my last-minute gifts: kerri bradford & lori whitlock blog party

It's day two of the "Last-Minute Gifts" Blog Party! You'll want to stop by kerri's blog, to grab your freebie shape for the day. Remember, it's only free for one day, and then it goes into a kit that can be purchased at the end of the week. You'll also want to stop by both kerri's blog and lori's blog, to find the details to be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card. My projects went up today, so I thought I would share them here. And if you read all the way through, you might find a little giveaway here as well ;) 

I often make little cards, or envelopes, for giving out gift cards. I didn't set out to create this fun box, for holding a gift card. But it turned out, that the size I choose to cut my box in was quite a bit smaller than I realized, once I assembled the box. It turned out to be the perfect little size for a gift card.

I used Lori's box with bracket flap (SVG's on Lori's site. shape also located in Lori's Silhouette store), and cut it from some red tone-on-tone pattern paper. I used a few snowflakes from Kerri's This & That Winter: Shapes Only kit, and adhered them to the front of the box using glitter brads.

When I saw Lori's Photo Box (SVG's on Lori's site. shape also located in Lori's Silhouette store), I knew I wanted to create a few, for sharing photos with family over the holidays. I have family members that we only see a few times a year, and Christmas is always one of those times. 

I tend to save up photos of our family, and my girls, and hand them out when we see everyone. I think it'll be so much cooler to hand them out in such adorable little boxes. And the recipients can easily keep them in the box, until they're ready to find a home for them.

I embellished the front of the box, with a loopy frame from Kerri's Life Additions #1 kit, and some pretty flowers from her Modern Nature kit.

With several golfers in my family, golf balls are a very popular gift of choice around here at Christmas time. There are usually a few boxes under the Christmas tree, or tucked in stockings. Instead of leaving them in their original boxes, I thought it would be fun to create a more unique box to hold them in.

I cut the "Play Hard" title from Kerri's The Ol' Ballgame kit, to add to my boxes. I love the grungy look to it.

Love the amazing details, that cut perfectly on my Silhouette.

Lori's Bracket Closure Box (SVG's on Lori's site. Also located in Lori's Silhouette store) was the perfect shape for it. When I adjusted the size of the box to fit the width of the golf balls, the box ended up being just long enough to hold four golf balls.

And now for the giveaway part! Kerri and Lori have generously given me a $25 shopping spree to EITHER of their stores, to give away to one lucky blog reader. Just leave me a comment, telling me your favorite handmade gift that you love to make every year, for gift giving. I will announce a randomly drawn winner on Friday!

Comments

[Carol]

I love to give cookies wrapped in handmade containers.. Who doesn't love for Christmas?!

[Paula]

Thanks for the chance to win! Every year I wind up giving away the starbucks bottles full of candy and all scrapped up and I also love to scrap the altiod boxes. Both are always a big hit!

[Sue D]

Great variety of gift ideas--thanks! I like to give homemade caramel corn as a gift.

[Trisha]

Laura,

These boxes are so beautiful. Love the card boxes. What a fabulous idea. Thanks for letting me know when your post for today was up. Love your work. patnbobcuddy at gmail dot com

[Cheryl L]

I love to make ornaments!!! The ones that use the Mop and Glow and glitter!! Thanks for the chance to win and LOVE your projects.

[carol in seattle :)]

This year I'm making aprons for all four of my kids. My oldest (20) moved out last spring and my three littles love to help me cook. I'm so excited to give them their aprons!

[Alison]

I like to make sets of cards as gifts. I just made some photo boxes literally last night!

[Kate aka stinkydudette]

Super cute projects! Would you believe, I have a library full of shapes but not Cameo? lol... Hoping Santa will bring me one this year cos I've ben a really good girl! Even if he doesn't, I'm still gonna get one! Haha...

[Sara Rossi]

Those are the cutest ways to give gifts! Love them! REAALLLY want a Silouette, ENABLER! ;)

[Kristine]

Love the gift boxes, especially the one that holds extra photos. I'll have to do that for my sister-in-law. Every year I like to make calendars as gifts with photos from the previous year.

[Diana A. in Omaha NE]

I try to make cookies or almond bark pretzels... love the boxes.

[scrappychick]

Laura, I love your boxes! So cute! As far as Christmas gifts, I have made CD case calendars the past few years- I got the files from Shabby Princess and just add the pictures. I don't think I will be having time to do them this year- I might have some disappointed peeps- everyone seems to love them!

[ana roat]

My favorite are cookies, cookies and more cookies...especially biscotti with a bit of coffee, tea or hot chocolate to the side. The individually wrapped cookies are best since they stay fresh until the receiver is ready to enjoy!

[peggy grant]

I like taking spoons, dipped in melted chocolate, add peppermint sprinkles, cover with clear wrapping and tie with red ribbon...then dip into your hot cocoa or coffee...the chocolate melts and gives that sweet taste that llingers!

[Marilyn Bronson]

I love giving paper crafted mini notebooks to all my neighbors. I love your projects and just got a Silhouette Cameo. Can't wait to learn the cutting process. Merry Christmas!

[Chris Dring]

These projects are amazing! Love them all! I love to give brownie mix presented in mason jars. (where you layer all the dry ingredients). Add a hand made tag and wham-bam-thank-you-mam! Instant gift! LOL! Thanks for the chance to win!

[Carabus]

OMG! All of these projects are so clever and gorgeous! wish I knew a golfer so I could make that box! lol!

[Cherie Goyer]

Super cute! these are all fabulous ideas! I love the photo holder!! I usually am a baker and love to bake things for people, and giving them the recipes! Its the best of both worlds! food and paper :)

[ConnieC]

I love your projects. Thanks for sharing them.

[Wendy Crowe]

Love the photo holders! This is great for the guys who don't like photo albums. What a great idea~

[Janet S]

I love to make homemade dog biscuits to all my pet loving friends. Thanks for the giveaway!

[Angie]

Since having kids I love to give out gifts with their handprints on them to the grandparents. Its easy, fun to make, and so loved by my parents and in-laws!

Thanks for all the amazing ideas this week!

[Cynthia B.]

Awesome! I especially love the golf ball box - that distressed "play hard" cut is SO cool.
Handmade gifts...I don't make a bunch, but I LOVE to bake banana bread and brownies, so that's what I always give to neighbors for the holidays - packaged nicely, of course. :) Papercrafting does come in handy that way!

[sarah boden]

I love to make treats in my kitchen!

[Katrina]

Such great ideas! I don't make the same gifts every year, but this year I'm making a little abc book for my niece that has photos of family members and other things that she likes. Thanks for the chance to win!