Joy Banner & Gift Tag Craft

I love the look of vintage paper and glitter crafts, I have been wanting to play around with Mod Podge, newsprint and glitter for a Christmas project. So I spent the day crafting and glittering away.

My first project was a Christmas JOY banner. I found some wonderful cardboard pennants while I was out Christmas shopping last week, and I knew they would be perfect for my project. I started by covering them in newsprint. I used Mod Podge, but I think glue would work fine too.

Our town paper is not that big, and it was difficult to find newsprint in the size I needed, with only positive articles, I couldn't see making a Christmas craft with a police report or an angry political opinion. But finally I found a piece for all 5 pennants.

I let them dry, then cut them out and folded the newsprint over the back of the pennant about a quarter of an inch- like this.

While they were drying some more I printed out the letters for my banner- after searching the web for some good letter printouts, I found the perfect design at Marthastewart.com here-

Martha Stewart Christmas Letter Printables . I printed these out on some shimmery gray cardstock that I had in my scrapbook supplies.

I also wanted a bell on either side of the word JOY, I found a bell pattern and reduced it to fit my pennant. Here is the link to the bell pattern- Bell Pattern . I printed them out, and traced it onto the same cardstock I used for the lettering, and cut them out.

Next I covered the pennant in Mod Podge and glued the letter in the middle then added a nice layer of Martha Stewart Course Crystal glitter to the entire pennant except the letter. Then I let this dry.

Finally, using glitter gel glue, I outlined the letter circle and the pennant in Martha Stewart Sterling Tinsel Glitter- Tinsel glitter is not like regular silver glitter, it looks like little tiny sections of a very thin tinsel, and it has a more vintage look to me. I found a pack of Tinsel Glitter at Michael's Craft store last year, here's a link to the product online at Martha Stewart Online Shop- Tinsel Glitter. I think I may have to order some more sterling tinsel glitter after today.

Here is how the banner turned out.

While my banner was drying, I wanted to make tags for some silver gift bags I purchased, so I printed out the word JOY on light gray card stock. Mod Podged some more newsprint to another piece of card stock- like this.

When it was dry I traced a circle, and cut it out. I also traced a small circle around the word Joy and cut it out. Covered the newsprint covered card stock circle in Mod Podge-glued down the word JOY then Course Crystal Glitter everywhere but the JOY circle. Then, same as the pennant, rimmed the edge of the Joy circle and the outer edge in Sterling Tinsel Glitter.

When these where dry I hot glued them onto the side of the silver gift bag.

I love taking inexpensive plain bags and dressing them up- I think this would work with plain brown sacks as well, you could use any color of tinsel glitter to match the look you want.

Why JOY?

Christmas, to me, is a very Joyful time of year- the word JOY reminds me of the Joy the Lord has given us, and it is the word I would like our family to focus on this Christmas time. You can find so many Bible verses having to do with joy, here is one I really love.

Jesus said-

9. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my father's commands and remain in his love. 11. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:9-12 (NIV)

I had a very nice day crafting, my dining room looks like Santa's workshop with my various projects in progress. I will be happily busy this week finishing up my Christmas crafts. Hoping you are all having a nice week!