Be green and save your green: paper the holidays

Photo from Sweet Paul

Thanks to the "great recession of '09" I think we're all looking for ways to be a bit more thrifty this holiday season. B and I are also always looking for ways to be more green. But, even though we love the green (both the earth and some moolah!), I would never want to sacrifice a gift looking beautiful.

Luckily, paper - from newspaper to old books to sheet music - is a great way to dress up your gifts and home for the holidays without having to spend a dime. Here are some pretty gifts, ornaments and even wreaths made from reused paper:


Newspaper gets cute, from Country Living


Adorable little paper star ornament from Scrap Log


Jingle bells and sheet music make a lovely gift wrapper, from Country Living


Awesome book-page wreath from Living with Lindsay


Newspaper is dressed up with cardboard on Just Something I Made


And finally, even a simple gift tag (which could also be made from reused cardboard or cardstock) dresses up newspaper nicely, from The White Balloon.

See? Pretty, cheap and green!