How to Use Rubber Stamps to Make Easy & Creative Hang Tags for Your Handmade Gifts and Products

I've been meaning to post a tutorial on how to use my rubber stamps for a while.  This is the first post of a few that I have planned for a series of how to's highlighting my rubber stamps.  It is quite easy to use rubber stamps and make your own DIY style hang tags or gift tags for your handmade goodies.  Below you'll find a simple list of materials and instructions to get you started.  (And, by the way, you don't have to use my rubber stamps - any old rubber stamp will do of course!)

Must Have Materials:

Cardstock Paper
Scissors
Stamp(s)
Stamp Ink Pad(s)
Hole Punch

Optional (but helpful) Materials:

Paper Punches
Decorative Edging Scissors
Acrylic Stamp Block (if your stamps are unmounted)
Colored Pencils or Markers
Double-sided Tape
Decorative Ribbon, Thread, or String

 

Basic Instructions:

1.  Using your scissors and/or paper punches, create several sizes and shapes of small paper pieces.  Using your hole punch, create a place in each piece for a ribbon or string to go through for hanging.  

Handy Dandy Tip:  Do not limit yourself to simple circles or squares.  You can cut any shape that you'd like as long as it is fairly easy to do and is large enough for your stamp size.  Also, not all of your tags have to be the same shape.  Don't be afraid to experiment to find out what looks best for your purpose.

2.  If necessary, temporarily adhere your unmounted rubber stamp to the acrylic block.  (I use a little double-sided tape for this.)  Apply a liberal amount of ink to your rubber stamp using your ink stamping pad.  (You may want to test the ink color and consistency before applying it to your final tag paper.)  When the stamp is inked well, decorate your paper tags one at a time - re-ink your stamp between each stamping.  If your ink pad brand is not fast drying, allow the ink to dry for a while before moving to step three.

Handy Dandy Tip:  Not all images have to be symmetrical on your paper tag area, nor do they have to cover the entire tag.  Have fun with your stamping!  Experiment with placing the image off-center or letting it bleed of the edge of the paper.

3.  Once the ink is dried, you can embellish your tags further.  Add ribbon, thread, or string.  Use colored pencils or markers to color the stamp images and customize each tag.

Handy Dandy Tip:  You can use your stamping pad to create a colored edge around your tag by easily going along the edge of the paper.  It creates a nice outline effect.

 

(FYI - Click on any of the images above to get a close-up view.)

These are just a few of the hang tags that I came up with in one hour during a leisurely weekday afternoon.  If you are making hang tags for a show or special event, I recommend sketching out some ideas of what you'd like first to get organized and be consistent in your tag style.  I also recommend making up several (50 - 100) at once to save you time later on.  And, remember that it is okay to have some "Oops!" tags - just save them for later.  You never know when you might need a little tag for something here and there.

All of the stamp designs shown above can be found in my Etsy Stamp & Paper Shop as well as my ArtFire Shop.  I have close to 70 stamp designs available with many of them being specifically designed for creating tags and labels.  I also carry wooden block mounting kits and a limited line of hang tags and note cards if you aren't the do-it-yourself type.