So I needed to clear off a space on my quilt design wall this week.  Not that I do much quilting anymore, I mostly just hang stuff on it.  Some of the items that needed clearing were a bunch of technique tags from Tim Holtz’s monthly tags series.

I like to make more useful stuff like cards or scrapbook layouts, but sometimes it’s easier and quicker to just make a tag.

Click on any of the pics for a closer view.

2012-06-27-woyww-photo-tinting-june-tag-of-2012 may-tag-of-2012

Of the seven tags on the wall I decided to hang these two in my sewing room.  They’re special enough on their own.

halloween-tag

This one I’m going to make into a Halloween canvas.  Hopefully some time before Halloween. 😉

tag-to-a-card-roses-robin

The remaining four I decided to make into greeting cards.

tag-to-a-card-hope-in-the-lord

Due to the size of the tags, these cards will be 5″x7″.

tag-to-a-card-thankful

Due to the lumpiness of the tags, these will be super-special, probably hand-delivered type cards.  For example, I would not give one of these to someone who wonders aloud why I don’t just go the store and buy a card.  YOU know who I mean, lol.

tag-to-a-card-friendship-robin

So the basic steps to turn a 3″x6.25″ tag into a greeting card:

  • Choose a color of cardstock that goes well with your tag.
  • Cut the cardstock to 10″x7″.
  • Score and fold the card at 5″ to make a 5″x7″ folded card.
  • Choose a background stamp that works well with your tag.  (Two of my favorites that I used on these cards are Hero Arts Silhouette Grass and Designblock Tree by Hero Arts. Script stamps like Old Letter Writing Stamp also make great backgrounds.
  • Choose a color of ink to stamp your background onto the 5″x7″ card.  I like to go for a tone-on-tone effect.  If you’re not sure how the colors will look together, use a scrap from cutting down the cardstock to test. (You can see that on the pink strip in the photo below.)
  • Stamp your background stamp.  If you need to repeated stampings for coverage keep in mind that the middle of the card will be covered by the tag, so that’s a good spot for messy overlaps.
  • If you like, add some washi tape, Symphony Tissue Tape or Sketchbook Tissue Tape to the bottom left and top right edges.  Trim the excess off the edges with scissors.
  • Ink around the edges of the card with Distress Ink.  I used Vintage Photo on most of mine.  The pink one needed something a little lighter so I went with Antique Linen. If you need to go darker try Walnut Stain. (If you don’t want your background stamping to smudge, make sure to dry it with a heat tool before inking the edges.)
  • Mount your tag on Foam Adhesive Squares (pop dots) to give dimension and adhere to the card at whatever angle looks best to you.  

And there you have it!  You’ve turned your tags that you worked so hard on into very special greetings for those you care about.

2013-08-07-woyww-turn-tags-into-cards

Oh, and I nearly forgot, it’s What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday, so here’s a pic of my desk while I was working on these cards.  Isn’t this kind of mess so much fun?

Happy creating!

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28 thoughts on “WOYWW – Make Those Tags Into Greeting Cards You Can Use

  1. Your tags are great – and it is wonderful to use them for something – I agree (I make lots of tags too!) I must take a leaf out of your book!! Have a good week. Helen 6

  2. What a great idea and thank you for sharing. Your tags are beautiful. Love the foliage stamp on your desk too. MMx #65

  3. Love those tag cards – yes I know just what you mean about who to send them too. Must read your instructions more closely, but then I would have to learn how to make such lovely tags in the first place.

    Lynda #82

  4. It looks like you have been having lots of fun re-purposing all your gorgeous tags, and I can totally see why you are leaving the first two alone and simply hanging on your wall to admire. Have a great week and Happy WOYWW! Danie #14

  5. Sandy, I love your tags, they are so clever. I’m not very good at tags but your have inspired me to make more effort. Thanks
    Chris # 66

  6. Love those tags, really pretty and the cards are SO not for the people who ask why you don’t just buy one! Happy WOYWW! Karen 79 x

  7. Super tags and I agree with you about preferring to make items that are more useful. As a result I am now veering towards more fabric/textile stuff. Even started making patchwork items for myself and not just my LillyBo project.
    Thanks for visiting,
    Jo x

  8. Yeah, I LOVED the cards you made for me. I’m trying my hand at making some of my own. They’re not as pretty as yours, but good for quick notes to my stepmother. 😀

  9. You have worked so very hard on all those tags – well done. Glad you made some into cards – they look good – but definitely not for posting – they’d be squashed, or cost an ENORMOUS amount of postage!!!
    have a great week.
    Margaret #68

  10. Hi Sandy!
    Those tags are pretty but wow when you turn them into cards, they rock! Love love the colors and texture. So pretty.

    Thank you for the visit!
    Belinda (89)

  11. Lovely tags, you made me want to dash over to my desk and get inky!
    Finally getting round to visiting, it has been a hectic week. Thank you for visiting.
    Karen #69

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