Blog Swap {Always Just a Mom} + giveaway winner

Happy Monday everyone!

I am so excited to announced the

giveaway winner

for my 100 follower giveaway.

And the winner is:

Katie @ EyeSpyDIY who said

...I, of course, am a follower of your great blog!

Congrats, Katie. 

{I'll be contacting you shortly!}

I also want to thank everyone for following along.

This weekend Ginger Snaps passed 200 followers!

{I'm so doing the happy dance!}

Next giveaway will be a 250 followers.

So keep checking back.

I hope everyone had a wonderful

Mother's Day weekend.

I'm so excited to have

Stephanie from

Always Just a Mom

over today for a blog swap.

{Take it away, Stephanie.}

*****************************************************

Hi. I'm Stephanie from Always Just A Mom!  I've loved learning more about blogging and it's been fun to showcase some of my crafts, my etsy shop (you'll learn more about that this week), adventures I take with my boys, stuff I love online, and well anything else I want to share!

I'm a wife to one handsome guy and the crazy stay at home mom to two little boys (String Bean (3) and Biscuit (2)) who are 13 1/2 months apart!  We never have a dull moment around here!!

I love blogging, paper crafting, gardening, organizing and cleaning, and most recently decorating.  I've become obsessed with reading how other people make this amazing home decor out of a shoe string and paint stirrer sticks...it's awesome.  I've started bookmarking and coping all the fun stuff so one day my home will also look amazing!  (Right now we're going for the Early American Garage Sale decor...but we'll move up!)
One of the most amazing concept about blogging is the connection you make to those who have similar interests and passions.  I love that I have this whole community of women (sorry guys...right now I really only follow women...if anyone knows a good "dude" blog hook me up) who are also dealing with toddlers, a small budget, learning how to make trash into treasures and well...just the stuff one deals with when they are a mom!  So...Ginger...thanks for having me over here on your blog today!  This is fun and don't forget to check out Always Just a Mom for some Ginger Snap Crafts
One of my favorite tools in my craft room is the Martha Stewart Scoreboard!  I got mine at Michael's last fall when I had one of those sweet 50% off coupons (I paid like $12.99 for this baby and it has been put to use)!
I would like to share one of my FAVORITE and QUICK crafts...gift card envelops!  Creating a gift card envelop takes about 3-5 minutes and it really adds a nice, personal touch to the gift card you're giving!
First start with a piece of cardstock cut into a 5 x 5 square.

Next you will pull out the envelop guide to make your score lines. 

For the gift card envelop you will be scoring two sides at 2" and two sides at 2 1/2".

 Then take your score and just follow the lines down your paper.  This first line is A (2 inches) and then turn it to the next side and that is line B (2 1/2 inches), then 2 inches on the next and 2 1/2 inches on the last side.

 You can see my score lines on the cardstock here:

 Then use your scissors and cut each of the triangles where the scoring lines meet.

 This is what your envelop will look like without those cute triangles (same piece of paper...lighting is just off).

Then fold on all four of the score lines.

 You will want to cut the bottom flag straight across.

 Use adhesive on each of the side flaps.  This will allow you to easily attach the bottom to complete the envelop but also still allow for the gift card to go in easily.  (You can use adhesive tape as I show here or even just a glue stick works great!)

 Then to close the envelop find a fun shape punch that is not too decorative (star, heart, basic flower-shown below).  Punch it in a separate color, I chose white...but you can use whatever works with the design you're using.

 Then center the bunch on the TOP flap of your envelop (the one not glued down) and make the punch again.

 You will now have a punch on the envelop and a little flower, in my case, on the side in a nice contrasting or coordinating color.

 Use a small raised glue dot and stick that to the actual flower and then hold down the upper flap of the envelop and stick the punch through the whole on the envelop.  This will ensure that it will line up and stay shut.  This is the back of your gift card envelop.

 I decorated mine with a "THANK YOU" I cut out in this fun and funky garden paper...but you could put whatever you want on the front! 

I love making these because 1) they are quick and 2) they add a little more "fun" to just giving a plain ol' gift card!

Thanks again for having me today Ginger!  I enjoyed swapping blogs for the day and hope your readers did too!  Feel free to drop by Always Just A Mom to see Ginger Snap Crafts today!