Create beautiful gift tags for a handmade touch to presents

What you need...

• Polymer clay: pink, white
  Cutters: circle, pastry or cookie
  Metal eyelets, silver
  Ribbons and cord
  Decoupage glue
  Decoupage papers
  Metal leaf, silver
  Size for leaf metal
  Stamps, alphabet
  Baking paper

instructions

1. It always seems a waste to see nice embellishments on a gift being discarded once it’s been opened, so why not turn them into an additional keepsake? These lovely tags are made from polymer clay, which needs to be baked to harden so it won’t dry out as you work. Simply knead the clay for a little while to make it soft and pliable, then get creative with stamps, metal leaf and decoupage!

2. Decoupage Tag - 1 Cut off a two ridge piece from a block of white polymer clay. Knead in your hands to soften and roll into a ball. Place onto a clean smooth surface then roll the clay out to an even 3mm thickness. Cut out a tag shape.
   
   2 Punch out a hole from the top of the clay tag using an eyelet, removing it afterwards. Lift the tag from the work surface carefully with a knife, and place onto a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Harden in an oven according to the clay manufacturer’s instructions.
   
   3 When the tag has cooled down, brush glue onto the front and edges. Lay decoupage paper onto the surface and smooth down with the paintbrush – the glue also forms a protective surface on the piece when it is dry.
   
   4 If you wish to add extra embellishment, trim pieces from your decoupage papers and apply to the tag as before, smoothing the edges and leaving to dry. Thread ribbon or cord through the hole in the tag and tie to your parcel.

3. Silver Leaf Tag - 1 Cut a two ridge piece of white clay, then knead and roll out as before. Remove a circular shape with a pastry cutter, then add texture by pressing a piece of corrugated card into one side. Punch a hole with an eyelet but this time leave it in the tag, removing the clay in the centre. Bake the tag and allow to cool.
   
   2 Paint the entire piece with size (a leaf metal glue) and leave to dry for at least 15 minutes. Apply the silver leaf – you will find it easier to place
   the tag onto the metal sheet rather than the other way round. Smooth the silver onto the surface with a soft clean cloth to finish.
   

4. Pink Stamped Tag - Knead and roll out a two ridge piece of pink clay, then cut out a circular shape. Push an eyelet into the top, leave it in place and remove the clay from the centre.
   Stamp ‘with love’ or any other message into the disc, then bake. Once cool, the tag can be tied to the parcel – you may also like to add a coordinating patterned card circle behind the clay one.