Christmas Advent Tag Box

Now that Halloween is over, it's time for Christmas crafting! I love this new box from Alpha Stamps. It's the perfect size for holding Christmas cards, or in this case, numbered tags to count down the days until Christmas. It's bigger than it seems in the photos; without the feet, this box measures 8" by 4" by 4".

The metal tag on the front on the front of the box reads, "it's the most wonderful time of the year". Love that! I used some vintage looking papers with a traditional design to cover the outside of the box, so I thought it fun to use a bright polka dot for the inside and some green pom pom fringe around the top of the box. The swirl on the front is two part laser cut cardboard. I colored the back part red with a Copic marker, and then glazed it before adhering the front part, which I left in the cardboard color. Then I accented the swirl with some red crystals. Lastly, I added metal handles to the sides of the box and little feet that look like cherubs.

The box holds 25 tags in envelopes, one for each day counting up to Christmas. I kept the envelopes simple, just using a bit of washi tape or stamping on each. I coordinated each tag's colors with the tape on the envelopes, so to help put the tags in the right order in the box, I stamped the date on the bottom corners of the envelopes. I like the way it looks library-esque with the stamp on that pocket. All the images I used on these tags came from Alpha Stamps collage sheets.

A few of the tags in front of the empty box:

Here are some photos of some of the tags and envelopes, with some inspiration for how to decorate them. The tags pictured below are made with collage sheet images, scrapbook paper, and fun things like ball fringe, tiny wreath stickers, photo corners, floral picks, and washi tape. I colored several of the hole reinforcers with a Copic marker to better match the colors in the tags.

I can't get enough of those glittery red stars!

These paper clips are a great way to add some accents. The one on the left uses scrapbook paper in the tab and has a snowflake charm, while the one on the right had a wooden snowflake (covered with Stickles for a glittery effect) and some cute silver mittens. 

I also liked using these Tim Holtz clips. It's easy to just tie a bit of ribbon around the top, but you can also use them to hold a floral pick, like the holly sprig on the left.

If you use a little washi tape on some wooden clothespins, you can remove the tags and hang them on a ribbon for a fun advent calendar.

For a complete list of supplies used in the project, click here. Happy Christmas!

Boo To You!

Someone asked me to make them another Halloween spoolie. She already had two, and they were both boys, so I thought she needed a girl to round out her crew. Happy Halloween, and Boo to you!

Retro Halloween Houses

I have fallen in love, and it's with a Halloween paper pack: the Trick or Treat 12x12 Collection Kit. Weird, I know, but I just love the colors and retro patterns on this paper. I got a few paper maché houses and set about to use just about every single pattern of each side of these great papers to create the five little houses you see here.

Look at those adorable trick or treating kids! These boxes are so easy to do; I just mixed and matched to my heart's content. Every side got a different pattern.

The backs feature some of the stickers from the sticker sheet that's included with the papers.

These fun little boxes are perfect for giving Halloween treats...or tricks, if you've got 'em!

Tin of the Month Club: October

Wow, here it is the fourth quarter of the year already! Only two more tins to go. Here's the October tin. I have to admit that this is actually the first tin I did last January. I was originally going to do several Halloween tins, but then decided to do one for each month of the year. It's been a fun challenge.

For a recap of the year's tins so far, click here.