DIY Pop-Up Holiday Gift Tags

Wrap­ping gifts is like bak­ing a cake. The presents are the cake, gift wrap is the icing, and the gift tag is the all-important cherry on top! This year I’m upping my wrap­ping rou­tine with Fiskars Tag Mak­ers. The all-in-one tool punches a per­fect tag shape, makes a pre­cisely cen­tered hole, and sets an eye­let with ease. This will for­ever be an indis­pens­able part of your hol­i­day assem­bly line. It pro­duces as many tags as you have punch­ing power!
There are cur­rently four designs to choose from — each shape beau­ti­ful and styl­ish in its own right. After stock­ing up, I started to imag­ine all the end­less cre­ative pos­si­bil­i­ties. Turn one tag upside down, add a mus­tache, and you’ve got Santa.

What You Need

• Fiskars Sim­ple Tag Maker
• Fiskars Label Tag Maker
• Fiskars Stan­dard Tag Maker
• Fiskars Soft­grip Craft Knife
• Fiskars 1/4” Cir­cle Hand Punch
• Fiskars Seal of Approval Squeeze Punch
• Col­or­ful Con­struc­tion Paper
• Glue or Double-Sided Tape
• Merry Mes­sage Pop-Up Print­able (down­load here)

How-To

1. Insert your paper into the lower slot of the Fiskars Tag Maker. Press the orange han­dle to punch the tag shape. Do this step twice to cre­ate a front and back for your tag envelope.
2. Insert one of the tags into the upper slot and press the orange han­dle to punch a hole.
3. Assem­ble the eye­let by plac­ing the tag hole on the post with the eye­let on top. Press the orange han­dle to set the eye­let. It should fit snug on the tag.
4. Use your craft knife, cir­cle hand punch, and any other Fiskars punches you choose to cre­ate adorable geo­met­ric faces out of the con­struc­tion paper. (We used the “Seal of Approval” squeeze punch to cre­ate the fluffy ball on Santa’s cap.) Assem­ble all the pieces with the glue or double-sided tape.

Finally, down­load and print the Merry Mes­sage Pop-Up Print­able. Cut out the merry mes­sages and slip them inside the envelopes for your friends to find.

How To Make Dreamcatcher

Supplies:

• 21cm (8 inch) rattan hoop
• 8cm (3 inch) rattan or metal craft ring
• Craft feathers (you'll need seven large feathers and about 20 small ones)
• Wooden beads in varying sizes - I used beads 7mm (a quarter inch) to 2cm (three quarters of an inch) in diameter
• 8 skeins of Perle 5 thread in complementary hues
• Scissors
• Craft glue (not shown)

1. Cover the Hoop

Step 1

We are going to cover the whole rattan hoop by winding thread around it. Start by laying the end of the thread along the hoop and holding it with your thumb. Then wind the thread around and around the hoop, wrapping over and covering the tail. Continue winding the thread around the hoop until you've covered at least a third of the hoop.

Step 2

To change colours, simply lay the end of the new thread along the hoop and hold it in place while you wrap over it.

To finish the first colour, lay the end of the thread along the hoop and begin to wrap the second colour over it. You can find more detailed instructions on wrapping thread and changing colours on my wrapped tassel necklace tutorial.
Continue to change colours to create a pattern around the hoop.

Step 3

When the hoop is covered, set it aside without tying off the end of the thread.

2. Cover the Smaller Ring

Step 1

Wrap the entire ring using the same technique as the hoop.

3. Join the Hoop to the Ring

Step 1

Place the ring inside the hoop and wind the tail from the ring up and around the hoop and back around the ring in a figure 8. Then wind it back around the hoop and tie a double knot close to the hoop.

Trim the tail of the thread close to the knot.

Step 2

Now using the tail from the hoop, begin to join the hoop and the ring together, winding in a figure 8. Continue all the way around the hoop.

Step 3

When you are happy with the way it's looking and there are no big holes, tie the thread in a double knot around the hoop and trim off the tail.

4. Add the Fringe

Step 1

Cut lengths of thread 80cm (32 inches) long to make the fringe. My craft projects usually evolve and change as I'm working on them, so the photos sometimes don't match the instructions exactly!
I initially cut four lengths of thread in six colours to make the fringe (and took the photo below). Then as I started to attach them I realised that I needed more of each colour. I ended up using eight lengths of five different colours, and 16 lengths of one colour.

Step 2

Tie one length of thread on at a time starting with the colour that will be in the centre. Fold the thread in half and pass it under the bottom of the hoop. Bring the folded end up through the hoop and pass the tails through the folded end.
Pull the knot tight so it's at the bottom of the hoop and the thread hangs down.

Continue to add the threads one at a time, tying them close to each other but not overlapping.

Step 3

Add each additional colour to the left of the centre. Make sure you keep the threads as parallel and untangled as you can.

Then work back to the right until all the fringe threads have been added.

5. Trim the Fringe

Step 1

Take a piece of office paper and fold one corner over to meet the opposite edge, forming a triangle. Cut along the folded line.

Step 2

Lay the dreamcatcher on your work surface and comb the fringe with your fingers so it's laying straight. Place the triangle on top of the fringe to use as a cutting guide.

Place your hand on top of the paper to hold the threads in place and trim along the bottom edges of the triangle.
Another way to do this is to run a line of tape on the thread parallel to the bottom edges of the triangle. Then just cut the tape off.

6. Attach the Large Feathers

Step 1

Arrange the large feathers according to size, with the longest one in the centre to the smallest on the outside.

Find the thread that is roughly in the centre of the centre colour. Run some glue along the top of the feather and attach the thread to it.
Feathers, thread and glue are a tricky mix, so be careful to use the glue sparingly and keep a damp cloth close by to wipe your fingers. Keep the glue away from the fringe or things could quickly go pear shaped!

Now add the two feathers to the outside sections of the fringe.

Then add the remaining four large feathers - one in the centre of each colour section.

7. Attach the Beads and Small Feathers

Step 1

Arrange the feathers according to size. Place a small amount of glue on the top of a feather and thread a bead onto it, making sure you leave at least a centimetre (half an inch) of the feather showing at the top. Repeat for all the feathers, keeping them grouped according to size.

Step 2

Starting with the larger feathers, attach them to the fringe so they are evenly spaced out.

Step 3

Progressively add the rest of the small feathers to the fringe. To avoid a gluey, feathery mess, pull individual threads out to the side before you glue the feathers on.

8. Make a Hanging Loop

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Step 1

Cut a length of thread about 26cm (10 inches) long, fold it in half and tie a knot in the end.
Thread the folded end through a large bead.

Pass the folded end under the top of the dreamcatcher hoop. Bring the folded end up and pass the bead and thread through it. Pull the knot tight.

Hang Your Dreamcatcher

Sweet dreams!
In this tutorial, you learned how to create a modern spin on a traditional dreamcatcher, using a variety of wrapping techniques. You also learned how to cut the fringe and attach individual feathers to each thread.
You could experiment with additional beads in the centre of the dreamcatcher, as well as different colourways.

Cara Meningkatkan Daya Ingat

Cara Meningkatkan Daya Ingat :
1. Jangan pernah berhenti belajar
Carilah topik yang menarik minat anda dan mulailah terlibat didalamnya dengan mempelajari informasi-informasi baru dan perkembangan tentang topik tersebut. Jika memungkinkan, anda dapat bergabung dengan kelompok yang memiliki minat yang sama dengan anda untuk berdiskusi dengan orang-orang dalam kelompok tersebut.
Membaca, mengikuti kuliah, program, informasi di televisi dan internet, merupakan sumber pendidikan berkelanjutan untuk otak anda yang tentu saja akan mendatangkan hasil yang bermanfaat untuk perkembangan daya ingat anda.
2. Menjalin hubungan sosial dan keluarga anda
Manusia pada dasarnya memiliki keramahan yang melekat. Semakin sosial anda, semakin baik untuk otak anda. Mengisolasi diri akan merusak banyak sistem tubuh. Penelitian telah menunjukkan bahwa otak dan jantung memiliki banyak keuntungan hubungan keluarga dan sosial yang baik.
Sehubungan dengan konteks ini, anda bisa menjadi relawan untuk memberikan bantuan dimana masyarakat membutuhkan anda, atau bahkan berpartisipasi dalam kelompok terorganisir, yang sesuai dengan kepentingan anda sendiri. Jika anda memiliki hewan peliharaan misalnya, anda dapat bersosialisasi dengan orang lain yang juga memiliki hewan peliharaan dan mendiskusikan dengan mereka masalah yang relevan serta mengembangkan hubungan yang lebih erat.
3. Mengembangkan kebiasaan baru
Setiap kali anda mengharuskan pada diri sendiri untuk melakukan sesuatu yang baru, anda berarti memicu kekuatan baru untuk mencapai tujuan yang telah ditetapkan.
Pertimbangkan untuk merubah layout mebel anda, mengoleskan mentega pada roti dengan cara yang berbeda atau dengan mata tertutup, mengenakan celana dengan satu tangan, atau belajar menggunakan mouse dengan tangan yang lain. Anda dapat memikirkan beberapa ide lain untuk melatih otak dan membantu meningkatkan daya ingat anda.
4. Latih pikiran anda dengan permainan-permainan.
Semakin anda menggunakan keistimewaan otak, semakin anda membantu daya ingat anda tetap bugar. Ada banyak permainan yang membangkitkan kemampuan intelektual anda, sekaligus juga berkontribusi untuk hubungan sosial yang lebih baik. Backgammon, catur, teka-teki dan banyak permainan papan lainnya, menawarkan hiburan dan juga membantu anda meningkatkan daya ingat.
5. Olahraga dapat meningkatkan daya ingat anda
Olahraga meningkatkan sistem peredaran darah. Bahkan latihan sehari-hari yang sederhana tapi rutin seperti berjalan cepat dapat meningkatkan kinerja jantung dan oksigenasi otak. Tidak perlu menjadi seorang pelari maraton dalam rangka memperoleh manfaat dari berolahraga. Manfaat olahraga berpengaruh positif pada banyak sistem tubuh, khususnya daya ingat dan kemampuan kognitif lainnya. Cukup dengan berolahraga selama 20 menit setiap hari dalam latihan yang sederhana seperti berjalan kaki, bersepeda atau berenang.
Terbukti secara ilmiah bahwa berjalan kaki selama 2,5 jam setiap minggu secara substansial akan meningkatkan daya ingat pada orang-orang di atas usia 50 tahun.
6. Makanan yang akan membantu meningkatkan daya ingat anda
Apa yang kita makan setiap hari, mempengaruhi kinerja dan kondisi daya ingat kita dalam jangka panjang. Survei dalam beberapa dekade terakhir, telah menunjukkan bahwa makanan tertentu dapat berkontribusi untuk meningkatkan fungsi sirkuit saraf dari otak yang mengontrol daya ingat.
Ciri-ciri umum dari makanan ini adalah mereka kaya akan antioksidan dan vitamin yang bermanfaat bagi sistem saraf.
Ingatlah bahwa untuk mendapatkan asupan vitamin yang cukup dalam tubuh anda, lebih baik untuk makan lebih banyak buah dan sayuran daripada menelan vitamin formulasi. Alasannya adalah dengan mengonsumsi makanan kaya vitamin anda juga menyerap nutrisi yang berguna lainnya yang bertindak untuk melengkapi dan mendukung kerja vitamin.
Beberapa makanan yang bisa meningkatkan daya ingat anda adalah:
1. Sayuran berdaun hijau, bayam, kubis, selada
2. Brokoli dan kembang kol
3. Jus buah, buah
4. Berbagai macam berry, buah delima
5. Kacang-kacangan
6. Ikan berlemak seperti salmon, sarden, mackerel
7. Minyak zaitun dan minyak nabati lainnya