HopeAbound: Storing Reciepts: Homemade Receipt Box

I'm excited to be able to participate this year in the Holly Bloggy Christmas that Simply Sweet Home is Hosting. Make sure to link up your creative sparks. For more information and party schedules, head over to Simply Sweet Home.

Last year, we made our own Cajun rub to give everyone. This year will be a bit different...we're not exchanging gifts like old times. Just the kiddos...and that's how it should be.

But...you know me. I had to make someone something. Of course I can't say who yet, because that'll just ruin the whole surprise of it all.

Sometimes when I'm trying to figure out what I want to give someone as a gift, my inspiration ends up being right under my nose...or on my very own desk per say.

I know I cant be the only one that has a hard time corralling all those wasteful store receipts. So I got to thinking. This person...who ever she may be...could use a receipt box.

It all started with this:

A blank wooden box

Inside, I lined it with pages out of a book. I like the way it gives it a nostalgic look. I got this look with modge podge and some twine.

After letting the book pages dry (which wasn't easy for me to do), I grabbed two different paint colors and got busy painting. Pink and green...cant go wrong there.

Now for the dividers. I went ahead and assumed that Office Depot wouldn't have tiny file folders that I could modify, so I decided to create my own.

5 1/2 inches will do perfectly.

The paper that I used came from my crazy srapbooking stash. Talk about retro. I drew up my own template, traced, and cut them all out.

Pulled out my lovely label maker and printed up some tabs.

I thought that these four categories were the most popular and if "she" needed anymore tabs, "she" would let me know. (Remember, "she" is the receiver of this gift)

Once I finished the dividers, I looked at the box and thought it was a little dull. So I found this die cut in my stash and thougtht it would look cute placed on the front.

It received a nice shade of green paint as well.

After placing some of the retro paper as it's background, I attached it to the front with hot glue.

And here she is...a lovely receipt box. I'm almost tempted to keep it for my self.

With a nice coat of wrapping paper and a big red bow, this will look nice in a friends hands this Christmas. And I only spent...maybe $2.00..and that's for the box, paper, glue, etc. I love being able to give without spending a fortune.