I used wallpaper as wrapping paper. I have often gone to a wallpaper store and purchased end rolls with neutral colours and used them to wrap gifts. It is much more cost effective than purchasing wrapping paper.
When the girls were young, I used wall paper samples and collaged their bedroom ceiling with them. The girls are now 41 and 36 and still talk about being sent to their room and laying on their bed looking at the pictures. Their kids wants to know why they didn't ever get something like that in their rooms! Difference of incomes I guess - besides that, their rooms has things like tv's, stereos, computers, etc.
Another idea is to save cylindrical plastic and cardboard food containers - cover them to match the lid colours and you soon have a matching or coordinating set of storage canisters. Use for children's tiny toy pieces or in the kitchen or sewing room - wherever.
You can make picture frames using corrugated cardboard (to give some padding and "thickness") from boxes, and scraps of wallpaper or wrapping paper - add a simple hinged stand at the back and youre away! Very effective and very simple to make. Florist's paper also works well.
We used the wallpaper samples to make Bookmarks. We used the scissors that make fancy edges to make them cute, and different. This was very easy. The kids made lots of them. We took them to a Nursing Home where they were put on each person's dinner tray. They were a big hit! Most everybody there was reading something, and could use a bookmark. Cut 2 of them, place a 6 inch piece of very thin satin ribbon between the 2 pieces, at the top. Use a glue stick to put the 2 pieces together. For Father's Day at the Nursing Home, use the patterns with ducks, fish, and other masculine looking papers. We discovered that the men rarely get little "token" gifts. So they really appreciated it.
Line your dresser drawers(cut to fit) or back of a plain bookcase using double sided tape. My favourite use is for a unique card/gift. I made a pattern of a cup and saucer and teapot to the size I wanted. I used a coloring book picture for both. Cut two of the shape. If it is prepasted wallpaper, dampen a little of the bottom and sides of one piece. Stick a second cutout on top, wrong sides together. Let dry. If not prepasted, use a thin line of glue right near the edges. Draw on details with markers or pencil crayons. Add embellishments if u like, but do it on both sides. Insert a teabag(wrapped with string on it is best) inside the pocket Then add a tag(I put mine right on the shape with this poem: Although I cannot sit awhile and have some tea with you, Use this gift to make some tea and think of me.
I used some wall paper boarder samples to make this picture. My livingroom is the Lodge theme and so I have lots od bears throughout it. The boarder ran horizontally so I put it in a frame and it was not wide enough nor did I have a mat to go behind it so I painted a hunter green stripe horizontally both above and below the boarder just about 1 inch so it would look good. I have also used wall paper samples and cut out the pictures or pictures and used them as decopauge on many things. They also make very pretty folding fans. Or to cover smaller boxes to stack. Not to mention beautiful greeting cards or envolopes that they can make. And my favorite would be to cover lamp shades because you can cut out just sections of the picture so the light shines through and it appears 3D on the outside like the dragon flies on the design etc.
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Craft: Uses For Wallpaper (05/12/2009)
Here are some uses for partial rolls of wallpaper from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.
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Craft: Uses For Wallpaper
Archived on 05/12/2009
Here are some uses for partial rolls of wallpaper from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.
Wrapping Paper
I use wallpaper as wrapping paper all the time. You will be surprised how many compliments you receive when you do this!
By Sandy
Decorate Planters Or Bowls
I get the outdated books from the stores and use the pre pasted pages to make plant pot covers or bowls. Pick two pages, soak in water for a few minutes. then put wrong sides together. Then just wrap them up around a plant pot and let dry. When you're finished, you have very dressy covers for your otherwise plain plant pots, or you can take them off the pots and use them as decorative bowls for the table or the vanity. You can also use to fill with candies, cookies, etc. and give to a friend or teacher.
By Roberta
Scrapbooking Uses
I have a half-dozen out-dated wall paper sample books. I use the pages for the back ground for scrap booking pages. They work great. I also make sturdy "fancy" envelopes out of them for special occasions.
I have framed small pieces that coordinated with my wall color, especially when it is an all over print. I have done the same with fabric, just painted the frames to match my trim (which is atrium white) and framed pieces of material in an all over pattern. Wallpaper can also be used as matting for framing pictures. I have even used the leftover paper when I redid my craft room (only wallpapered halfway up the wall and put a wood border painted to coordinate with the stripes around the top where it was uneven) and covered small shelves with it and then painted the edging to match.
I take shoe boxes and cover them with wall paper or fabric. Then I have some nice places to keep my shoes rather than scattered on the closet floor.
By Ella
Greeting Cards and Other Ideas
Don't even get me started. Use a glue stick and line a pretty piece with construction paper and make a homemade card. Cut out pretty designs and make lovely decoupage pieces. Use cutout pieces to make a faux mosaic tabletop. Book covers for worn paperback cookbooks. Cover the light switch plates in your house with coordinating patterns in every room.
Cut two large pieces and place with the backs facing each other and laminate with clear contact paper for "designer place mats". Same technique as above but cut smaller, punch a hole in the top and add a piece of yarn with a tassel for a bookmark (makes great gifts). Make a wonderful collage on a plain chest or trunk. Cut into the shapes called for in your favorite patchwork pattern for a wonderful "quilt-top" for a chest or flat top trunk.
Go to wallpaper shops and ask for the outdated samples. You can make lovely greeting cards and stationary from them. You can also line drawers or shelves with wallpaper.
Blank Side For Children's Artwork
I buy old rolls of wallpaper and let the children draw on the "plain" side. It works out cheaper than buying proper paper for them to paint and color on.
Feedback:
RE: Uses For Wallpaper
My mom uses leftover wallpaper to line her drawers. (05/07/2007)
Recycle a family size detergent box and cover it with wallpaper. Use this box to hold recipes, children's art work, bills, photographs, etc. To embellish the plastic handle, wrap with ribbon and tie a bow at each end of the handle.
(07/06/2007)
