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.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Hello dear friends, I hope your weekend was spectacular! I was invited to a party on Saturday and thought it be proper to bring along a dessert for sharing and a hostess present. Here's the gift that I made:

Remember on Friday, I turned blah card stock into TADA! gift tags? Well, I made a few more! I used watercolors, with books and magazines as visual references.

Designed for ladies or little girls.

Cards that are kid-friendly.

Inspired by chalkboards.

Made with the help of a craft punch.

I added double-sided/mounting tape on the back of each gift tag to make it easy to stick onto any package.

Then I found this plastic canister. Any jar or box would be a good alternative.

I added some sparkly confetti...just for a little TADA!

Then I filled the canister with the gift tags I made.

As a thoughtful touch, I included some white ink pens that will work perfectly for the black paper. 

And of course a note of gratitude and an invitation for more celebration. TADA!

Color on Black

I started this week with a little tidying up:

I turned a small accordion envelope into a gift tag organizer. I labeled each compartment with occasions that require gifts throughout the year like "birthday", "Christmas", and "all occasion" that I can easily personalize with a handwritten note.

I've stashed some store-bought sticker labels and tags in it, but I've been making a few of my own, too. 

I like using card stock for its weight and thickness, plus there are many colors available. I got these at a craft store and they're easy to purchase at an office supply store, too.

Today, I'm using the black card stock.

I trimmed it down to a smaller size and rounded the corners with a craft punch. With some watercolors, I added some cheerful blooms:

 Red peonies

 Lavender blossoms

 Chamomile buds

A white pen would be the perfect way to write on this gift tag. Just add double-sided tape at the back to quickly stick onto party parcels. TADA!

Have a marvelous weekend guys!

In Living Color

This week is all about gift tags. I always have them at the ready because there's always a birthday gift to be wrapped. 

I found these envelopes in my craft stash. I no longer recall where I got them and for what purpose. I guess it's time for some blah to TADA!

I'm using some card stock that I got from a cool sale.

I trimmed them into these cards that can fit right into my colorful envelopes.

I rounded the corners with a craft punch and decorated with floral cut-outs.

Here are just some of the ones I made:

They're ready for any occasion. In the meantime, I'll store them in my gift tag keeper.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

DIY Gift Tags

Hello and Happy Wednesday! I feel a lot better today and I'm embarking on a simple craft. It's holiday related, I apologize. Last year, at the height of the busy Christmas season, I promised myself that I would prepare my gift wrappings and embellishments way in advance; that way the wrapping process would be more efficient and less stressful.

Today I'm making some tags:

For this first one, I'm turning blah sticker paper into TADA! with a few craft stamps and an ink pad. By writing a short inscription, they'll become instant gift tags. I can also use them as address labels for packages, don't you think?

This second one is an assemblage of cardboard, string, felt and gold beads. Use the same technique for other occasions like Mother's Day {flowers}, a baby shower {little ducks} or a wedding {bells or bows}, varying the colors of the materials.

Now that I've made a few, I'll file them away in my gift tag organizer until they're ready to be used!

Wishing You a Lovely Day

Hello Friends! I'm afraid we won't be crafting today. I'm feeling under the weather {a blah result of winter}.

I hope to feel TADA! soon so we can go back to crafting and exchange fun ideas. Have a nice day!