Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Yule and Winter Solstice, you probably have gifts to wrap. And if you’re anything like me, while you remember to pick up the wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows, you probably forget about one of the smallest but most important supplies until you’ve wrapped that first gift, and suddenly you remember – “oh, #$!% – I need a gift tag.”

But you don’t need to stress out, because you have digital scrapbooking supplies!

Welcome to the December 2024 installment of Think Outside the Album, where we look at different ways to take our digital supplies off the scrapbook page and instead, use them to make the rest of our world just a little bit sweeter.

This month, we’re making down-and-dirty super quick gift tags for all the presents you’ll be wrapping and giving before the end of the year.

Gift tags can be as simple as a small slip of paper with labels for “To” and “From” but why go so basic? I’m going to show you several different approaches you can take to make your own supply of customized gift tags to put that finishing touch on your lovingly wrapped presents. Let’s get started!

OPTION 1: Simple Shaped tags using Journaling Cards

The super-talented designers at the Sweet Shoppe have designed a slew of beautiful journaling cards (or “pocket cards”) that coordinate with their digital kits. When you’re in a time crunch, they can come in extra-handy as all the design work is done for you. Here’s how you can turn a pre-designed journaling card into a quick-and-easy gift tag:

1. Launch your favorite design software and set up your canvas for 8.5×11 at 300dpi.

2. Create your tag shape. There’s several different ways you can do this: with a custom shape, with the pen tool, or by merging two rectangles and two triangles like this:

I made my tags 2″ wide by 3″ tall because that’s the standard size for many journaling cards.

3. Fill your canvas with tags. I was able to fit 9 of my 3″ x 2″ tags on a letter-sized sheet of paper.

4. Create a new layer; then add “TO” and “FROM” text boxes. This is what you’ll print on the back.

5. Hide the text labels. Now clip journaling cards to each of the tag shapes. I used these fun designs from Traci Reed’s new Christmas-themed collection, Oh, What Fun!

6. Print the journaling cards on one side of a piece of white cardstock and the “TO/FROM” labels on the other; then trim.

Nice and easy! It’s up to you whether you want to punch a hole in the top to feed ribbon through the tag or skip the hole and simply tape it to your package. Either option works well.

OPTION 2: Patterned Paper with one element

If you can’t find the perfect journaling cards to match your wrapping paper, it’s still easy to create your own gift tags. All you need is one piece of patterned paper and one element from a kit.

I bought a pack of purple wrapping paper this year. I don’t know what I was thinking, because it’s totally unlike anything I’ve ever used before, but I knew I could create matching gift tags with the help of my digital scrapbooking supplies! I pulled two Christmas kits from Kristin Cronin-Barrow that both have purple as a primary color: A Christmas Tale: Making Spirits Bright and A Christmas Village: Tinsel Town Square

Follow steps 1-4 above to set up your canvas and your gift tag shapes. Then,

5. Clip a sheet of patterned paper to one of your tags.

6. Place one element on the card – like a flower, an ornament, a sticker, or a piece of word art – and add a drop shadow.

7. Repeat until all the tags on your page have been decorated.

Then print your journaling cards on one side of a sheet of white cardstock and the “TO/FROM” labels on the other side; and finally, trim.

Beautiful custom gift tags to match any wrapping paper – quick, and easy!

And since I wanted still more purple in my gift tags, I pulled out the Christmas Cheer bundle from Digital Scrapbook Ingredients and made these:

OPTION 3: More complex designs

Of course, who am I to tell you that you have to keep your gift tag design simple? Especially if you’re looking for a good reason to hide from your spouse and children, take a quiet hour at the computer and design to your heart’s content! Here are some designs to inspire you:

Jill created these lovely, cluster-filled gift tags using A Kind of Retro Christmas and A Very Berry Christmas, both by River Rose Designs.

Olivia whipped up these gorgeous gift tags using Merry and Gnome by WendyP Designs and Christmastime by Lliella Designs.

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There we have it – our last edition of “Think Outside the Album” for 2024. Whatever you’re celebrating this time of year, I hope it’s filled with warmth, joy, and the love of family and friends. We are so grateful you’re a part of our community here at the Sweet Shoppe!