3 DIY Gift Card Envelope Ideas to Make Giving a Gift Card More Special
by Robin
I made these DIY Gift Card Envelopes because I love and loathe giving gift cards.
I love them because, for some people on our list, a gift card truly is the best choice.
- We’ve got family who’ve downsized and don’t have the room to store a physical gift.
- We’ve got wonderful people who help us, who we want to thank and know that giving them a gift card is a way to force them to treat themselves.
- And there are one or two on our list who are so hard to buy for even they have trouble choosing things for themselves! Gift cards can be a good choice for so many reasons.
What do I loathe about giving gift cards?
Just one thing really: they just seem too easy and impersonal.
I love to give my loved ones something that says how much I appreciate and care for them.
A gift card is a great gift, but it’s too quiet. It doesn’t holler from the rooftops how much I value the giftee.
So, this year I decided to get a little more inventive and create a personalized envelope to wrap the gift card in. I made three.
Each DIY gift card envelope took about 20 minutes to make and cost less than $1! The best part is they made giving a gift card a little more meaningful with a DIY from the heart.
Such a small investment of time and money, but I think the message of care and thankfulness grows with this little craft. Here’s how I made these…
How to Make a DIY Gift Card Envelope
DIY Gift Card Envelope Materials:
- craft felt in a few colours (I found felt sheets at Michael’s for less than 50 cents a piece. You can use other fabrics, but felt is the simplest because it doesn’t fray.)
- embroidery floss in a few colours (I had a pile left from the needlepoint stockings I made years ago)
- buttons (I have two jars of buttons that were part of my grandma’s sewing stash. I love to keep them, but love to use them more.)
- pins, needle, scissors
- hot glue gun
DIY Gift Card Envelope Steps:
1. Measure your piece to cut. 4 inches wide was the perfect width.
2. Cut your 4-inch wide strip.
Make sure it’s at least 5 inches long.
Fold the bottom of the felt over the gift card so it covers the card to your liking. Pin the sides.
3. Trim the flap to suit the look you’re after.
I trimmed mine into a triangle.
4. With the embroidery floss, stitch around the envelope.
I used the blanket stitch because it’s simple and has the vintage sort of look I was going for.
Remove the pins. Your envelope is made – all that’s left is the decorating!
5. Decorate whatever way inspires you!
For the first one, I cut some simple trees out of green felt and simply hot glued them onto the back of the envelope.
I added simple buttons to the tops of the trees to represent a star on top.
6. Add a button and tie to hold the envelope shut.
For the one below I chose two buttons and combined them together for a pretty look.
I am really happy with how they all turned out!
I made another with a larger felt tree and button garland.
There are so many fabulous things to make and do at Christmas! Here are some more of our Holiday Ideas:
- 20+ Creative DIY Upcycled Christmas Decorations
- Easy Prep Christmas Countdown Activities
- Dollar Store Christmas Decorations
- Keepsake Christmas Crafts to Cherish Forever
- Holiday Free Printables for Gallery Wall
- Easy, Natural Holiday Nut Wreath
And so many fabulous things to cook! Check out some of our Christmas recipe ideas:
- 20+ Unique Christmas Cookies for Cookie Exchange this Year
- 20+ Easy, No Bake Christmas Desserts
- Christmas Cranberry Apple Cobbler in the Slow Cooker (a decadent breakfast idea!)
- 20+ Holiday Crockpot Side Dishes
- 20 + Holiday Instant Pot Side Dishes
- Stuffed Turkey Breast Wrapped in Bacon
This project first appeared here in 2012 – updated in 2020
Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 30 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.
These are super cute! Gift cards seem so much 'nicer' than cash…. but— they are plastic debris that ends out by the millions in the trash and ultimately in the environment. Please consider super cute origami $$ bills with a loving message.
Well, I have learned to love gift cards because I don't want to pile junk I like on people, but I enjoy giving gifts. There are so many gift cards and they are sold in the grocery stores! I got my daughter's BF one for Subway as he occasionally likes to have lunch there. Also, my Mom (impossible to buy for) loves to sew and makes aprons, pillows, baby clothes, you name it. for friends. So I get her a card for Hancock's or Walmart (cause that's all that's available). Also, my pastor, I don't know what he needs or wants so I give cold hard cash. I give these in a regular Christmas card with my sentiments written in. I sure haven't heard anyone complain!
Here is the right link for the budget linkyhttp://family-budgeting.co.uk/2012/12/13/the-bumper-christmas-on-a-budget-linky/
Thanks, Becky! I linked up. Your blog looks great – I'm going to spend some time there soon!
Oh this is so lovely Robing do come and link up at The Bumper Christmas on a Budget Linky http://j.mp/TWsBDG
These are so cute–and then the receiver gets a great envelope to re-use. One year I made fabric gift bags to "wrap" our Christmas gifts in, and my mom still uses them every year. She always makes me give the bag back after I've opened my gift. 🙂
Thanks, Rita! I love wrapping that can be given over and over. I have a paper gift bag stash that allows me to wrap things nicely, without buying anything. Your cloth bags sound great!