How to Use Paper Tags on your Valentine Treat Bags

If you are like me, Valentine's day sneaks up pretty quickly and my kids change their minds often about what type of treat they want to share with their classmates.  So, I'm always in a scramble at the last minute to be creative and stay on a budget!

Even if the school your child attends doesn't allow Valentine treats (BOO!), you can still whip up some cute goody bags for them to share with teachers, pals on their sports teams, Sunday School buddies, grandparents and family members, or even their day care centers!

How to make tags!  By O Happy Day!

I've designed some quick, printable 3" x 3" tags you can download, print, punch and tie on to any goody bag, cookie pack, snack can or treat!  Let your imagination soar!

But first, I wanted to show you some very SIMPLE, EASY ways creative people are using tags on their goody bags.

For any occassion, just fill a cello bag with toys, candy or other treats that go with your theme, then use curling ribbon to attach your tag:

Tie tag onto bag with curling ribbon -- by Kennary

Skip all the doo-dads and simply wrap homemade treats, like this candy apple, in a cello bag first before using fabric ribbon to tie on your tag:

Tie tag on with craft ribbon or raffia -- by A Yummy Life

Dress up some store bought, not sweet snacks to fill your bag then tie on your tag with bakers twine like this:

Baker's Twine makes a great tie and comes in many colors -- by This Ole Mom

I love this super cute, FAST way to attach the tag to a regular paper bag with a clothespin!  You can even print your tag on sticker paper to dress up the bag:

You can also glue the tag onto the bag!  By Orange Paper Duck

Actually, you don't even NEED a bag!  Just tie the tag directly onto your box of candy or treats like this:

Tied on tag by Crafting Chicks

Or get REALLY fancy with some big toys and a fancy ribbon bow like this:

Tie your tag to a toy with a fancy bow!-- by Sweet Party Wishes

Now that you have some ideas, all you need are your tags and treats!

Here are a few of my tags that are ready to print and available in my Etsy Store.  These tags are all 3" x 3" but you could certainly use regular Valentine cards as tags, too!

Robots are perfect for Valentines for boys.  Just tie these tags to a small package of Twizzlers...
aka robot arms!

Robot Valentine Treat Tags

Pink Poodle Paris tags are perfect Valentines for girls when you tie these tags to a box of heart candy!!
OOH LA LA!

Pink Poodle Paris Friendship Valentine Tags for Girls

ALL kids love a good cosmic brownie!  Don't worry...they come individually wrapped in the box.  Just tie on the Outer Space Tag Valentines for Girls!  (Available for boys, too!)

Outer Space Treat Bag Tags!

So, now I'm hungry!!  And ready to make more tags and bags for you!

What are YOUR favorite Valentine treats?  Let me know in the comments section!

Happy Tagging!

--Tammy

Easy-to-Make, Unique Valentine Printables

Are you looking for some Valentines that are handmade, uniquely different than just a flat card, but easy & quick because you don't have alot of time to make them?

I have designed some printable Valentine cards using a variety of artwork that will come in handy! They are even easy enough for your children to help with!

My printable Valentines can be downloaded to your computer or phone.  Then you print them on your home printer using cardstock or photo paper for best results.  You can also take them to a local printer.

Trinket Holders are very easy to do by just attaching a plastic toy to the Valentine card with a ribbon or pipe cleaner.  Here's my favorite Wild Jungle Animal Valentine!

Jungle Animal Valentines for kids with lions and tigers!

and this circus theme has a little tiger in the bag:

Circus Tiger Valentine Treat bag with tag

Commercial Treats with Themes like pirates and zoo animals are really easy to put together.  Just buy a packaged treat like animal crackers or cookies and attach a matching tag or topper like this:

Attach Valentines to Commercial Treats like cookies and crackers for Circus and Pirate Valentines!

Treat Bag Toppers are very economical and easy to make!  Just print, cut, fold in half then staple to a snack baggie filled with treats!  Use candy, snacks or even toys!  Here are some of my favorites from my Etsy store:

Valentine Treat Bag Toppers for Boys and Girls!

Party Favor Cards 

Easy to make! You can turn a plain card into a special treat holder by punching holes in it and inserting a lollipop, pencil or straw like this!  ANY design will work!

Turn cards into treat holders by punching a hole and adding lollipops or pencils!

I hope this gives you some ideas of how to take a plain Valentine card and turning it into a really fun handmade Valentine party favor treat for boys and girls!

What are some of your handmade Valentine tips?
I'd love to hear them in the comments below!

Happy card making!
Tammy

Simple-to-Make Valentine Banners, Buntings & Garlands

Chase away those winter blues with a few easy-to-make Valentine decorations for your home or classroom!  You don't need to spend alot of money or be extravagant to bring smiles to your space!  I love making garlands to hang on my mantle, over my doors, from the ceiling, or really anywhere to want to make a statement!

Here are some easy-to-make bunting ideas that don't require a ton of supplies!

SEW A PAPER GARLAND!

I do this all the time for parties, showers and birthdays using my 2"circle punch and printed card stock.  Now I'm going to try using a heart punch instead!

Heart garland from I Heart Naptime

Try hanging some this way....

Valentine Garland by The Little Things EV on Etsy

PRINTABLE PAPER PENNANT GARLAND!

I have designed alot of ready-to-print and cut banners in my Etsy shop that would work great for your party!  You just print on bright white card stock or photo paper, cut with scissors, and string together!  This one is has the entire alphabet on heart-themed pennants so you can spell whatever you wish.  Try "Happy Valentine's Day"  or "I love you"!

Printable Valentine Pennant Banner

Or you can just use the plain pennants with no letters.  I like to string them together with ribbon.  Punch holes in the corners and weave them side by side, or just staple them at the top to wide ribbon.

Printable Valentine Bunting

PLAYING CARD GARLAND!

This one sold out but she has lots of other cute garlands in her Etsy shop!

Valentine Garland from Playing Cards by Country Chic

This card banner is super cute, too!

Happiness is Homemade Valentine Garland

VALENTINE CARD WREATH!

If you saved your kids' Valentine cards from last year, why not put them on a wreath form?  If not, be sure and save the ones they get this year!  You could also print out various Valentines and use those, or buy some inexpensive boxed Valentines from the Dollar Store!  Love the way she cut the squares into hearts!

Valentine Card Wreath from Creative Breathing

PAPER CHALKBOARD BUNTING!

If you really want some easy "pink bling" just print and cut this Pink Glitter chalkboard banner.  Spell whatever phrase you wish with the full alphabet!

Pink Glitter Printable Chalkboard Valentines Garland

TULLE POM POM GARLAND!

I'm not very good at making the tissue pom poms...I seem to tear them all...so I can't wait to try these TULLE poms!! String them as garlands (click photo for tutorial)......

How to make tulle pom poms!

.....Or make some giant pom poms to hang from the ceiling.

Here's a video tutorial for really large tulle pom poms!

PAPER DOILY GARLAND!

Here is a super simple paper Doily garland from the Dollar Store.

Paper Doily Garland from Eat, Drink and Save Money

Lets your imagination go wild!  Look around your home and I bet you can find alot of other things to make garlands with.  Let me know what you come up with!

Happy garland stringing,

Tammy

I Love Valentine's Day!

It's coming! And it's my favorite!!

I know alot of people don't like Valentine's Day and I can understand.  Society places so much emphasis on RECEIVING Valentines from a sweetheart that if you don't have one, it's disappointing.
But Valentine's Day for me is more about GIVING Valentine's to my loved ones AND the incredibly fun art and crafts that go with the season!

So you will be seeing alot of posts from me about all things Valen-tiney!

PUN-ny Valentines and word-play Valentines are my favorite!  They are so corny and make me giggle (or groan)!

Vintage Valentines have REALLY fun puns.  Here's a darling one with a double word play!

When I was a kid, you didn't want to let your secret crush know they were your secret crush.  Corny pun Valentines were the perfect disguise!  If too embarrassed, you just say, "it's just a joke!

Food and kitchen items are especially fun for these corny vintage Valentines:

Here is one of my "pun-y" food Valentine Card designs, Pizza?

Pizza Valentine Cards

Food Valentines and "Perfect Pairs" are still very popular today.  Here are some vintage versions:

Vintage "perfect pair" Valentines:  Donut & Coffee, Hot Dog & Relish, Honey & Bee, Salt & Pepper

I thought I would try my hand at some "perfect pair" Valentines.  It's not my original artwork, but I had alot of fun with the bright, happy colors and graphics.

What goes together better than peanut butter and jelly?  Cookies and milk? Mac and cheese?  Hamburger and fries?  Ice cream and cake?

You're welcome!

 I'll be posting more of my Valentines this month!  There are so many to choose from!

What is your favorite kind of Valentine?  Silly?  Romantic? Funny?
Let me know in the comments below!

Love,
Tammy

Getting those Memories Organized!

Does the new year inspire you to "get organized"?
What's the #1 thing you want to get a handle on this year?

Mine is to catch up with start my scrap books! I know, I know, I waited so long and now everything is digital.  It's going to be a nightmare to either make the books or get the items scanned into digital format.

I have cabinets FULL of scrapbook papers, doo-dads, empty albums...just WAITING for me to create magic with them (or give it all away!).  I don't know how far I will actually get before switching to digital, but I'm going to try!

Now, I'm a saver and very sentimental.  I have BIG PLANS for all this stuff.   I have LARGE BOXES of artwork, photos, and "special" papers I saved from my children's school days.   Honestly, I have boxes saved from MY school days!!

 I wish I would have done something like this from the very start...but I didn't.

Dandee Designs

NOTE TO ALL NEW MOMS OUT THERE....STOP and set this up now!  You'll thank me in 10 years!!

And with the digital photos I have, I LOVE the idea of doing a "family yearbook"!  My cousin does this each year and they are so fun to look at!

Skinny Mom posted this one

But before I can do anything, I'm going to have to go through the BOXES and BOXES of printed photos I have from before everything went digital.  I love the suggestions for organizing and editing.  That's what I need....a great PLAN!

Modern Parents Messy kids

Also, my kids were PROLIFIC artists all the way through high school.  Recently, I did sort through all the boxes and let go of alot of them (I know....gasp....it was SOOO hard!)  I hope to have them made into printed books with a company like Shutterfly.  I'm not sure where this photo originated, but something like this would be great!

I DID turn some of their art into fridge magnets like these, but I would love to make some more.
Not only can we enjoy them everyday, but they don't take up as much space as the full sized drawings AND they won't get damaged!  Of course, I've already framed my favorites and they are on the family room walls.  But I love a good fridge magnet!

This tutorial for making magnets out of artwork by Amy Vowles is fantastic!

I'll let you know how my journey goes throughout the year!!
Stay tuned!

What are some of your favorite ways to organize your photos and memorabilia?  I'd love your suggestions!

Happy New Year!

It happens every January....New Year's Day comes in with a magical flurry of confetti, champagne and fireworks!  We make a list of things we want to change or do or become.

There's just something about the first day of the first month of a new year that inspires us to change or do something hopeful!  It's like a freshly washed chalkboard that no one has marked on yet....
it can be anything you want it to be and say whatever you want to write.

My "list" almost always looks like this:

• Get in shape.
• Spend more time studying the Bible.
• Control my tongue and attitude.
• Be kind and cherish others.

Let me be clear...I don't call these  "resolutions" because by the end of the year, they are usually not "resolved" and wind back up on my next list.   Really?
It gets frustrating.  You'd think after all these years some of these items could be retired!

Maybe the problem is not the list.   Maybe it's the chalk.
.

It would make sense that to get a new result, you would not only have to use a clean slate, but new chalk.  But I'm a broken person.  I'm dirty.  I'm chipped. and I don't look like, think like, or reason like I did when I was first out of the box.  So how can I expect a different outcome when using the same tools?

Hold on a minute....have you ever tried to write on a chalkboard with a brand new piece of chalk?  Oh, it looks perfect and feels nice and slick in your fingers, but it's doesn't write very well.  The line is thin and harsh and skips.  You have to scrub it around on the board to dull the edge before you can make a good mark.

And new chalk is very screechy, and it doesn't really know what it's talking about.

Brand new is not necessarily better.  Sooner than later, those long slick sticks snap. Then you can't tell the difference anymore between the old and the new.

So what's the point of our New Year's lists?  True, it's a great feeling to turn a new page, to write on a fresh board, to erase all of the negative things from the past and have a clean slate.
But I'm still the same person  and no matter how much I want to be brand new chalk....I'm cracked and uneven.

So now what?  Give up self-improvement lists? Doubtful.  Maybe it's changing how you look at your edges.  I mean, you can see them as flaws or you can see them as wisdom.  You can call them "used parts" or "earned income."

With every New Year you become more and more valuable.  You build up experience and joy and memories that are uniquely yours.  You are history!!  You don't need to start completely over...you just build  new layers!  Draw new pictures for your portfolio!  Rejoice in who you are and focus instead on the joy of writing on the chalkboard!

You know, my spiritual life is like that, too. I am constantly taking inventory of my shortcomings and wishing I could be brand-new-out-of-the-box again.  Year after year I beat myself up for falling short of His Glory and try to wipe the slate clean and start over.

Why?  Wasn't the slate already washed clean by Jesus at the cross?  Doesn't God see us as He sees Jesus?  We are His redeemed children.  Yes, we sin and we screw things up every year. YES, we are constantly failing and constantly repenting and trying to do "better" to please Him.

We like to make lists because then WE are in control.  But we aren't and we can't.  We don't need to write a new story on a board every year because we are ALREADY and ALWAYS forgiven.  It never depends on conquering the list.

It never depends on the chalk.

It's a story that is already written.  It's a promise that is already kept.  Jesus Christ saved us.  We are baptized into Christ and born again.  And every year of our lives are a refining process until He calls us home.

But fear not, for God has already taken control.  My hope is not in what I accomplish, but in Him who goes on the journey with me.

Happy New Year!
--Tammy