Gift wrapping ideas for summer.

For gift-giving in the summer months, try these ideas for a festive and seasonal wrap.

1. Have some fabric remnants? Wrap a bottle of wine, bath soaps, or a gift that fits the fabric size.  Fabric stores often have seasonal clearance fabrics. Furoshiki is the Japanese technique and is an environmentally friendly substitute for paper gift wrapping. It encourages reuse — depending on size, the recipient can use the wrap as a scarf or pocket square or pass it along as another gift wrap — and eliminates ribbons and tape. 

2. Sheet music and maps make wonderful wrapping. Along the same lines, the comics from your newspaper, foreign language newspapers (often at your local bookstore or large news stand), and old posters, make a great presentation and can be selected based upon the type of gift. Use the wrap to suit your theme!

3. Instead of traditional tags, use a postcard. Along those same lines, I like to tie on coasters, and glass ornaments, small picture frames, paint color cards, and even cut outs from old gift cards.

4.Seashells tied onto your ribbon or raffia will immediately dress up your gift. Using a sand dollar as the tag makes it really special. 

5. When coming up with the idea to package your gift, think outside the "box".  How about using an empty cookie tin, a wooden wine box, an empty candy box, a flower pot, a colorful sock, a great dish towel? For children's parties use plastic sand buckets for a double-duty gift!