Grungy Hang Tags

Grungy tags fit any occasion through out the year. Hang them on dolls and doll furniture or use as bowl fillers during Halloween. Add them to the Christmas tree to blend in with the other ornaments or use them as gift tags. Typically dipped in a coffee-and-vanilla extract blend, grungy hang tags emit a light aroma reminiscent of homemade fudge cooking on the stove and cookies baking in the oven. Cinnamon can be sprinkled over hang tags before they dry or added directly to the coffee-and-vanilla mix. Use tea in place of coffee for a lighter stain.

Materials
Card stock paper
Coffee or tea
Vanilla extract 
Cotton string
Scissors or paper cutter
Cookie sheet and wax paper 
Hole puncher with a grip handle
Reinforcement labels   


Instructions
1. Cut tags 2" x 4" (or any size you choose). Punch a hole in the top center of each tag. Place a reinforcement label over each hole--front and back.
2. Measure and cut sections of string about 12 inches long for a 2" x 4" tag. If the tags are smaller, the tags may not require as much string. Loop the string through the punched hole and tie off the open end. Trim the string above the knot in even lengths.  
3. Line the cookie sheet(s) with wax paper.
4. Make an 8 oz. mixture of hot coffee or tea and add about 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract.
5. Dip the tags, including the strings, into the mixture. Place them on the cookie sheet side-by-side and not touching.
6. Bake the tags for 10-15 minutes at 250 to 275 degrees. The tags curl in the oven but flatten out as they cool.

Note

• If your coffee or tea stains your counter top, try spreading a thin layer of fresh coffee or tea over the tabletop scrubbing or wiping with a wet cloth. Then wipe counter or table down as you normally would when cleaning them off.
• Soak fingertips in 3% Hydrogen Peroxide mixed with warm water (1 part peroxide to 2 parts water) to remove any stains from fingernails.

Bread Money
Make a batch of tags (25 to 100 groupings) and sell them on line, at craft shows, or in local craft shops. Search the internet by typing in grungy hang tags or primitive hang tags to get an idea of current prices.

Some Ideas
Hang tag designs include hand-painted primitive scenes of crows, stars, saltbox houses, grazing sheep. During the holiday seasons, they include stamping, stenciling or free-hand work depicting Halloween characters and Christmas scenes or create seed-packet tags reminiscent of days gone by. Whatever you decide to do with your hang tags, enjoy! If you enjoy, grungy hang tags, you might like this project: Grungy Dolls

Threading Grungy Tags
Cut the thread to the length you want for your grungy tag.

Fold it in half and insert the cut ends through the tag hole.

Pull the thread through the hole, leaving a loop on the opposite side.











 Grasp the cut ends of the thread and lay it back over top of the tag.









 Insert the ends through the looped end and pull taunt. 






Tie off the cut ends and snip loose ends even.