Protecting Shoebox Items

 While we can't pack "breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers" in our shoeboxes, sometimes an item may be a little delicate.  I've ran into this before with say a plastic toy with some fine parts, or sunglasses that also have the risk of scratching.  As I tend to pack my boxes very full, sometimes there's a little pressure built up in the box and I worry about that damaging an odd item.  In the past I've often packed them right next to the soft stuffed animal as it's sure to have some give in it to protect them.  Another way I address the concern is wrapping the item in something soft, and/or putting it inside a tin.  Here's a couple of examples.  

How do you pack items that worry you in shoeboxes?

Crochet Flower and Heart Pins Instructions

Small handcrafted accessories are great to add to an Operation Christmas Child shoebox and these crochet flower and heart pins are perfect to tuck in a corner of a box.  Chelle, from Chelle's Caybees, wrote up these instructions for the ones her mom Vickie makes and donates to our packing each year.

We have packed literally hundreds of these in our OCC shoeboxes.  We have used many to share with the seniors and shut ins of our church, too (check out our Facebook page if interested in helping the elderly:  Serving Seniors and Shut Ins).  We also tuck them into pencil cases for fillers we send (see The Pencil Granny and Friends on Facebook for details of packing school supplies to donate as fillers if you are interested).

Crochet Heart Pins

Supplies:  small amounts of Worsted Weight Yarn and an F Hook (I usually use 1-2 sizes down to make it tight) I used an H hook here so the stitches would show better.

Instructions

DIY Ribbon & Bead Necklaces for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Upcycling items into quality crafts for Operation Christmas Child is a great way to pack shoeboxes on a budget while enjoying the creativity of crafting.  Suzanne, from Sew Delightful, creates simple necklaces for shoeboxes from costume jewelry and ribbon.  She shops estate sales and thrift stores for deals on the jewelry as well as bulk beads and makes hundreds of unique, one of a kind, necklaces.  She also uses purchased pony and other beads she finds on clearance.  Suzanne is very generous and ships many of them to us to use in our shoeboxes each year.

We shared an unboxing video on Simply Shoeboxes YouTube when two of Suzanne's boxes arrived in the mail; and interest was sparked in the necklaces.  I decided to share a quick overview here and on YouTube (see video below--it shows more of Suzanne's designs) so others could enjoy seeing them and making some of their own.  This is a great project for groups to do together -- even good for children to be a part of.

Add brightly colored new beads to duller upcycled ones.

Ribbon Necklaces Using Upcycled Costume Jewelry and Plastic Beads Tutorial

February Item of the Month for OCC Shoeboxes ~ Accessories

Samaritan's Purse has suggested items of the month for packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, and for February it is accessories...like jewelry, watches, hair bows, etc.  These are fun extras to add to a box.  They often don't take up much room, so can be a fun way to add more items in the limited space of an OCC shoebox!

Accessories can be on the more practical side-sunglasses, watches, headbands to keep hair out of the way or toward the more fun side like jewelry.  As a child accessories can make one feel special

KIPP Brothers/Toys Product Reviews for Items to Pack in Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

I have been doing reviews on the Simply Shoeboxes Facebook page of some products I've bought online for my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  I hoped to help people know what they're getting before they order, and thought I'd try to start doing blog posts of them, for those who may not be on Facebook.

We had ordered from Kipp Brothers years ago when packing OCC shoeboxes from a VBS offering at our church, and were happy with the items.  Now, like a decade later I looked them up online.  They have free shipping at $250.  I watched their Facebook page for a while, until I saw free shipping deal on $100 (+10% off, which was more manageable for my budget.  It has some items just by a dozen, but many come by 50 or a Gross (a dozen, dozens = 144). 

Note:  Links in this post were up to date at time of publishing. Some items may no longer be available.

Metal Stone Rings $16.95 for 36, so $0.47 a piece.  I really enjoyed having a ring or two like this as a child, so when I saw them I decided to send them in my 10-14 girl boxes.  They say

Crochet Shell Pattern Coin (Change) Purse Instructions ~ Designed for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

A Simply Shoebox reader and avid Operation Christmas Child shoebox packer, Pam, crochets hundreds of change purses for shoebox gifts each year.  She mentioned needing a new design so I asked her to email details of what she would like.  I decided to try and design a few for her to choose from while I waited to hear

Crocheted Pony Tail Holder Tutorial ~ Ruffly Scrunchie Perfect for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts

Years ago my youngest daughter wanted a football themed birthday party--she was turning 8 I think.  So we invited a couple of her friends to spend the night and I asked each to pick their favorite football team.  I crocheted team colored items like little footballs and pony tail holders for each girl (all the patterns I invented for myself--this was pre-internet).  This year I was able to get some free hair bands at Rite Aid for my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and I decided to pull out those old ruffled scrunchies and see how I made them to add color to these otherwise boring bands. And if the little girl doesn't have enough hair for a pony tail