Halloween Tags, and The Tag Swap!

I have entered a few Halloween swaps this year and as I have referred to in my previous post I get a bit nervous. I like doing the swaps but it is difficult for me sometime to keep a positive attitude about them when you have been burned, or had a difficult time with other swaps (I am still waiting on my fan that I was told was mailed out the 28th, 2 weeks ago). However I did join these swaps, and I am committed to following thru and making things my partners will enjoy. I am almost ready to mail them out. My friend Nancy VanHoose did some lovely tags using some cupcake liners for Halloween that were too cute. I resisted the urge to run out and get some of them instead opting to use what I had on hand. These are my tags. I papered chipboard and with some help from a few items made my own versions. I did add some gold thread loops and a backing paper to the back to finish it off and a place to sign. These were cool to make. I was thinking of labeling my packages with them, but maybe they will wind up being part of a swap gift? Not sure yet, but I am working on a few more for now. I want to get my packages out this weekend. I like having them out a bit early. I am hunting down boxes to fit all the neat things I have to pack up. I hope that my partners will be happy with my packages!

Here is a close up of one of them. I used my nestabilities and cut out the medallions from that. Then add some black glitter around the image and a sparkly chenille stem. Add the crepe and back with a disk and a gold thread and these tags are ready to adorn a gift.

Bonus, look what did arrive today in the mail!!!! I participated in this Halloween Tag Swap and today it arrived in the mail ( this one was also due the 28th). Still Sarah (Gypsy Mermaid) managed to get them together and send them back to us so quickly. Here is a look at the little book Sarah put together with all our tags. Tied with an orange ribbon!

This pictures shows of the pages, mine is the one on the right (previous post) It was on old German paper with black tulle, lace, crepe paper, and some neat trim with bats on it along the bottom.

I have to say this was a neat tag, one of my favorites, I love the bonus earrings!!!! Jill Harris of Gypsy Brocante made them! I will have to wear them, that is if I can bear removing them.

Below is a glimpse of the book in total. If I have not mentioned it before, there were 13 tags total. Lot's of wonderful work.

There are so many cool things in this little book, and perhaps I will show them all individually another time. For now I want to share with you that it came today and that fun swap was hosted by "Gypsy Mermaid". Thank you Sarah for being our Hostess. You were always in touch, and did a great job!

Busy Friday..... finishing up.

I have belonged to the Yahoo Group, Michigan AB , for some time. They are celebrating their 10th anniversary and  one of the Hostesses,           Corinne http://glitzohgirl.typepad.com

has decided to put together a commemorative book together. She has called out to all members to join and I think at last count there were 140+ participants. This is the page I am submitting. I made one original for me and one for Corinne, the other members will receive copies. It is a big project and Corinne is doing all this work as a "gift" to us. Thank You so much Corinne. I hope you like my page, I cannot wait to see the book!

Here are some other things I have been fiddling with. While I cannot yet share with you the tags I made for the Marie Antoinette Tag Swap,(although you can see the corner of one in the picture, my bad), I can show you some of the projects I have been working on.

Do you remember a few months ago my dear friend in Tennessee, Cathy Teller, sent me a box of lace bits and goodies from her Mom and her? Well I finally finished these little gifts for them. They are fabric collage folders. Using coffee stained fabric, silk flowers, ribbon, and a transfer image. I even found a pin for each. For Cathy I found a pin made from a piece of China. She is a fabulous China Painter and I thought she would love this pretty recycled pin. For her Mother a pretty golden Rose.

I placed some "handmade" cards inside. I made this thinking she could put her cards for each month in here ready to mail. She could also place hankies, photos, or anything she likes in them. I put a couple hankies in the smaller one for Cathy's Mom.

So now off to mail all these goodies to their new homes. It feels so good to get things done. I still have to dress my doll for the exchange I am doing for a Doll Group. I love making these things and sending them off but the real fun for me comes when the person receives them and it brings a smile to their face and some joy to their day!