Distressed luggage tag.

Distressing techniques are great for someone like me. As i tell my kids, with distressing, you just can't make a mistake that makes it look imperfect, because thats the general idea!

Tonight during yet another sleepless night turned crafty session, i made this very basic tag and gave it an old and weathered leathery look.



A very easy look to achieve, heres how i did it....

1. I covered a mountboard tag diecut with a plain white cardstock tag diecut. I do this because the mountboard backing tag gives it the sturdyness (bit more Calv proof) and the cardstock gives me a better colour and texture effect when distressed.

2. Next stamp any stamp image you want on the tag in black ink, i used a journey stamp as it's a luggage tag, and i used black StazOn ink.

3. Next i got a piece of one of my favourite, if not THE fave distressing tools i have, some medium grade sandpaper. Yep, the sort you sand wood with. Give your tag a good old rough sand around the edges, and a few scuffs over the surface of the tag. Don't forget, don't worry if you think you're ruining your tag, you're distressing it......and most likely making it look better!

4. Using a clear Versamark pad, i stamped a destination stamp on the tag, sprinkled red embossing powder on, shook of the excess powder before using a heat gun to set it.

5. Then i took an "Antique Linen Tim Holtz Distress ink pad" and gave the whole tag a good colouring with it. You'll see the areas that you scuffed with sandpaper, give a darker colour and a more weathered and "worn" effect.

6. The hole re-enforcer is just a circle punched out, and hole made with a Crop A Dile. This has been sanded and coloured the same way.

7. I used a tiny bit of walnut stain distress embossing powder on the edges for texture, and a tiny brush of charcoal pigment ink pad here and there. Gives an old, dirty look to the tag. To get a few black "scratch" effects, i just lightly touched the very edge of a black StazOn pad on various irregular points of the tag, it makes a very fine thin black line across it.

8. Another brush of antique linen ink here and there, and a good rub with my finger......and theres your tag. I love using my finger on distress inks, it can really blend in and wear down the initial strong colours of an ink. Just smudge away until you get the desired effect.

So thats it, an easy tag with an old look. :)

Calv's safety tip: Should your tag begin to smoke whilst using your heat gun, theres a pretty good chance you have it too close! I use a tile or a heat mat underneath whatever i'm heating. Always know where your nearest fire extinguisher is!

Now for that sleep!