Handmade Hang Tag Tutorial

I've received so many supportive comments on my last post and these hang tags, that I thought I would share my method and show you how I make them!

As I've mentioned before, these came as a result of my hoarding saving so many supplies. About a year ago, when I started thinking about using up some of my horde, I started printing my own business cards after I ran out of commercially printed cards. I also had 2 large beautiful reams of very heavy cardstock I had purchased for projects and cards when I worked at a print shop many years ago.

{SIDE NOTE: Most of these photos have text, so click on them to make them larger.}

Here, you can see the original letter sized piece of paper and the cards (already cut). This is how they look after I print them. Before I trim them to business card size, you can see that there are going to be left over strips from the printing margins and design of the cards.

This is what I'm leftover with after the cards are cut. I decided to save all these strips and they have been lying around the studio taking up space waiting for a creative use......HANG TAGS!!!!!

I decided I wanted my tags to have an antiqued look, so I decided to stain them even darker than the camel color they are. These particular strips were dyed with a strong tea stain, but you can also use diluted walnut ink, a light acrylic paint wash, diluted water colors or stamp pads for a different look.

Next, I trim my strips to their desired lengths. Most of my strips were 7" in length so I just decided to trim them in half to 3.5". Once folded in half, they measure 1.75" and have different surfaces for writing.

......Here's a little closer.

Next, you'll need a stamp for the front. You could have a custom stamp professionally made and that would be ideal! Since I'm being frugal, I had this address stamp from VistaPrint that I've never been particularly fond of, so I decided to make it a test subject.

I carefully peeled off the stamp from it's self-inking base, trimmed the address part off, and adhered it to an acrylic stamp block. The remaining adhesive was enough to keep it stuck and I'll be able to remove it later.

If you don't have an acrylic stamping block (although I recommend it to easily see the placement when you're stamping) you could also use the lid of your stamp pad, or the wooden top of a regular rubber stamp. Even the smooth bottom of a drink glass will work!

Next, I used watercolor to make a small dot that mimics the hole reinforcements of traditional tags. I don't concern myself that they are perfectly round. I prefer the random shape. After my watercolor dried, I stamped my tags!

Next, I punched my holes with a 1/8" craft punch. Then I cut thin string and attached them to my tags! DONE!

Here's a tag attached to a bracelet. I use the inside of the tag to write information about the piece and I use the back of the tag to write the price. I like this because I don't like to see the price and my handwriting on the front. I also feel, in a show or shop setting, that this invites the customer to pick the piece up and learn more about it and feel it in their hands.

I hope you will give this a try! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!

If you make your own hang tags, I would love to see pictures!

Doing it all by hand....

Back in this post, I talked a bit about beginning to use up all the bits and pieces I've been collecting over my years as a mixed media artist. Although it brings me sort of a giddy feeling to see all my supplies, it does get overwhelming. I decided before I purchased anything new, I would begin making a conscious effort to make or repurpose materials I already had on hand to fit the bill.

This first thing I ran out of was mailers and bubble wrap....so I began making all of my own stuffing and mailers.

Following that, I began preparing for Bead Fest, and the need arose for hangtags....

Next up, is a full size show banner......

Followed by bags for customer purchases....

While it is time consuming, I also find it very rewarding to have a hand in the process from the construction of my mailers all the way through to the tags that hold the prices for my beads.

By working slowly at building a distinct handmade look from start to finish (and it is an ongoing metamorphosis) I find myself making more distinct and informed decisions about the entire look and I'm really enjoying that process. Not only do I enjoy working on the repetitive process of it, but it affords me a different type of creativity than working with beads and jewelry.

Handmade....from start to the very FINISH!

 by Barbara Bechtel

About 6-8 months ago, while looking around at all my unused craft supplies, I decided to make a concerted effort to start using up all the bits and scraps of paper, wood, craft supplies, etc. and try to make a 100% effort not to purchase anything that was absolutely non essential.....ahh, the sweet horde of a mixed media artist....I'm sure many of you can relate.....

Specifically, I'm talking packaging. Although, I've always waffled between buying boxes, business and jewelry cards, packing supplies, etc. I've always used the excuse, "I don't have enough time to do ALL those things." For myself, though, I realized that in the time I spent researching, comparing prices, doing graphic design, layout, and printing, I really could make the time with a little extra effort to make these supplies to truly make my jewelry and designs unique from start to finish AND use up my extra paper supplies at the same time.

Instead of using bubble wrap, I've been shredding beautiful catalogs after I'm through perusing them and shredding vintage clothing patterns that I've been hoarding! Almost anything can be shredded to use as filler! So much more fun than shredding old bills and receipts, eh?

A selection of completely handmade business cards. All have their own unique personality. Clockwise from top: Beth Schaible ( letterpress by the artist), Second Surf (designed, printed, and handcut myself), Canoo (stamped and screenprinted on recycled household paperboard), Dacey Hunter (scrap watercolor paper, then inkjet printed with contact info), Sara Lee Parker Textiles (screenprinted)

The back of Canoo's card....she recycles all the paperboard from their home into business cards! This fits in nicely with her upcycled sweater goodies!

This is the packaging I did for Lori Anderson's upcoming Cup of Bead Soup. I've been painting tiny paper doilies from my estate sale stash to use in my paintings. Torn and taped to the pillow boxes (whose supplies are ever so slowly dwindling) with washi tape and tied with some pretty string and a little tag from leftover watercolor paper scraps.

 Vintage postcards that have been tea stained and with quick sketches and collage elements make great earring cards for more involved earrings and the buyer gets a cute little piece of art to keep!

Here are some other great ideas for using upcycled or handmade supplies:

~Patty from My Life Under The Bus takes those ugly bubble mailers that we always mean to reuse and don't and makes them PRETTY! 

~From the Love My Art Jewelry archives: Make an origami box to hold your jewels....This would look great with a little of that shredded tissue inside...hmmmmm......