I love beautiful, handmade wrapping paper. Problem is—it's the price tag that's not so pretty. So this year, I made my own! Armed with a few cans of spray paint and inexpensive lace from Jo-Ann's, here's what I came up with.

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Take lace in a pattern you love, lay it down flat over a roll of white kraft paper, spray evenly across and voilà! The openwork of the lace acts as a stencil for the paper. Just be sure to use regular, not water-based paint, so it dries properly. And don't worry about blurry imperfections. They're part of the charm! In fact, they remind me of block-printed papers made by hand. My favorites are the ones with batik-like patterns or dots like delicate snowflakes. Best of all, they're not just for wrapping gifts! For example, how great would a paper runner be going down the table for a little boy or girl's birthday party? It's easy, inexpensive, and one-of-a-kind!  

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So much so that I decided to do a demo on it as part of my presentation last month at R•Home for the Holidays, sponsored by Richmond Magazine. Here I am with Jaithan outside the local CBS station before my segment promoting the event.   

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Anchors Cheryl and Greg with the morning show were very sweet.   

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And here I am on the big stage at the Virginia Historical Society later that night before a crowd of 300, including new friend and fellow blogger Chris Cox with Easy & Elegant Life.   

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Click to watch the demo, and thank you to master videographer Rob Collins for the clip!  

Thank you also to Patsy Arnett, Matt Earle with West End Antiques, along with Susan Winiecki and Brandon Fox with Richmond Magazine for a fantastic event. There's a special place in our hearts for Richmond, thanks to them. In fact, we're heading back there in February for the Home Show, so mark your calendars!

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Now that all your packages are wrapped, have you ever oohed and aahed over boxes tied so beautifully, the ribbon simply falls off with one glorious pull? To view the video tutorial I did last year, click here.

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Even Cheryl and Greg at the morning show were getting the hang—or should I say pull?—of it! 

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Finally, with your gifts all wrapped and your ribbons tied, don't discard the extra strips of paper! Use them to cover inexpensive cylinder vases for candles or flowers on a mantle or dining table. They make great handmade hostess gifts for all those holiday parties as well.

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Happy lace-hunting and spray-painting, everyone!