I'm one of those weirdos that sits around the tree Christmas morning silently cringing as everyone rips open packages, discarding the beautiful (and sometimes expensive) wrapping paper into a nasty, black trash bag. When I gather paper that hasn't been crinkled into a ball or ribbon that managed to dodge death by fireplace, I'm often mocked for my scavenger-like behavior. But, hey, I spent money on that and sometimes I like to reuse it! Last year someone gave me a gorgeously wrapped gift (sadly, I remember the paper more than the gift) and at one point during the year I was desperate for inexpensive artwork. I had been hired to stage a home where the budget was less than that of a roll of wrapping paper, and I thought…humm..why don't I FRAME the cool wrapping paper? Using inexpensive frames I found at an arts and crafts store (AC MOORE, I believe for $.99/each) I cut the large piece of paper into ten 8"x10" pieces to create a beautiful focal wall with ten frames showcasing gorgeous paper. This year I found another use for discarded (expensive) holiday paper…I put it inside a serving tray to dress it up! Because I'll change this tray periodically throughout the year, I secured the paper with double stick tape in each corner (I've also used discarded pieces of wallpaper and secured with glue). As the holidays roll away, you can keep them going by dressing up a cool tray!
