Googly Tags

This is a guest blog post for my sister's shop, Millymog (her blog is here). 

Hello! My name is Bexx and I am Emma's much younger sister (Sorry Em, couldn't resist!). I live in Southern Maryland with my husband, two little boys & cat. I occasionally help Emma out tweaking images for the Millymog website but more often you can find me sewing, knitting, crocheting or papercrafting. Emma asked me if I would share an easy craft project on her blog, so here it is!

When we were kids, our mum & dad would wrap our Christmas presents and separate them out in the living room. Our older brother Richard's presents would be on one chair, mine on another, and Emma's on the sofa. However, they would NEVER EVER have tags on them, so usually at least twice on Christmas morning, a non-plussed Emma would open up some underpants, or Richard would be stunned by a beautiful make-up set. I am now a huge fan of using gift tags, one per gift.

I'm going to share with you today how I whip up cute and easy gift tags for all occasions. They don't need a lot of fancy equipment, although there are a few things that would be helpful, if you REALLY get into making tags.

Step 1: Make or buy your tag. You can usually buy luggage labels from WHSmith, or from places like Amazon or eBay. If you've bought them, skip to step 2. However, if you want to make them super personalised, it isn't difficult. First up, find some good card. I like to use neutral colours so that when you're writing them, you don't need a fancy pen. But coloured card also looks awesome.

Next, you need to cut your card to about 10cm x 5cm, or 4in x 2in. Then, mark a spot in the middle near the top of your tag. That's where your string is going to go.

If you want to reinforce the hole, punch out two 1/2" circles and stick them over the dot. You can use any colour for this, cheerier the better!

You then need to punch your hole in the tag. A standard office hole punch works perfectly for this, or if you have a craft punch, that works too. Just make sure that, if you used reinforcement, you wait until the glue has dried. Otherwise your punch is going to mangle the whole thing up.

Next, you need to add your string. I use a lot of baker's twine - it's cheap, readily available & cheery! But you could use garden twine for a rustic look, wool if you have it lying around, anything really. You need to fold your length of string in half, poke the loop through the hole, then string the ends through the loop. You just made a Lark's Head knot, former scouts & guides!!

Step 2: Stamp your image on your tag. I used a stamp set called Fox & Friends from Stampin' Up!, but you could use anything with eyes. I also used Stampin' Up! ink as I have it on hand, but there are lots of different brands available from craft shops.

Step 3: Take your googly eyes (get them from that craft shop we mentioned, or raid your kids' art box, or sometimes you can find them in haberdasheries) and glue them on. You're all done! Easy eh?

Step 4: Run with the concept and make tags for all occasions. Here's a Hallowe'en tag using exactly the same idea, and a Christmas tag to which I added a couple of jingly bells and replaced the googly eyes with glitter glue.

I've enjoyed blogging with you today. I'd love to see your tags - check out my own blog, the Dented Spoon, if you'd like to share your tags with me, or to see more ideas.

Bexx xxxxxx

Lucky Lady

I looked around at my wonderful friends at the "workshop" tonight and I felt very blessed. When we lived in Lancaster, UK, we both worked full-time, so we barely saw Jacob during the week, and needed the weekends to recover & do all our household chores. Consequently we had very few friends, and none that we saw regularly. Well, now I have a circle of friends, most of whom I see around once a week, and I just love it. They are all awesome!

Anyway! I promised you projects, so here we go!

The first project was a Ghoulish Googlies tag. It was pretty much straight from the kit, and we put two stamped cookies in the little bags. For some bizarre reason I failed to take a picture. Sorry! I suspect I might have actually convinced at least one of my friends to try that kit - WOW! I am the opposite of a hard seller. In fact, given the chance, I'd just give all my stuff away.

Second project was a Hallowe'en card:

For this I used the Toxic Treats stamp set (127901 - $20.95 (CM), 127898 - $28.95 (WM))I got FREE in the Printer's Tray kit I blogged yesterday. I just love this set. Usually I gravitate more towards "cutesy", so I would never have bought this set, but now I have it, I absolutely love it. I need a personal shopper that buys what I would actually use, rather than what I think I would! I also used some of the Howlstooth and Scaringbone DSP (126906 - $10.95), some bling, and some of that luscious striped ribbon (127837 - $7.95). This card went down very well! Lindsay flipped the papers over and improved the card IMHO. I just love when people improve on your stuff!

Lindsay with Chrissy working away in the background.

Finally - my "piece de la resistance" (please correct and add accents as appropriate - my French is woeful):

S'mores in a jar! I got the recipe from here - how cute is it! I love, love, love this, and if someone were to give me this as a gift, I think I'd burst with excitement (as Jacob would say). If you look closely, the fabric is from the "Deck the Halls" pack (currently on the Clearance Rack for $0.99 - yes, you read that correctly). I decided it looked reasonably fall-y. Then there is Island Indigo ruffled ribbon and the tag was a hybrid project. Go me!!!! The front of the tag was first of all printed with DSP from MDS, then I traditionally stamped the jar from the Perfectly Preserved bundle (129944 - $38.95 (CM), 129943 - $44.95 (WM)) and die cut it with the Framelits included in the bundle. Then I stamped & die cut some apples, stuck them on the jar, and finally die cut another jar (without stamping) from vellum. I only stuck that down at the top, to prevent the glue showing through. Finally I die cut the "lid" from the same fabric.

This was the back of the tag:

All done in MDS2+  (130647 - $79.95)!!! After a few teething problems, I am now IN LOVE with this program. How cool is it to be able to do stuff like that? Best bit was, I didn't have the paper I wanted, so I just went online & bought it - so easy & simple (& dangerous). Then I sent them to the printer, which is just a bog-standard HP number, and voila!

Kerry and Zhenya

I am very cross with Lovely Heather as she didn't let me take her picture. Grrr. I'll get you next time, gadget!

All in all, a happy evening, and I am going to bed tired but happy. My SU! objective for the night was to persuade someone to book a party with me, but I failed, as I was gassing too much. Oh well! I will take a photo of the carnage of my dining room tomorrow - it might take me a wee while to get tidy ever again!

Colour Challenge

Francesca threw down the gauntlet in my blog group this week with this fabric swatch:

The colours are: Baja Breeze, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade, So Saffron, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade and Tangerine Tango.

Well, about this time of the month, I start thinking about the month's Christmas cards. If you didn't already know, I take part in a Christmas Card Challenge throughout the year on Splitcoast Stampers. The idea is, you make a certain number of cards each month, so that there is no panicking in November. Works for me, last year I sat down to a lovely box of handmade cards. Some people even write them as they go along!

Anyway! I decided that this colour scheme wasn't too far from festive, so here's what I made!

 

The card base is Chocolate Chip, then the snowflake circles are in Poppy Parade, Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze and Lucky Limeade. Finally the "tag" is in Soft Suede (didn't have Creamy Caramel) with gold embossing powder and backed by the irresistible Champagne Glimmer Paper. Finally, a bit of Lucky Limeade ribbon and some Early Espresso baker's twine. The stamp set is a retired hostess set called Northern Hearts. I doubt I'll ever part with it as it's kind of Nordic which I love. You could get pretty much the same effect using "Snow Swirled", a current set. I punched them out using a "best fit" philosophy which has kind of a neat effect. 

One Sheet Wonder - quick cards!?

After being inspired by Amanda, I decided to have a go at a one sheet wonder myself. That's where you take one sheet of DSP/plain paper stamped all over, and make a certain number of cards using it. This particular OSW, from LeeAnn Greff, also used 3 sheets of plain cardstock, so she calls it a Four Sheet Wonder.

I also used the set Happiest Birthday Wishes (a retired Hostess set) for all the sentiments. Whilst I was making the cards, I wasn't liking them an awful lot (more to do with my DSP and colour selection than anything else), but boy, did I get 10 birthday cards done quick!

My next project is going to be another OSW for Christmas cards I think. I also think I'm going to trade out the Melon Mambo pieces for a coordinating DSP just to give a bit more interest.

Supplies for 100.25-100.34: OSW Tutorial from LeeAnn Greff, Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, Naturals White, Whisper White cardstock, Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point ink, White, Melon Mambo and Wild Wasabi embossing powder, Scallop Trim punch, Cupcake Builder punch, Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp set and assorted odds and ends of embellishments!

Wahey - Authorised to seek Employment!

Not quite sure what I need to do in terms of Social Security but I now have a work permit!

I have also designed & made 5 out of my target 15 or so cards... so I'm getting there. I'd like to get another two done today, as my lovely next-door-neighbour is coming over this evening after our respective boys are in bed. Should be manageable. After having a total dearth of inspiration this week, I woke up bursting with ideas this morning. Brill!

I am planning on including a coordinating gift tag with each card, but I am not sure whether to make this a surprise freebie, or to include it in the pictures and details. I think including it makes more sense but I am slightly hesitant for some reason!

Thank-you Tags

Just as a little "thank-you" for the guests at my Stamp Night on Friday, I have made them each 3 Christmassy tags. I wanted to make a tag for one of the projects on the night but I felt three cards were probably plenty with some new stampers expected to attend. So I've made little gift bags instead. Here's a look:

Supplies for Blue Tree Tag (all Stampin! Up): Bakers' Twine, Pool Party ruffled ribbon & Designer Printed Brad, Pool Party Cardstock & Ink, Whisper White Cardstock, Island Indigo Cardstock & Ink, White embossing powder, Paisley Prints stamp set (retired), Dear Santa stamp set.

Supplies for Green Tree Tag (all Stampin' Up): Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Big Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Pennant Builder punch, Crumb Cake cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Old Olive ink, Cherry Cobbler ink, Pear Pizazz ink, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, Jolly Holiday DSP (retired), Holiday Hoopla stamp set (retired), Pennant Parade stamp set.

Supplies for Stocking Tag (all Stampin' Up): Cherry Cobbler scallop dot ribbon, Baker's twine,  Stocking builder punch, Whisper White cardstock, Garden Green ink, Silver Glimmer Paper, Frostwood Lodge DSP, Stitched Stockings stamp set.