Make Your Own Personalized Christmas Gift Tags

To make Your own personalized Christmas gift tags you'll need to gather a few things. To keep it simple I have compiled a materials list for you.

Needed Materials:

Plastic opal flakes or glitter (I prefer red and green glitter)

3" Christmas tree, reindeer or some other holiday cookie cutter

Pop up sponge

Paper towels

Scissors

¼ " hole punch

Handmade papermaking kit

Blender

Ribbon, yarn or art fibers

Clear plastic or cling wrap

One sheet colored copier paper of your choice....just remember this will be the color of the tag and you want to be able to see the glitter chosen

Now that you have collected all the materials needed, i have written this article in a step by step process, I find this tends to make is a little easier.

Step 1 Tracing the cookie cutter on a sponge: put your chosen cookie cutter down on the pop up sponge and trace the inside of the shape with a pencil.

Step 2 Cut out the sponge: cut out the shape along the pencil line with scissors. Dampen the sponge to pop it up. Put the sponge aside for use later.

Step 3 Adding the paper to the blender: pour 16oz. Of water into a blender you have dedicated exclusively to paper making. Add between ½ to ¾ of a sheet of torn copier paper (color of your choice). Be sure the paper is torn into small pieces so that the blender will be able to break down the paper into pulp. Blend the paper in a series of twenty second bursts until it creates a slurry that is smooth without any obvious chunks or lumps.

Step 4 Pouring our slurry mix into the cookie cutter: put the paper making kit together. Place the cookie cutter in the center of mold. Pour the slurry mixture into the center of the cookie cutter until it is ½ to ¾ full. The thicker you want the paper, the more slurry is needed.

Step 5 Adding opal flakes: add opal flakes or glitter or other material chosen over the slurry. The flakes need to sit on top and soak into the slurry or they will flake off once the paper dries.

Step 6 Positioning the sponge over the slurry: put the mold on the ledge of vat to allow water to drain. because you don't have a screen the same shape as the cutter you chose, you will use the sponge to press out the excess water. First, wrap a piece of plastic wrap over the bottom of sponge. This will keep it from sticking to the wet fibers. Now place the sponge inside the cutter.

Step 7 Squeezing out the water: squeeze the excess water out of the slurry by pressing down the sponge evenly. Continue to press until water stops dripping.

Step 8 Placing the mold on the couch sheet: place a stack of paper towels under a couch sheet. Lift the cutter mold and press the paper out. Press down on the sponge to press out the water, and then remove the sponge. The clear plastic prevents the opal flakes from coming off as you press to remove the water.

Step 9 Pressing out the water: place another stack of paper towels over the plastic. Press down evenly over the surface of the towels to further press out the water. Remove towels, flip the paper over so that the plastic is on the bottom and set it down on a flat surface to dry.

Step 10 Punching a hole to hang: when the paper is thoroughly dry, carefully lift it from the table. Some of the opal flakes will come off but most should be embedded into the paper. With a ¼" hole punch make a hole in the center of the ^ if you chose the tree cutter. Thread the art fiber or ribbon through the hole.

Additional Tips:

If you don't have a papermaking kit, you can use a strainer...just make sure it has small holes and has a flat area, the cutter will fit on.

Adding the flakes or glitter after the blender ensures that it is only one sided rather than throughout. Choose which you like best.