Project - Embellish a Small Paper Tag Purse

You can do more with tag punches and tag dies than stop after making a paper tag. You can take it a step further by folding those tags into cute little paper purses for use as 3D embellishments. This project makes a finished paper purse that measures about 2 inches by 3 inches, without the handle.


Paper Tag Purse (click to enlarge)

Materials & Tools
• Thickly textured decorative paper or wallpaper scrap in Turquoise
• Sizzix System - Die Cutting Machine
• Sizzix Large Scalloped Tag Die
• Wide gold opaque ribbon, torn at an angle (purse edges)
• Turquoise blue feathers (small broken pieces to stick here and there)
• Silver-colored metal initial charm (attach to purse flap with a brad)
• Glass beads (add with wire woven through the tag holes)
• Blue scrapbooking brad (to affix the letter charm)
• Dark blue wire, wrapped around a bamboo stick to make it "spring"
• Short metal bead (or ball) keychain in blue (to create a purse handle)
• Bead chain connectors (to connect the purse handle to the tag top)
• Purse-shaped plastic button in gold
• Glue or Tacky tape (to seal the purse edges and attach the wide ribbon)
• Gold glitter glue (to decorate the outside edge)
• Tiny hole paper punch (to create extra holes for securing charms, beads or chains)
• Pop-dots or foam adhesive squares (to attach the purse button)

The Steps
1. Cut a large tag from thickly textured decorative paper. My sample uses blue paper made from Tyvek material, but you can use any thick paper of your choice. The thicker and more textured, the better. In fact, if you have any wallpaper scraps laying around, these are a great substitute.
2. Fold the tag in uneven threes, using the top of the tag as the opening flap for the paper purse. Essentially, you fold the bottom of the tag up, crease the bottom, then fold the tag top down.
3. Secure edges of the purse with glue or tacky tape on the inside edges. For a different look, consider stitching the edges instead.
4. Embellish the front of the purse as you wish. My embellishments are noted in the materials list above. You can apply glitter, beads or anything else you like.
5. When applying the wire, beads and letter charm to the top of the tag, I punched a small hole near the big tag hole for stringing and added stability.
6. Punch holes on each side of the top flap for your purse handle. I used a short metal bead chain from a discarded keychain. Check your local plumbing or hardware store for the chains. You can cut a chain that's too long, if you can't find a short chain. You can also spray paint a nickel chain to match your paper. Alternately, fashion a handle out of ribbon, fiber or rope.
7. Keep the chain from falling out of the purse flap holes by adding the clasps or connectors that come with bead chain. If you use ribbon, fiber or rope, knot the ends to hold it in place.
8. Using pop-dots or adhesive squares, add the finished paper purse to the front of a handmade greeting card, the top of a cardboard box or an altered book page. Or give it to your favorite little girl for use in her doll collection.

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Product Resource Guide
· Project photo taken with a 5.0 MP resolution KODAK EASYSHARE DX4530 Zoom Digital Camera
· Decorative Paper at Amazon.com
· Sizzix System - Die Cutting Machine at Amazon.com
· Browse for Paper Crafts Books at Amazon.com

Article Description: You can do more with tag punches and tag dies than just make a paper tag.

Technique – Make a Distressed Paper Tag

Having just finished decorating a cardboard box for a Michaels Arts and Crafts store demo, I felt something was missing. It needed a little extra oomph to finish it off and I knew just what was in order – a distressed tag of some kind. Sure, there are several ways to get this look, but for now, I've chosen something relatively easy...working with ink.

A representative of FiberScraps, makers of the E-Z Walnut Ink used here, demonstrated her approach to this technique for me at a crafts trade show. She provided me with a sample bottle for use in this article. I really like using the product because it is not messy at all. The ink bottle works well for stamping and stippling, too. Now don't limit yourself to just using Walnut Ink. Check out the FiberScraps site for more shades or rummage around your existing inkpads for some interesting color combinations. I sure did!

My Materials & Tools

Manilla paper hang tag(s), available in different sizes from office supply stores

Bottle of Original E-Z Walnut Ink #FS-102 2 Oz. Bottle with dauber applicator by FiberScraps

Memories Acid Free Dye Ink Pad in Sand by Stewart Superior Corp.

Brown, copper, gold and silver pigment inkpad combo, like Ultimate Inkpad Paintbox², in Precious Metals #13010 by ColorBox/Clearsnap

Compact Mini-Iron^TM by Clover Needlecraft

My Steps
Click to enlarge images. Click the back button to return to this article.)

1. Take a standard paper tag, any size, and remove the string.


2. Gather your ink supplies. Pick any combination of beige, brown, walnut and/or earth-toned inkpads, re-inkers or ink bottles with daubers. You can even use sponges with any ink to get the look you want. The choice is up to you.


3. Crumple the tag in your hand, perhaps starting by simply folding it in your palm. Continue to crumple the tag at different angles. Be gentle and selective when crumpling -- too many creases and your design may look too busy or muddy when the tag dries.


4. Flatten the tag somewhat. Using a direct-to-paper inking approach, apply the beige or sand inkpad directly to the hills or creases of the tag. You want to create a little three-dimensional contrast between the different shades of brown, if you can.


5. Grab one of the brown pads from the inkpad combo and apply it to the tag as well.


6. Dab the brown applicator ink on the flat valleys or uncrinkled areas of the tag. Depending on how much of the original tag color you'd like to remain, you can apply a light coat of this wet ink or a heavy coat for deeper color saturation.


7. Highlight here and there with one of the copper pads from the inkpad combo. You might even brush this color on the edges of the tag to create a "halo" effect. Try a bit of gold ink, if you're bold.


8. Let the tag dry overnight, out in the open. I've experimented with sandwiching an inked tag in between paper towels and I've experimented with putting the tag out on the porch. Try different drying approaches for different looks.

9. The next day, if you'd like to set the ink and make the tag flatter, iron it on low heat using a press cloth between the iron and tag. Now many crafters suggest ironing crumpled tags, including well-known artist Tim Holtz, who was seen antiquing tags for a Distressed Tag Journal Project on the Carol Duvall Show. In my box project, I didn't bother to iron the tag because I liked the crinkled look better. Eventually, I ironed my distressed tags for other projects, though.



I really like the Clover Mini-iron, mainly because I didn't have to set up the ironing board to use it and the small head meant I was less likely to burn myself. Don't let the small size of the tip fool you -- it does get hot! If you don't have a crafts iron, you can use a clothes iron as long as you don't plan to use it on clothes anymore. You never know what your iron will pick up and transfer to your favorite shirt, so don't risk it! I remember using a good iron on a project, only to transfer some unwanted bits and pieces to a shirt the next day. Well, I learned that lesson the hard way.

10. When you're ready to add your tag to one of your paper crafts creations, tie your distressed tag to some fiber (or tie some fiber to your tag). Either way, you're ready to embellish.

You can use your tag on a greeting card, on a scrapbook page or, like in my example (see below), hang it from a paper box.


Project Tips

When crumpling your tag, don't study it too much. Be random and let the creases fall where they may.

Create a watermark using a rubber stamp, clear ink and clear embossing powder. Apply these before you add any brown ink to the tag. Your clear image will appear ghostlike or ethereal.

You can add beads or buttons or bits of lace to your tag, if you want. Mix it up with different additions to your antiqued creation.

For more tips on distressing paper, be sure to visit the Rubber Art Stamping site. Editor Cecile Pryor has two articles on "Getting The Old-Fashioned Look."

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Reading and Viewing Recommendations

Tag Creations, a special issue of Paper Crafts magazine

Tags Reinvented: New Approaches to Creating Scrapbook Tabs, by Erikia Ghumm

Its All About Cards And Tags, by Nancy M. Hill

An Altered Journey with Tim Holtz (DVD), Studio: PageSage

(Using) Walnut Ink, by Beverly Seymour (Author), Suzanne McNeill (Editor)

Product Resource Guide
· Order your E-Z Walnut Ink at FiberScraps
· Find Manila Shipping Tags
· Clover Mini Iron
· ColorBox Pigment Ink Pads
· Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution 2 Oz Spray
· Tim Holtz Distress Ink Stamp Pads
· Most project photos taken with a 5.0 MP resolution KODAK EASYSHARE DX4530 Zoom Digital Camera
· Browse for Paper Crafts Books at Amazon.com

Article Description: Need an altered style embellishment to enhance a greeting card or paper maché box? Try antiquing a paper hang tag for that shabby chic look.

Getting Organized - Sort Your Ephemera

I wish I had all the shelves, drawers, cabinets, totes and containers I would ever need for paper crafting. But like many crafters, my storage solutions are often seat-of-the-pants and at the expense of aesthetics. Sometimes I just don't have the money, time or patience to find one more container for one more project.

I started "bagging it" when I began participating in crafts swaps. A crafts host would announce a theme -- say, celestial artist trading cards -- and I would start hoarding related ephemera (i.e. stars, moons and planets) in a gallon-sized, zippable plastic food bag. If I had several swaps in mind, I'd have a bag for each.


Ephemera Sorted by Theme

For labeling, I chose a temporary fix. Rather than write directly on the bags with indelible marker, I'd create a small label on plain paper and adhere it with clear packing tape. I'd fold a tiny end of the tape back onto itself to create a tab for easy removal. When I finished making the swaps, I removed the label and saved the bag for the next theme. Soon I gathered materials in anticipation of themes. Now I have a bin full of different bags, waiting for the creative muse to strike.

But sorting by theme doesn't always meet my needs, I've found. There are days when I'd rather do art based on color or texture. One day I was in the mood for everything Egyptian, but I didn't have enough ephemera on this theme. After rummaging through my bags and bins, I pulled together lots of gold and metallic items, which satisfied my artistic appetite.


Ephemera Sorted by Type or Color

Another nice thing about "bagging it," is the portability. I can grab exactly what I need for a crafts session. It saves lots of time in pre-class preparation.

What have YOU done to organize your crafts space? Let me know!

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Additional Reading

More Ephemera, by Beth Cote, Suzanne McNeill

Product Resource Guide

Words Ephemera, by Hot Off The Press

Vintage Ephemera, by Hot Off The Press

Buy your craft supplies at MisterArt.com

Wholesale Arts & Crafts Supplies

Most project photos on this page were taken with a 5.0 MP resolution KODAK EASYSHARE DX4530 Zoom Digital Camera

Article Description: Are your paper crafts ephemera, found art and other materials taking over your life and home? Try this quick fix.