DIY Stitched Fabric Tags

A late post today but better late than never, right?  I'm feeling a bit under the weather and am curled up in bed hoping that the extra rest will do my body good.  I hate feeling sick and having no energy but the good thing is that blogging doesn't take too much out of me so I think I can manage.  A few weeks ago a blog reader asked about some stitched fabric tags that I featured and wondered if I could share how to make them.  I am always willing to share my crafty methods with readers and I told her that I would turn it into a blog post so that everyone could reap the benefits.  So today I'm going to show you how to make fabric tags like this...

I recently made these tags for a bride who used them for wedding favors.  She gifted her guests home-made vanilla extract (yum!) in mason jars and the tags were a cute, rustic way to label the favors with the couple's names.  So clever and such a treat for the guests.  These tags are pretty easy to make and here are the steps I took to make them...

Step One >> Use a manila shipping tag as a size guide and trace onto your desired fabric.  I used a floral print I found at Joann's.  

Step Two >> Cut out what you traced onto the fabric either using a rotary cutter (like I did above) or some scissors.  

Step Three >> This is what your fabric will look like cut out.  I don't worry about fraying fabric edges because it gives it more of that rustic look.  But if you want clean edges, you could always put a fray-stop solution on the edges after cutting.

Step Four >> Cut out a piece of plain fabric (with no print), sized a bit smaller than your original shape.  Muslin works great for this because it's cheap and has that natural, vintage color.  I actually used natural drill fabric which has the same color as muslin but is thicker and has more texture.  Anything that you like the look of can work!

Step Five >> Stitch the two pieces of fabric together.  I used a sewing machine but if you don't have one, you could also stitch by hand (it will take a bit longer).  I just did one stitch along the top but you could add one along the bottom if you wanted.

Step Six >> Punch a 1/8" hole into the fabric using a hole punch.  I used a Crop-A-Dile eyelet setter which also has a hole punch built in.  A regular hole punch will do the job also.

Step Seven >> Using a Crop-A-Dile or other eyelet setter, set an eyelet in the hole you punched through the fabric.  The eyelet isn't completely necessary but I think it gives the tag a more finished look.  It also prevents fraying around the hole.

Step Eight >> Stamp your message onto the plain fabric.  This stamp set would be a great choice.  

Step Nine >> Before hanging or displaying the tag, I would back it with a paper manila tag (don't attach them, just string them together).  The paper tag adds stability to the fabric and also provides you with a surface to write a quick message or personal note.  

And there you have it!  A quick fabric tag all ready to be used for mason jar labels or even for packaging like I did here...

With the holidays approaching this is a great, handmade solution to store-bought tags.  And it really jazzes up a kraft paper bag, like what I did above, perfect for any occasion.  

I hope you enjoyed this DIY today!  Maybe make a bunch at one time and then you'll be set for months.  Or gift a bundle of them to a friend to use for her own packaging.  And like I did originally with the tags, use them for a sweet detail for wedding favors or even as an escort card alternative.

Happy Wednesday!  Now back to bed for me.

Pre-Wedding Installation

Thank you for bearing with me on my Monday post this week.  I was definitely in a funky mood and I took it out on the blog unfortunately.  No more being Debbie Downer today.  I am feeling better and am excited to share some pre-wedding installation pictures for an upcoming wedding.  A few weeks ago I shared the beginnings of yarn flowers and fabric tags and now I can show you a finished product.  Everything turned out great and I just know it will all come together perfectly on the day of.  Keep in mind, these shots just show the trial run so not everything looks totally finished.  This is just to give you a little sneak peek into what I have been working on and I will share shots from the actual day after it happens.  

So I successfully turned all of those yarn poms into flowers which will be displayed in pretty, blue mason jars at the wedding ceremony and reception.  The picture on the left is just all of the flowers together, about 200.  The bride collected all of the mason and glass jars, vintage crates, and display props and she sure has some collection.  Everything is going to look so good together, the perfect rustic party!

The picture on the left shows the beginnings of the dessert table, minus all of the yummy desserts of course.  I love the vintage crochet tablecloths that the bride found.  Old window frames display the guest seating chart and will be propped up at the entry so everyone can find their way.  

Above are my finished fabric tags which will be tied on with twine over a lace-covered jar.  These are the guest favors.  

Besides the yarn flowers and fabric tags, I also made the table numbers, which are the frames shown above.  The bride collected a bunch of vintage frames for me and then I stitched the buttons on and embroidered the 'TABLE' onto the spools.  Each one is a bit different, with its own personality.

Working with this bride was such a fun and great opportunity for me.  I love her sense of style and she has come up with some truly fabulous details.  This was just the trial run and everything looked so great so I know the actual wedding is going to blow me away.  I cannot wait to share the wedding here on the blog too.  

Have a great Thursday! 

Guest Blogger on Oh, Hello Friend AGAIN!

I could not be more ecstatic to have another one of my projects featured on Oh, Hello Friend today.  Two in one week...seriously, I'm getting spoiled! 

This project was so fun to do because I enlisted the help of my brother David and his girlfriend Tamra.  They were super duper sports about the whole thing and were awesome models for the day.  The pictures would not have turned out as successful if it weren't for them.  So a big thanks to David and Tamra for putting up with me!  Love you guys!!

Here are a few of my favorites from the photoshoot:

Cutey pants brother!! (he's 21, he'd probably hate being called 'cutey pants' anything)

Cutest couple EVER!

And we'll end with my favorite from the day!

Thanks David and Tamra!

To see more pictures and the DIY tutorial for the balloon lapel pins head over to Oh, Hello Friend and see the post here.  Thanks for having me again Danni!

DIY Mini Flags for Cupcakes

On Monday I blogged about my weekend excursion to the Getty Villa, which included pictures of these mini flag cupcakes toppers.  I promised to post the tutorial for them on Tuesday.  Clearly today is not Tuesday, it is Friday and I have been holding this DIY hostage all week.  I am sorry.  I do not have much of an excuse other than that life got in the way (doesn't it always?).  But finally I have put together the pictures of these flags and I am excited to showcase them now (finally).  They are SO easy to make.  Special crafting skills are not even needed...I swear.  And the required materials are basic and easy to acquire, if you don't already have them.  

What you'll need:

-cardstock scraps

-fabric scraps

-tacky glue

-thin wooden dowels

-scissors

Instructions:

1. Get some fabric and cardstock scraps.  Cut the cardstock down, making it half the size of the fabric.

2. Glue one side of the cardstock and stick it down on the fabric.  Then glue the other side of the cardstock, fold the fabric over, and adhere together.  Do not put glue right at the edge of the cardstock…leave enough room to stick the wooden dowel in between the fabric and the paper.

3. Allow the paper and fabric to dry for 5-10 minutes.

4. Cut your fabric/paper into strips.  When I cut mine down to size, the flags measured 1” x 2 ¼” approximately.

5. Put a dab of glue on the wooden dowel and then insert it in between the fabric and the paper (putting it in that little space you left for it in step 2).

6. Let flags dry for about 5 minutes.  Finally cut a triangle shape out of the end of the flag and then voilà…you have a mini flag perfect for a cupcake topper!

If you wanted you could make some mini flags, package them in a clear, candy bag, and give as gifts to friends!

Mini flag in motion...

Easy, right?  The flags were a fun alternative to candles for our picnic last weekend (I was not sure what the open-flame policy was at the Getty Villa...candles are probably frowned upon).  I have seen other tutorials for flags like this but they usually ask you to starch the fabric to make it stiff.  That was too much hassle for me.  The cardstock works as a great substitute to give the fabric rigidity.  The flags could also be made out of paper but I think the fabric adds some of that rustic flare!

Happy weekend...finally, we can all rest knowing that this DIY has been posted!

Crafty Window Remodel

This morning I decided that I wanted to do a quick crafty project before I went to work this evening (ya for work at Anthropologie!!).  Quick crafts are always great because if a project gets drug out over numerous days my brain will sometimes have an ADD moment and lose focus.  I like making little things to have around my room and studio because it makes me happy to be surrounded by my own special creations.  I am proud of {most} everything I create and I am of the belief that all handmade items should be displayed proudly (if someone, including yourself, took the time to make something, the least you can do is show it off).  

For today, I decided to tackle my studio windows.  I have all these amazing windows in my studio which let in all this great light (sadly this is a negative thing in the summer when it is 100 degrees here).  I did not want to change the windows or block the view I have into our green backyard but I did want to create some cute garlands for decoration.  Here are my windows before my crafty intervention:

Scout was on hand to lend her support!  She quickly retreated to her comfortable bed in the other room because apparently this concrete was not cutting it.

I decided to make a garland of triangle shapes out of craft/butcher paper.  You could easily use a grocery store paper bag too.  I made a template out of cardstock, traced them onto the butcher paper, and then cut them out.  Finally, fold them in the middle.  

I made two sizes of the triangle shape.  On the larger ones (pictured above) I stamped black dots.  I love polka dots!  I didn't have a circle stamp so I improvised and used a pencil eraser.

Finally, I glued the triangles onto baker's twine.  EASY!!

Here are the mini triangles.

And now for the results...my new and improved crafty studio windows:

Super cute!  Maybe I'll make more mini garlands in the future and add to my current window display.  I am a fan of all garlands and I don't think they should be limited to special occasions only.  Garlands for everyone, everywhere, anytime.