New Year's Hostess Gift by Laura C

Start the New Year off right, ring it in with a fun set of wine/drink charms, that can be a great hostess gift, or you may want to keep them for yourself!



Start with shrink plastic (I used white), a small stamp of your choice (I had the word "cheers"), Staz-On Black Ink (must be a good permanent ink), Ranger alcohol inks or Copic Markers, an Tim Holtz Ink Applicator and felt and a Crop a Dile hole punch. I used a 1&1/2" circle punch to make my "stencil". Then I traced and cut out 8 circles from the shrink plastic. Then I stamped my image on the disc—some people will sand the shrink plastic to make this easier.....I did not....but it might slip a bit so don't push down too hard. Then use the Crop a Dile to punch a hole......I stacked them all up and did it with one punch (the larger hole)—love the Crop a Dile!! Then using the Tim Holtz Ink Applicator and felt....I brushed the edges of each disc with a different color of alcohol ink. You can get a similar effect with Copic Markers as well. Here is a look at the disks before shrinking:


Now, on your Bazzill Splat Mat or other heat safe surface, use a toothpick in the hole to keep the disc from blowing away, and use your embossing Heat Gun to shrink it. It will curl all up, but will return to a flat disc when it's done. Now you can do these up anyway you choose. You can use a thin ribbon or twine, I had a good wire in my craft stash, so I strung on some small beads that complimented the disc color, and I used a needle nose pliers to form each end into hooks. I used a jewelry ring to attach the shrink plastic charm so it will lay flat.


To make the "matchbook" to hold them, use a 8&1/2" by 5" piece of cardstock. Score it at 3&1/2", 4", and 7&1/2" on the Scor Pal, and fold to create match book. I used a small piece of Velcro to secure it closed. You can decorate for any holiday, I chose New Year's, used a celebrate stamp that I embossed using Tim Holtz embossing ink, and Super Fine Embossing Powder on a 1&3/4" by 2&1/4" piece of black cardstock, I then used Flower Soft glue around the edge, and applied Beadazzles in the Waltz color. I used American Crafts glitter cardstock (a 1&1/4" x 5" strip) and layered a 2&3/4" by 2&1/2" square and foam dotted the dry "celebrate" square on top. A 1/2" x 5" strip on the small flap finishes it off. On the inside, I used plain white cardstock and a ribbon slot punch to make the card to hold the charms. I fastened this piece on the bottom edge only, to hold it in place, but allow easy access to the charms.

This is a gift any hostess would love to receive!

Available at Cutter's Creek:

Suze Weinberg Beadazzles (waltz)
Tim Holtz Ink Applicator
Super Fine Embossing Powder (silver)
American Crafts Glitter Cardstock (silver)
Staz-On Black Ink
Bazzill Simply Smooth white cardstock
Bazzill Splat Mat
Copic Markers
Crop a Dile
Scor Pal
Flower Soft glue