I've decided this year that I'm going to wrap my Christmas gifts in brown (kraft) paper (which I may or may not decorate with stamping - the jury is still out on that one!). There are two main reasons for this: a) I'm cheap, and Ikea sell rolls of the paper for less than a pound :) and b) I really love that rustic, kraft kinda look.Consequently, tonight I started to think about what I might use for tags. I had a single piece of 12x12 kraft cardstock in my drawer and using my Cricut and SCAL I managed to cut 12 2x4 tags from the sheet, along with 12 circles for the reinforced hole.
I wanted to create the feeling of the Christmases I remembered from childhood, so Tim Holtz's vintage-styled images were perfect. I stamped the Santa first, then masked him off and stamped the holly. I trimmed the edge of the tag to match with Santa's hat and then coloured with Promarkers and a touch of Fired Brick distress ink on his cheeks. I used a Ranger white pen for the snow and gave Santa a thin coating of Rock Candy Stickles (applied with my finger) for a bit of extra bling :)
Next, I used a glue pen to stick the circle reinforcement in place and used my Crop-o-dile to make a hole in it. Finally, I was about to thread some jute twine through the hole when I remembered that I bought this red and white butcher's twine waaaaaay back in the spring, intending it for just this purpose! Talk about forward planning, huh? :)
I hope you like, as ever, click to see a larger view :) Oh, and speaking of Tim Holtz stamps, there's still time to enter this weeks Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge, where the theme is "my favorite Tim Holtz stamp", and there's a $25 gift coupon up for grabs! :)
Wonderfully jolly! Love the candy cane twine!
ReplyDeleteVery cool, Dan! And since I just picked up my Tim tag die-cut tonight, I may just have to try this!
ReplyDeleteWowzer!!! I love it!! Now I wish I had bought this stamp set...I almost did and then bought more cricut stuff instead.
ReplyDeleteLove your tag! It reminds me of Christmas as a child with its vintage look.
ReplyDeleteThese are SUPER cute!!!! LOVE them!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat tag! Love the idea.
ReplyDeleteNow that is a 'proper' Santa image - fab tag.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the Kraft paper wrapping - I love it. Makes things so easy to co-ordinate just by changing the colour of the ribbons.
Toni :o)
love the shaping you have done on the tag
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this Dan...very nostalgic and it takes me back to my childhood too. TFS. ~Glen~
ReplyDeleteLove the tag Dan it's so classically festive x
ReplyDeleteNow that is really nice. Love the old feel...and it isn't squared off. That twine just makes it all the more special. Very nice.
ReplyDeletefabby tag dan...and its a good job our presents aren't going under the same tree as i'm doing all mine in brown paper again this year! lol
ReplyDeleteGreat minds thinking alike and all that Dan, I too picked up a HUGE roll of brown Kraft paper for my wrapping this year... and we both know what my stamping is like so I may have to try something else to make them look festive!! Love your tag, especially the cut away piece around the Santa.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! Dan! I love this!!!
ReplyDeleteI am another brown paper fan (makes note to visit Ikea!). Love the candy cane cord twist.
ReplyDeleteDan- you are so cool! I love everything about it! And I'm so with you on the inexpensive Ikea rolls of paper- and with stamping or the right ribbon it's good for all occasions and holidays!! LOL! Love the idea of cutting the end of the tag to match the stamped image- makes it look more original. And bonus points for buying the red and white string so far in advance and triple bonus points for being able to find it again!! (I'm good at planning ahead, bad at remembering the "safe place"I put stuff in!!)
ReplyDeleteWell done as always and THANK YOU for sharing your ideas!
We get rolls of paper from our local newspaper. They are the end rolls for only $1/each. Great for wrapping presents and kids to use for getting artistic on as well. I save my son's drawings and use them to wrap presents.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the brown paper/kraft effect but as most of my family would think I was a cheap old tight arse and not see the beauty in the simplicity of some pretty ribbon and a fabulous tag - I suspect it will just be the few crafty friends that get that treatment :( and the rest will get the rip as soon as you fold it patterned paper.
ReplyDeleteThe tag is gorgeous - love that Santa.