if it ain't antiqued, antique it!

January 25, 2010

if it ain't antiqued, antique it!

I want to share a super-quick-couldn't-be-easier-diy project with you today.

Go ahead over to your nearest office supply store and pick yourself up some Marking Tags or some Metal Rimmed Tags. Then the next time you fix yourself a cup of tea, make an extra cup and make it extra strong and share it with your new office supply tags.

Chit chat for a little while and then remove your tags. Voila! You've got yourself some old looking tags! I love using these for everything! Labeling my craft supplies and dressing up gifts are my two favorite uses but there are obviously many others.

This was the first time I used the Marking tags and while I love how them came out, they will degrade if you leave them soaking too long so beware of that. Here are the simple instructions for making some antiqued tags.

You will need:

Office supply tags, either metal rimmed or marking

Black Tea

Hot Water

A mug

A cooling rack set over a cookie sheet

Process:

Take about 10-12 tags and set them in the bottom of a mug (you can do your whole box at once but you will need a larger bowl and many more tea bags)

Place about 5-6 tea bags on top of them (the more you use the darker your tags will be, it's also nice to make them light by using less tea bags or try different types of tea!). You can steep your tea ahead of time and then soak your tags but placing the tea bags on top keeps the tags fully submerged.

Pour boiling hot water over your tags and bags and let them sit a while (the longer they sit the darker they will get but beware of letting the marking tags sit too long as they may start to fall apart)

Remove your tags and set them on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet to dry. The Marking tags will curl a bit but it's nice.

Done!

Posted at 12:46 PM in Tutorials | Permalink

Comments

What an adorable idea!

Posted by: Andrea | January 25, 2010 at 05:11 PM

thanks Andrea :)

Posted by: Abi | January 25, 2010 at 07:29 PM

great idea, thanks for sharing!

Posted by: keana | January 26, 2010 at 07:17 AM

Seriously cool! Will have to try these with my teen class!

Posted by: Wendy | January 31, 2010 at 10:17 PM

love!

Posted by: leslie | February 01, 2010 at 04:09 PM

Fun! I have those tags and will give it a try...lots of snow outside and lots of tea inside! Thx!

Posted by: sUsAn | February 16, 2010 at 09:46 AM

These are SO cool! I'm really, really excited about this. I have LOVED the look of antiqued paper products (tags especially) since I was a little girl.

Posted by: Grace | February 18, 2010 at 10:54 AM