Today we all have a group post to share!

These are always so fun for me, as I think you can really see how each person on the team is special in their own way! Hopefully between all of us, you can find something that suits your fancy :D and this helps get you started on getting ready (EARLY!) for your own home-made holiday gift ideas!

The idea behind this group post was to share something homemade, practical, heartfelt and economical!

I cannot even tell you how excited I am with my project today :D Seriously!

To me, nothing says heartfelt like great homemade gift packaging :D  I personally love giving and receiving such gifts. Another thing I also LOVE is chocolate! Preferably chocolate treats that I didn’t have to make!! I usually try to package up something I can buy in bulk, that MOST people enjoy, then divide it up!

For my gifts this year, I got a great deal, and stocked up.

Here is the ECONOMICAL PART: I was tipped off ,by my friend Tracey, that Lindt Chocolates was having a Anniversary sale. Check it out –>HERE!

Buy 60 truffles, get 60 FREE! That is ONLY 0.25 cents a piece! WAHOO! You can pick and choose whatever you want!

I spent $98 at that store! With everything on sale, they said it would have come to $219! HUGE SAVINGS to me :D

 Plus,who doesn’t love those chocolates?! AND, if they don’t, its a respectable re-gift item MALE or FEMALE!!

So I bought my fill, and rushed home to make my gift! OK so THAT isn’t HOMEMADE! But that is SO me-homemade packaging for store bought items! LOL!

I wasn’t sure what I was going to package my chocolates in. I have SO many fab My Timeless Templates ©, it was hard to choose. I decided I would just start wrapping up some  cello bags of chocolates, to ensure I had gotten enough for everyone, then I would worry about the gift packaging.

Well I separated my chocolate, then made this tag!

Totally retro, fun and funky holiday colors…..

stocking-tag-detail.JPG

Lindt chocolate colors of the Raspberry, Peanut Butter, and Mint chocolate flavors.

I ADORE this stocking image! I used elements from Vintage picnic to FILL my stocking! Cute huh?

It was THIS tag that gave me that LIGHTBULB-AH! HA! moment for my heartfelt, homemade gift!

As I was coloring the image I said out loud-”Oh my gosh! I LOVE IT!! I wish I had a Christmas Stocking like this!”

Well, no sooner did the words leave my lips (and yes, I admit, I often talk to myself when creating! Its a process OK!) I remembered my FREE! My Timeless Template : Stocking Stuffer! <—Now THAT is definitely economical!

So I ran up to my computer! Printed my template onto COPY paper.

 I grabbed my UBER cheap-o sewing machine (Its was $5 at RiteAid after Christmas last year!), and some black felt, that cost 0.35 CENTS, and layered the template onto my (folded in half) piece of black felt.

Ran it through my sewing machine, using the copy paper as my SEW on pattern, and in like 3 minutes, I had a stocking!

sew-3.jpg

NOTE: Do NOT sew the top!

Once sewn, I trimmed a 1/4 inch border around the outside edge.

Since felt doesn’t FRAY I wanted the sewing to be shown. Plus I think I did a great job on it :D

sock-done.jpg

I then ripped off the paper, and added my cuff, with sewn ribbon detail.

At this point Im freaking out with excitement!

Now-time to add the flowers, like in my tag. I scoured my stamping supplies and found all sorts of felt flowers in colors to match! (see hoarding is NOT always a bad thing-I had the felt colors I wanted/needed and felt flowers to match too!) So I got out my hot glue gun, and got work.

Now for the WHOPPING cost of well UNDER $1…….here is the end result of my labor of love

sock-gift.JPG

Isn’t it so pretty?

I am SO happy with this. What a fab gift for ANYONE! You could even let the kids decorate their own (minus hot glue gun).

 Now this stocking can be kept around ALL year! I was going to give this one away, but I may keep it for me. I plan on creating these for gifts, but each being different. I NEVER repeat designs. Makes me ill! LOL! Everything is ONE OF A KIND!

This project took about 20 minutes to make! How FAB is that?!  (not including tag)

That includes design concept! Once you get going there is NO stopping you :D You don’t even have to have expert sewing skills! TRUST ME!

Just go SLOW around the toe, and you are GOLDEN!

Here are the flower details-totally inspired by my tag

details-on-sock.JPG

I used the leaf ribbon for that detail.

Flower centers are buttons, bella bling, and adhesive rhinestones. 

Just so easy!

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Supplies
My Timeless Template: FREE Stocking Stuffer Tag:
Stamps: Stocking Prints, Vintage Picnic, Polka Dot Basics 2, Holiday Treats
Cardstock: White, Black, Raspberry Fizz, Tangerine
Patterned paper: Bitty box basics
Ink: Black, Copic markers
Embroidery floss in pink & green
Slice machine and Studio Design Essentials cartidge
other-gel pen in pink, orange and blackStocking:
My Timeless Template: Stocking Stuffer
Sewing machine
Black & pink felt
Ribbon: True black polka dot, stitched, Leaf ribbon, Raspberry Fizz grosgrain
Vintage buttons, Felt flowers
embroidery floss in black
Bella dot in silver
Leaf/berry additions from Michaels Craft Store
Bag of Lindt ChocolatesNow, I’m not done yet! I have my card to share.

I wanted a fun and funky retro sort of look, so I went with cheery colors-olive, raspberry, tangerine and aqua!

It used a new stamp set from this month’s Papertrey Ink Release: Tree Trimming

O’ Papertrey Tree

o-papertrey-tree.JPG

I love all the ornaments that came in the set. It was so hard to pick and choose WHAT I wanted to do!

You could use the ornaments, add buttons, bling, punched patterned paper……OH! I could go on and on!

Overall, I kept it simple.

Stamped my tree in olive ink, then added “snowfallen” ground using polka dot basics 2. By taking my Scor-Tape and applying it along the bottom I was able to then add glitter in a cinch!

o-tree-close.JPG

I added my adhesive rhinestones, along the curvy lines, for them to appear to be a string of holiday lights. Now, for the twinkly light look, ran the layer through my die cut machine so they would “crackle”. The pressure from the die cut breaks them but the adhesive holds them together on the tree. Its really cool in person, and I totally recommend giving it a try.

I then went on to add my 3D, 1/2 inch punched ornaments.

Of course I needed BUTTONS too.

Just a simple design with this fun, new set!

Supplies:Stamps: Tree Trimming, Polka Dot Basics 2
Cardstock: white, Raspberry Fizz, Old Olive, and aqua color
Patterned paper-bitty box basics 2008
Ink:Black. Old Olive, Raspberry Fizz, Tangerine, Aqua color versamagic
Scor-tape, Vintage buttons , adhesive rhinestones, glitter, 1/2 inch circle punch, Labels 8 nestability, Silver cording
 

WHEW! Are you sick of my blabbering yet?! Yikes! See what happens when I get excited?

OK totally ending now-

Be sure to visit the Design Teams blogs:

  • Becky Oehlers
  • Betsy Veldman
  • Dawn McVey
  • Debbie Olson
  • Geny Cassady
  • Heather Nichols
  • Lauren Meader
  • Lisa Johnson
  • Melissa Phillips
  • Michelle Wooderson
  • Nichole Heady
  • Niki Estes

    • Tomorrow I will return with more peeks at the NEW! My Timeless Templates: It’s on the House and Keeping Tabs! I have been busy working on so many ideas for you.

    Also I am having Kristen host the My Time To Inspire challenge today, as I didn’t even get my own challenge done :C BAD HOST!!

     So check in with her-OK! As well as the other girls

  • Alicia
  • Dana G
  • Kendra
  • Kristen
  • Lisa
  • MacKenzie
  • Maria
  • Odette
  • Pam
  • Tamara Harder
  • Tracey Cuccia
  • Ill post top 5 later this week too!

    • Till tomorrow