Instructions

Around the holidays, one of my favorite projects to create is tags. I love to add tags to my gift wrapping and packaging, and they look great added to a simple card base for a quick and easy card design. Plus, they make excellent gift ideas for just about everyone on your holiday gift giving list, too.

I love that Ranger has tons of premade tags in a wide variety of sizes and surfaces. For my project today, I wanted to create a set of tags for my holiday packages this year that are quick, easy to reproduce in mass, and of course look great. And for that, the #5 Manila tags were just what I was looking for. Not too big, and not too small. Just the perfect size for gift-giving.

These tags have a great Distress inked background in a red and green color palette for the holidays. I embossed the tags with a new Tim Holtz embossing folder, and added a variety of die cuts to finish them off. I love how each tag looks similar, but is a little bit different, thanks to the magic of Distress. Better yet, you can create a whole set of these sweet tags in no time at all.
Let’s take a closer look.

Step 1: To begin, dab a variety of red Distress Ink colors onto a Non-Stick Craft Sheet. For my project, I used Festive Berries, Abandoned Coral, and Candied Apple. Spritz the inks liberally with clear water using the Distress Sprayer. Then press and drag Manila #5 tags through the ink mixture. Continue this process until you have inked the desired number of tags. Set the tags aside to dry.

Step 2: When the tags are dry, apply Crushed Olive Distress Ink to the outside edges of the tags using a mini Ink Blending Tool.

Step 3: Insert each tag into the Stitched Plaid Embossing Folder one at a time, and emboss them using this standard embossing sandwich: Multipurpose Platform (open to Tab 1), Standard Cutting Pad, Embossing Folder (with tag inside), Standard Cutting Pad.

Step 4: Gently swipe Picket Fence Distress Paint (with the dabber top) across the raised embossed areas, and along the edges of each tag. Set aside to dry.

Step 5: For the focal point of the tags, die cut a pair of candy canes from watercolor cardstock. You’ll need one pair of canes for each tag. Watercolor the candy using the same red Distress Inks we used for the background. Let the red ink dry, and then add a bit of shading using Pumice Stone Distress Ink.

Step 6: Apply Crushed Olive Distress Ink to a piece of white cardstock using an Ink Blending Tool. Cover a piece large enough to cut ½” strips for the sentiments, as well as some extra to die cut greenery from. Die cut the sentiment from the ½” strips. Adhere the strips onto matching Distress Cardstock and trim to fit. Adhere the little negative pieces from the inside of the letters onto the strips using Ranger Multi Medium Matte.

Step 7: Adhere the sentiment to the bottom of the tag. Die cut a variety of holiday greens from both the inked cardstock and the matching Distress Cardstock. Place greens onto the center of the tag, adhering with a drop of Multi Medium Matte in the center only. Criss Cross two candy canes, and adhere them over the greenery. Apply Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen to both the candy canes and holly greens.

Step 8: Continue tucking and adhering greens under and around the candy canes. Add a red button to the center of the canes. Thread the tag with Christmas Jute String. And finally, splatter the tags with Picket Fence Distress Paint using a Ranger paintbrush.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!