Birthday Gift Bags with Wood Scraps

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with showing you how to use scraps of wood to decorate gift bags.

While we are home bound and parties are put on hold, our lives go on and that includes birthdays.  So I decided to take this time to create gift bags for those individuals we can't see and celebrate with at this time.

Using some left over scraps of wood, I used the Scroll Saw to cut the wood into party hat shapes then used the Delta Sander to sand down the rough edges.

After painting each with Plaid paints, I stamped and embossed each with a party stamp.  Then I used the Bench Drill Press to put a hole in each through which I threaded twine.

After decorating the gift bags, I tied the wood scraps to the handles like gift tags.

Thanks for stopping by.

How to Make a Gift Card Holder Using Exotic Woods

This gift card holder is sure to be a hit during the upcoming holiday gift giving season. Made from exotic woods, these double as beautiful tree ornaments.

Supplies for Making the Gift Card Holder

• Piece of wood 1/8"  x 12" x 3". Select a wood with beautiful color and/or graining such as purpleheart, bubinga, zebra wood, curly maple, etc.
• Wood glue
• Clamps
• 12" length 1/8" ribbon

Equipment for Making the Gift Card Holder

• Proxxon Table Saw FET
• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E
• Proxxon Disc Sander TSG 250/E
• Proxxon Professional Rotary Tool and Drill Stand

Instructions for Making the Gift Card Holder

1. Use the table saw to cut two 2½" x 3¾" x 1/8" pieces from your selected wood stock.
2. Use the band saw to cut two 1/8" x 1/8" x 4" and one 1/8" x 1/8" x 3 pieces for the inner spacer frame. Alternatively, this spacer can be cut as a one-piece U shape using the Proxxon Scroll Saw DSH/E with outside dimensions measuring 3¾" x 2½" x 1/8". For this tutorial I chose to use a three-piece frame spacer.
3. Set the angle gauge on the table saw to 45° and cut the angles on the three frame spacer pieces—two pieces measuring 3¾" long and one piece measuring 2½" long.
4. Glue and clamp the inner frame to one of the 2½" x 3¾" x 1/8" pieces. Set aside for glue to dry.
5. Glue remaining 2½" x 3¾" x 1/8" piece to the top of the inner frame spacer. Set aside for glue to dry.
6. Sand the completed piece on the disc sander or sand with the Proxxon Delta Sander OZI/E.
   
7. Measure and mark the center of the top of the holder, and drill a hole through both top and bottom pieces for a ribbon hanger.
8. Slide the gift card into the holder; thread the ribbon through the holes to secure the card; tie the ribbon ends to form a hanger.
   

Carole

Using the Thermocut to Make a Self-watering Planter from a Water Bottle

With Easter and Mother's Day right around the corner, this self-watering planter makes a great gift. And, since it recycles a plastic water bottle, it helps keep trash out of landfills—a gift to our environment.

Supplies and Equipemnt for the Self-watering Planter

• Plastic water bottle with a tapered neck
• 10" length of cotton kitchen twine
• FolkArt Painted Finishes by Plaid Enterprises
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Proxxon Thermocut
• Ribbons and tulle for the bow. (See the full tutorial on making the bow on the Bowdabra blog.)

Instructions for Making the Planter

1. Cut the neck from the water bottle.

1. Cut the cap from the water bottle.

1. Paint both sections with your choice of FolkArt Painted Finishes. It comes in rust, moss, concrete, and barnwood. I selected the Concrete Painted Finishes.
   
2. When the paint is dry, use low temp hot glue to attach the kitchen twine to the inside of the neck section. This will serve as a wick to draw water from the lower reservoir section to the plant in the upper section.
   
3. Add a bow to the bottom (water reservoir) section of the planter. (See the full tutorial on making the bow on the Bowdabra blog.)
   
4. Plant herbs or flowers in the top (neck) section of the bottle. 
5. Fill the bottom with water and place the top section into the bottom.