Box Bags!

Yep, still more Christmas gifts to catch up on.  I made my first box bags over a year ago (also for gifts!) from Stacy Schluyer's tutorial.  And in rereading that post, I see that I had mentioned making some the next Christmas for some teenage sisters I know - I had totally forgotten about that idea, and yet that's exactly what I did!  One of my friends has three teenage daughters who are very close in age, and I usually make/give them similar things, especially since I don't know them really well these days.  But I do ask their mom questions and pay attention, so I was able to customize these to their favorite colors and interests.  I made two box bags for each one - reversing the lining/outer fabrics.  I also made matching key fobs.  And I heard later that they were a huge hit. :)

I also made box bags for the older sister.  Hers used a brown linen blend as the outer fabric, leftover from the stockings I made for our family for Christmas 2011.  This one is lined with leftovers of a cat/bookshelf print I used to line an Amy Butler Swing Bag I made for her six years ago.

And this one is lined with a neat travel print - leaning tower of Pisa, Eiffel Tower, things like that.  It reminds me of how her bathroom is decorated.  Her key fob was a Tinkerbell ribbon, leftover from the trim on a pillowcase I made for her three years ago.  She loves Tinkerbell. :)

I have to say that I really like these box bags as gifts.  I need to remember to make more next Christmas!  They're easy to make, easy to customize to the recipient's interests, economical (especially if you can get a good deal on zippers - I buy mine from Cleaner's Supply), and so very useful.