I love this time of year… the spirit of giving is in the air and it just feels so good.  So I decided to focus this week on one of my favorite types of cards - cards that incorporate or hold gifts. These gifts can include money, gift cards, bookmarks, photos, etc.

Today, I thought I would share a couple of ideas - one is for holding a gift card and the other has a pocket for money.

First up is a card holding a gift card.  It is such fun - when you pull on the knot, the gift card slides out.  (See the gift card peeking out there on the right?)  To see how to create this, check out the step photos below.

Card by Jennifer McGuire.
Supplies:

• Warm Wishes
  
• Holly Flourish
• Old Letter Writing
• Scattered Straw Distress Ink (pressed onto white cardstock to color)
• Tea Dye Distress Ink
  
• Black and Ruby Memories Ink
• Liquid Pearls (mixed with water and sprayed on the yellow inked piece and paper flowers)
• Silver Metallic Decor
• Felt Trees (leaves cut from the large tree shape)
  
• Poinsettias
• Card Template by Shari Carroll.
• Other: Mini Mister from Ranger (to spray), Scattered Straw Distress Stickles (rubbed on felt leaves to look like flakes of gold), silk ribbon from Creative Impressions, Starbucks gift card
  

To create the sleeve to hold the gift card, start with a piece of 4.5″x3.5″ cardstock.  Wrap the edges around the gift card as shown, ensuring the card fits.  Crease the “flaps” down.

Apply adhesive to the flaps and adhere them down to the card.  Add a stamped piece over the sleeve if desired.  This photo shows a peek into the construction of the sleeve.

To finish the card, you can use a small circle punch to create a notch for the knot to sit.  To insert the gift card, tie a ribbon around the gift card with the knot on the right edge. Slide it into the pocket sleeve, as shown in the first two photos. Easy and fun!

By the way, this card was hand-cut using a template created by my friend, Shari Carroll.  Want to create one, too?  Just print this template… FANCY CARD TEMPLATE.  Just line up the straight edge with the card’s fold.

Next, I have an wonderfully adorable pocket card from Lucy Abrams. She tucked some cash in the sewn pocket, but you could put a gift card in it instead.  I think I might make this one for a friend and include a gift certificate for my local stamp store!

Card by Lucy Abrams.
Supplies:

• Clear Design Holiday Sayings
• Clear Design Decorate Your Own
• Sparkle Clear Beautiful Christmas
• Silver Metallic Decor
• Winter Mixed Notecards
• Memories Black Ink
• Versamark
• White Embossing Powder
  
• Other: Copic markers, sewing machine

Time for YOU to join in…

This week I challenge you to create a new card or tag that incorporates/holds a gift, using at least one Hero Arts stamp or digital element. These projects can hold gift cards, bookmarks, money, ornaments - anything you can think of!  Just submit your creations to the Hero Arts Flickr Group by 11:59pm PST on Sunday, December 27th - this is a two week challenge due to the busy holidays - and be sure to tag them with the phrase “givingcards.” By entering, you could win a shopping spree of your choice of Hero Arts products from the Hero Arts Online Store! (Shipping charges apply.) Winners will also receive a 2010 Hero Arts catalog, sent separately. The prize amounts are as follows:

• Fresh Face Winner (someone who has not yet won a contest): $50
• Digital Winner (create something using a Hero Arts Digital Kit): $50
• 1st Place: $50
• 2nd Place: $25
• 3rd Place: $15

Again, this is a two week challenge. This week will focus on last minute holiday designs and next week we’ll share more cards that hold gifts, some of which will be non-holiday themed. Be sure to enter your creations… I can’t wait to see them.

Until tomorrow, happy stamping!

Filed under: givingcards

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 4:00 am and is filed under Motivation Mondays. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.