A cute and useful Christmas craft

Let's just get this out in the open.  I'm a thrifty girl. In fact, let me just make this admission clear: I'm cheap.  That's right, I'm a cheapskate.  I love to repurpose and reuse items, whenever possible.

The reason I came up with this little craft is because I love to use and reuse gift bags.  There was one time, however, I forgot to remove the little tag...and there was someone else's name still on it!  Can you imagine my embarrassment?

I tried just sticking on a new "sticker" tag, but then the person to whom I was giving the gift bag, couldn't reuse the bag.  Hypothetically speaking, of course. 

So I came up with a work around.  The best part, I think, is that you can get your kiddos involved.  I mean, what kid doesn't like stickers?  

The process is super-simple, and super cute.  I use inexpensive gift tag stickers and construction paper.  But you could use heavy duty card stock, or patterned scrapbook paper.  Here's how it works:

1) Start with store bought peel and stick gift tags.  These were 40 tags for $1.00

2) Pick your paper backing.  I used green, red and black construction paper.  You can see how patterned paper would be super cute, here.

 3) Peel off the labels and stick them to the construction paper, leaving enough room to trim and punch a hole.

4) Grab your scissors and a standard hole punch.  Trim around your labels leaving approximately 1/4 of an inch on 3 sides and approximately 1/2 inch on one side: this will be the top for vertical stickers and circles, and the right side for horizontal stickers.

5) Once all stickers are trimmed to the appropriate size, punch a hole along the side with the wider margin, trim the corners to resemble a "tag" and you're done.

Now you have a set of gift tags you can tie onto the handles of those cute recycled gift bags, they can be easily removed, you've provided a craft for your children, and they are super-duper cute!

Hope you'll try this project at home.  Happy Crafting!

Only By His Grace,

Billie