2010 Christmas Tag

Hello, friends!  Today I thought I'd share with you the tags I will be using on my holiday gifts for extended family and friends.  We travel from Massachusetts to Ohio and Indiana after Christmas, so I pack up all of the presents in an extra suitcase with my gift-wrapping materials.  To make things easier, I decided to use patterned kraft gift bags this year.  This serves two purposes:  first, they fold up flat and take up very little room in the suitcase, and second, they are not glossy and so are recyclable, unlike most wrapping paper and other bags.  Plus, I *heart* kraft!

Here is one of the bags I picked up at Jo-Ann for 60% off a few days ago.  Score!  I got several in different sizes with the same pattern.

I took most of my design elements directly from the bag, including the colors, the tree image, and the swirl in the corner.  I decided to put a place for the recipient's name on the back, and I stamped the year:

Cardstock:  Bazzill (kraft), Papertrey Ink (Pinefeather, Pure Poppy)

Patterned paper:  Papertrey Ink (Distressed Dots)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (Background Basic:  Text Style, Fancy Flourishes, Boxes, Bags, & Tags, Mini Scrapbook Series:  Library Ledger), WPlus9 (Poinsettia Patterns), Martha Stewart (Serif Font)

Ink:  Ranger Distress (Tea Dye), Clearsnap (Evergreen)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Tag Sale #1 die, Tree die, Woodgrain impression plate), EK Success (circle punch)

Accessories:  Papertrey Ink (buttons, ribbon, twine), DMC floss, thread

Here's what the tag looks like attached to the bag.  I'm wishing I had picked up plain red tissue to stuff inside, but this coordinating tissue was 60% off too!

To make this tag:

1.  Die cut tag from kraft cardstock.  Stamp bottom with text using tea dye ink.  Stamp flourish and numbers in top corner.  Flip tag over to the back and stamp year at the bottom.

2.  Cut a strip of patterned paper, mat with red cardstock, and stitch edges.  Adhere to tag.

3.  Die cut tree from green cardstock and trim edges.  Deboss with woodgrain impression plate.  Embellish with stitched buttons and attach to tag with foam adhesive.

4.  Cut a small strip of kraft cardstock and stamp with sentiment.  Adhere to tag.

5.  Flip tag over to the back.  Cut a strip of patterned paper and adhere at bottom.  Stamp scalloped circle frame on kraft cardstock.  Stamp with the word "To:".  Punch out circle and adhere to tag.

6.  Add ribbon to top of tag and tie with jute twine.

The only thing I might do differently on the rest is to use red twill ribbon, but satin is what I happened to have handy today.

If you're inspired to make a tag or other type of gift packaging, I'd love to see, so leave me a comment with a link and I'll be sure to stop by!  Thanks for visiting today!