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.

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!