Place Cards and Gift Tags

Okay here is another little ditty about how to make some custom gift tags or place cards. Again these are more about techniques than the products or the item. Once you know a few techniques you can use them on any item any size. It could be a card or wrapping paper or even making garlands for your tree.

Materials List:

Rubber Stamps (I used Stampin' Up)

Purchased place cards

Jet Back Stazon Inkpad

Red Stazon Inkpad

Green brush tip marker

Scrap of red paper torn on all four sides

Green embroidery floss

Small hole punch

Glue stick or double sided tape (any old adhesive product you like I guess)

Step 1: stamp your image in black Stazon ink. Since I was using a small stamp I went through the scrap box and found a piece of red paper approximately 1 ½" square. Tearing all four sides took it down to an 1" and gave me a white edge. This will not happen with cardstock that is colored all the way through. Tearing toward yourself in short swipes on all four sides will give you this effect.

Step 2: color in the image with gel pens. I used gel pens because they have a more precise point and more colorful ink than any markers I own. You may choose to use markers or colored pencils. The gel pens I own happen to have sparkle or glitter or some such thing in the ink and they are extremely vibrant.

Step 3: stamp sentiment on place card. I went for the to the right look again. I guess it's because I'm right handed and we live in a right handed world and that's what I'm used to seeing but I really didn't like it on the left. To be sure I put it in the right place I stamped with the square in its place but not adhered yet. I also used the red ink for the sentiment so it would match the square of paper.

Step 4: color the white edges of the square. After I looked at my layout I decided I didn't like the white edge against the white card because it didn't stand out. I used a brush marker and ran it along the sides to color the white areas green.

Step 5: adhere the square in its place and punch two holes in it for your bow. You want to glue it down first so you will be able to punch through not only the square but the card as well. Tools are key here. You may need a hand held hole punch with a longer reach to get to where you want the holes. There is also an anywhere punch available you can hit with a hammer, and I've seen some new 6" hole punches that work like a stapler.

Step 6: lace the embroidery floss through the holes from the back and tie your bow. I have found the way to get a good bow with the loops on one side and the tails on the other is to make the two loops and tie them in a half hitch.