Dumpster Diving In My Own Home

[EDITOR'S NOTE*: This project was completed, and photographed, weeks ago then forgotten about until the author found the images on the camera. Don't you hate when that happens?]
*There is no editor. It's just me. Well, me and the voices in my head. Heh.

This is yet another project from my From Trash to Slightly-Better-Than-Trash series wherein I make stuff from items I find in my recycling bin. I swear this keeps happening because I'm environmentally conscious, not just super cheap.

Several weeks ago I was MOH for my bestie Rachel. As any good friend and MOH would do, I got her a wedding gift. Next I was tasked with beautifully wrapping it disguising its identity from the naked eye. Even if I had a job, I would never consider gift wrapping to be something worth spending money on. Oh sure, I buy a few rolls of wrapping paper at Christmas, but if you ever get a present from me, and it comes it a gift bag, I GUARANTEE YOU someone else gave the bag to me. Being unemployed just gives me extra incentive to be a cheap bastard creative and thrifty.

This looks like (somewhat decent) wrapping paper, right?

WRONG! It is a DSW shopping bag. I had some wrapping paper in my stash, but I hated to cut off a piece for such a small present. Good thing I saw these bold stripes peeking out of my recycling bin. I don't think this would have looked nearly as chic using a plastic grocery bag.

To create a tag I just used my craft punch to cut a circle from some leftover paper, and folded it along the stripe to give the tag a little tape flap.

Sweet, right? Luckily the bride knows me well and loves me, quirks and all, so she wasn't the least bit shocked when she saw this at her bridal luncheon:


*shudder* I really did try to hide the DSW logo, but I couldn't make it work. *sigh* Don't feel too bad for her. I gave her a second gift that I actually wrapped in a gift bag... that may or may not have been leftover from my baby shower.