Just Another Hat: Repurposing Packaging Materials: Halloween Wrapper

If your household is like ours, we get several packages a year from online shopping or gifts. I used to just recycle the packaging material until I decided to stop spending money on gift wrap. Well, I didn't entirely stop spending money on gift wrap, but definitely minimized my budget. I wanted to find ways to reuse some of the things we already have in the house. I'm not a pack rat, but when I see potential in something, I keep it. I love my son's artwork. However, if I kept every single piece of art he's made since we started parent and me art classes, he would have a very thick portfolio by the time he finished elementary school. Some of his works have been saved, and those that didn't make the cut were scanned or photographed (at least he will have digital copies of them). For Halloween this year, I decided to make the favor wrappers that Big B will be handing out to his classmates. The process is simple and can even be a craft that the kids can help out with. I completed this project myself since I wanted him to be surprised when he opened his goodies.

Materials
Paper from packages received
Halloween stamps (I got mine from Michael's)
Orange and black ink
Rafia (or twine or left-over ribbon)
Artwork from last year (or white cardstock)
Ghost template
Scissors
Marker

Directions
1. Stamp the paper with your pattern of choice. Since the packaging paper is somewhat wrinkled, I crinkled it more to make everything uniform.

2. Cut the paper to the dimensions needed to cover the goodies.

3. Fold in the paper to cover the goodies. I use enough paper to cover everything so that I don't have to use tape.

4. Print ghost template (or you can use the one I created here) or any other halloween image on the back of the artwork. Cut the ghost shape and write child's name.