Spring Gift Tags

If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you know how much I love to buy handmade things and love to try my hand at making things myself. I particularly like to add a handmade card or tag to a gift, and so last year I tried my hand at clay gift tags. I used Crayola white clay, cookie cutters and a rubber stamp with ink. Simply roll the clay on a piece of parchment paper, cut shape with cookie cutter, imprint the clay with a rubber stamp. Make a hole for the string or ribbon and let dry. A wonderful project for children for Mother's Day or Easter.

My homemade jam with custom tag for my son's wedding.

Last year, Boy Child got married and I made the wedding favors. Tiny pots of homemade strawberry jam with a handmade clay tag. Over a hundred of each. 

Hundreds of Heart wedding tags.

The bunny is my favorite!

I was inspired yesterday with the beautiful Spring day and once again hauled out the clay and my bunny and robin stamps.I've made enough to cover Easter and Spring time birthdays.

Spread the Love.....

I've been burning the midnight oil fulfilling my promise to make the favors for this weekend's wedding reception.  100 favors are needed and I wanted them to be all handmade.

I started with strawberry jam.....Ontario berries...and used these cute little jars that my sister in aw ordered for me.  I made a label using a free template from Avery Labels.  Yes, even though I wasn't sure about using it, that does say "Spread the Love".......as requested by the bride and groom.

100 jars of jam on the wall.....100 jars of jam..

A handmade (by me) clay tag, imprinted with a heart and pink satin ribbons..if you want to buy clay tags for your project contact Ness at http://www.marleyandlockyer.com as she makes the best (and the original) clay tags.

I tested this stamp too...very cute but it got gummed up with clay quickly....I made about 10 jars with this tag.

Et Voila......the finished product.  Cello bag, silver twist tie and a tag...Spreading the love..........

Inexpensive (Faux) Grain Sack Table Runner

Happy Easter to everyone.  By now you are likely relaxing and fed well on turkey, ham, lamb or whatever ever else you enjoy for your Easter lunch/dinner.  

A little while ago, I got this new dining table that extends to a whopping 12 feet. Which makes it hard to find a cloth or runner that actually fits it. While pondering in the fabric shop last week, I came across this material intended for tea towels. Sold by the meter, it has two edges already hemmed, which makes it ideal to use as a table runner. I bought a 4 meter piece and frayed the edges because I am really lazy about sewing.

I think it looks a lot like the vintage grain sack fabric that is so popular at the moment.  It also comes in blue and green.  I got 4 meters for $17.00 as it was 40% off. 

I had a small crowd for dinner today.  Each person got a chocolate dipped marshmallow (see my previous post) and a clay tag with an Easter chick on it.  If you want to see how to make these tags the Beach Cottage blog has a tutorial.  You can see it HERE but you have to pay for it, or HERE on McCarthy Designs Blog.  Or you can buy them from Ness Lockyer who makes the best ones I have seen.  Check out Ness's Etsy shop Marley and Lockyer.