Gifts & Packaging Projects

My favorite way to welcome fall is to curl up under my blanket and watch “You’ve Got Mail.” No many how many times I watch it — and it’s been too many to count — it always makes me feel cozy and comforted. Who...

Project I recently had to change one of my cat’s diets and found myself with more leftover food cans than I knew what to do with. As a crafter, I couldn’t just toss them in the recycling bin and forget about them. Clearly, they could be...

Sometimes, simplicity is best. Rather than making a complicated bath and body recipe, this straight-forward sugar scrub only requires a few ingredients, most of which might already be on hand. Running to the store for a quick errand has become more...

In the creative process, sometimes things come together just perfectly. As someone who often wants to take on a new craft or art project only to find myself faced with a creative block, I really enjoy when this happens. This happened recently when we...

I’ve had a couple of friends who have been going through a rough patch recently. One lost her dear cat and the other lost her father. I wanted to give them each a little gift to let them know I was thinking of them. With the re-launch of GreenCraft...

With the weather cooling down and the sun setting earlier each day, it’s time to infuse fall-scented candles into your evening routine. There’s nothing quite like winding down by candlelight, and it’s a happy bonus when you can bring...

I have a lot of friends who dabble in a number of hobbies. A lot of time they dip their toes into something, realize it’s not for them, and move on to the next thing. While that keeps things exciting, it can be a little bit of a cost investment...

I can’t count how many projects I’ve made using teeny tiny glass vessels. I just love them, and I love creating in miniature. I thought it was time to try something new with all the dried flowers we have around the office and my mind...

What can I say? I’ve been bitten by the template bug! Several months ago I shared an idea for using some of our versatile templates to create one-of-a-kind gift-wrap. Well, I couldn’t help doing it again when I found a few country-inspired...

With Mother’s Day and May Day having recently passed, it seems everyone spaces are overflowing with flowers. Despite our best efforts, it’s always a shame when our bouquets begin to wilt. If only we could admire their beauty a little longer...

Every year, with spring’s arrival comes the appearance of shower invitations in my mailbox. Weddings and babies … there is always plenty to celebrate this time of year. I always find myself volunteering to help with whatever the celebration...

I'm a firm believer that you can never have enough muslin drawstring bags. They can be used in so many different ways and hold up to a variety of different techniques. They're one of my favorite ways to wrap a gift. Sometimes I'll go a little overboard,...

My favorite part of the holidays is wrapping gifts. I love brewing a pot of tea, turning on some festive music, and sitting next to my Christmas tree, surrounded by all my supplies. It’s always fun to come up with a new theme or idea each season...

As busy as we are, we always manage to find a way to pencil someone or something else into our schedule. We open our planners and see all those doctor’s appointments, work lunches, and coffee dates with friends, precisely scheduled throughout our...

I don’t know about you, but after the harsh winter months my skin is extra dry. After running out of lotion following endless applications, I looked online to see if there was anything I could make at home to help moisturize my skin. I found...

I love putting together soldered slide images! A simple sentiment and some patterned paper transform these glass slides into tiny pieces of art. Mothers will love the personalized touch to these simple framed works of art. Inspired by Mom Soldered...

        Shopping Christmas holiday closeouts can be rewarding! That’s when I saw the clear plastic ornaments and a “Happy New Year” coaster pack. A cardboard Christmas tree flipped upside down is the perfect cone for...

Every time I sit down to write a letter, I wish that I had the time to add a stamped detail or an embellishment to the otherwise store-bought (gasp!) cards. To prevent this from ever happening again, I decided to layer a few bits of ephemera onto the...

Our family of magazines never fails to provide me with inspiration. Though I’ve worked here for nearly 11 years, I still love going through each and every title we publish, taking note of the projects I’d like to try and what trends seem to...

We should grab coffee sometime! This project is a simple way to grab a cup of coffee with someone, near or far. These test tubes have all of the fixings for your favorite cup of joe or cup of tea and makes an excellent gift for your coffee-drinking...

For Valentine’s Day, I’m planning on bringing back the valentine. I haven’t sent out valentines since grade school, but I would love to do something small and sweet to show my friends how much I care. For these glassine envelopes, a few...

Every time I see a Hello stamp or stencil, I can’t help but singing “Is it me you’re looking for?” in my head. In this ode to Lionel Richie and Adele, I have embellished these Hello Tags with sentiments best-expressed in these hit...

  We recently asked our Bella Grace readers what five physical items they would keep in their Happiness Box. What’s that, you ask? A Happiness Box is exactly what it sounds like: a box filled with items that make you happy. The box is then...

Roses are a timeless favorite of mine. I'll take them in any color, but I've always loved them in a good cheery pink. I would dress head-to-toe in this color if it suited me, but my dark olive skin just doesn't work that well with too much rosy pink...

This project originally appeared in Take Ten Winter 2018. This lovely gift bundle is created with just a few blank kraft cards and envelopes, a white inkpad, and some inked lace ribbon. If you are need of a thoughtful token of your appreciation, this...

I still haven’t mastered the art of wrapping oddly shaped gifts, despite watching countless YouTube videos on how to do just that. I always try, then find myself tossing the ruined paper in the trash and pulling out the one thing that never fails...

Every year I make the same promise to myself: I’ll make this Christmas a handcrafted one! And every year I find myself wondering where the time went as I pull out my store-bought holiday decor, vowing that next year is the year. I’m proud to...

It is no secret that my go-to gift is a journal. Why wouldn’t it be? There are so many pretty ones out there, and no one can ever have too many of them. Sometimes I simply give a beautiful store-bought journal or diary, while other times I will do...

Tim Holtz’s new Tag Press is an easy way to add polish to your handmade tags. Insert it into the contraption and you’ll get metal rim tags that are crimped to perfection every time. For this project, we’re exploring three different ways...

It is tragic that most coloring pages are completed with hours of hard work only to sit on a shelf for the rest of their life. This art should be shared! Hang it on the walls, collage your art journals, or create these darling treat boxes. This coloring...