Candy!

A few months back I showed you how to use mailing labels to make cute little wrapped Hershey's Nuggets. Well, I'm making party favors for my new catalog premiere party this Sunday (each person gets a goodie bag full of handmade items as my thank you) and I wanted to make those candy wrappers again and also a little bag topper too. So, let's review how to make the wrappers first. You need some blank mailing labels, I recommend the ones that are 1" by 4". Shorter than 4 inches and the label just barely makes it around the nugget. It's better to have a bit too long than too short.

I used the new stamp set Many Thanks. I started with one of the larger stamps but not too large or half your stamp will disappear off from the label. With this type of random stamping, the rule of threes doesn't matter as much. Simply stamp around the page of labels leaving space for the smaller stamps. I used autumn terracotta.

Next I took the next smallest stamp and used outdoor denim ink. Stamp it in between the other leaves.

Fill in the spaces again with another stamp and honey ink. It's okay if the leaves overlap a bit.

I went ahead with a 4th stamp and used autumn terracotta again, slipping the leaf in the smaller spaces.

Lastly I took a small acorn stamp and the outdoor denim ink and stamped anywhere that need another splash of the darker color.

Once done, peel off a label.

Start your label on the side of the candy, wrap it around keeping the edges flush.

I bought Wilton clear mini treat bags and they just barely fit 4 candies. The bag is too tall for only four candies so you can either trim the top of the bag or fold it over twice. Staple it to hold it steady for your topper.

Here's two options for a topper. You can randomly stamp on a piece of white cardstock just like you did on the labels. Cut out 3" by 4" rectangles, score so that the piece folds down 1 1/2". Distress with outdoor denim ink.

Attach to your bag with a staple on each side. Add a 1" by 1 1/2" piece of white cardstock that you distressed with outdoor denim. Stamp the "many thanks" sentiment in autumn terracotta and add to the topper.

Here's the finished look, cute, huh?

The other option is to cut a 3" by 4" piece of white cardstock, distress with outdoor denim ink and fold. Use one of your leftover labels and stick it right on the middle of the topper then add the "many thanks" label like you did above. Both looks work great! So, do you think my customers will like these Sunday?



If you like this you might also like Candy Time, Part Two.

Gift bag - so easy!

Here's a quick and easy way to brighten up a plain white paper bag. I bought a package of small gift bags at the store and knew right away that they would look better stamped. All you need is a stamp set (I used Endless Friendship), some inks (sweet leaft, crystal blue and blush), a sponge, a wiry sponge, the bag and some stamp blocks.

With a stamp of your choice do some random stamping, remembering the triangle rule (see random stamping posts from previously).

Stamp the center of the flowers, I love this particular center in this set, so goofy!!

Add leaves and then take the wiry sponge (I have no better name for it) and stamp little blush colored specks all over the whole bag. Make sure you stamp on both sides. I leave the sides of the bag white.

Distress the edges of both sides of the bag and add some little spiral stamps to the white spaces.

In about five minutes you'll be done. Find a matching piece of tissue paper and put it in the bag along with your gift. Easy!