How To Make a Custom Wrapping Paper

Creating your own custom-made wrapping paper can be both fun and challenging. You just have to have a bit of imagination and a dash of creativity to create a wonderful wrapping paper that can be cheap but very elegant. Before getting all those materials ready though, you have to consider the type of occasion where the wrapping paper will be used.

So, you've thought of a gift, went to the local gift shop or specialty store to get it, and bought a nice card to go along with it and now you need to wrap your gift but don't have enough dollars left to buy a decent wrapping paper. Well, no problem. Make your own wrapping paper. Not only will it save you money, you will also be adding a special added touch to that gift which will make it much more special.

Your basic material: butcher paper, natural light-brown color or white

Butcher paper is an ideal material because it is cheap (a lower grade paper than stationeries) but sturdy, and is sold in large rolls. It is originally used for wrapping meat and fish, but is now used for a wide array of purposes, particularly in grade schools where it is utilized for arts and crafts and is available in different colors.

Additional materials:

* Assorted colors of acrylic paint
* Watercolor
* A pair of scissors
* Old toothbrushes or paint brushes
* Newspaper

To protect your work area from being splattered with paint or stained with watercolor, lay out a few newspapers on the surface where you will be working. The simplest way of creating an elegantly-designed wrapping paper is paint splattering combined with watercolor design. To do this, cut a sheet of butcher paper to a size that will fit the gift box or carton. Using the watercolor, select a color and create stroked patterns or design until the whole wrapping paper is filled and then let the paper dry for a few hours. Using the toothbrush, lightly dip the bristles in paint, tapping off excess paint back into the container. Run the edge of your finger along the bristles to make the paint splatter onto the paper. Use a combination of different colors according to your taste. To achieve a much deeper paint coating, use a paintbrush to fling paint onto the paper instead. You can also use paper cut-outs or stencils and place them down on the butcher paper while splattering the paint to achieve different designs. Again, use your imagination to create different design patterns until you get the desired result.

Tip: If the gift is intended for an anniversary or wedding, gold and silver are the colors that matches the occasion.