A Nifty Gift

Greetings Stamping Friends!  Welcome back to The Classic Card! 

I'm happy it's Friday, how about you?  I'm sure we all have a full weekend planned as we get all our ducks (or should that be turkeys?) in a row for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.  Before I go any further, let me say how thankful I am for all of you, my faithful readers and Stampin'Up! customers. I want you to know how much I appreciate you!  Being a Stampin'Up! demonstrator has really been a blessing in my life.  I have met so many wonderful people (you!) through Stampin'Up!  I look forward to many more years of fun as we stamp our way through life!

Once the turkey has been reduced to leftovers, I'm afraid we have to face the music and start the inevitable shopping that the Christmas season brings.  Are you one of those amazingly organized people who has all of the shopping done?  If so, I applaud you!  Now for the rest of us, I have an idea that could bring peace and serenity into your life--- the gift card!  No, this isn't a new idea... I'm very aware of that.  I have not fully embraced the gift card as the solution to all of my shopping dilemmas, as it seems to be a cold and rather impersonal gift.  I must admit, though, that I love receiving gift cards and so I think others might love receiving them as well.  The trick is to turn an impersonal gift into something more warm and fuzzy.  And for that, I have the perfect solution!  Please check it out...

How cute is this nifty gift card holder?   You can easily make dozens of these in a snap if you have the Petite Pocket Die (item # 123131,  $42.95, page 221 of the big catalog).  This die cuts the pocket and scores the lines.  All you have to do is add the gift card, fold the sides and top, and then add a ribbon or belly band to hold it closed.  You really don't have to use glue.  I've dressed this one up with some die cuts (holly and berries)  from the Stocking Accents Die ( p. 24 of the Holiday Mini-catalog).  The little tag is made with the Jewelry Tag Punch (p. 210) and is tied on with some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine (p. 194).

By using different colors of card stock and different embellishments (ribbon, die-cut flowers, brads, tags, Linen thread, etc.) you could use the Petite Pocket Die all year to make gift card holders for every occasion, from birthdays to Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day and of course graduations. If you use an embossing folder to add texture to the front of the folder, it adds even more pizzazz.  The possibilities are really endless, so this is a sound investment.  In a snap, you've turned what could have been an impersonal gift into something very personal... something hand-crafted with your own two hands!  If you'd like to order this versatile die, give me a call or send me an email.  Of course you can always go online at my SU! site and place your order that way.  To do that, click on the "shop now" button at the top of my blog. 

OK, stampers, that's it for today.  I'm off to prepare for tomorrow's workshop, which will be at my house at 10:30 am.  If you'd like to join us for some fun NEW cards, please let me know.  You'll learn how to fold a scalloped circle into a cute Christmas tree and we'll use some white pigment ink and the masking technique to create snow!  Give me a call or send me an email... my contact info is shown at the top of my blog.  Thanks for stopping by today and I'll look forward to seeing you back here on Monday for another classic card.
Enjoy your weekend!
Susan