Holiday Idea #2 - Gift Card Packaging Ideas

There's a new party on the block.  Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk is hosting a weekly Wednesday party called "The Boardwalk Bragfest"  This is how Jan describes the party:
"Link your favorite project, whether it's a craft, DIY, recipe, furniture revamp, gardening sculpture, landscaping, poem.  No restrictions.  The "Boardwalk Bragfest" is your chance to show us your talent, and we would love to see it!
I am pleased to join Jan for her first Bragfest.  You can link to her party here.
Today I'm posting about gift cards.  I would imagine I could do an entire post on the pros and cons of giving gift cards for the holidays. But love them or hate them, they are definitely big business.

There are a few people on my shopping list who receive gift cards from me because it works best for both of us. But just because I'm giving a gift card doesn't mean I can't jazz the gift up a bit! So today I thought I would post some ideas on how to "dress up" our gift card gifts (ignore the fact that I used the same Blockbuster Gift Card in all of my photos!). Don't worry, these ideas are all very inexpensive.

Do you have a seamstress or crafter on your gift list? How about taking your JoAnne's, Hobby Lobby or Michael's gift card and putting it in a jar of buttons. Decorate the jar with some lace and ribbon and top it off with a measuring tape and button. I found all of these items at thrift stores for under $3.00.  (This idea would also work well using coffee beans in a jar with a Starbuck's gift card).

What about a book lover??  Gift cards to Borders Books or Barnes and Nobles are popular.  I found an inexpensive book at a thrift store ($1.00) that had previously been a library book.  The library check-out  envelope was still in the back of the book.  I carefully removed the envelope and moved it to the front of the book and made it the holder for the gift card.  I stamped Merry Christmas on the envelope and added a little gift tag.

My sister lives out of town and I typically send her a gift card to a favorite retail store.  This year the card is going in style.  Just last week I found this vintage shoe form for $3.00 at an antique store.  I added a little bling to the front with some vintage earrings.  I still need to add a high heel to the form (I'm going to get a pair of high heels at the thrift store and take the heel off one of the shoes).  The gift card fits perfectly in the front slot of the shoe form.

We all could probably use a gift card to the home improvement store.  If you have someone on your list who wants a Lowe's or Home Depot card why not slide it into a vintage folding ruler.  I've seen prices all over the board for one of these but I found some at a flea market for $1.00 - $1.50 apiece.

Is someone you know having a baby?  Add a gift card for baby items in an old baby shoe or tie it to a glass baby bottle.  This shoe could be further embellised with jingle bells or a pink or blue ribbon for the laces.

How about the camera buff?  Gift cards for picture developing or photo books might be welcome.  Adding the gift card to a thrift store frame makes for a nice little gift.

These are just a few of the ideas that I was able to get pictured.  I know you will be able to come up with your own ideas and I would love to hear them.  Leave me a comment and let me know how you give your holiday gift cards.

Happy Shopping!

Jane