Boring No More!

This post is titled as such due to the fact that many of us give gift cards for the holidays. And giving one does not need to be boring! Case in point...

Now, wouldn't you like to receive this little purse gift card holder? It's cute on the outside, and there is good stuff just waitin' on the inside! I made this recently for the Design Team Gift Wrap Challenge for Purple Onion Designs. But I cannot take credit for the holder's design, that came from the talented Gina K. You can read her post here and there are even step-by-step instructions on how to make your own!

So, a few notes on my little holder. I decorated my purse by stamping a holly image all over Pure Poppy cardstock, using white pigment ink. On the flap, I added a strip of printed transparency, layered with a green velvet ribbon and strip of scalloped paper. I think this really contrasts nicely with the bottom portion of the purse. To keep the purse closed, I added a Velcro closure, just under the flap. My little gingerbread man is front and center, with a few dimensional accents giving him little red cheeks, frosted "squiggles" and black sparkly buttons.

The last finishing touch was to add the handle using white pom pom ribbon and a little tag. I can never resist adding a tag somewhere on my project! Make sure you check out the Purple Onion blog. Not only are there lots of good ideas from the Design Team, but Michele is having a little contest for the rest of you who come up with gift packaging ideas. And let's just say free stamps are involved!

Stamps: Gingerbread Man, Merriness, To & From (Purple Onion Designs)
Ink: Dark Chocolate and Pure Poppy (PTI), white pigment (Colorbox)
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Kraft, Spring Moss and SS White (PTI)
Patterned Paper: printed acetate (transparency)
Tools: Cuttlebug (ProvoCraft), circle and scallop circle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders), Threading Water punch (Fiskars), Tiny Tags die for Cuttlebug (ProvoCraft)
Ribbon: Pure Poppy satin (PTI), white eyelash, white wired pom pom, green satin trim
Other: Koh-I-Noor woodless colour pencils, Velcro fasteners, Ruby Red and White Liquid Pearls (Ranger), Black Stickles (Ranger)