Holiday Dough

Packaging Homeade Vanilla

How to Package your Homemade Vanilla

October 4, 2011 By Heather 39 Comments

Now that we've all had a chance to get our Homemade Vanilla project started… It's time to start dressing up our bottles to get them ready to give as gifts in a few weeks. {yes, the holiday season is NOT that far away!}

First, The bottle. I decided on recycling some single serving 187ml wine bottles that I got on sale at my local grocery store for $1.00 a bottle. Now, that was a deal that I couldn't pass up so…

if you find something like that, take advantage. All you need to do is sanitize the bottles in the dishwasher and they are good to go.  If you can't find any bottles like that you can always order them online or many retailers like Ikea, The Container Store and such have 8oz. bottles available for sale.  Here are a few online options…

   

{click on the bottle images to visit each site}

Once you've selected your bottle then you need to get your labels ready.  This is the FUN part!!  Download the free printable label that I created for you…

{click on the image to download for your very own personal use!}

Now, you have a couple of choices…

• ~You can print the label on regular light weight paper and then glue to the bottle.  Simple, easy, straight forward.
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• ~You can take it to the next level and print it on white self adhesive label paper, like this kind from Avery. Cut the labels out and carefully place on the bottle. Again, pretty easy!
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• ~For a simply stunning presentation you can print the label directly onto some plain fabric and then affix to the bottle with spray adhesive. This is my FAVORITE method!!

My fabric of choice is a simple crinoline.  Not only is it elegant, but the sheerness of the fabric lends to a fun presentation if you choose to leave the vanilla beans in the bottle.  Any light weight fabric will work for this application as long as it is light in color and light enough to go through the printer. 

Here is how you print on the fabric…

• ~Cut your fabric to 8.5 x 11
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• ~Spray a piece of card stock with spray adhesive {I use Elmers Craft Bond}
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• ~Quickly affix the fabric to the card stock
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• ~Make sure your printer settings are set for heavy weight paper and for a high quality print
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• ~Run the fabric affixed to the card stock through the printer
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• ~Give it a second to dry and then gently pull the fabric off of the card stock
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• ~You'll be surprised {well, at least I was} but the fabric really is only a little tacky after that

Now, all you have to do is cut out your label, fray the edges, spray with Elmers Craft Bond and carefully affix to the bottle. That's it!

All that's left to do is to dress up the bottle.  I used some sealing wax and a wax sealing stamp to add the fun red wax element to the lid of the bottle.

 

I then tied some Divine Twine around the neck of the bottle and added a vintage looking pin. Simple and sweet!  I know that if someone showed up on my doorstep with a goodie like this I would be thrilled!!

Perfect Bow tutorial

Valentine Popcorn

Open topped Cookie Box

For an elegant gift, choose rich colors and simple materials. A decorative, open-topped container looks gorgeous when filled with chocolate-dipped cookies and tied with a mahogany ribbon. Try lining the box with cellophane to protect the cookies.

Cookies in a jar

Glass jars are the perfect vessels for cookies or confections. Cut out rounds of waxed paper and alternate the treats with the paper rounds. Fasten the jar lid on tightly, tie with a decorative bow, and attach a gift tag. 

Wallpaper Gift Wrapping

                                                                                                 

Flavored Liquers

Glass Jar Toppers

To make your own you’ll need:
- glass jars with lid
- miniature toppers (scan the ornament, Christmas village and kids sections)
- spray paint in color of choice
- hot glue gun
- a treat (popcorn, M&Ms, white chocolate pretzels, whoopie pies)
Give the jar lids and miniatures a good spray with the paint, you might need to do two coats. When fully dry, hot glue the miniature onto the lid top. Fill the jar with something yummy and top it. Deliver to friends while jamming to Manheim Steamroller in the car.

Organic Gift Packaging

granola
granola gifts! with or without the honey. Yummy for a new neighbor as a housewarming gift, and so easy to throw together: the trick is using old ball jars or any recycled glass jars you have lying around, and a heavy canvas or muslin to iron on images, notes or even recipes.


potted planting gift
we’ve been giving these little potted planting gifts for the last year. valentine’s day, hostess gifts; they are perfect for an aspiring cook or someone with a new home. each pot has a ceramic white fruit or veg with matching seeds that we repackaged (one of our easy tricks to make ANYTHING look good) the seeds are in glassine envelopes with the planting directions printed on kraft paper stickers.

tea

pickling gift

muslin fabric