Reindeer tags

I know I may have mentioned yesterday that the festive season is well upon us but let me make it a little more realistic – there are just 45 sleeps left until we wake up to see what Santa has put under the tree. Now that seems like an awful lot of sleeps but when you narrow it down, there are only 6 weekends between now and then and once the partying starts, they’ll whiz past and before you know it the sleigh bells will be ringing. I am one of those people who need to be organised for Christmas or I get a little bit stressed. One of my favourite things to prepare is how I will wrap the presents each year. I always have a theme and I love making as much of it myself as I can. It’s also a little challenge for me to try and wrap the presents without having to spend money on things that will be thrown in the bin. I pinned these cute little cards on Pinterest a little while back and couldn’t wait to make my own version for Christmas.

The 'ingredients'

In the interest of not spending anything on the tags, everything I used I found around the house. Yes I’m one of those people who keep food packaging to use for crafts. I buy a big industrial-sized roll of brown paper for all my gift wrapping (easy to adjust to any occasion with ribbons and decorations) so I used that to cover the ugly side of the cardboard. You can use anything you like for the bodies of the reindeer/birds.

You will need:

• scissors
• craft glue
• coloured paper or fabric for the bodies
• cardboard for the cards and paper to cover the ugly side if you’re using recycled card
• a thin-tipped black marker
• a hole punch
• ribbon or twine to attach the card
• a pencil

Covering the cardboard

If you’re using recycled card like I did, cover the ugly side in glue and lay them on a sheet of brown paper (or any colour you like). Press them down firmly then flip it over and smooth out any bumps. Leave it to dry.

Tracing the bodies

Draw a rough egg shape onto a piece of card and cut it out to make your stencil. Trace out the shapes on whatever you’re using for the body (on the side that you will stick to the card) and cut them out.

Reinbird bodies

Sticking them on the card

I missed taking a photo of this step – once the card is dry, cut out rectangular shapes. I used an old gift tag as a guide for the shape but you can make them any size you like.

Stick the bodies on the cards about 2/3 of the way down.

Filling in the details

Use the fine black marker to trace around the outside of the body then add legs, antlers and a beak.

Reinbird gift tags

Punch a hole in the top of each card, double over a piece of ribbon and thread it through the hole then stick the two ends of the ribbon through the loop and pull it. Attach your gift tags to a jar of homemade tomato sauce and you’ll be the most favoured person at you Christmas party. What about you, do you theme your wrapping or does anything go? Do you like to make your own cards?

This post was written for the cash giveaway by Successful Blogging and RocketFuel who connect brands with bloggers.