A Few Hearts

I think wrapping gifts is a lot of fun. There are so many ways to get creative and throw in a little recycling.

Today, I'm turning this empty paper towel roll from blah to TADA!

I cut up the paper towel roll into circles, then carefully bent the top and bottom to form a heart shape.

I'm using yarn {scored at a garage sale} and hot glue to spruce up my cardboard hearts.

Here is a heart all wrapped up.

I pinched the bottom and kept the ends together with hot glue. I think this helps keep its shape.

I attached the hearts to a strip of yarn.

And used this to add life to a blah gift bag.

TADA! Another adorable embellishment for the next gift to be given away.

Cardboard Crafts

One of the ways I like to recycle cardboard is by making gift embellishments. I made some yesterday and also shared a tutorial a while back. Here are a few more that I made, just to show you the versatility of this craft:

This one's made with plain periwinkle yarn, sequins, and stickers, all with the help of hot glue.

These are assembled using multi-color yarn, brown paper bags, craft stamps and ribbon remnants. Cardboard has now been transformed from blah to TADA!

If you were to make your version, what would you use?

Embellishments for Gifts

I hope you had a restful weekend! It's still very cold in these parts and being stuck indoors is the likely option. But that ain't a blah proposition if there's crafting involved. Here's what I made this weekend:

I cut out a few hearts from cardboard boxes I found in my recycling bin. Cookie boxes, packaging for vitamins, old gift boxes...that kind of assortment.

I used cookie cutters to help make perfect hearts.

I wrapped each heart with yarn and added a few odds and ends like buttons...

Paper hearts...

Glitter stickers...

Brown paper bags and craft stamps.

I'll be attaching these to gifts, turning them from blah to TADA!

Etsy Special Delivery Project

Confession: my husband and I aren't really into Valentine's Day. But I do like to make Valentine cards. Cards that I give to other people. 

My "other" guys and girls are some elderly folks from New York City. You see, I'm helping out Etsy for their "Special Delivery Project".

Would you like to help out? Just buy a card from your favorite Etsy seller or make a few. Write a short message and then send these to the Etsy office. All the cards will be given to City-Meals-on-Wheels who will then distribute the cards together with a nutritious meal to the elderly. Food and cheer...isn't that TADA!? 

Here are some of the cards I crafted:

I played around with blah junk mail and a craft punch.

The deadline for these cards is on February 3. For more information, you can read the guidelines here.

Happy crafting and happy weekend!

Heartfelt

How are you lovelies? Over here, the heavens have been generous with the snowfall. 

It's pretty and poetic but boy is it freezing! It's easy to just stay under the covers and watch a movie. Or to add some TADA! to a blah day, some crafting.

Dress up some card stock with watercolor and TADA!, greeting cards for all this year's birthdays:

I can't wait to write in these and send them on their merry way. I have a feeling my friends will like the surprise in their mailbox.

Sweet Snail Mail

I'm one of those gals who still sends birthday cards -- the ones that have a handwritten note and are sent by mail. Oh yes, did I mention, I make the cards, too?

Since the handmade route is what I chose to traverse, why not go all out?

 I always keep a good amount of colored card stock.

They make a great backdrop for the imagination to run wild.

I like using pastel watercolors. For this card, I'm working on a fiesta theme.

 And a fiesta isn't complete without pennant flags or buntings.

TADA! Just one of the many birthday cards I'll be making this year.

Kicking It Up a Notch

Do you ever look at a craft you made and think, "I can make this better"? It happens to me. A lot. Here's one of those times:

This is one of the gift tags I made last week. The clear beads at the center of the flowers is glitter glue. It didn't seem to shine as I expected.

So I added some sequins instead. I think these add some dimension and sparkle.

Here are what the other gift tags look like with some sequins {attached with white glue}. I think they're a little more TADA!

I tucked the cards into their envelopes...

And tied them together with a ribbon, some pompoms and TADA! -- instant gift for a dear friend.