Coloring Travel Set (Or one cheap present)

So a couple weeks ago I found myself in the unique predicament where on one Saturday Hunter had a baseball game, Ainsley had ballet, and we were invited to four birthday parties and one more playdate.  Yikes!  So while one birthday party and the playdate didn't happen (enough is enough), I did have to think up several inexpensive presents that would be fun to receive without breaking the bank.  I came up with these:

 What is it you ask?  A travel coloring set.  Actually, it's a cheap placemat, a ribbon, a pack of twistable crayons, and one covered composition notebook.  That would be eight dollars total and some time to make. I can afford to make several of those, thank you.

 So I folded up the bottom of the place mat so that the composition book when slid inside the pocket would sit even with the top edge. Then I measured and sewed the sides and pocket lines for twistable crayons.  I made sure the large pocket was centered in the middle so the side would fold evenly over.  Then I flipped it over and sewed the ribbon down the center but only from the large pocket edge to the other large pocket edge, so that it was only secured on the center back third of the placemat (that way I could tie the ribbon when the set is closed).  I used my silhouette machine to create a fun graphic for the front of the book and cut out the child's name.  I glued it on pretty paper, glued that down to the front of the comp book and then "laminated" it with clear contact paper (the kind used for lining shelves).

 Here they are all stacked up.  Aren't those little tags cute?  You can find them here to print them. Tie them with a bit of twine and you are set.

You know the best part about this present?  You don't have to wrap it either which also costs money for the bag, tissue paper, card, etc. which gets tossed immediately.  To which I ask, "why buy wrapping then?"  This present looks like it's wrapped and the wrapping IS the present.  Hey, I'm economical too!

Or just super duper cheap.  That is also a possibility.  I'm sorry if the kiddees don't like it.  It's all I could come up with on a miniscule budget for all those parties.