Sunflowers, Handmade Gifts & A Little Encouragement

Sometimes a handmade gift is about more than the project itself. It’s a small way to let someone know they are loved, thought about, and not walking through a difficult season alone.

Recently, a friend and her family have been going through some challenges, and a group of friends and I wanted to do something to let them know we were thinking of them and praying for them. We decided to put together a little care package and I volunteered to create a handmade card and gift box to go along with it.

I also picked up a cheerful bouquet of sunflowers because, honestly, sometimes a little sunshine in flower form is exactly what’s needed! 🌻

I wanted the handmade pieces to coordinate with the flowers, so I reached for the Radiant Sunflowers stamp set and the beautiful fall colors in the Sunflower Fields Designer Series Paper. The result was a coordinating card, gift box, and tag for the flower jar.

The Sunflower Card

I used the Radiant Sunflowers stamp set and on of the patterns from the Sunflower Fields Designer Series Paper to create the card.

I colored the stamped flowers with Stampin’ Blends in Daffodil Delight, Cajun Craze, Calypso Coral, Petal Pink, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, and SU200. I fussy cut the large center flower and popped it up with Dimensionals for added dimension.

For the jar, I used my Cricut with an image from CTMH’s retired Artistry Cricut Collection (image #M40FB6F.) I cut it from Two-Toned Basic Gray cardstock, added some details and shading with Basic Gray ink and a marker, and then stamped the “You are loved” sentiment from the Banner Sayings stamp set onto a piece of white cardstock inside a die cut heart. (Since the sentiment is one line, I masked it twice so I could stamp it on two lines and make it fit inside the die-cut heart.) After stamping the sentiment, I adhered the jar with Dimensionals.

I layered the white cardstock piece onto Cajun Craze cardstock and a scalloped rectangle die cut from one of the Scalloped Christmas Cheer Dies in Early Espresso cardstock. Then I added the Sunflower Fields DSP to the card base, and finished it with a double Linen Thread bow.

The Coordinating Gift Box

I wanted the gift box to coordinate with the card, so I used Early Espresso cardstock for the box base and Basic White cardstock for the lid.

I chose a different pattern from the Sunflower Fields DSP, matted it with Cajun Craze cardstock, and adhered it to the top of the lid.

For the focal point, I stamped “Thinking of You” from the Radiant Sunflower stamp set onto a piece of white cardstock, matted it with Cajun Craze cardstock and then adhered it to a smaller die from the Scalloped Christmas Cheer Dies cut from Early Espresso cardstock.

I added another stamped and colored sunflower along with a few leaves to the upper right corner.

And, of course, the best part was what went inside! A few friends chipped in, and we were able to include several gift cards and some cash. I wrapped everything in cheerful yellow tissue paper before placing them inside the box. It turned a handmade box into a little package of encouragement and practical help.

A Little Tag for the Flowers

I also wanted the flowers to have a handmade touch, so I created a coordinating tag for the jar.

I used the Scalloped Christmas Cheer Dies again and added a sentiment from the Prayers & Promises stamp set: “Praying that the Lord’s promises will bring you hope & comfort in the days ahead.”

I tied the tag to the jar with Crumb Cake Jute from the Neutrals Jute Combo Pack.

A Little Handmade Sunshine

I love how the card, box, and flower tag coordinate with the sunflowers, but even more, I love what they represented. I’m grateful for the opportunity to surround good friends with a little extra love and encouragement.

It reminded me once again that handmade gifts don’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. A card, a box filled with a few practical gifts, and a jar of sunny flowers can simply say, “You are loved. We’re thinking about you and we’re praying for your family.” 🌻

I hope these projects inspire you to look for your own opportunity to share a little handmade sunshine with someone who could use some encouragement.

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