{Christmas} Felt Gift Tags

Hey there friends...happy week before Christmas. I hope all of you had a peaceful weekend, surrounded by those you love. I know I had a hard time letting my babies out of my sight, and tears kept popping up unexpectedly, so a big dose of family was much needed. My heart and prayers go out to all of you affected by this unfathomable tragedy. We shed tears of sorrow with you.

In light of these recent tragedies, it seems silly and frivolous to be posting about gift tags made of felt. But sitting at the table with my children this weekend, cutting and gluing felt on to pieces of cardboard, was comforting and safe. With no plans or agenda, we just sat and created, enjoying the peace and each other.

My clever and super-creative aunt (the one responsible for these stripes and these ornaments) made similar tags 14 years ago, and I loved mine so much I still hang it on my tree every year. So this year we made our own, fun and easy gift tags. Draw shapes on paper, and cut them out as templates. I chose ornaments and mittens.

Using your template, cut the shape out of stiff decorative paper (this is the back of your tag, and base for the felt), and glue to felt. Once it's dry, cut the felt as well.

Now is the fun part, with no rules, or rights and wrongs. Just decorate with ribbon, pom poms, ric rac...anything you can find. I used pinking sheers to cut strips out of felt scraps, too. I chose supplies in the same color palette as my wrapping paper, so all the tags coordinated well with any package.

It takes several minutes for the glue to set, so I found it easier to let everything dry before trimming the excess ribbons from the edges. Then just punch a hole, thread a string, and tie them to your packages. We were at it for several hours, and only stopped because we ran out of glue (making them is addictive!). Here are a few of my favorites in each shape (made cuter by displaying them on my No-Sew Pom Pom Tree Skirt!).

All the wrapping paper is jewel tones, to match our theme this year, and the tags make the packages even more bright and festive.

Regardless of what's inside, how could you not be excited to receive a cute present like this!?

Can you tell by the overload of pictures that I'm smitten? How's the wrapping going on your end? I'm just about done, and I've got a sore back as proof!

**** Grateful to show my support to Sandy Hook by donating here.****