  anticipation of the surprise. Half the fun is watching the receiver unwrapping and the other half seeing the joy in their eyes. 

I don’t know how many times I found myself in this bind because someone in our house had used up the last of the wrapping paper and forgot to mention that we needed to replenish our stock. 

At times a Trader Joe paper bag has a beautiful design and as long as the gift is small enough one can cut around the logo and re-cycle their bags as wrapping paper. For larger gifts it take a little more creativity. Potatoes are the one vegetable we hardly ever run out of in our house. In a bind other root vegetable can take their place. Even leaves can be used. I had made potato stamps with kids as a fun holiday activity in the past and  using them to make my own wrapping paper was not a far stretch.

What do you need: 

• Large potato 

• Paint or food coloring, (strong coffee, beet juice etc. can serve as paint as well)

• Cookie Cutters 

• Knife

•  Paper bag or blank paper

1. Cut potato in half
2. Press cookie cutter into the potato about a 1/4 inch 
3. With the cookie cutter still in place use the knife to remove a layer of potato around the outer side of the cookie cutter. The cookie cutter prevents you form cutting too far.
4. You can recycle a paper shopping bag cut it in half as your base paper, or any blank paper you have around the house. Even a piece of plain fabric can serve the purpose. 
5. Dip or brush the potato stamp with paint and press firmly onto the paper or fabric. 
6. Let dry (hair dryer can speed up the drying time)

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