From time to
time my husband receives supplies for his cabinet business wrapped in long
sheets of white packing paper. He knows
better than to recycle this paper (or any packing paper really) before asking
me if I want it for craft and D.I.Y. projects.
This thrifty
do it your self-er usually says yes! Sometimes I get brown paper, sometimes I get
tissue paper, but my favorite of all is the perfectly white pieces of packing
paper. I roll them up and squirrel them
away for special occasions.
Inspiration struck
when we were planning my tweens birthday party. Anybody who has ever hosted a
birthday party/sleepover knows these wonderful tweens can power through
activities almost as quickly as they can hoover a bag of Doritos. Almost.
So a
Mom’s got to be on her A game or she will hear the dreaded “I’m bored” or “what
else can we do?” words. Not good when one is celebrating a birthday. So my
daughter and I jammed packed their schedule, but my ace in the hole was letting
them write on the table!
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| Doesn’t this paper just beg to be drawn and written on? Even our cat couldn’t resist it. |
Craft Set Up:
Setting
this craft up was easy-peasy. First, we
placed a festive plastic table cloth on our dining room table. Then rolled out
the white packing paper and taped it down on the ends and sides. Don’t
worry if your upcycled paper has a hole or two in it, just tape over it. Next, set
out your writing supplies. We had a bucket full of markers and a pencil case
full of colored pencils and pens. There may have been a few crayons in the mix
as well.
You are good
to go! Once all the guests arrive, let the birthday child announce that they can
write on the table and be ready with your camera for their reactions! The girls
attending my daughter’s party practically knocked each other over to get to the
table to start.
Out of respect for privacy, I won’t share their happy faces
here, but I will show you the end product.
As you can
see, these girls LOVED this craft. They came back to it again and again. They
wrote and laughed and talked their way through dinner and dessert here. They
came back after playing flashlight tag and they sat here again doodling while
eating their breakfast and waiting to be picked up.
The best part for me was seeing their faces.
Once the party guests had gone home, my daughter and I saved a portion of the
paper with special birthday messages on it.
Finding free packing paper ideas:
If you haven’t
started recycling the packing supplies that come in with your products, now is a
great time to start with the holidays rapidly approaching. You can also ask
your family members to save longer sheets of packing paper for you. You could even ask a local business if they
receive boxes with packing paper. I’m sure they would be happy to give you some
as most businesses just recycle it.
However you
come by your paper, I hope you and your kids will get a chance to write on the
table soon!
Please share in comments: Do you set up craft/activity stations at your kids birthday parties? If yes, what kinds?
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