when gift-wrapping FINALLY becomes an olympic event...

...i'm fairly confident of scoring at least a bronze medal. maybe even silver, if they have a special category for giftbags. i made a lot of giftbags this year. (note to the retailers of the world: why does nothing come IN A BOX anymore?? eh???!? boxes are reassuring. and easy to wrap. we customers LIKE boxes, ok?!? thank you.) i chose to further specialize in the verrrrrrry-VERY-last-minute, mass-produced but personalized, digi-hybrid bag. want to see some? (please note, the continuation of today's blog post depends on your saying, "YES" at this juncture.) (no pressure.)

i made kid ones:

(digistuffs: jolly little friends stickers no 1: mindy terasawa, designer digitals; kraft diecut paper pack (re-colored): jessie edwards, designer digitals; font: cafe rojo; software: broderbund printshop; scrappistuffs: brads: making memories; cardstock: staples; plain bags, adhesive felt snowflakes, jingle bells, ribbon & maribou trim: michaels; adhesves: 3m foam tape, hot glue)

i made lady ones:

(digistuffs: free fancy gift tags set: rhonna farrer, 2peas; swirly frame brushes; scrap-n-fonts; software: broderbund printshop; scrappistuffs: fancy velvet brads: marah johnson, creative imaginations; gems: mambi; spray ink: smoosh; glitter & silver ink pens: sakura; glossy photo paper: kodak; plain bags, tissue, lace, deconstructed poinsettia & holly garlands: michaels; adhesve: tombow mono runner, 3m foam tape)

i made gentleman ones:

(digistuffs: see-through snowflake elements: rhonna farrer, 2peas; distressed edge tool kit: rhonna farrer, house of 3; powder paper pack: gretchen thomas, designer digitals; fonts: bleeding cowboys, freeze, porcelain & metallic avocado; software: broderbund printshop; scrappistuffs: acryllic snowflakes (made into dangles with jumprings & fishing wire): mambi; snowflake stickers: ek success; snowflake punch: papersource; brads: making memories; cardstock: staples; plain bags, tissue, ribbon & trim: michaels; adhesves: 3m foam tape, hot glue)

there were a few more, but they were basically variations on the same themes. i'm proud to say that the bags were a big hit, as were the presents within, which consisted mostly of giftcards and savings bonds, with a variety of small presents: xmas ornaments, candy, lipgloss, reindeer slipper socks (a HUGE hit with the nieces) and so forth.

before i go, here is lauren's "blindingly obvious--in retrospect" tip of the day: if you're the only crafty member of a group participating in a "secret santa" type gift exchange, making personalized & embellished giftbags WILL NOT help preserve your anonymity. not even a little bit. :)