gossamer blue :: november :: sticker bags

Happy November!  It's a new month which means new kits from Gossamer Blue!  You can see the new kits in their shop and the gallery is open, too, so you can peruse the Design Team's gorgeous work with them.  This month, I've gone gift wrap crazy!  You'll notice this if you take a peek at the gallery; the only projects you'll see from me are pretty packaging techniques.  Gift wrapping plays a pretty big role at this time of year so I used that as an excuse to prepare various presents for friends, teachers, and family (and the occasional empty box!) with all sorts of different wrappings.

This has got to be the simplest wrap I've ever done, but I have to tell you that I love the way it turned out.  In the Main Add-on kit was a sheet of clear stickers from Amy Tangerine.  I will admit that while I always love the designs of clear stickers such as these, they are not my favorite things to work with.  They work great as photo overlays, but since I rarely use photos in my work, that use generally doesn't apply to me.  Using them on paper or card stock is great, but they're super-sticky (and clear) so if you have to re-position, you risk paper transfer which is quite visible.  So clear stickers aren't a product I've ever used too much.  Until now.

Now that I've discovered this technique, I will use them all the time!  I decided to try them out as a decoration for a muslin bag.  And it worked!  Because they're super-sticky and incredibly thin, they appear to be almost one with the bag.  If you have to re-position, the bags don't rip.  Yes, tiny fibers may still stick to the back of your stickers, but they aren't noticeable like a swatch of paper would be.  They're more malleable than their thicker paper counterparts so they bend with the bags and they do not fall off.

I love this so much!  It's such a quick option for hectic schedules and last minute gifts.  Run a bone folder over them a few times for a stronger hold and to iron out any wrinkles.

For the crafty bag below, I added a couple extra elements like the scissor die cut and the pink puffy clothespin sticker adhered to a white tag.  A bright yellow tassel completes the look.  Quite possibly, I've used tassels on all of my wraps so far this month!  I made the tassel from embroidery floss but the other embellishments are also from Amy Tangerine.

The muslin bags I used are 5" x 7" but this adornment will work with any size since the stickers also come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Another handmade tassel mixed with pieces from the GB kits to accent this pretty floral bag.  The minty alpha can be found in the Main kit while the polka dot washi is in the Main Add-on.  If you haven't ordered your November kits yet, do it soon!  Better yet, become a subscriber; they get first dibs on all the add-ons!

Again, be sure to check out the DT Gallery for loads of inspiration.  I noticed that a lot of the gals made pretty packaging samples so if you're a gift wrap fiend like me, you're in for a real treat!  I have a LOT of wrapping coming your way this month, so stay tuned...Thanks for stopping by!