How to Make Mixed Media Layered Tag for Junk Journals

I absolutely love mixed media so I wanted to share with you how to make a Mixed Media Layered Tag for Junk Journals.

Tear out a couple of pages from an old atlas, you know those map books we used before GPS and our smartphones. A couple of months ago I sure wished I had a paper map when I got Lost in the Texas Hill Country.

You can use either coffee or strong tea to dye the pages. Soak them and lay the pages flat to dry.

Use your preferred size of shipping tag. I like the larger ones as I have more room for stuff aka embellishments.

The first layer in your mixed media layered tag is to attach the map paper to the tag. Liquitex Matt Medium is what I use. You can use Elmer’s glue, a glue stick, or Matte Mod Podge.

Because I cannot do ONE of something, I attached several tags of varied sizes. Make sure about the direction of the text, if that matters to you. Apply a little of the Matte medium to the back side of the tags and that will keep the tags from curling quite so bad.

If you don’t like reading instructions, then hop over to my YouTube Video on How to Make Mixed Media Layered Tags for Junk Journals

Or click on the image above to watch the tutorial.

Let the map paper and tags dry completely and cut out.

For embellishments, I used a paper doily, a section of a vintage song book page, a piece of scrapbook paper with numbers on it, washi tape that looked like tickets, and a small piece from some rust dyed paper.

This is a scanned copy of rust dyed paper. While I was rust dying silk scarves, I also dyed some papers to us for my mixed media projects.

Use a glue stick to attach your other paper elements. Play with the placement of the embellishments on your mixed media tag.

Since washi tape is low-tack, I always use a glue stick to make sure it holds.

Trim off the excess: the parts that are hanging over the edge of the tag

There is no explanation for why I choose the pieces and parts that I did. Nothing on this had any sentimental value. Am I clearing out clutter with this? Only just a teeny tiny bit? Am I creating more clutter? If I sell it, NO!

The main thing is I am creating with what I have on hand.

When the glue was completely dry, I took the tag to my sewing machine and stitched a couple of rows of messy stitches. This is difficult for me because I like my seams straight and my stitching to be near perfect.

Use a hole punch to punch the hole in the top.

I find it interesting that our society pushes for perfection in our weight, our faces (don’t let them show your age), and our muscles but we cover it up with ragged out jeans and tattered lace blouses. We want a perfectly constructed home and decorate with pieces that of chippy, rustic, and imperfect. WHY do we love shabby so much? Is it because it releases us from perfection and control? Could be! Just rambling here.

Now back to finishing this Mixed Media Layered Map Tag. To make the topper, take several pieces of fiber, yarn, torn fabric, or thin lace and fold in half. Mine was cut about 12 inches long. If you use too many or the fibers are too thick they won’t go thru the little hole.

Push the folded fibers through the hole from the front to the back and open up as shown above.

The key is optional but if you do add a key – thread two of the fiber ends through the opening in the top of the key and then put all of the ends through the looped fibers. I sure hope that makes sense. Work with the fibers to tighten the “knot”. Be careful, don’t pull too hard as you might tear thru the hole in the tag.

There were a few little tiny tags and I embellished those with snips of laces, a little thin washi tape, a little heart cut from corrugated cardboard, and some buttons. I think they turned out so sweet. You could write a message on the back and attach to a gift or tuck into your journal.

There is a FREE printable tag in my FREE GOOD STUFF LIBRAY. As a subscriber, you will have access to all the freebies and new stuff as it is added.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and if you give it a try and make a layered tag, I would love to see your results.

’til next time,

Nathalie