Distress Inks Autumn Themed Mop Up Tags:  Use Your Scraps Series

Hello, Friends!  Today I have another idea for putting scraps to good use.  This time, I’m talking about using scrap “ink”.  Let me explain. These pretty little Distress Ink autumn themed mop up tags started when I used plain manila tags to clean up puddles of leftover ink from other projects.

I hate to waste good materials.  Even leftover ink on your craft mat can be put to good use.  When I have leftover ink on my craft mat, I just grab a standard sized manila tag and sop it up.  I always have several of these mop up tags in different hues stored in a bin kept close to my work surface.  Instead of wiping my leftover ink up with a paper towel, I grab a tag that will work with whatever colors are on the mat and add another layer of ink.  When I like the way the tag looks, I just add some stamping or ephemera to finish it off into a little art tag.  Waste not, want not, right?

Ranger makes a great manila tag that holds up well to mixed media applications.  They are a staple in my studio.  Of course, you can cut tags from scrap paper yourself, but depending on the structure of the paper, the tag may or may not hold up well.

Everyday Distress Ink Autumn Themed Mop Up Tags

This tag came together in minutes because the base tag was nearly finished, thanks to all the mopped up ink.  I simply added some quick stamping and stenciling.  Keep an organized ephemera file in your studio, so that when you need a little image for a tag, you can find it quickly.  I use a plastic bin with labeled divider tabs for this purpose.

This nostalgic image is one that I printed out from a Gecko Galz collage sheet called Be Thankful for Fall.  The autumn leaves came to me in a little thank you packet in my Funkie Junkie Boutique order.  Linda, the shop owner, always tucks in a sweet little envelope with paper pretties as a thank you gift.  The ribbon is Moss Green Shimmer Satin from RRR.

Hello, Beautiful Distress Ink Autumn Themed Mop Up Tags

Here’s another example of a mop up tag.  This image, the die cut leaves and maple leaf charm also came in a little goodie bag from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  I added stamped images and stencils to finish the tag off.

The die cut leaves come as plain white cardstock.  To dress them up, I added some ink, also mopped up from my craft sheet.  To add texture, run the damp leaf through an embossing folder.  Then stamp randomly over the top.  I finished this tag with a vintage button, twine, mustard seeds and ribbon.

These tags will be tucked into orders from my Etsy shop as thank you gifts from me.  It’s a fun way to pay it forward.

I’m thinking about periodically sharing a post about fun ways to use scraps.  Is this something you all would be interested in?  If so, please let me know in the comment section below, and I’ll start planning more of these posts into my blog calendar.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy