Simple Tags + Envelopes
For as long as I can remember, I have deeply enjoyed creating art and crafts at Christmas time - to give as gifts, to earn some income, or for personal enjoyment. However, for the past three years or so, my time during November and December has been quite different due to my job, art classes and life events, so I haven’t enjoyed nearly as much creative time during those months as I have in the past.
If this is you, too, you’re in good company! Sometimes you just have to take the creative time that you can get and let that be enough for this present season, right?
For this year, it felt like the whole “less is more” theme was just right, so I decided to create some simple tags and stamped envelopes for stocking stuffers. Keep in mind, many times I go for the “more is better” and I love that too! I’m so glad to be able to give myself the freedom to create in a way that matches my energy, which can fluctuate at times, and still deeply enjoy the creative process.
Envelopes for Stocking Stuffers
On my husband’s side of the family, we each contribute $5 gifts to place inside everyone’s stockings at Christmas. This year, I decided to gift some people, ornaments and give others some mini espresso spoons as stocking stuffers. As I pondered how to wrap them, I realized that these small envelopes (which I found in my envelope stash) would make this task so much quicker and easier than wrapping everything. This worked incredibly well!
I found this brilliant Stampers Anonymous stamp set by Tim Holtz at Soul Paper in Saskatoon and I used it with a black archival ink pad. I also found a few highlighters with chisel tips in my stash which gave the lettering a softer feel. I’m quite pleased with how they look! After inserting the ornament or spoon inside, I sealed the envelope with some Christmas-themed washi tape. If you have wax seals, that would be a very fun way to jazz up the envelope as well.
Simple stamped envelopes created to be used as stocking stuffers by Heidi Guenther. Stamps: Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, “Home for Christmas.”
Simple Tags
All you need is a black stamp pad, a coordinating stamp set, a set of tags and your choice of ribbon or string. There really is no right or wrong way to do this - you can make this project as creative and over-the-top or as simple as you want to.
Why highlighters and not markers? Both are great! But, in this case, I have some beautiful highlighters that I really like and I don’t get a chance to use them as much as I would like sometimes. So I just decided to use them since I felt inspired to.
I finished off the tag with a silver cord-like ribbon that I found at a thrift store.
Simple stamped tags by Heidi Guenther. Stamps are by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, “Home for Christmas.”
Simple stamped tag with silver cord, created by Heidi Guenther. Stamps: Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, “Home for Christmas.”
Some other time, I’ll have to create a post with some of the incredible tags I’ve created in the past. Tags are one of my favourite things! They are SO versatile and you really can go all out with them!
Do you have a favourite way to create your Christmas tags? Or are you like me, doing something a little bit different each year, depending on the supplies you have on hand and your energy/time?
Thanks for reading. I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and that you’ll have a Happy New Year! May God bless you and your family with great health, and much happiness and joy in 2026.
Smiles,
Heidi 💛
