This year a friend and I agreed that while we would exchange Christmas presents, since we’re both expense-ridden single moms, we would pick or make presents from something we already have at our houses.  Terrific idea!

I’ve been thinking about a couple of different ideas, and if you’ve learned anything about me by reading this blog, you’ve come to realize that I’m a professional procrastinator.  So it wasn’t until tonight – the night before I’m delivering my gift – that I finalized my plan.

For several years now, I’ve been hanging on to this fabulous fish-themed paper.

In fact, it moved from California to Ohio with me, curing, waiting for just the right moment and project. I got it for free, from a fabulous shop called Tuvalu, in Ladera Ranch, California, where they used it to wrap fragile purchases. I can’t recall what I purchased, but I loved the paper and asked if I could purchase some, but they gave me a pretty good length of it for free.

My friend and I both work as editors in our day jobs, and we both love anything with numbers or letters or handwriting.  Plus we both love anything nautical or fish-themed. And anything with a hint of antique. This paper has all of that and then some.

It’s just gorgeous paper, but not over-the-top, hit-you-over-the-head theme-y.

Quite perfect, in fact.

So, for her Christmas gift I decided to wrap a canvas with the paper so she can have some new artwork for her new home.

I used a 12 x 24″ canvas that I already had at home.

I used the high-tech technique of gift wrapping the canvas and taping with Scotch tape.

Resulting in a perfect wall hanging!

I have to admit that I did have a moment of Grinchliness, because I loved this wall hanging so much I thought about keeping it for myself. But then I got over my momentary selfishness and decided that it’s the perfect gift for a dear friend! Hope she likes it!