Bake and Take

When Christmas comes around, a lot of us don our aprons, baking sheets and transform our kitchens into cookie factories! Here's a gift that clearly says "handmade with love" -- baked goods!

This Christmas, instead of not so eco-friendly packaging (ex. Styrofoam plates & disposable plastic), why not use containers that can be used even after the holidays are over? I'm thinking canning jars, biscuit tins or reusable plastic food containers like this:

I purchased these from Ikea -- three containers for on $1.99!

I cleaned the containers before lining them with this napkin
(doilies or parchment paper can be used, too).

Then I filled it with homemade brownies!

I put on the cover (don't you love this shade of blue?!) and
decorated with a tree ornament.

Three gifts in one -- the brownies, container and ornament!

You may also add a copy of the recipe and a greeting card to
complete the package.

Happy baking!

Gift Wrapping Ideas

Happy Monday Everyone! Last minute shopping and wrapping presents are occupying most of our time these days...Christmas is just a few winks away! This week, I'll be sharing some gift packaging ideas that are not only pretty for the recipients but pretty for Mother Earth, too!

Today's blah...these empty pint-size ice cream containers.

Tada! Washed clean and wrapped with colorful paper!
Finish off with a ribbon handle...

... or a delicate tassel.

Fill it with candies. Or stuff it with small gifts like cologne, warm socks and handmade jewelry. Then use this exceptional gift box again!

A Great Gift Bag

Hooray it's Friday! Can you believe that it'll be Christmas next Friday? Today, we'll end the week with a final paper bag project.

Today's blah...a plain paper bag.

Here's another blah...a printed paper bag.

Here's the Tada!...an all-occasion gift bag!

I transferred the handles from the printed paper bag to the plain paper bag (attached with hot glue) and decorated it with a cut-out whale (or whatever character you like). The whale is made of scrapbook paper (gift wrap remnants may be used too) and the whale's eye came from the bag of scrap. Alternatively, you can use a button or adhesive googly eyes if you have them.

Now this bag is ready of any celebration! Have a fun weekend lovelies!

Stamp of Approval

Happy Thursday! Today I have another paper bag project that's easy to do with the kids.

This paper bag contained some Chinese take-out from the other night. It didn't have any greasy stains on it so why not turn it into a Tada!?

Time to take out the rubber stamps & ink pad and stamp away!

Tada! Just by cutting around the image & punching a hole,
you have yourself a Christmas-themed gift tag.

An intricate stamp produces this gift tag
that you can use for any present.

Experiment with different ink colors and stamp designs for one of a kind gift tags that you can't buy in any store.

Bag of Tricks

This week on blah to Tada!, we're giving new life to paper bags -- plain, printed, old, new, big or small!

I love Whole Foods because they really encourage shoppers to carry reusable bags. If you happen to forget to bring your own, they have bags (made from recycled water bottles) for sale for $0.99. But if you don't wish to pay, they have these paper bags. This holiday version is particularly cute!

Too cute that I wanted see how many Tadas!
I could get out of one bag.

Tada! No. 1: A little gift bag for jewelry, make-up or
even a small device like an MP3 player!

Tada! No. 2: Festive gift tags.

Won't it look adorable on a present wrapped with
recycled things like packaging paper & old ribbon?

Tada! No. 3: Mini cards with matching envelopes.

Tada! No. 4: A decorative envelope that can hold a gift card!

Tada! No. 5: Gift bag decorations.

Even Martha Stewart will agree that this is a "good thing".

Add this to a fabric gift bag to encourage the recipient
to use the bag again.

Suggest ways to reuse it by writing on the tag: "Reuse this bag for your jewelry" or "Reuse this bag for your school lunch".

Tada! No. 6: Turn it into a cone for food gifts.

Add goodies like popcorn, truffles, peppermints
& small cookies!

This Package Says Party!

We're finding the different ways to reuse paper bags. Yesterday, it was all about plain paper bags.

What about the printed ones?

Tada! Turn them into envelopes for holiday invitations,
greeting cards or thank you notes!

Paper Bags

Happy Monday Everybody! I'm pretty sure your days are getting busier as Christmas approaches and I want to say thank you for still finding the time to visit my blog!

This paper bag from Starbucks is a real Tada!

It talks to you, in fact it orders you around --
in a good way of course!
I love the lines "So reuse it. Reincarnate it. Re-imagine it."
The future of this bag rests in your hands!

Don't reuse it once. Reuse it again and again!

It was this bag that inspired me to do a week's theme
of "paper bags".

Here are some plain paper bags that were used
to wrap my purchases from recent craft fairs.

I whipped out my funky stamp and ink pad to
decorate the otherwise blah paper bag.

Tada! It's now a gift bag!

Simply slip in a gift, add a tag & ribbon
and you've got an instant package!

And another piece of good news: this bag, ribbon
and gift tag can be used again & again!