Think outside the box. In this case, the box happens to be shaped like a Chinese food take out box.
As a teacher appreciation gift, I gathered each students words of thanks and printed them. Once cut, the strips of paper became the fortunes for the cookies. Each take out box was painted by yours truly with blue and gold sponging with added cherry tree branches and blossoms. The phrase, “We are FORTUNATE to have you as our teachers” was written in take out box style. The box was then filled with the homemade fortune cookies with the students’ praise tucked safely inside. This was a fun teacher gift that was inexpensive but impactful.
The boxes came in a multi-pack so I still had a few to spare. With a birthday party quickly approaching and no idea what to get the birthday boy, I went to my go to gift. Cold. Hard. Cash. Always a winner. Being me, I can’t just hand over a few bills and call that a cool gift. Over the years I have come up with some fun ways to give cash gifts. Ideas from money leis to filling balloons with dollars, from candy jars with hidden cash compartments to origami money. After making the real fortune cookie teacher appreciation gift, I turned to my craft cupboard to come up with an easier paper adaptation.
Money is dirty so putting money into real fortune cookies seemed like a big waste. I designed a way to make fake fortune cookies with paper. Same visual impact but without the risk of ingesting a bunch of germs.
Supply List
- Small denominations of money (lots of ones and fives)
- Tan or manilla colored construction paper or cardstock
- rust colored pastel chalk
- Drinking Glass or cylinder about 3.5 inches in diameter
- pencil
- glue gun
- hot glue gun sticks
- scissors
- take out styled gift box
- permanent marker
Instructions
Step 1:
Use a pencil to trace the glass or cylinder as many times as possible on a sheet of tan construction paper. Depending on the size of the gift box and how many dollar bills you have, you may need to use a few sheets of paper. Use scissors to cut along pencil lines. There will be a bunch of three and a half inch circles when you are finished.
Step 2:
Trace along the edge of each circle with the rust colored pastel chalk. Lay the circle on top of some scratch paper and rub with your finger to blend along the edge. This is to give the “cookie” a golden baked look like what is found on real fortune cookies. Repeat this process for each circle.
Step 3:
If you want the dollar bills to resemble the thin strips of the paper fortunes, fold dollar bills into quarters lengthwise. So, fold twice in half lengthwise. Then fold in half the opposite way. Or just fold it up however makes you happy. Basically, just fold it up so it is mostly hidden in the circle.
Step 4:
Place the folded money in the center of a circle, be sure the colored edges are facing the outside. Gently fold in half to line up the opposite round edges, without creasing, and put a dot of the hot glue along the top of the circle’s edge. Press edges together until glue is cool enough to stay put.
TIP: Do not use tape, it won’t hold. Use a little bit of hot glue to hold the edges in place. Tape will just pull apart in time. I know from experience, I tried multiple types of tape.
Step 5:
Gently push up at the center of the fold until the “cookie” bends. Put a dot of glue near the bend and hold it together until cool. Your cookie is finished. Place in the take out container and repeat the process with the remaining circles.
Step 6:
Decorate the outside of the take out container with any message or design that seems appropriate. To keep it simple, write with a black permanent marker ” I am fortunate to be your friend.”
The original teacher appreciation gift with the real fortune cookies was painted with craft paint. Blue and metallic gold was sponged on first as a back ground. Then a thin artist brush with burnt sienna paint was used to drag out crooked branches. Once that was done, pink and white was added for cherry blossoms in clusters along the skinnier branches.
This fortune cookie money gift is great for birthdays, graduations or any special events. It is pretty easy to pull off and is a fun way to step up your gift giving to a whole new level.
This may not be a home improvement post, but it is still one of those things that sparks the creative ideas. When you create, no matter what it is, you foster the imagination and that can lead to all sorts of fun home improvement ideas. So, enjoy some craft time. You never know in what way it will inspire you to further make a house a home.π
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Wow!!! I love this idea. β€β€β€β€β€
Now I’ll have to watch for a.m opportunity to use it.
Wow!!! I love this idea. β€β€β€β€β€
Now I’ll have to watch for an opportunity to use it.
Thank you! As the boys have grown, getting birthday presents for their friends is always a challenge for me. I don’t want to purchase something that will never be used. Cash is king and everyone seems happy to receive it. We have worked on lots of ways to present the simple gift of cash to make it more exciting than handing over an envelope. This is always a crowd pleaser!