BC#77 -- Holiday Decorations....Sort of!

OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here and take a huge "creative" leap! This week's challenge was to submit an ornament or holiday decoration. Well, truthfully, I don't have anything on hand....nor the time to create something; BUT, I have been working on a gift basket for my Secret Santa gift at work. (I mentioned this a week or so ago....and promised to share!) So, that's my "challenge" this week!

You see, I had the "good luck" of drawing the youngster in our group....she's adorable, and sweet, single, a great worker.....and 27! Sigh!! (Can I even relate to a 27 year old anymore?!!) So, choosing a gift for her was....well, shall we say "difficult?" As I created things for the past month, I just add duplicates to her basket....since I decided to make a series of small things for her. The main gift is a bottle of perfume from Avon, called, Wishing you LOVE. (See the rectangular box in cream with red dots, bow on top?) She has a new beau that she is just crazy about, so it's appropriate, don't you think? It smells lovely AND it was on sale, leaving me lots of extra $$$s in the $20-$25 budget! I wrapped it in a retired piece of Designer Series Paper (from last year), so that it would match the overall color scheme. The round container is a candle in a can....in a gingerbread scent......altered, of course, to match. An adorable store-bought snowman ornament is in the Kraft box; decorated Peppermint Patties are in the home-made box tied with the Wild Wasabi Ribbon; an altered date book (from Target $ Spot); and a hard-covered journal and matching little pad and pen are from Michael's dollar bin.....just added a bit of ribbon and her initial for personalization.

Here's the basket, all assembled. I picked up this oval tin months ago from the Target dollar spot, although it was slightly more than a dollar. Added the snowflakes, which were simply punched out using the Snowflakes Sizzlets from my Big Shot. To add them to the tin, I simply used glue stick....and, yes, it worked!! Amazing, isn't it? I just love the way they kind of "pop" against the green tin. Guess I should have used Very Vanilla CS instead of the Whisper White, since it would be more in keeping with the whole color scheme....but, what is done, is done, and I like the look anyway!

So, all of the above were added in, along with that cute stuffed snowman decoration (from an outlet store), some chocolate pretzel sticks that I dipped and decorated myself. Then added in some shreddie, of course, and for a little added color....and for her infamous "sweet tooth"....sprinkled in a handful of Cherry Cordial Hershey's Kisses. They are so yummy!! Then everything was tied up with that scrumptious Riding Hood Red/Very Vanilla Grosgrain (from the Holiday Mini) and that cute oversized tag from this post.

I stretched that money as far as I could! Hope she likes everything.....I know she has a sweet tooth. Of course, she's thin, thin, thin!! Can't wait to give it to her this Wednesday at our office party!

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you'll stop in to see what the others have been up to.

NOTE: I am not going to list the stamps and accessories used since there are quite a few items in this basket. BUT almost everything used is from SU (except the gifts, themselves), much is retired. PLEASE feel free to contact me if you have any questions!!