supplies: craft sheet, distress stain/picket fence/frayed burlap, distress ink/winter seasonal/peeled paint/vintage photo, glossy accents, metallic paint dabber/gold, sticky-back canvas/natural, perfect pearl mist/pearl, #8 manila tags; seasonal kraft resist, seasonal muse tokens, trinket pins, trimmings, jump rings, long fasteners, sanding grip, texture hammer, design ruler, grungeboard, adornments; sizzix dies/reindeer flight/on the edge ornate; scissors, paper distresser, craft pick, scratch tool; pine stem, burlap, double-stick tape
step 1: select a sheet from the seasonal kraft resist pad. this pad has designs in 12×12 as well as 6×6 which is perfect to tags.
step 2: apply a generous layer of adhesive to a #8 tag.
step 3: adhere kraft resist paper to the tag. *note: line the 6×6 paper to the top of the tag leaving the bottom exposed.
step 4: trim excess paper around tag.
step 5: shake the (picket fence) distress stain well – there is a mixing ball inside.
step 6: remove top and begin swiping across the kraft resist tag covering up the entire surface.
step 7: once the tag is covered and while the stain is wet, gently blot the resist design with a dry cloth (since the stain is really semi-opaque).
step 8: leave the tag alone…don’t dry it, just leave it…hard to do i know, but you only have to wait a minute or so for the stain to absorb into the paper.
step 9: once the picket fence stain has absorbed into the paper and you begin to see the background designs, you can dry the tag with a heat tool. *note: the piece on the right shows what happens if you immediately heat the picket fence stain – it turns bright white since it didn’t get a chance to soak in.
step 10: using you ink blending tool, begin dabbing distress ink (any color) over areas of the background paper you wish to color. *in this case i started with the holly.
step 11: next up, the berries. remember just lightly dab the ink on to tint the background. since the inks are translucent, they take on some of the white picket fence effect and look like chalk.
step 12: ink the edges of the tag using your ink blending tool (i used iced spruce of course, i cant help it).
step 13: next, shake perfect pearl mists very well – there is a mixing ball in these too.
step 14: this parts a little tricky, but once you get the hang of it, it’s cool…hold your fingers around the top and sides of the mister, and as you press down, squeeze the sides basically causing the mister to “splatter” the mist vs. misting it.
step 15: immediately dry the splatter with a heat tool (in other words, don’t let this stuff soak in).
step 16: this will create more of a droplet effect, and since it’s perfect pearls mist, these drops will dry pearlescent looking like snow flurries.
step 17: drag paper distresser along edges of the tag.
step 18: ink the tattered edges with distress ink (frayed burlap) using an ink blending tool.
step 19: place a piece of natural stick-back canvas on to a piece of grungeboard.
step 20: die-cut the reindeer flight die.
step 21: using on the standing deer for this tag, ink the edges with distress ink (frayed burlap) using an ink blending tool.
step 22: place the inked, canvas-covered, grungeboard deer on a scrap of chipboard and using my retractable scratcher tool, scuff the edges causing the canvas to fray as if areas were tattered and torn. i use the scratch tool on the edges of die cut fabric all of the time to give it that torn look (especially on my tattered florals).
step 23: die cut grungeboard from one the edge die using just the leftover strip of trim. we can save the other piece for another project.
step 24: trim the strip to fit the bottom of the tag to cover the exposed strip.
step 25: paint the grunge with gold metallic paint dabber and let dry.
step 26: place on chipboard scrap and sand and scuff the edges with a sanding grip to expose some of the grunge.
step 27: ink the sanded grunge with distress ink (vintage photo) using an ink blending tool.
step 28: adhere the strip to the bottom of the tag with glossy accents.
step 29: place the tag on a piece of cork or foam and set the design ruler over the grunge strip (the side with the holes through the ruler). the neat thing about this side of the ruler is that it also has a centering point, so you can center “0” in the middle of your tag which i’ve done. *note: i have video showing the features of the design ruler here.
step 30: using a craft pick, i pierce a hole through the center hole of the ruler into the grunge (but i don’t try to pierce all the way through at this point, just enough to make a mark). then i’ll be able to evenly space my other holes on each side just by counting the squares to whatever you want.
step 31: once i remove the ruler, i can take my pick and really create larger holes since grunge is pretty thick it’s easier to pierce through without the ruler there.
step 32: insert brads through each hole.
step 33: open the back of the brads on the back of the tag.
step 34: place tag on hammer mat and using the bump tip of the texture hammer, begin tapping to the tops of the brads to create dents.
step 35: continue until the desired look is achieved…i absolutely love using the texture hammer on brads since i think it makes them look like little weathered nails. i also use it over craft metal and even staples to dent. (sorry to say the texture hammer has been discontinued earlier this year, but i won’t stop using it because of that. check your local store or online if you want to get one before they’re all gone). *note: i have a video showing the features of the texture hammer here.
step 36: to embellish the deer, cut a piece of small pine stem and bend into a small wreath for the deer (these are like chenille stems or pipe cleaners you can find at some craft stores around christmas time – not easy to find though).
step 37: thread a star adornment on to small jute.
step 38: wrap the jute around the neck of the deer a few times and tie in a knot.
step 39: slip the wreath over the deer’s head and secure in back with a dab of hot glue.
step 40: apply a piece of foam tape to the back of the deer.
step 41: press the deer on the tag to secure.
step 42: stain a piece of trimmings with distress stain or ink (frayed burlap), and cut a strip of scrap burlap.
step 43: tie both through the top of the tag and pull the edges of the burlap to fray.
step 44: place ends of trimmings ribbon on scrap chipboard and scratch ends with scratcher tool to fray also, neat huh?
step 45: select a holiday muse token.
step 46: sand over the raised area with a sanding grip.
step 47: see what the sanding does? it removes the antiquing from the raised areas which makes it pop.
step 48: attach the token to a trinket pin with a jump ring and pin through ribbon and burlap on top of the tag – all done!
the details: i really like the tattered effect the canvas deer gives to this shabby tag.
the details: i also like the subtle coloring by using distress inks over the picket fence stain.
other variations: since i liked this technique so much i couldn’t stop at just one tag so here are a couple more to get your creative juices going.
the details: i used the tall pines die for this, wrapped the bottom of the tree in twine, and stamped on a tattered banners piece.
the details: remember this gingerbread idea from last year? i had to make another one, but using this new kraft background (several in fact since it’s the coolest way to give giftcards). check out the video here if you forgot all about it, it’s using the brackets movers & shapers on the base tray.
isn’t picket fence distress stain over brown kraft paper for christmas the perfect match? have fun with this one, i sure did. can’t wait to see the tags you share – happy “krafting” everyone…t!m
