holiday tags and handprints :: free downloads and tutorial

With Christmas just around the corner, are you already making your lists? If so, why not take a moment to look at the right sidebar of our blog? Do you see that "our sponsors" tab? Those lovely people believe in reason #1 of our mission statement: telling stories. And they all have products, tools and ideas to help you in your own personal mission to tell the stories that define you and your life.

See there, we've made it possible for you to do your holiday shopping without even getting in the car! Leave it to write.click.scrapbook. to have the answers for you.

Want me to let you in on a little secret? I don't have a Christmas list, haven't purchased a single gift and wouldn't have all these tags and toppers made if it weren't for my hosting gig this week!

OKAY, NOT SUCH A BIG SURPRISE, IS IT? But, I wanted to keep it real for you. I am organized and efficient, yes, but not that organized!

download gift tags

Let me share with you just a few ideas for using these gift tags, which coordinate with the rest of the downloads I've designed for you this week...all using the same font each day.

It's always good to have tags prepared and ready to go. Using this punch from Stampin' Up makes threading the ribbon through so easy. 

Using your Crop-o-Dile and some baker's twine gives you yet another option in Tag-Making 101! I've been using my Round-it-All by Zutter for all the tags. It rounds corners in anything! 

You could even use your kids' school supplies to embellish your tags. These green stickers are page reinforcements from the office supply store! 

I used a punch from EK Success, some cardstock and a little glue to make my own hole reinforcements for the tags here. 

After using my sewing machine to make some simple straight lines...

 

...I folded it over to resemble a book. I used my Crop-o-Dile to adhere the gift tag and keep the book closed. {I'll use this as a teacher gift.}

You could even use the tags as journaling spots in your December Daily albums.

I'd like to share two gift ideas that involve paint and handprints, and probably a little bit of a mess. But, it will be worth it when you see the Oma's, Nana's, Mamaw's, Meme's and Grandmothers open their gift!

The handprints of the Kindergartener that made this adorable wreath graduated in June 2010, but each Christmas season, this still hangs on the door of the bathroom the kids use, and it will continue to do so until I can't make my own decisions anymore!

These bags are so handy, our girls use their handprint bags as Library Book Bags. I used this same idea to make similar bags for the Grandmothers for their Mother's Day gift. I think you could use these as a gift for any occasion and they would be a hit. Mine is used to carry coupons to the grocery store, my to do list and a pen with an extra pair of reading glasses, just in case.