Tool Time Tuesday...Holiday Place Card Holders

It's Tuesday again and you know what that means...fun things to make!! I'm trying to make these next few weeks of TTT holiday crafts. I know I'm early, but I never have time to make anything the closer it gets to December, so why not join me in some early handmade gifts or things for your home. I'll have gift ideas to put together at the end.

I am going to clarify one thing before I begin this post. I LABEL EVERYTHING...even my coffee pots. You'll see in a minute. We have most of the holiday functions and parties at our home. Both my family and my husband's family get along so well and have a great time together. When we have everyone for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter there can be over 45+ people. To keep things flowing and organized, I label the food and the drinks.

Here are a few examples of Holiday place card holders that you can make to label your next party. If you have a small dinner party, having place card holders for each person is great. For me, with that many people, I just label the edibles LOL!!

Let's make our first set from ornaments. These are from Walmart. They are the plastic non shattering kind.



$1.00 for a set of 4!!



Love the red, but they have so many other great colors too! This picture shows the problem with using an ornament...they're top heavy.

Here's the fix. These are curtain rings, found in the sewing section. You know those little rings on the back of a Roman shades where all the strings go through.

You can also use washers from the hardware store...you knew I would get a hardware store item in a TTT post.

This is a small thin key ring...you'll see this in a minute.

First try out which ring you need to use on the bottom of your ornament, according to it's size.

Hot glue it on. Make sure you place it directly in the center of the bottom or it will be wobbly.

Open up the key ring and thread it through the top of the ornament.

Here it is standing on it's own, but the key ring needs to be standing up too.

Position the key ring, making sure the part with the 2 parts of the metal are at the top.

See the 2 parts there?

Now just squirt a little hot glue in there and hold in place until it dries.

All done!!

If you don't have a key ring, you could take the 2 washers and glue them on together at the bottom.

Just make sure you leave the top part unglued, so the card can fit in there.

Now here comes the labeling part. I only printed of few for examples, but you can label anything from the dishes you are serving on a buffet, to whether that is milk or cream in the pitcher next to the coffee. Believe it or not I serve milk, half & half and cream at the coffee station. I have another tutorial on how to label them coming up soon.

Are these not the cutest. I make three different 30 cup pots for hot drinks...one regular coffee, one decaf and one hot water for tea. These work great for that.

Just slip the card between the 2 metal rings of the key chain.

Cute if you add a little tree next to the coffee pot too.

and here it is as a place card for each person at the dinner table. Guess I'm the only one coming to this party...LOL!!

You can also buy different shaped ornaments like this one.

It was made of Styrofoam, so I used floral pick for this one.

Just stick it in.

and the card rests up against the floral pick.

Here's the back. You could also wrap a little box and do the same thing!!

This is an easy one. You could really add some decorations to this if you'd like. Maybe a ribbon.

I left it plain to show you it is just a business card holder from the clearance rack.

How about a paper clamp.

or how about a spool of thread for a sewing party!! I used 2 floral picks stuck in the paper.

Too cute...

and last, but certainly not the least...you can take scrapbook paper, fabric, note cards or last years Christmas cards and make a simple folded card holder. For the fabric you could just fuse two pieces together or fuse or glue a piece to some card stock.

I used a Christmas note card.

I cut mine 4 inches x 4 inches, but you can experiment with yours.

Fold in half design towards design.

Now take the top edge and fold it down to the bottom folded edge.

Like this...

Flip it over.

and fold down the other top edge to the bottom. The front edge of mine looks crooked, but the card was scalloped in the front.

Just place your card in the fold.

Just perfect and this one is free!!

If I think of any more, I'll be sure to share them with you. Now don't wait til the last minute to make these. Start them early. They make great gifts too.

• buy a set of plate chargers, you know those big plates that go under the dinner plate, make or buy a set of napkins, napkin rings and make a set of these place card holders to go with all of it. A great gift!
• just make a set of the place card holders and have a set of all the names in the family you are giving this too.
• make some and use it to give a special photo to someone. Place the picture in it instead of the name card.
• have one in a guest bedroom or your children's room with a little inspiration saying or love note for your hubby or significant other.

Hope you enjoyed this week's Tool Time. Have a great day! Added a few more ideas here!!

~Karen~

ps...see the post I did yesterday on my Blog Buddy series. I need your help!

linking this to The Idea Room, Under The Table and Dreaming and Metamorphosis Monday Parties...join the fun