Love Is All Around

Love Necklace - Sterling Silver & Bronze

 Earlier this week my mother told me that one of her dearest friends had been diagnosed with cancer.  It was unexpected and a tough blow for everyone.

Rather than wallow this amazing woman has rallied and is ready to face what lies ahead and come out smiling.  Make no mistake the road ahead is going to be rough.  There will be surgery and radiation therapy.  But she has wonderful medical care, a loving husband, supportive friends and a devoted dog.  And now a necklace meant to remind her that she is loved.

I wanted the necklace to have meaning so I gave the design serious thought.  Though simple it was created with her journey in mind.

Bronze is a metal alloy whose healing power is tied to touch.  Physical contact is said to bring calmness and meaningful thoughts. The simple bar shaped pendant is meant to easily be grabbed and touched.   With time bronze tarnishes taking on a rustic gold tone.  She can easily clean it by wiping it with any fabric.  But the stamped letters will only become darker and more prominent with time.  Always reminding her that she is loved.

The pendant is backed with sterling silver and hung on a sterling silver round snake chain.

Monty modeling with the necklace

I hope she finds the necklace to be a comfort.  It was made with the best intentions.  

How to Make Gift Tags

For me nothing is more wonderful than handmade gift. This may explain why I have crafted everything from scarves to spice mixes to gift friends and loved ones. Each gift is made with loving care so I think the packaging should express the same sentiment.

I recently finished a Clapotis for one of my dearest friends. I couldn't bear the thought of it traveling to Texas in an ugly box. So I looked for the perfect box.  I got lucky and found a pale minty green box with polka dots.  Next, I  rustled up coordinating tissue paper and made the gift tag.  The end result was a sweet perfection.  

I had never made my own gift tag before.  So there was a little trial and error.  In the end I was able to create what I hope is pretty and practical keepsake for the giftee.   

 How to Make a Gift Tag

Print each side of the tag on the same sheet of paper. 

 Print out the gift tag text.  In this case I was doing a two sided tag so I had to ensure there was enough space between the text of each side.

The backside had fiber and care instructions.  This can be pretty handy for knit and crochet items.    

 Then cut the gift tag out of a light cardboard.  The shape can vary.  In this case I went with a traditional shape.

The tag can also be used to put extra buttons, yarn or thread. 

Cover one side with glue and adhere the printed text. Trim. Repeat on the other side.  Add any embellishments.  Finally, using a hole punch make a hole.  You can use this to attach the tag to the gift.