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Cheap & Cool Gifts #1: The Book Lover's Bag

Used books are not only cheap, they are also something that becomes more beautiful with age, especially old hardcovers. Also, used books are perfect for any reader, be they young or old. There are old classics, vintage pulp fiction novels, adventure stories for kids, and if you're willing to spend the extra cash for someone special, first editions. Granted, giving a person a used book might seem a little overly thrifty, but properly packaged, even the most obsessively anti-used book person will be delighted. You will need:

• One used book
• Some ribbon, preferably about 3/4 of an inch wide. it's good if the ribbon matches the book, that way it shows that more thought was put into the gift and it also makes the present more eye appealing.
• One small and undecorated coffee cup. These can usually be bought factory outlets.
• About two scoops of coffee beans or ground coffee.
• Some tissue paper
• Some more ribbon, this time thinner, about 1/2 a centimeter thick
• A gift bag. Again, it is good if the gift bag matches the book somewhat.

After you have all of your things together, you can start making your gift! The larger ribbon (3/4 of an inch thick) will be used to create a bookmark. Unroll the ribbon and place it inside the book. Make it so about three inches is sticking out of either side of the book. Cut the ribbon. Then, cut a triangle piece of of each side of the ribbon so the ends are diagonally cut. After that, tie a knot in each end of the ribbon. That's your book mark!

Then, cut out a square of tissue paper large enough to fit two scoops of coffee into. Put the coffee onto the tissue paper. Then, fold up the sides of the tissue paper and tie the second thinner ribbon around the stem of the tissue paper. Put this inside of the coffee cup. Put the bookmark inside the book, put the book and the coffee cup inside the gift bag, add a card, and you're good to go!

November 15, 2004 at 06:26 PM

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