Tag, you're it

I guess this is the week for tags.  We sold almost all the tags we had made last weekend, so that is what I felt that I needed to replenish before next weekend's craft sale.  This is the last craft sale of the season, and so I really don't want to make much, and be stuck with it.  Of course, if I am stuck with it, then I will have it made, so I will use it.  It's a win win situation. 
I don't feel like I accomplished much this week, so far, but I have my reasons.  I got a new die for my Big Shot right before Thanksgiving, that makes little rosettes.  I made the cutest little turkeys that I put on top of licorice sticks, and I loved making them.  So, I wanted to make rosettes, so I mass produced a bunch on Monday, and made them in to tags for Christmas presents. 
On Tuesday, I wanted to make a big ornament with the Ornamental Keepsakes stamps and Framelits.  I stamped out the ornaments I needed for the big decoration, but before heading to the Big Shot I stamped a bunch of small ornaments, so I could be cutting several sizes and styles with each pass through the Big Shot.  No sense in cranking that baby for one ornament at a time.  I made the big fancy ornament for a gift exchange on Tuesday evening.  Our Stampin' Up demonstrator's group had a gift exchange at our party, and we each had to decorate a jar, or tin, or canister, and put something in it.  I actually decorated a coffee can with the ornament on top, and a snack mix that I made inside.  (I forgot to take a photo, but Kay will post them on her blog in a couple days, and I can show you then.)  So, that was Tuesday afternoon during nap time.  The little ornament pieces I punched are waiting for assembly.

When I came home Tuesday night, I was kind of wound up, so I headed to the craft room, and pulled out some scraps of paper that I had put aside after our album class last week.  I thought these scraps would be perfect to make the folded star ornaments, so I sat and folded a bunch of those stars, and assembled them.  During nap time today, I stamped the end pieces, and decided to add "to and from" to one end so you could tie them on a package.  They turned out cute.  I love making those  stars, and thought about the beautiful origami set that Santa Clause brought me when I was about 11 yrs.  It had beautiful Japanese paper.  I think I will look for a set like that for my granddaughter for Christmas. 
Tonight after dinner I sat down with my punches and started playing around trying to come up with a Santa that I could put on top of candy packs for the sale.  I moved on to a snowman when I was not coming up with a Santa to my liking.  I went from making a snowman head to making a full snowman, and he is a telescoping style snowman.  He ended up as a gift tag, and I made about 20 of those.  They were fun, but once again a lot of putsy work. 
I feel like I am getting nowhere fast this week.  I guess I just can't keep it simple.  Everything I make turns in to a big production, a bunch of time, and not very cost effective for a craft sale, because I spend more time than I could ever get paid for!  LOL!  Like I do it for the money!! LOL!  I do it for the LOVE!
So I guess I could add a couple challenges into my projects, and I found a couple that apply. 
 SUO Challenge #59 says KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM, and I think the folding stars are just right for the challenge.  CAS-ual Fridays #80 is looking for gift tags, and I have got them.  Jingle Belles says ANYTHING (Holiday) GOES, and so does Crafty Boots Challenges.   So, take that!! challenges. I have gotcha covered.
So, even though I am up to my ears in crafty projects, I just had to get a few more Christmas things made for this sale.  Things I really enjoy making.  For next week the focus must shift.  The door to the craft room may even close.  I have cleaning, and shopping and baking to do.  I have knitting, and sewing, wrapping to do.  I have company coming, and a tree to trim, and a house to decorate.  Christmas is only 20 days away!!
But, I still have crafts to do tomorrow.  Come back and see. 
Mary Alice