Welcome to another eclectic Paperie E-Team blog hop! Our challenge today is to create some simple packaging to help you along in your Christmas preparations.
Time is getting short if you're like me and trying to get everything done in the short time before Christmas. I swear it seems to come faster each year!
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Every year I make ornaments for each of mine and George's grandchildren. 7 of them. Yep, if those girls don't stop having babies I'll have to work all year just to get the Christmas ornaments done! This year my theme was gingerbread.
So when I found out we would be using "brown paper packages" I knew what I had to do to complete the mission…make a gingerbread house to go with the little gingerbread boys and girls.
***You can click on any of the pictures to see them full size.***
I started with a plain brown gift bag and kept it very simple. To make the roof for the "house" I scored and folded an 8.5 x 11 piece of kraft cardstock. Using a craft knife I cut a slot in the top of the "roof" so it would slide over the bag's handle.
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I die cut a scalloped edge on both ends of the roof and also cut 3 more scalloped strips, using the Jumbo Scallop Die-Namics (My Favorite Things). I used some Claudine Hellmuth Studio paint in blank canvas to sloppily paint an edge on all the scallops to look like snow. Then I sprinkled some glitter on while the paint was still wet.
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After all the paint was dry I adhered each of the scalloped layers.
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I used a scrap of plastic packaging for each of the window panes. They were attached to pieces of kraft cardstock, and I used white cardstock strips for all the window and door frames. I just now noticed that there's not a door knob on the door. I'll have to go back and do something about that later.
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So here's a close up of the sparkling snow and how it looks with the roof on.
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And who is that standing at the door? Why it's a little gingerbread girl!
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This was totally inspired by the incomparable Debbie Olson's gingerbread boy HERE. And yes, I told her I was going to copy it!
I die cut all the felt and also all the cotton batting for the stuffing using the Tim Holtz Alterations Gingerbread Bigz die. They're stitched up by hand using cotton thread. All the girls had little bows on their heads. The boys have scarfs. Each of the ornaments also has the child's name and 2010 stitched on the back.
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I attached this little guy to the top of a goody bag that I'll probably fill with sweets.
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Here's one more view of the house.
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Now of course I'm going to need tags for all my Christmas gifts. I decided to use Stampers Dozen tags to create 3 variations on the same basic tag. Each of the tags was painted with the blank canvas Studio paint, and when that was dry, run through my Big Shot using the Snowflakes Textured Impressions embossing folder.
The first tag got a feminine vintage look using a paper doily, Snowflake die cuts (Spellbinders), Tim's Tissue Tape, dyed seam binding, lots of Star Dust Stickles and a folded tree (using Connie Babbert's diagram) in Tim's Seasonal paper stash.
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My second tag is a very simple, vintage, country-style tag. The tag was sponged with Ranger Distress ink in Aged Mahogany and Walnut stain. I also sponged the little die cut tag. It's tied with dyed seam binding and some Twinery twine in Cappuccino. This tree also uses Tim's Seasonal paper stash.
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Tag #3 is very simple and perhaps a bit whimsical. The edges of the tags are all covered with Star Dust Stickles. I took 1" styrofoam balls and wrapped them in Twinery twine (Maraschino and Peapod), then hung them from the white ribbon and tied the little tag on with some more twine.
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Ok, so that's it for today. I hope you'll be leaving with a few ideas and inspiration for some of your packaging needs. Be sure to hop on to Latrice's blog next, then on to the rest of the E-Team for a peak at some fabulous creations!
***Leave comments on all of our blog posts for a chance to win some really cool prizes from eclectic Paperie!
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THE E-TEAM
Broni Holcombe (You are here!)
Latrice Murphy
Linda Duke
Linda Ledbetter
Micki Harper (she's not participating this time)
Sherry Cheever
Starla Nelson
Daisy Sparks (eP blog)
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Thank you so much for visiting with me today. I hope the rest of your week is just fabulous! Only 10 days until Christmas! Yikes!
Brown paper gingerbread house:
- Paper: kraft cardstock, white cardstock
- Ink: Ranger Distress antique linen
- Other: brown paper gift bag, plastic packaging scraps, Scor-Buddy, Jumbo Scallop Die-Namics (My Favorite Things), Tim Holtz ruler, craft knife, Claudine Hellmuth Studio paint – blank canvas, paint brush, crystal coarse glitter (Martha Stewart), corner rounder punch, Glue Dots, Scor-Tape, foam tape
Gingerbread boys and girls:
- Gingerbread Bigz Die(Tim Holtz Alterations), felt, cotton batting, cotton thread & needle, Twinery twine – Maraschino, gingham ribbon, tiny pom-poms, red rhinestone stickers, google eyes, Ranger liquid pearls – white opal, Ranger Stickles – burgundy, baby ric rac, hot glue gun
Christmas gift tags:
- Paper: white, silver glitter, Seasonal Paper Stash (Tim Holtz)
- Ink: Ranger Distress – antique linen, aged mahogany, walnut stain, black soot
- Other: Stampers Dozen tags, Snowflakes Textured Impressions embossing folder (Sizzix), sponge daubers, Tidings Tissue Tape (Tim Holtz), paper doily, Snowflake Wonder & Create a Flake One dies (Spellbinders), Ranger Stickles – Star Dust, Claudine Hellmuth Studio paint – blank canvas, paintbrush, button, twine, black DMC floss, seam binding, corner rounder punch, 1" styrofoam balls, Big Scallop ovals die (Spellbinders), Twinery twine – Cappuccino, Maraschino, Peapod, ribbon, Scor-Tape, Glue Dots, foam tape
