how to make a pretty gift card envelope

 

here's an idea i meant to post about before end-of-the-school-year teacher's gifts were given.  because gift cards are all the rage for those, right?

not that i receive any end of the year gift cards from my students.
but i do get a dandelion picked for me every afternoon. :)

just file this one away for next year.  

or maybe make a few and keep them on hand for the next gift card giving need.

 materials used

thick kraft paper

half a doily

sewing machine, thread, etc.

embroidery floss, baker's twine, clothespin, punched scrap paper

it doesn't take much effort to make a pretty gift card envelope.

and i bet you have stuff in your stash to make one at no-cost.

i folded scrap kraft paper in half.  then i simply traced the card and cut about a 1/2" outside of those marks.  i did not cut the folded edge.  next i flipped the tracing marks to the inside and folded the other direction.  i added the doily, sewed up the two short ends with my sewing machine, and trimmed the extra doily edges.  this created a pocket with one long open end.  after slipping in the gift card, i tied up the pocket with twine and floss.  i added a little tag and clipped it on with the mini clothespin.  voila!  a pretty (reusable) gift card envelope!

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let me tell you a super cool story that goes along with this gift card.  remember that fundraiser danielle was hosting?  the one to help pay for her family's adoption of sweet little sergey?  

well, i actually won one of those great prizes.  a $100 gift card to target in fact.  i was pleasantly surprised and had dozens of ideas of what i would buy.  a hammock or a bike for gia, maybe new bedsheets. . . you get the picture.  i had ideas, people.

well, about a week later, i was getting ready to buy a shower gift for a couple from our church.  they are in the process of being licensed and are planning to adopt through the foster care system.  i checked my invitation, saw the "registered at target" note, and planned on finding something practical and cute.  but then the mail arrived.  and in the mail, i found this sweet note and gift card from danielle.  right away, i knew the card was not mine to keep.  it was never mine at all.  it was supposed to be for this new family.

i e-mailed danielle later that day to tell her this story.  i wanted to thank her for answering God's call.

good and unexpected things come from faithfulness.

beautiful mama-to-be erica at her adoption shower

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UPDATE:
silly me for not stating this in the original post, but i think my brain tucked away this image from ashley ann and decided to pull it out when i was making this envelope.  i wasn't purposefully recreating this project for myself, but, nonetheless, there it is.  does that make sense? 


in no way was i trying to claim this as incredibly original or innovative, but i also want to give props where they are due.  sometimes i see so much stuff online, that i don't process where it leads in my creative process until after the fact.  my apologies for not including the link to her blog earlier. 
xoxo, annalea 

get your craft on tuesday