Last-Minute Treat Bag Toppers

 Hello Friends,

Can we talk about how Halloween is NEXT WEEK? Where did October go? YIKES!

When Pumpkin and Spice were little, Halloween at our house meant a kitchen table covered in candy, cardstock, and glue sticks. Every classmate got a treat bag, and every treat bag got a topper. Those little bags were never fancy, but they were made with a whole lot of love (and maybe a few too many sprinkles of glitter).

So today I'm sharing my favorite fast-and-easy project: treat bag toppers you can make in an evening or even minutes if time creeps up on you, as it does for so many of us.

Here's what you need:

• A strip of cardstock, about 4" x 6", folded in half - either direction, depends on your bag design.
• Clear cellophane or paper treat bags - and if its too late for a trip to the craft store, sandwich baggies also work great!
• A seasonal stamp set and ink
• Twine or ribbon, and a stapler

Stamp your image on the front half of the folded strip, add a little sentiment, then slip it over the top of a filled treat bag and staple or tie it closed. That's it! Make one, and then make twenty.

I used products from my stash of Halloween supplies. Bag toppers are really fun, and quick to make for any occasion, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day and even just a Thinking of you.  I've given out "Thinking of You" bags with some Tea and cookies, the recipients loved them.  Who doesn't like a simple little 'no occasion' treat?

Are you a treat bag family or a big candy bowl family? Tell me in the comments!

Find your sunshine today,

PumpkinSpice Hugs 🧡

Back at the Craft Table (For Real This Time)

          Hello Friends,

Remember that little wave I sent across the fence back in April? Well, pull up a chair and grab your pumpkin spice latte (you knew I'd say it) — because this time I'm not just waving. I'm walking right over with a plate of bagels.

Since April, Pumpkin graduated High School, we took a trip to Taipei, Denver, and then Cancun.  We moved Pumpkin into her dorm room and now we are settling in to the new journey - empty nesting.

The first thing I did was open the craft room door and just look. Friends, I had forgotten what was in there. Paper pads still in their wrappers. Tim Holtz dies I swore I'd use "next weekend" — years of next weekends. A drawer of buttons that made me gasp out loud. It was like visiting an old friend who kept every letter you ever sent.

So here's the plan. Twice a week — Tuesdays and Thursdays — I'll be right here with a project, a story, or a little something from my table. Tutorial Tuesday is coming back, and in November we're bringing back Thank You Thursday. (Get your cardstock ready. You've been warned!)

And one more bit of news. Some of those craft room treasures are retired lines you just can't find anymore, and they deserve to be played with, not sitting on my shelves in boxes. I've been tucking them into my little Etsy shop, MyHands2UrHands. Soon you'll find my handmade cards and tags there too — Pumpkin and I have big plans for that.

Now I want to hear from YOU. What's been sitting on your craft table waiting for "next weekend"? Tell me in the comments. No judgment here — you've seen my drawers.

Find your sunshine today,

PumpkinSpice Hugs 🧡