I thought I'd show how I dressed up the boys' gifts this year. Money is the same old, same old Christmas gift for them...but it's easy for me, and always happily received by them. But just so it's not completely boring, I like for there to be some element of surprise as to how it's presented. There was the year of the origame 'candy' box. And last year I tucked Chandler's into a box of beef jerky, and Bobby's into a jar of candy.
This year I thought I'd make a pad of money that they can peel a few bills from as needed. I actually thought about it early, and went by the bank a couple of months ago for crisp, uncirculated $1 bills. I also ordered padding compound...not sure the link is the one I bought, but it had a nice photo that shows the process, so I linked it. The amount used is miniscule, so I'm going to have to make a lot of notepads or something.
I used some chipboard cut to the size of the bills to give it a firm back. I just stacked the bills and the chipboard and clamped them with binder clips. Then I painted the padding compound on the left end.
After it dried, I cut some patterned paper a little longer so that it would wrap around the bound end, and I used double-sided tape to adhere the patterned paper to the back. That way none of the bills were damaged, and the cover will stay on even after bills are peeled off.
I designed the cover labels on the computer and printed them out in Christmas colors. Chandler got his license this year, so I labeled his 'Ga$ Money.' I cut an oval out of one cover so that George Washington's face from the top bill showed through.
I also knit each of the boys a cap. I tucked their money pads into the appropriate kid's cap and wrapped them up.
When they opened them, they were gratifyingly impressed with the concept of a pad of money. They weren't sure it was real money. I assured them that it was and that it would be accepted anywhere they chose to spend it.
And they were all gracious enough to pose in their knit caps for a quick photo. Uncle Jared (far right) got in the photo too since he was wearing the same cap which I made for him a couple of months ago.
After it dried, I cut some patterned paper a little longer so that it would wrap around the bound end, and I used double-sided tape to adhere the patterned paper to the back. That way none of the bills were damaged, and the cover will stay on even after bills are peeled off.
I also knit each of the boys a cap. I tucked their money pads into the appropriate kid's cap and wrapped them up.
When they opened them, they were gratifyingly impressed with the concept of a pad of money. They weren't sure it was real money. I assured them that it was and that it would be accepted anywhere they chose to spend it.
And they were all gracious enough to pose in their knit caps for a quick photo. Uncle Jared (far right) got in the photo too since he was wearing the same cap which I made for him a couple of months ago.
What a lovely idea, Kathleen - and a shame our lowest denomination of paper money here in the UK is £5, otherwise it's one that I may well copy! Happy New Year to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteIf the lowest denomination of paper money we had in the US was a $5, they would have received some might thin pads, Caroline! :) I thought they looked pretty thin as it was, but there were fifty $1 bills in each of the pads shown.
ReplyDeleteA great idea but here in Australia, we have done away with $1 and $2 notes and have gold coins instead. Anyone would be pleased to receive a pad, I'm sure!
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