Tutorial Tuesday with Hope Studios...Let's Make Vintage Tags!

Hello everyone...thanks for stopping by for my tutorial.  A big Thank You to Jennifer of Hope Studios  and Kimba of A Soft Place To Land for hosting. I'm adding an additional host today..Everything Etsy..thanks Kim! These are very popular among many of the crafting blogs, but just in case you don't know how to create them, I'm going to do a little demo.

What are we making? Why vintage looking gift tags! Some of the supplies needed are:

1. strong coffee (instant or saved from the morning pot)

2. stamps & stamping ink

3. Shipping tags..I bought a box of 100 at Staples for a fraction of what Michaels and Martha Stewart wanted to charge me

4. makeup sponge or paper towels

I have had these great stamps for years and never used them. Know I have the perfect project.

                        

Using a makeup sponge or just a folded paper towel, blot your coffee onto the tag front and back. Put as little or as much as you like, depending on the vintage look you want to achieve. Don't apply smoothly, the blotchier the better. The idea is to have your tag achieve the look of abuse and age...as if something was spilled on it years ago. Let dry..they dry pretty quickly.

                                      

Dab your paper towel or sponge, or better still, just pick up the ink pad itself and brush it along the edges.

                        

Now using whatever stamps suit your project, apply the design to your tag..front and back.

                                              

This little 'Made in England' teacup was a .75 cent bargain at my Salvation Macy's. I have to brag about the little bird and dream stamp I found on a sale table at Michaels for $1. Can't beat that price! 

                                    

I love how these butterfly stamps look on the aged paper...these would make fabulous bookmarks for friends.

                                    

I had fun playing around with my comment stamps. I inked my Thank You stamp once and used it 4 times on the same tag and really loved the way the words faded. Because of the huge variety of stamps available, these tags can be created for any occasion or sentiment.

                                    

I like how I tilted my Monarch stamp so it looks as if I caught the butterfly in mid-flight right off my tag. I think I will be replacing the string on some of these with antique lace and ribbon. You can get extra creative and add color, glitter or other ephemera. One thing these tags will never be is boring. Now go forth and tag the world!

Be sure to check out all the other great tutorials over at Hope Studios and Everything Etsy.  

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Hugs,

Janet xox