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Thursday 5 December 2019

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

Hello all and a happy December to you!  I'm delighted to be here to share a project created for The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog.  The new challenge is a festive one: It's the Holidays!  It launched yesterday with wonderful inspiration projects from the fabulous FJB team, so do check out all the details over there.

I was invited to be their guest for this theme after my Sunrise, Sunset book cover was the chosen winner last month.  That was one of my more complicated creations, but at this time of year when we're all so busy, it's often best to keep things simple.  So to fulfil the brief of making something I can use over the festive season I've created some gift tags to go on the presents I'll be wrapping.


I've used brown parcel paper for my Christmas presents for decades, each year with slightly different decorative features - sometimes a few berries, sometimes some real greenery, sometimes ribbons or more recently even some stamping or stencilling.






These tags will provide the main decoration on some brown paper packages tied up with string (string to match the string on the tags... I've got a huge great ball of the stuff.














They're really very simple.  I used some pre-cut tags (also pre-strung, though I've changed the string so that it will match the stuff I'll be using on the parcels) and stamped some of Tim Holtz's beautiful ornate festive greetings on them.














They're embossed with Wow Bright White embossing powder.  I think it looks great against the kraft, and the touch of texture and slight glossiness is so effective against the rustic look of the sepia background.














I spritzed a whole sheet of A4 card with various green Distress Sprays and Oxide Sprays (it's part way through the spritzing stages here, but the camera didn't keep hold of the next few process photos)...











... and then used the TH Holiday Greens Mini Thinlits to cut my fir fronds and branches.  (I've got plenty of inky green card left over to use on more Christmas creations, time permitting.)














Then it was just a case of layering up the greenery - trying to keep as much of the stamping visible as possible!
















Each tag has a little cluster of sparkling berries too.














I seem to have taken these photos before the berry glue was properly dry... apologies!














I really knocked these up very quickly.  The most time-consuming and fiddly bit was poking out all the tiny detailing in the die-cuts.
















Oh, and deciding where to position some of my ivory sequins for some extra light-capturing gleams.  But once that was all done and stuck down, I was able to finish off with my favourite snowy spatter.














Now all I need to do is buy some presents for people so that I can wrap them up and label them!














I hope this has given you some inspiration for ways to zhuzh up your gift-wrapping this Christmas.














If you're still after more festive creativity, do hop over to The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and see what the team have been making, and then come and join in with the challenge.








Many thanks to Cec and the amazing FJB team for inviting me along to be their guest, and many thanks to all of you for stopping by today.  I hope that your Advent countdown will go smoothly and that all your to-do lists will soon be done.  Happy crafting (and Christmas prep) everyone!

The ribbons! The wrappings!
The tags! And the tinsel!
The trimmings! The trappings!
Dr. Seuss

I'd like to share these at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the invitation is Let's Sparkle - there are the berries and although the sequins are subtle, they definitely sparkle too
At Tag Tuesday, Joan's theme is White Christmas - I've got lots of snowy spatter to offer

30 comments:

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'm going to be singing that song all day, now. I can hear Julie Andrews singing it in the Sound of Music.

Your tags are fabulous. They aren't quite as simple as you make them sound, because you always go above and beyond, but I DO admit, they are simpler than your normal entries.

I love the greenery. I can see where those dies might or would be advantageous to own. And your embossing is always spot on, too. Simply perfectly done.

Valerie-Jael said...

Gorgeous tags Alison, so beautifully made, even if I am not a white Christmas fan! Thanks, too, for joining us at Tag Tuesday, much appreciated. Hugs, Valerie

craftytrog said...

Beautiful festive tags Alison! Must dig out those gorgeous TH stamps.
Alison xx

Astrid Maclean said...

Gorgeous festive tags Alison, love the white on Kraft, always a winner in my book!

ann barnes said...

These tags are the perfect compliment to your paper packages! I love the greens, they pair perfectly with the festive ornate sentiments. The best blend of fancy and natural. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on your win last month! xx

Cestina said...

It's always a shame to unwrap your parcels; they look so festive under the tree. These tags are gorgeous, up tbere with the best of the wrappings xx

Hazel Agnew said...

Beautifully inspirational and am on the case already, except for the fiddly diecutting bits, which I lost patience with a few years ago. Sending Seasons Greetings to you, my virtual friend! Xx

Betty4 said...

Lovely tags! I can't wait to make them myself. Did I miss information on the berries? Where did you find them?

Chrissy said...

Fabulous tags Alison, love the white embossed sentiment on kraft and your string ties but of course my favourite is the inky leaves, the best leaves of all..

Luv CHRISSYxx

Redanne said...

I do love white on Kraft so your tags are just perfect to me. The greenery is beautiful and those sparkly berries are just the perfect finishing touch to them. Your gifts are going to look amazing. Anne xx

Words and Pictures said...

Hi Betty - I hope you find this comment in answer your question as I didn't find a way to visit you via Blogger. Tim Holtz has some similar frosted white berries in his seasonal Idea-ology line, but I think I picked these particular ones up at a local garden centre in the post-Christmas seasonal sales one year. Always worth keeping your eyes peeled! Thanks so much for your visit and comment (and that goes to all of you, of course!)
Alison x

My name is Erika. said...

Those are classically beautiful and perfect for your holiday gifts. Hugs-Erika

Sue said...

These are gorgeous Alison, so well designed and the snowy spatter tops it all off perfectly. Have a wonderful weekend, Sue xx

Craftyfield said...

Great tags Alison, they look rustic with the kraft colour but the added greenery makes them luscious and stylish. Enjoy your weekend!

Dorthe said...

They are so lovely Alison , I for one love the nature look it have when using brown craftpaper, and your greenery in lovely tones together with white text and "snow" with the little shimmer of sequins makes them so wonderful.
Happy December to you - xoxo

Lys said...

Simple but effective labels for your gifts, Alison! White embossing is matching the kraft indeed, and the greenery you added finish them so lovely.

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, what stunning tags! The Kraft background with the white embossing looks amazing with those fir tree thinlets - perfect 😁. Thanks for the inspiration and wishing you a happy weekend! Many congratulations on your win and I hope you are feeling much better, take care! Hugs, Jo x

Joan said...

Your tags are so lovely!! Perfect for the White Christmas theme - thanks for joining us!

WendyK said...

Fabulous , love them. I also use brown paper to wrap the presents and make tags to go with them. Yours will look wonderful with the greenery as well. Thank you for sharing with us on Tag Tuesday. xx

Cocofolies said...

Sorry for my long absence Alison... I was far too busy for blogging, even with my best and favorite crafty friends. But missing your blog, so happy to be back!
This set of Christmas tags is just perfect!! Beautiful, and which make you dream. xx

maj. said...

Totally adorable tags!

Paper Profusion said...

I love the fonts used by TH in these greetings! Perfect for vintage Christmas. Your beautiful embellishing is the icing on the cake. Your gifts will look amazing, presumably done in brown paper too. Now you have me singing away too.

Speaking of brown paper I thought of you over the weekend. I was listening to a podcast about internet shopping and it focussed in part on packaging used by a well known retailer (whose boxes you've used with aplomb in other creations). Hopefully this link will work, you might be interested ... https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2019/dec/06/how-our-home-delivery-habit-reshaped-the-world

Nicola x

Sandra Wright. said...

I love your Tags Alison,they are gorgeous.
Thank you for joining in with our challenge..x

Michele said...

gorgeous tags! i love the white on brown. thanks for linking up to tag tuesday! xo

Neet said...

Gorgeous tags, so elegant and so beautifully executed in white embossing on the Kraft background (well, ok, brown paper). I love the tiny springs of needles you have done and added to them but even without any addition I just love your tags.
Hugs, Neet xx

Patty O'Malley said...

Beautiful!

Roosterhead Designs said...

Dear Alison, These tags are g o r g e o u s!! So so festive and beautifully done~
I am in 'hustle mode' right now getting ready for my year end accounting so my visits to & comments in blogland are short; but only because I have to keep moving : ) Love these so much. Your work is art~ Merry Christmas to you, karen o

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

I'm finally making the rounds...sorry to drop off. LOVE these and so perfectly Christmas of Old! LOVE the white sentiments and pops of foliage...stunners!

sarascloset said...

Well, it looks as if I have plenty of catching up to do in blogland, and what a delight to be here this morning. My apologies for my lateness, but I promised myself to enjoy the brief time we had together as a family as the kids came home from school and stay away from technology except as dictated by DT's and such.

What a festive set of tags! I love the snowy look and those winter greens and berries. I never tire of this rustic look! Thank you so much for being our very special guest designer at TFJBB and for sharing and inspiring so many with your talents! I do wish you had a peaceful Christmas and that your New Year will be healthy and happy!

Mary Elizabeth said...

Love these for gifts. Perfect. "These are a few of my favorite things." -- ME