Megan Hoeppner with Creating Keepsakes Magazine shows us how to dress up, clip up and wrap up a simple gift card.
Gift cards are everywhere these days. Even gas stations and grocery stores have gift-card stands. Their popularity makes sense—they’re great for the hard-to-shop-for and you can get them for just about any store. Some argue that gift cards lack thought and personalization. To that I say, dress them up and/or pair them with a little something extra. It makes giving the card as fun as receiving it—a win, win!
BABY BOW TAG
Know someone with a baby or small child to buy for? Attach a card to a tag and clip a child’s hair bow to the tag to dress it up. The recipient will get the hair bow and the card to a favorite store, such as Baby Gap—two gifts in one!
Variation: Have mismatched baby socks in your arsenal? Turn them into bitty gift card stockings. Clip the hair bow to the sock to doll it up and add to the gift.
CASSETTE TAPE TAG
Give an iTunes gift card a retro feel by attaching it to a tag that looks like a cassette tape. Simply use patterned paper and some buttons to create the tag. Attach it to some ear buds for added impact.
Variation: Make the iTunes card double as the wrap for the ear buds by wrapping them around the card and putting it in a small bag.
CUPCAKE CARD
Gourmet cupcake shops are all the rage. Give someone a sweet treat by putting a gift card to such a location inside a cupcake liner. Then insert the liner and card in a cellophane bag, wrapped with a ribbon and small cupcake tag to complete the look.
FASHIONISTA TAG
Buying someone clothes can be a challenge. Simplify the process with a gift card. Make a tag that looks like a closet/wardrobe with doors that open to reveal a card to a favorite clothing store. Tie the tag to a scarf, socks or gloves with a message that reads, “Have fun completing the outfit.”
BITTY BOOK TAG
Give your favorite bookworm a gift card in a bitty book tag. Simply attach “pages” to a tag with a cover that reads something playful like, “The Complete Idiots Guide to Buying Books.” When you open the pages, you’ll find the gift card.
GIFT CARD GARLAND
String a bunch of envelopes on a cord with some pretty beads, making a garland with chipboard letters on each envelope to spell a holiday word, such as “merry.” Inside each envelope, include gift cards. This is a great one to use when giving an entire family a gift. Contain a card for each family member inside a different envelope.
CLOTHESPIN CARD
You don’t have to purchase a store’s gift card to give a certificate. Instead, make up your own family coupons. This example shows a card that reads “I will do your laundry for a month.” Attach the card to a tag with a tiny clothespin to further the theme. This would be fun for a parent to give a teen or for a child to do for a parent.
MANICURE CARD
Give the gift of beauty by inserting a gift card for a manicure inside a pair of gloves.
BOTTLE WRAP CARD HOLDER
Wrap a pretty water bottle with paper and attach a gift card to a health club or Jamba Juice.
Variation: The same can be done with a movie theater mug and tickets or a theater gift card.
CARD IN A CAN
Buy a bitty pail, insert a photo pick (those wire guys that hold photos) and fill the pail with candy (such as Hershey Kisses). Attach a card to the photo pick so that it’s sticking out of the pail.
CANDY BAR WRAP
Wrap some pretty holiday paper around a full-size candy bar. Include a pocket that contains a gift card to a restaurant and a message that reads something like “It’s okay to eat dessert first,” or “You’ve got the dessert, now go get a delicious meal!”
BIG BUDGET TAG
Give a larger sum of money for furniture by attaching a Pottery Barn gift card to a chair ornament and attach the chair to a bag. Inside the bag, include the company’s latest catalog.
Variation: This is a great idea for the guys in your life, too. Give a tool catalog in one gift bag with a bitty gift bag attached to the bag containing the tool gift card.
For more creative ideas from Megan Hoeppner, visit her blog at meganhoeppner.blogspot.com. She’s the creative editor of Creating Keepsakes magazine, so you can also find her there, both on their blog (CreatingKeepsakesBlog.com) and their website (www.CreatingKeepsakes.com).
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