Present for a teen

I am very fortunate to know one of the loveliest thirteen year old's on the face of the planet and this present was for her.  I made a little needlebook with her initial and a felt flower embellishing the front (following my basic instructions from here), a stitched notebook with an elastic closure, some covered bulldog clips and a paper covered pencil (paper glued on with Mod Podge).  I put it all in my reusable gift box.  I am so glad she loved it.  For a long time I avoided giving homemade gifts because I thought they might look too hokey or wouldn't really be well received so it warms my heart so much to know people who really appreciate the thought and effort of a handmade gift.

Here are a couple of photos just to show you how I added the elastic closure to the notebook.  I cut two slits in the back cover (just wide enough to slip the elastic through)....

slipped the elastic through, stitched the elastic together on the inside ....

so it looks like this:

and then you can just pop it around to the front to hold your notebook closed.

I embellished the front with punched flower centres and butterfly, I cut the scalloped flowers out by hand (you have no idea how much I would like a scalloped circle craft punch - in many different sizes in case anyone who buys me presents is reading this!) and I drew the stems and leaves with a fine point black felt tip pen.

Now, onto my ever burgeoning list of Christmas presents!  As Matsutake says, No sleep til January!  lol.