Craft Lightning 15 Minute Craft..Sweet Pocket Treat Tags

I have long been a fan of Angie at  Country Chic Cottage.

So when I had the chance to sign up to participate in Craft Lightning 15 Minute Halloween crafts with her and Carolina at 30 Minute Crafts, I signed up before I knew what I would be doing.

I had several ideas and finally decided on quick Sweet Pocket Treat Tags.

Start with some cool Halloween papers.

I bought a sweet scrap pack at A.C. Moore last year so I pulled out a few different designs.

I also used my paper cutter and an awesome Tag Punch from Stampin' Up.

Trim your paper into 2 inch wide strips so they will fit in the tag punch.

You can vary the length depending on how deep you would like your pocket.

Punch the tops of your tags.

To be sure everything is straight, be sure to flip it over and check the window on the back.

How cool is that?

One punch and the tag top is ready.

I did several quickly.

I would always rather make multiples of something in a few extra minutes, rather than having to go back and redo steps.

I used my Stampin' Up Simply Scored Scoring board.

I love that thing....

I marked some tags at 2 inches and scored across the bottom there.

Longer strips got scored a little longer.

That way the pocket will be deeper.

I folded over the bottom tab.

I used My Darice Double Sided Permanent Tape roller next.

I carefully ran the tape right along the edge of the tab.

Remember, you want the pocket to be wide enough to actually hold a goodie...

Next is the fun part.

Add whatever stickers or embellishments you love.

I had a handful of old three dimensional Halloween stickers that were perfect.

Stick them on.

Again, I did several in a minute or so.

This next part is fun too...

Find any fun fibers, ribbons and yarns you may have.

This pile has all been picked up this summer while thrifting....

Cut your fibers and add one or more to each tag.

I am loving the brown craft group.

Lastly, add a few treats and goodies.

Air Heads fit.

So do Jolly Rancher sticks.

Even Andes Mints.

For family and people you really like....

Cash might be the best gift of all.

You can easily make several in 15 minutes, just gather supplies first.

I hope you are inspired to make some of your own.

Head over to Craft Lightning for a whole week's worth of fast Halloween crafts.

Thanks for stopping by....

Linking up with these great blogs...

Sweet Halloween Tags

Remember not too long ago, I shared a simple tutorial on stained tags.

You can find it here.

You can do the same thing to create colored tags  by just substituting RIT Dye for the coffee and cinnamon.

An even simpler way to dye small batches of things, is to mix your dye and water in a large Ziploc bag.

Just add you tags/lace, fabric and paper right to the dye in the bag.

Squish it around a bit.

You may want to leave it in the zipped up bag to intensify the color.

Then remove the tags and let them dry like before.

I dyed some tags orange for fall.

I ran them through the Sizzix Big Shot with some embossing folders.

Then I went crazy giving them a sweet Halloween makeover.

You can see the workbench was covered with goodies...buttons, rossettes, stickers, dyed cheesecloth, lace, paper bits, vintage haloween images and halloween stickers...

I usually start by sewing paper scraps or images to the tags first.

I added some lace sewn to some as well.

Then I start gluing goodies to get the look I want...

A lot of the images are printed on muslin from the Graphics Fairy.

These will be perfect tied to pumpkins.

I just love tags...

Not sure why...

I just always have.

Maybe because they are more usable than a card.

I love a homemade card, but a tag I keep out long after I 
got it/made it....

I stamped some spider webs on vellum as well...

And punched out some spiders from black card stock.

I always think of a tag as a mini canvas for artwork.

Hope you feel inspired to try it out as well...

Thanks for stopping by....

Coffee Stained Tags...A DIY Tutorial

Today I wanted to share an easy way to make distressed tags.

You can buy your tags or make them.

I keep a big box from Staples on hand.

You will need:

coffee (either brewed or instant granules)

a container big enough to submerge tags (I use an empty ice cream bucket)

ground cinnamon (optional)

water

something to stir them with

screen or tray to lay them out to dry

Let's get started....

Add water to bucket.  

Pour in coffee granules (I used about 1/2 cup for about 6 cups of water).

If you want, sprinkle in some cinnamon.

Mix together.

Submerge tags in the mixture.

Be sure they are completely submerged.

If you want them evenly stained, be sure to separate each tag. 

You can let them soak as long as you want.

I recommend at least 30 minutes-hour.

I soak mine 3-9 hours.

I like them really grubby.

Next I spread them out on a tray in the sun.

If you have an old screen, that would work great too.

Now they are ready to go.

Paint a word on them.

Add embellishments.

I love to run them through my Sizzix Big Shot in embossing folders.

I have made business cards with these as the base.

My newest cards have each shop or blog on a separate tab.

I love these...

I love to add embellishments for holiday tags....

Tie them on a basket, doorknob, suitcase handle, or gift.

Sometimes simple is best...

chalkboard paint and a simple stamp...

And sometimes fussiness is fun...

What will you do with yours?

Thanks for stopping by...


Linking up with these great blogs.

Fabric Mixed Media Book...

I have long been fascinated and inspired by fabric books.

I love the old and shabby look of creations by amazing artists such as Viola from Shabby Chic Inspired....

and Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage...

So with the fair coming up soon, I decided to finally tackle one of my own....

Here is the result.

I started with some quilt squares I got at a local surplus store.

  They came 4 in a pack and were already assembled as a finished square with button holes around the edges so you could easily build a quilt.

This is the cover.

I bound my book with yarn and fibers.

I cut a variety of ribbons and fibers and used a crochet hook to pull them through the button holes.

Then I tied them loosely in a knot.

The cover already had the lace as part of the quilt square.

I attached the word "Dream" by basting each letter on.

I bought the letters at the thrift store a couple years ago.

I think they are the ones you use on signs.

I cut the little tabs off with scissors.

I added a twisted satin flower and a piece of fabric that I dyed from a discarded set of curtains from my brother.

I wove an old pearl necklace through the button holes around the edge and attached a charm I made from hardware, rhinestones, one of my polymer beads, a frozen Charlotte head, and resin.

  When you open the book, you can see the first two pages....

Images from The Graphics Fairy were printed on muslin and sewn on the pages.

The other end of the pearl necklace from the front got a vintage music resin bottle cap charm added.

The secret here for the aged look resin is to use car resin which is amber instead of clear.

The letters are made from polymer clay in a push mold.

I antiqued and sealed them.

This page also has a UTEE covered book page leaf, a polymer clay music charm, a cheesecloth twisted flower, and a resin cube encasing a vintage crocheted flower and lace.

I love this cheesecloth flower...

Behind the resin cube are two white feathers.

A little polymer flower accents the end of one feather.

The next two pages are butterfly inspired.

Another great image from The Graphics Fairy.

A seashell with another image from her transferred onto it.

I love this sweet little girl.

The little blue mirrors are button attachments I bought when I got the quilt squares.

This page has a library card sewn in as well as a butterfly poem from a children's poetry book.

The library card is a pocket so little treasures can be tucked inside.

This page also has butterflies and flowers galore.

I adore how inking the edge of a die cut really makes it pop.


Staz-on ink is my favorite...

Die cuts are accented with handmade polymer hearts and flowers or frosty acrylic accents.

The twine flower is made by making twine loops and the gluing them and adding a button on top.

The trick is to make it on a hot glue release mat.

Just pop it off when it is cool.

Here are the last two pages.

The left hand page has cheesecloth and burlap sewn on and then two of my tags were added.

Cheesecloth and crepe paper are two of my favorite materials.

This little handmade chalkboard tag is so sweet.

This last page was so much fun.

I sewed about 5 dyed coffee filters right down the middle of the page.

That creates about 10 more pages on this page...

What fun!

So Let's get started....

More butterflies and cheesecloth....

That vintage picture on the right cracks me up.

It's from an old postcard and says, "I am fully occupied!"

Next page....lace and polymer flowers and more crepe paper accents.

Alice in Wonderland and a little handmade vial...

Dress forms are an obsession of mine...

I like the three-dimensional accents....

Another sweet girl and a string flower....

Cupcake liners are such a sweet accent.

I got a couple of these glitter keys on clearance but had not decided what to do with them...

Every book needs a key, right?

So much texture and fun in these pages.

A book spine with dyed butterfly wings peeking out.

This darling girl is actually on a flattened toilet paper tube.

I wanted to create a pocket for a tag.

Last two pages.

I still feel like anything is possible if you BELIEVE and WORD HARD!

A sweet little glittered spool.

On the back of the book is a coffee filter flower.

Doesn't everyone need a fabric book?

I have to say, I LOVED this project.

It took me a couple hours to assemble all the bits and pieces.

Almost every single piece (except the glitter key) was made or altered by me.

 Many things were already made and then just added.

Those jars I showed you before, hold lots of goodies...handmade and collected.

If there is anything you saw you want to see a tutorial on later, just let me know...either in the comments below or shoot me an email.

Thanks for stopping by....

I will be linking up with these amazing blogs.