Gorgeous gift tags and book marks.

My most recent craft post was about using images from books and magazines to make beautiful cards and how cheap and easy it is. AND how much money it saves!

This is what happens with all the pictures and tiny little bits of lace, braids, ribbons and things after card making... gift tags or book marks. It is amazing how tiny bits are prefect for little tags.

These are really handy and a gift tag is still $2 or so in the news agents and more in a florist. I buy packets of plain tags in Spotlight but always watch for them. They work out only a few cents each. Otherwise luggage tags are available in news agents usually for 5c each and these are really perfect.

You can also cut them out yourself and use a hole punch for your ribbon.

Sometimes I make rustic ones using string as my tie and pictures of birds, chickens, farm animals or something like that.

The ones I have made this time and I have used scraps of lace, torn floral fabric and ribbons. I had some lace that was too wide and I simply cut it lengthwise into long strips. Rustic is sweet, it doenst have to be perfect. And nearly all of them have different ties I as was just using up what I have.

I have mentioned before cutting tulle into strips for ribbons or cutting old lace curtain's into lengths for lovely lace ribbon, both beautiful  on parcels and do not need hemming they just look charming!
You can do the same here on a smaller scale.
Use what you have and be creative. If you sew you will be set for little bits and pieces. If you know someone who sews ask them to save you floral scraps, trims, braids, ribbon scraps... the ultimate would be knowing someone who makes formal wear or wedding dresses and getting sequin and pearl scraps and amazing things like that. (my idea of heavenly!)

My smaller tags I will use as gift tags on parcels or as labels on food gifts. Maybe also as a recipe tied to a gift in a jar food mix. Or you can give the gift of cooking and write the recipe on the back, or instructions for heating or something like that.
A good supply of these is great. And they pretty up a foodie gift no end.

The larger sized ones I am going to use as book marks to put in a card (that I made) and probably write a little note or scripture on the back.

I have two of my Great Grandmothers Bibles and the treasures kept in both include little cards and book marks with love notes, verses, dates and names. They have been tucked into the Bibles and kept. Years later they are gorgeous memento's full of memories. Anyway a pretty bookmark is a sweet gift.

These are from the smaller pictures I had left in my Shabby Chic book. This book was a great find and my $2 turned into heaps of full sized cards, bookmarks and tags...

As I finished these I noticed things  still have...  I have pictures of chickens, ducks, gardens... sort of a farm theme. I have red rick rac braid and red gingham and string. I am thinking I will do a farm theme brighter set... that looks kind of 50's farm kitchen. This would possibly look great on jars and cooking.

Just see what you have and what it lends itself to!

We all love to get pretty mail. There is only one thing better and that is pretty mail with pretty stuff inside!

Just now I have heard an old friend is in hospital. It is so handy I can get my card box out and choose one I know she will like and sent it off to her tomorrow. Every time I need a card I have a selection to choose from and save quite a bit of money.

I made tags on the weekend when it was raining. Now I have topped up my supply and had a nice time  doing it!

In my last post I also covered soaps and gift bags. I also cover gift boxes when I have suitable boxes come my way. Another use for pretty pictures is for covering little note books and diaries.  Plain cardboard covered books are best for these. I am on the look out for some more but these I did at Christmas to pop into cards...

Paper crafts are so inexpensive if you collect as you go. Once you are looking out for images you find them everywhere. And they have the potential to become so many sweet things and gifts.

There is something else about crafting. It makes you happy! When you have projects on the go you are content at home. I still often hear of women who spend the day in shopping centers or the mall, because they are bored. HOW do they have the time?! I have no idea. But shopping is a problem treated as a hobby for many people and being busy at home you just do not even think of such things! Crafting is relaxing and absorbing. It feels wonderful to create lovely things! It is good for us!

Have a wonderful week! 

See you on Wednesday for the next Pantries and Preparedness post. 

xxx