Christmas Gift Tags

This year, with my "crafting hobby" at its height, I decided to make gift tags for some dear parents I've had the chance to work with in the previous years.  I know this could come out a little weird, because some of these parents I haven't talked to or seen in three years!  But, I took particular note of those parents who were extremely nice and cooperative, those who made an impact on me, and those who continue to inspire me until today. :)


I have some leftover red papers, ran it through my bigshot with the tag die cut.  I glued some stickles and tied a short ribbon.  I used chalk ink over the letters for them to be more visible.

I made about 150+ of this, 10 for each parent

 

 

 

I also handmade small cards. I stamped a Christmas tree and a star in front, and adhered a "designer" ribbon (the packaging says so, hehe!).

This may be the best thought out card I've ever made.  Haha!  Lame me!

I initially thought of just printing a letter, and just changing it a little bit for each parent.  I basically wanted to say the same things, and given that I don't have much time nor the diligence to write nicely, printing is actually the better way to go.  But I decided against it later on - handwritten letters still send out the nicest and most genuine of thoughts, I feel.

I then put the tags inside.  Turned out my card was a bit small for 10 tags to fit.  Hihi!  But I managed to put them all in just the same. :)

I already got a couple of thank you's for this and that made me sooooo happy!  :) 

Merry Christmas, everyone! :)

How to Make Wedding Invites in ___ Days (Day 9, Day 10, and Day 11)

Day 9 - December 4, 2011

Like what I said, I've printed the remaining pages of the invitations.  Thank God I found the papers I need in another National Bookstore (Quezon Ave. branch).  I just gotta say this - Don't you love telephones?!?  Haha!  I called up several branches which are on my home, and only Q. Ave has the brand of the papers.  Imagine if there were no phones and I had to personally go to each branch only to find out they don't carry what I need!  Thank you, Mr. Bell.  :)  Hehe!

My cousin also finished putting the red stickers, thank you very much! :D

Day 10 - December 5, 2011

After office hours, I've started cutting the pages.  This time it's easier because I know the technique already. ;)  Plus, this time, I've printed in such a way that one side doesn't have a border anymore. That's minus one times seventy, baby!

However, I didn't get to finish or even manage to take a photo 'cause my sister texted me and we're gonna have dinner.  It's my mom's birthday, and I there was no initial plan that we'll eat out.  Anyway...

I finished cutting the remaining part at home.  Good thing the paper is already small so it fit my mini cutter.

After that, there's the exciting part of putting the three papers in the pocket fold!

You see here, only one invitation on the left is done.
I should have taken a photo when that corner was all piled up with 70 invites!! 

 Almost done!  Almost done!  Almost done!

Day 11 - December 6, 2011

This is monogram day.  I have the monograms ready, but I have yet to cut small yellowish papers for the borders.  This was kinda hard to do, 'cause everything really has to be totally straight.  And I am no straight cutter, I tell  you.  So this required triple effort.  Hehe!

I cut the yellow papers
Then paste the red one on it, using my good old glue stick

Afterwards, we started adhering the monogram on the invitation card.  The FINAL step!

Almost there!!
Extra: Do you notice that I change my sheets?!  Haha!

My cousin immediately tucks what I finish inside the envelope.  And after several days of brainstorming, trials, scouting for materials, trying out different techniques and finally deciding on what to do, and after 11 days of mechanical labor, look at all these babies sleeping soundly:

I wanna cry!!!!!!

I can't believe I was trusted to do something as big as this!  When I offered help to my friend, I was expecting to do some souvenir tags.  You know, those almost inconspicuous small papers attached to wedding souvenirs.  I didn't know I'd be given such a major role.  Hello, the invitation is only like the star of all the papers in a wedding!  Hahaha!


About DIY wedding invites, I could tell you that it's so much cheaper.  I could also attest for its bonding prowess.  My cousin and I bonded like whoa.  Haha!  This could be a good bonding experience for the groom and the bride, I meant. ;)  I hope they'll like the finished product! :)  The bride will get the invites by December 15, when she comes to Manila.  Until then, I might get a semi-pro photographer to take a picture of the invitation.  And by semi-pro photographer, I mean my cousin with a DSLR.  Hehe!  You know, everything looks lovelier when it's taken by a good camera.  And everything is played down with a camera phone.  Hehe!

There!  I had fun doing it (and blogging about it)!  I was challenged, excited, pressured, satisfied at different times - many times, simultaneously.

I'll never forget this time - when I made wedding invitations for my friend's sister, to escape writing my thesis... Hahaha!

PS.  When I apply for a new job, can I add "Did wedding invitations for 11 days" in my special skills?  I wonder if that will make or break my resume... Haha!

How to Make Wedding Invites in ___ Days (Day 7 and Day 8)

Day 7

Last Thursday, my meeting with my thesis adviser did not push through, and that meant I can stay in school late.  I took advantage again and went ahead with cutting the first pages I have printed.

I cut and I cut and I cut like I've never cut before!  Hahaha!  I thought it was just gonna be easy (just like when I cut the red papers), but it really wasn't.  I had to cut each page five times (four times to remove border), so that's 70 x 5 for you!  Plus, this one really has to be straight and perfect and everything.  Many points during pushing down the guillotine cutter that I've thought of alternative ways to cut - scissors or a simple cutter and a healing mat.  But a guillotine cutter would give the best results.  And with the help of some teacher friends working beside me and chatting me up, I managed to finish it!!!!  After two hours!  That's victory right there, people.

After that, look what happened again:

I didn't really mind the glittery gold stain on my fingers,
I was worried about the papers losing all the shimmery effect!

That night, while I still had the energy to, I chomped the corners. This I did while sitting down and watching TV, so this wasn't really a task at all.

Day 8 (12/2/2011)

My cousin has finally gotten the extra lace we needed and the red stickers for the front.  She did the sticking, thank God!  I don't really know if I have the persistence to do that!  She (I mean, we!) didn't finish it yet - but she has to come over to our house today to get it done.  Hahaha, bossy me.

She has finished a pack of red stickers.  Each pack has more than 500 beads!
And it didn't help that the stickers didn't stick so much.
We had to put on glue first, then stick it.
So I guess I  owe her some "hands spa" after this.  Hehe!

After and before, hehe!
Please tell me the red stickers make a nice difference
Or else I'm gonna start punching random people on the streets.

EDIT:  I forgot to add that this was also the day when I glued the primary page on the card, just like so:

There!  Can I make the invites in 10 days??  I think so!  Haha, that's the challenge!  Here's the plan:

Day 9 (today): printing the remaining pages (done!), finish adhering the red thingy

Day 10: cut the pages in the office

Oh wait, there's still the matter of the monogram, and I don't think that can fit on Day 10... Oh, no... Simula palang ng challenge, talo na!  Haha!  

Oh well, let this therefore be How to Make Wedding Invites in 11 days!!  :D  'til later!

How to Make Wedding Invites in ___ Days (Day 6)

Said I won't work on the invites on my midweek break, but I couldn't help it.  Hehe!  And working with my laptop placed on my crafting table didn't really give me a chance to concentrate on thesis!

Anyway, I worked on the monograms this time.  I used my mini trimmer I got from SM Department Store.  At 300 pesos, I was so hesitant to buy it at first.  Little did I know that this would be the cheapest thing I'll buy for this hobby. ;)

Cut 70 small rectangles

Stamped BS (the couple's initials) with black ink

Then over it, I stamped again, with gold ink this time

I'd have to paste these red rectangles over a bigger yellowish paper soon. :)

How to Make Wedding Invites in ___ Days (Day 5 and a half ;))

Last night was supposed to be Day 5, but I spent the whole time getting frustrated about my heat embossing tool and powder, that I wasn't able to do anything.  I've spent a considerable amount of money on that technique thingy, and I have yet to get my satisfaction from it.  So now, I say goodbye to an embossed monogram for the invites. Anyway...

Tonight, I did the printing.  The bride gave me the go signal to print.  I was only able to print the main and first pages, though, because National Bookstore ran out of the paper I need!  Ayayay... Sino'ng sumasabay sa 'kin gumawa ng wedding invitations??  Hehe...

Another cause of delay is that I don't have a decent trimmer here at home, and so I'd have to wait until Thursday and steal some more office hours (shhh...) to cut.  My trimmer from the States will arrive after Dec 6, by the way. I'm so excited!

This stack only has 70 pages, but incidentally looked as thick as the yellow pages 'cause each sheet is really thick

I thank God for the holiday tomorrow!  Wish there's always a midweek rest.  Unfortunately for me, though, it's not gonna be a real rest.  I will take a break from the invites tomorrow and resume work on my thesis (after about 10 days of retreat!).  I hope to get a clearer picture of what's ahead, especially since I'll be talking to my adviser on Thursday.  Wish me luck!

How to Make Wedding Invites in ___ Days (Day 4)

Day 4, Saturday (11/26/11)

Today, I spent time editing the details for the inside of the card.  And I loved doing it!  You know, whenever I get invitations for any occasion, I almost always spot a typo or a grammatical error.  And I hate it (please, double check!!).  This hatred in me better push me to make this wedding invite perfect, or else I'm gonna shoot myself down!

I have downloaded a lot of wedding-y fonts for this, but I ended up still using my favorite font.  I sent the draft and some pictures to the bride, and she'd have to approve first before I go buy the papers and print.  After that, it's all gonna be easy-breezy! :p

I have a love-hate relationship with our printer.  Good thing it cooperated tonight!  That's love!

Now it looks wedding-y!

Please ignore my ugly cutting - amateur crafter and 4-year teacher can't even cut straight along a guide line!

It's amazing how a paper can make or break a project.  And this time, I'd like to believe that the paper made it!  I didn't expect the printed output to look so formal and polished.  I hope you can see it in actuality, 'cause my camera phone practically ruins how it looks! Yikes!

I still have more time to work tonight, but I don't want to work on the monograms yet.  I don't know, I'm quite nervous about it so I don't wanna start working on it.  Haha!  It has to be perfect and beautiful 'cause it'd be in front.  I'm requesting all the powers to be with me as I do those soon. ;)

How to Make Wedding Invites in ___ Days (Day 2 and Day 3)

The other day and yesterday, I continued making the invitations.  And I was surprised that I accomplish a lot in a matter of, say, two hours.  Now, the only problem is I still need the lace, and we couldn't go to Divisoria just anytime we want. Also, I realized, delay happens when I run out of materials - my gluey tape, the envelopes, etc.  Anyway, here goes: :)

Day 2

I finished tucking the laces inside

And here's sticking the pocket fold inside the card

There's the red lace I was talking about

Day 3

I finished all the materials that I have, so now I'm just waiting for the lace and for the details for the inside - the most important part!

Here's what I did last night:

I initially planned to make the envelopes on my own - I thought it would be cheaper and more beautiful that way.  But after practicing, it didn't appear like that.  Haha!  Envelopes are so hard to make -and a big paper is also hard to find.  Good thing I found some envelopes with the right size.  I just bought those and embossed a little something in front just so it would look more unique and "classy", or so the video tutorial says. ;)

I used my Ultimate Crafter's Companion Tool!! :D

Does it make a lot of difference??  Haha!  In case it doesn't, it's fine.  It was easy to make, anyway.

Envelopes?  Done!

 By the way, here's my latest toy!!  It embosses and cuts, with the templates and die cuts you purchase, of course.  I hate that I like this expensive stuff!

I used this to emboss the LOVE thingy. :)

There!  I'm almost done!  When I finish this, I'm gonna proceed to doing my Christmas gifts (sorry, people, all you're gonna get from poor teacher me is handmade stuff.  haha!).  Also, this year, I plan to give some parents I've worked with a little something - maybe gift tags in case they want to embellish their presents this year. ;)

Until Day 4!