Tuesday, April 12, 2011

You're tagged................


That first morning cup of coffee.....the wake up call, the start of a new day filled with promises, adventures, or just the mundane daily chores............but nevertheless a new beginning.   As you cradle the mug in your hands, sipping and thinking, making mental notes of things to do, or not do, the bottom of the mug appears, slightly stained perhaps in its emptiness.  A second cup rarely tastes the same, good perhaps but not great.


So what do you do with your leftover coffee?  Throw it down the drain, chill it for an enjoyable iced drink later in the day (this really only works in hot weather for me), or reheat it later - only for the brave!!


Me, now known as a bit of a shopkeeper, a quasi 'antiques dealer',  but would love to be a real one, has been recycling my coffee dregs lately.  Tags, plain old manila shipping tags, those interesting little bits of stiff paper, holes pre-punched sometimes with reinforcements, often with string already threaded through, have been greedily soaking up my leftover coffee!


I love to create vintage looking tags to hang on items in my booth at SuzAnna's Antiques.  A soak in strong black coffee - the only way I like mine - a bit of a scrunch to provide aged wrinkles, then on to a baking tray and into a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes to dry.  Quick and easy.


They could be used just like that, however I like to go a step further to make them more attractive.  I pull out my rubber stamps and distressed ink pads, and stamp away........the Tour Eiffel, Bonjour Paris, an olive wreath, a French postage stamp, a crown..........and words.  


Yesterday I spent a little time changing things about in my booth as I had some farmhouse items to pull together.   Tomorrow I'll be there again to add my recently painted table, complete with coffee baked tag! Show that next time.


Surprised nobody gathered up my bunny on his rusty, iron wheels and carried him home for Easter.  He won't nibble your hostas which are poking through the earth, and at Christmas you can change his bow to something more seasonal, and tuck a holly sprig in his basket.  Hmm, he's so adorable he might just be coming to my house, after all he's even French grey and will fit right in!

16 comments:

  1. Your farmhouse theme is lovely Mary, and your tags add to the vintage look! I'm amazed too that no-one has given that cute bunny a new home, if I were you I'd take him home too :o)

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  2. I see you are having fun making your tags dear. The booth looks fabulous! Love the farmhouse stuff. Hopefully I will be able to stop by tomorrow, we'll see. Love, Vanessa

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  3. YOU ~~ are pure genius. I cannot wait to begin with my left-over coffee! At least until summer when I can create my cold concoctions.

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  4. Oh I adore all that you have in your booth and how you display each item. Your tags are wonderful and really add depth to the antique feel. Happy displaying and coffee sipping...

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  5. It those little touches that bring the ordinary to EXTRAordianry! Good for you...I **LOVE** those coffee/tea stained tags (or anything!) Your special touches will long be remembered by your customers :-)

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  6. Mary, your 'touch' is perfect ...
    Have a lovely eve ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  7. What a great way to price your items. The tags look very aged and different.

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  8. Love this idea for coffee staining those tags...Where did you get those wonderful stamps?
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  9. Mary, the tags are a wonderful touch. Presentation is so important, and having been the recipient of one of your lovely gifts, I know first hand the way you do things. I still savory the image of the way you wrapped the gifts you sent my way. Absolutely lovely!!!
    ~ Sarah
    PS
    I think that bunny needs to go home with you to keep those cute white bunnies company. ;-)

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  10. I can't believe the bunny hasn't sold. I would be walking out of your shop with it for sure.

    Love your tags...never thought about putting them in the oven, but I will remember that!

    XO,
    Jane

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  11. What a clever idea - those tags are perfect for your shop. They'd make lovely gift tags, if you stamped or wrote A: and De: and offered them in little packets.

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  12. Great idea, Mary! I would love to go shopping at your booth, looks right up my street! Thanks for the lovely comments, my hubby is a Devonshire Dumpling(Plymouth), still has a bit of the accent even though he left when he was 10 years old! I hope you have a great time when you visit, fingers crossed on the weather! Have a great week! xx

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  13. Such a cute bunny, I would love him. I have made tags with tea because that is what I have. When I visit an antique mall, I love finding the creative dealers that make beautiful tags like yours. What a lovely touch.

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  14. PS ... thank you for John Barry's Out of Africa.. I could listen forever.

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  15. I really like your tags, what a great way to use leftover coffee:) I'm surprised the bunny is still there too, I'd happily give him a home if I lived nearer.

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  16. Love the tags, and what a great way to use up the too much coffee that hubby made! I'm a tea drinker, but I guess you could use tea too.
    Take Care,
    Ulrike

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