How to Make a Retro Style Collage Tag

Decorate a blank tag as you desire.

Whether your aesthetic leans toward the vibrant colors and complex designs of the 1960s, the monochromatic formality of Victorian photographs or anything in between, retro collage tags can display your taste and style. You can make them as flat, two-dimensional disks or add raised decorations and textures to add dimension. Use them as key chains, necklace pendants, scrapbook adornments, Christmas tree ornaments or gift tags. Or give them as personalized gifts to your vintage-chic friends. You can also attach magnets to the backs of the tags and use them to decorate your refrigerator.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden nickel -- available online
• Drill with 1/8-inch bit
• Gesso
• Bronze or silver acrylic paint
• Paper
• Pictures
• White glue
• Clear craft lacquer
• Raised, textured embellishments (optional)
• Chain

Instructions

1. Drill a small hole in a wooden nickel in the place where you want to insert the tag's chain. Use a 1/8-inch drill bit for a narrow chain or a larger bit for a wider chain.

2. Prime the front and back of the wooden nickel with gesso -- a thin, hard paint that stops other paints from soaking into the wood. When it dries, paint over the gesso with bronze or silver acrylic paint, depending on the era you are emulating.

3. Trace the outline of the wooden nickel on a blank piece of paper. Lay out the pictures for your collage over the traced circle in the design you want for your tag.

4. Glue the collage to the wooden nickel, beginning with the background images and adding layers on top of them. Then paint a thin coat of clear craft lacquer over the collage.

5. Press buttons, beads, charms, ribbons, lace, dried flowers or any other three-dimensional decorations you desire into the wet lacquer. Allow the tag to dry, then thread a chain through the drilled hole.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use other small, flat items as the foundation of your tag -- circular or any shape -- instead of using a wooden nickel.

References

• Art Is Fun!: What Is Gesso?

Resources

• Creative Collage for Scrapbooks: Kelly Angard