Turn to Nature to Make Gift Tags

Now that it's fall, why not take advantage of what the season has to offer? Leaves can be a great source of inspiration and you can use them in a lot of different decorative ways.  

I love to make my own tags and cards, and items that are made by hand really show a sense of care and creativity.  

Here is a cute and easy way to incorporate a little bit of nature in a crafty project.

First, the materials you will need are card stock paper, decorative paper or construction paper, double-sided tape or glue, a hole puncher, shipping tape, scissors and a couple of leaves

Next, you need to decide what size you want the tags to be. Then gather some small leaves and make sure they fit within that size. I happen to have punchers that are set to a certain size. If you don't have one, then you can just cut by hand.  

Once you have the shape ready, prepare two sides of the tag. One side should be white card stock and the other a more decorative paper.  

See what types of paper you can find at Gordon's Cards & Gifts on East Park Avenue as well as Long Beach Craft & Variety Inc. on West Park Avenue.

Now, take a piece of clear shipping tape and place it over one of the leaves. You should be able to cover the leaf completely. Then place on white card stock. This will protect the front of the tag as well as the leaf.

You can find shipping tape at True Value Hardware on Long Beach Blvd.  Stop by Rite Aid in Waldbaum's shopping center for tape or glue as well as scissors. They should have reasonable prices.

Adhere the sides together with doublesided tape or glue and then punch a hole in the top. Write a small message or the person's name and you're done. It's that easy!

Another option: Repeat the same step with the shipping tape but use construction paper or a solid color card stock for the back. Once you have the leaf attached to the paper, cut around the leaf so its shape is clearly shown. Punch a hole in it and there you go. You have a quick gift tag that will add a nice touch to any present.

You can also use this idea for cards. Just make them bigger. As for the tags, try using them for name settings this Thanksgiving, or add them to small gifts your guests can take home. I am sure you will find many ways to show off how cute these guys can be.