Some altered tags I made

Here are some tags I've done in the last few weeks. I love playing with tags...they're just plain, ol' office tags....so, they're not a huge commitment in time and/or effort (although anything I do like this takes me probably at least 1.5 hrs., which brings me to another topic...later) and they're inexpensive! So, it's not a big investment, any way you look at it. But, they are so sweet! I did several of them for friends and family, for Valentine's Day...that's really when I got going on them. Since then, I've done one "just because" and a couple to go on birthday gifts, instead of a card. I will show those last three, here.


This first one was for an altered-books, online friend. She is an altered-artist who lost her supplies in an apartment fire a few years ago. So, I, very secretively, asked some of the people on the altered books list if they'd want to help me out and send her some surprise supplies and goodies. There were seven or eight of us that participated and the recipient was overjoyed by our RAK. It felt great to be able to help out in that way. A pretty simple thing, really, yet so beneficial. So, this was a tag that I made, just to add to the mix, with a little note on the back.

This next one was for my newest niece, Jada, who

turned a year last August. I had her birthday gift

sitting here for months.... and finally got it

mailed a week and a half ago! (Ugh! *Bad* Auntie!!)

I figure it's even more of a surprise when you get a gift that you aren't expecting! :)

And, last but not least, is the one I did for my sister, for her birthday, which was only in October! (I did better on that one!) Oh, I should include a picture of the gift! I made her a quilted laptop case, which I also love making. I've made several of them....they're so beautiful, but pretty simple to do! (Next post.) :)

Just like these tags.... pretty simple, but beautiful and so rewarding! Which brings me to the part about taking the time to do them. I'm a firm believer in having hobbies. I think they're really important, on many levels. But, one of the things is that they are meditative.... and calming, for the most part. When you are so intent and focussed on your project, you don't think about anything else. With sewing, it's pretty straight-forward... you go through the steps as you're supposed to, when you're supposed to. So, for me, anyway, if I'm making a baby quilt, for instance, as a gift, I spend a lot of time thinking about the person/family that it's going to... and, of course, the new, little baby that will get to keep that quilt forever, I hope! With altered art, it's a little different, probably because I'm so new to it. I'm constantly thinking about which colors I should use, which elements should be added, etc.... so, it doesn't leave much time for the mind to wander... but, that's a good thing!! I'm telling you, it's cheaper than therapy!! You can only really think about the project at hand. That's why it's so beneficial in that way.

When I was taking a watercolor class, several years ago, a 76 yr. old woman, who was also in the class, told me, "It's better than counselling! For two hours I don't think about *anything* except what I'm doing!" It's so true. I can't say enough about the benefits of having hobbies.... and especially creative hobbies.

Have a creative day!

~ Teri