Gift Giving Booklet - Sometimes the package is as special as the gift.

I recently blogged about a Wedding gift I created to elegantly give gift cards to the happy couple. They're family and I knew they wanted cash to save up for a larger home more than towels or pans. Our booklet of gift cards was the next best thing (in my opinion).

ANYHOO... about a week later, I had an occasion to be a part of another group gift. This time it was from our Preschool Board to a member that was moving to Korea for a few years. Her family was going to be deeply missed. The board members all pitched in and purchased her a locket with charms from Origami Owl. If you haven't heard of this company, I'd be surprised... many have tried to imitate the idea but their quality is really great and prices are so reasonable. Basically you can purchase a clear glass locket and fill it with "charms" that have special meaning and add a stamped plate along with jewels, etc. Our designer Anna was great to work with. If you click on the above link, you'll go to her page. (I'm not affiliated with them in any way)

So, we were giving her a locket, but of course I couldn't just put in a box and call it a day... NO!

Here's the locket

Here's what I created... (again, click on the images to read the text)

 THE FRONT PAGE wishing her well.

I put the locket in a petal envelope (easy to make). Having the book closed, helped to keep it secure.
Each charm went into a small glassine envelope (I had these from my wedding in 2007, love when something I've hoarded comes in handy!) A strip of matching card stock made a nice handle to pull out the envelope.

Here it is, all wrapped with a bow! Of course, once the gift is opened, the packaging doesn't have much use but hopefully it was fun to open and gave our friend the meaning behind each charm we carefully chose just for her.

Have you ever created a package as pretty and as special as the gift?

A Wedding Gift- Gift Card Giving Can Be Unique

My husband's cousin got married last summer and like many modern couples, they lived together for awhile beforehand. While they did create a registry our family decided to pool our resources and give the second most appreciated gift (1st being CASH), gift cards. Being ME, we couldn't just stick cards in an envelope and hand it over.. I had to Pretty it up!!

I created a "booklet" if you will with pockets to hold cards for different occasions that might come up during their first year of marriage. I grabbed a couple pieces of card stock from a stack so they all matched, some bling stickers and my trusty glue stick.

(you can click on images to view larger to see text if necessary)
COVER

 INSIDE explaining the gift

 BED BATH and BEYOND card

 HOME DEPOT card

 MOVIE THEATER card

WINE store

 TARGET card

The wedding was last June so hopefully I remembered all the store names correctly but you can use whatever you or the recipient would like.

To tie it all together, I used a large green satin bow! Voila.. who says gift cards are tacky.. sometimes it's all about the presentation and care that goes into the giving. 

A few days later I used this same idea to create another gift package.. stay tuned! 

p.s. these books aren't something I create for sale. There are lots of tutorials online for "Books for Gift cards". I would seek one out to help you with paper sizing.. it was a bunch of folding to create one long accordion with a wrap around cover..the pockets were created by cutting smaller pieces of card stock and gluing the sides. The result was pretty and worth the work. 

A Festive Retirement Party

Last year (yes, I know I'm a bad blogger) my BFF Sarah wanted to host a retirement party for her boss Jeanie. This was a happy occasion and wanted the party to convey just that. As you know, EVERYTHING starts with the invite.

Here's the invite I created. The colors popped and any mention of tequila on an invite is sure to peak interest. :) I changed her name and personal info but you get the gist.

She was hosting a Happy Hour in honor of Jeanie. She found a great location at a local mexican restaurant. Everyone loves appetizers and cocktails! (right?) 

We worked with a few "themes" if you will.. 

First was FIESTA because of the location. It's not always easy to work with a location's decor (note the Corona party banner running across the room we asked them to temporarily take down)

The second theme was "KEYS".. because of the nature of their business. Both Sarah and Jeanie are Property Managers for a large Real Estate company so Jeanie not only had work friends attending but clients who's properties she'd cared for over the years and built friendships with. Let me tell you, her clients are in good hands now, but these folks really LOVED working with Jeanie and as an outsider, it showed!

The Decor was colorful and fun. I created color tissue poms to match the invite that we hung down the main walking isle. I busted out my Cricut and created my first Picado art Banner using designs I found online and added "Adios Jeanie Our Casas Won't Be The Same Without You"

The tables were super colorful with tissue flowers (ordered online.. I'm crazy but not that crazy to create  60 tissue flowers, leave that to the professional tissue flower makers!) These tissue flowers made appearances at other parties just after this one. Remember the MOMS Club Tea/Fundraiser where I used the orange and pink? I sold the other colors on craigslist for a baby shower.

I may not have made the flowers (my hands are thanking me ever since) but I did create drink menus.. this was both in attempt to save on costs.."oh, did you see the menu, what would you like to order to drink?" vs "hmmm.. (open bar!) I'll have the top shelf Margarita, with two shots of tequila on the side..make that three." AND they were cute!

The "key" element in the room was an "advice tree". Guests were encouraged to leave a note on a tag they found dangling on a tree branch at the front table. We also placed several decorative keys (found in the special section at Michaels Crafts where items range from $1-$3) The tags read "The Key to a Successful Retirement is...". Some of the answers guests gave were funny and light hearted and others came from experienced retirees. 

We attached the tags to a large ribbon on a large Key for Jeanie to take with her and perhaps display in a large vase or on her new mantel. Not only were guests encouraged to leave her a note, they were also asked to select an envelope on the tree that contained a scratch off lottery ticket. Our sign mentioned that perhaps Jeanie would be the only one retiring today.. how fun! Everyone got a kick out of the idea.

It was a fun party, even if in truth is a was a "going away" party of sorts. Jeanie now enjoys her retired life with her husband just outside Las Vegas... that sounds like the KEY to a fun retirement to me!

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? Disney's FROZEN

If your kids are anything like mine, you've heard the songs OVER and OVER.. can't say I mind on this one. Disney's FROZEN has quickly become a family favorite. Recently I hosted a FROZEN play date at my house for a few friends.

Thinking ahead I saved some silver garland and snowflakes from Christmas to use. I cut out the word FROZEN in a similar font using my Cricut.

One of my favorite movie quotes from the snowman character, Olaf is "Some people are worth melting for.".. so we drank melted Olaf! ha!

We created chocolate dipped frozen bananas on a stick, which I prepped beforehand. The kids also created some really fun paper snowflakes, created an Olaf and colored a few pages.. and of course, watched the movie!

Because this was a just a fun play date and not a birthday party, I didn't go overboard with the decor but there are sooo many great ideas out there.. Are you planning a FROZEN party for your next bash?