DIY Valentine Tag Garland- Simple, Fast & Fun!

As a college student, I was looking for an inexpensive, easy decoration for Valentines Day and came up with this idea.  Not only is it easy & inexpensive, when Valentines Day is over, it simply folds up neatly and stores in a envelope for next year!

All you need are a few scrapbooking supplies, a little time and some of your favorite "love" quotes or poems, so let's get started!!

Step 1: Supplies Needed

Supplies Needed
What ever you have on hand is a good place to start with this project!!

Tags-  The number of tags depends on how many sayings you want & the length of your garland.
Twine
Scrapbooking Supplies:
   Ink pad- mine was an antique brown
   Stamps- I used a set of birds and feathers, and a few border stamps
   Markers
   Quotes- you can use preprinted or print your own on the computer or just handwrite your sayings.
   Decorative Scissors
   Chalk Pallet  
   Glue Stick
   Various other embellishment such as brads, ribbons, photos etc.

Step 2: Stamping the Tags

1- Stamp your tags using various images
2- Run all edges of the tag across the ink pad helping to give it an aged look. See photo 4, 5 and 6 for reference.

Step 3: Adding Age and Texture

Next we will be adding some color with the chalk.

Using a small piece of tissue, wipe lightly across the chalk color you want then rub onto your tag.  Go lightly, you can always add more if you want it darker. Photos 1, 2, & 3.

To add a little texture to the background take a scrap piece of paper and using decorative scissors, cut along several sided of the scrap paper, basically giving it a decorative edge. Photo 4 shows my scrap paper cut and how the background will look when done.

With a piece of tissue with a little chalk on it (I dipped my tissue in red and brown to get a mixture) wipe across the scrap paper and onto the tag. Photo 5.

Remove the scrap paper, reposition and do again, & again, & again, until you get the desired look you want.  You could also just daube or sponge on the chalk, but I like the edge/shading  combo look I get this way!

Step 4: Getting Creative!

Now the real fun! Adding your quotes and embellishments!

Print, write, paste however you want to do it! I mixed it up a little, using vellum words & quotes & some were handwritten.

Add any embellishments you may want at this point, and get ready to hang them!

Step 5: Lets Finish UP!!

Cut the twine to the length you need  plus add a few inches to each end for tying.

I then tied pieces of ribbon to the twine, knotting securely, so the tags won't slide together.
Then tie each tag onto the ribbon, loosely so it hangs freely.
In between each tag I tied a piece of twine or extra ribbon just as a "filler".

You are now ready to display your favorite quotes and share them with the one you love! 
When Valentines Day is over simply stack your tags together slide into a empty envelope and store until next year!

Thanks for joining me on my first tutorial and I hope that maybe I've inspired you to give it a try!  If you've enjoyed this project, remember to vote for me in the Valentines Contest!