Semi-Homemade Lollipops and Treat Bag Toppers

This is a little tutorial that I did for Scrapdango's 12 Days of Christmas with a Twist! If you join in and make it be sure to post it here to get your name entered in a drawing for one of Scrapdango's kits!

Today's project is a 2 part one! The first part is in the kitchen! We're going to make lollipops out of Jolly Ranchers! There is no twist for this first part!

Supplies for Lollipops:
*Jolly Rancher Hard Candy
*Lollipop Sticks
*Little Treat Bags
*Baker's Twine or Ribbon
*Parchment Paper

1) Preheat oven to 250.
2) Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3) Choose 3 Jolly Ranchers and place them next to each other on the parchment paper. This will become your lollipop! If you are making more than one, be sure to leave plenty of room between each lollipop...they will spread!
4) Put in the oven for about 8-10 minutes...until melted! Be sure to keep checking them! It takes a while to start melting but once they start, they go pretty quickly!5) Once completely melted, take out of oven and IMMEDIATELY roll the lollipop stick into candy. Roll the stick so the part in the lollipop is completely coated. They do harden fairly quickly so don't dilly-dally! ;)6) Let Cool
7) Place the cooled lollipops into the treat bags.
8) Tie with ribbon or baker's twine.9) Put aside and make treat bag topper below! :)

Here's part 2...the treat bag toppers! There IS a twist for this part...Use only black and white and one other color! :)

Supplies:
*Cardstock
*Border Punch
*Letter Stickers or Thickers
*Button and Thread
*Stickles
*Baggie
*Staples

1) Cut your cardstock piece 6 1/2" x the width of your baggie + 1/4" (my baggie was 6 1/2 wide so I cut it 6 3/4)
2) Fold in half the 6 1/2" way
3) Use your border punch on the front edge.
4) Trim of the back so it is just a bit shorter than the punched front.
5) Spell out Happy Holidays with you letters...but leave off the "O"
6) Thread button and adhere it in place of the "O"
7) Use an exclamation point from your letter stickers to make a your button into a lollipop!
8) Decorate your stickers with stickles.
9) Staple your topper onto the baggie****Here is one really important tip: Make sure your lollipops fit into your baggie before making your topper! Not that I know from experience or anything! :rolleyes: My lollipops were too tall for my sandwich sized baggie but of course I had already made my topper for that size baggie! So, I simply cut about an inch off of the stick! :D You could also just move the stick farther up in the lollipop when you are making them!

And one more idea...if you are just giving one to someone, just put their first initial on the bag! Gives it an easy personal touch!

I hope you guys get a chance to try these...they are so simple and fun and yummy! :D