Thrifty Christmas: Gifts Under $5, Candle

THRIFTY CHRISTMAS TIP: Barter! K and I have a client that owns a Hallmark store...and we barter this time of year! It's great, it doesn't work for EVERY gift on our list, but quite a few. Just remember when you barter, it's not free money, you have to give something in return. So do you have a family member, neighbor, co-worker that has a product that would make a great gift for someone you know? Do you have a skill or product you can exchange in return (it could be baking several dozen cookies or holiday pies, what about sewing?, maybe you're mechanically inclined and can "fix" things...) whatever it is, start networking, you never know what you may come up with..

Now for today's Thrifty Christmas Under $5 Gift... Everything that I used to package this up was used from my "stash" of paper crafting supplies. Which is one of the reasons this is a "thrifty" gift...I didn't have to go out and purchase anything to wrap it up with...which makes it "thrifty". Keep that in mind when your making your little gifts into a little something "more"...use what you have on hand...don't go out and buy...that sort of defeats the purpose!

Today's Thrifty Gift is....

A candle (one we bartered for...wink!). So below is the start of the candle, nice gift, but sort of "blah"...

Below I added some ribbon from my stash and a glittered snowflake tag... it gave the candle a little "personality" I think...

Below I placed this candle in a "bag in a box" (see the tutorial here: http://dianagibbs.typepad.com/stampin_with_di/2008/06/box-in-a-bag-tutorial.html )

It was a PERFECT FIT! (note this is the smallest jar candle that Yankee Candles makes). I have also been using up my stash, now if you're a paper crafter, at some point in time I'm sure you've been suckered into the patterned paper pads...I know I have...and more than once...LOL... I found a non-Christmasy paper that I thought went along with the color of my candle that had "potential". Not only that, I finally am using that "great" deal I bought 2 years ago (that paper pad! LOL!).

I changed a few things on my box in a bag from the tutorial because I didn't have a few things the tutorial called for...such as the tab punch that was used...I simply used a circle punch and folded them in 1/2 and used that as my "faux" handle. I also added glittered covered paper snowflakes instead of buttons...to give it a Christmasy feel. The ribbon is from my stash.

Recipe: Pink Paper from paper pad, Black cardstock from Joann's

Punches: EK Success Circle, Fiskars Treading Water, Martha Stewarts Snowflake

Ribbon: Stash

Glitter: Martha Stewart
Die: Cuttlebug Tag