Secret Santa for teachers

So, I'm trying to do some handmade presents this year. At work we do Secret Santa. Monday - Thursday we give $2 gifts and on Friday we give about a $20 gift. Then we leave for Christmas break, which is really the greatest present of all. :-)

The person I drew had a few things I honed in on. Here is how my days are looking:

Monday: Six pack of Sprite Zero
Tuesday: Hot chocolate mix in a zippered pouch
Wednesday: Lanyard and a Reese's Peanut Butter cup
Thursday: 100 calorie pack rice cake things
Friday: Tote bag and a gift card

We fill out a questionnaire about our favorite things to give our Santa, so everything was chosen from that list, wait did I mention she loves zebra print and her favorite color is pink? Bingo!

I made this pouch from Patty's tutorial again. Super fast.

It has a hot pink inside.

And I measured it to fit this cute hot chocolate packet I found at the store.

I made a lanyard out of a 6 inch strip of the same fabric folded up like a strap and stitched down both sides. I added on a clasp to the end. Teachers always wear these for keys and ID badges. Vera Bradley ones are hot right now, but why pay for someone to manufacture something homemade looking? I saw a cute one with small yo-yos on it...oh, the possibilities.

Here is a close up of the clasp I used from the jewelry department at Joann's.

For Friday's big gift I mad a matching tote and I will put a gift card in it. I didn't use a pattern for this, so if anyone is interested in a tutorial let me know. It's four rectangles and a strap. It took about 20-30 minutes total. Oh, and it is reversible.

I did different colors of thread in my bobbin and needle. That gave me hot pink top stitching on the zebra side and black top stitching on the pink side. 

I made it flat bottomed so when she carries binders or paperwork in it it will stand up a little better.

All stuff a teacher can use right? I would have gone more handmade, but I hardly know this lady. I was scared I would turn into a Secret Santa horror story..."One year my Santa made me an entire week of zebra stuff she made herself. I was so tired of zebra I never wanted to see one again!"