The creative muse waved her December wand. I was smitten with the idea of handmade fabric gift tags that could double as ornaments.

© 2017, Mary Ellen Merrigan, Christmas tags
Some might call them folksy. Bits of ribbon, sequins, trim, felt shapes, buttons, beads and charms make for Christmas cheer with texture and character. I stitched the pieces most evenings, adding whimsical touches on the back, just because I could.
Many of the tags reflected scrap material others shared from their stash. Others featured holiday charms from years gone by. It’s fun to upcycle. I get a kick out of using all manner of things. My stash contains snowflakes that were part of a Christmas decorating stash from the 50s, gifted to me from a friend who didn’t plan to stitch.
Not that it’s all old or recycled. I tried out some new metal sequins I’d ordered earlier in the year and loved the look.

© 2017, Mary Ellen Merrigan, Christmas tag with metal sequins
The first 20 customers at my Holiday Wonders show received one of my custom handmade fabric gift tags.

© 2017, Mary Ellen Merrigan, Christmas tags
I decided to use my handmade fabric gift tags instead of cards and gifted them to friends as we met for lunch or coffee during the month.

© 2017, Mary Ellen Merrigan, Christmas tags
It’s highly likely that some kind of handmade fabric gift tag like this will play a part in craft day at the annual family gathering. Here’s a post from a another craft day project, “Make Things by Hand.” It’s become a tradition to include crafts in our holiday gathering.
What I know for sure is that I’m having fun. What playful thing are you doing to create more joy in your life?