Quick Marbled Tag Cards

Hello fellow cardmakers! Hope you are staying cool wherever you are. It is 103 here in San Antonio, so I am just enjoying the air conditioning whilest making my cards. Today I have two rather simple cards to show you, so get out your supplies, or just sit back with a cool drink while we go through them.

First, is my marbled tag card.  My supplies for this card are very basic:
     1 card base/background (green and aqua stripe)
      1 manilla tag- blank
      1 journaling tag                                 1 small rhinestone flower sticker
      2 yards of twine                                2 fabric flowers
      9" striped ribbon                               1 silver butterfly charm

The marbleing technique used on the tag contains the following;
      1 low flat sided cookie sheet                    1 roll of paper towels
      1 can of inexpensive shaving cream
      several bottles of dye reinkers- colors of your choice
You start by spreading out a layer of shaving cream on a fairly flat surface. It doesn't have to be completely flat, because once you lay the tag in it and pull it across the surface, it will be all bumpy.  Next drip drops of the reinker dye on top of the smooth shave cream and swirl them together, using a toothpick, chopstick, comb, or hair pick. The more you swirl, the muddier the colors will become, so just swirl until colors are barely spread across the surface of the foam. Then take your tag and press it gently into the top of the foam shave cream to pick up the ink dye.  Pull it up, or across the foam and place it on another paper towel or piece of newspaper.  Wipe the foam shave cream off of the tag gently with a paper towel, then discard the paper towel. Most of the dye ink will adhere to the tag in the swirl pattern you designed. Lay aside to dry!

You may press other tags, papers, book pages, etc., into the foam shave cream, until all of the dye ink is absorbed.  Wipe the foam off the items and put aside as before, and let them dry awhile. Depending how messy you have been, you may be able to smooth out the remaining foam shave cream and add a few more drops of reinker. Be sure to swirl them around so they mix just a bit. That makes the most beautiful color combinations.  When done, you can wash the remaining foam down the drain, or if there is still quite a bit of dye on it, wipe it up with paper towels and discard in the garbage. We don't want to dye our sinks with the reinkers!

* One more note of importance: The dye used will discolor your hands, so if you don't want to ruin your manicure, please wear rubber gloves!

To assemble card, take the marbled tag and adhere the journaling block,wrap the ribbon around the tag, and glue the flowers and rhinestones to the tag. You also need to tie the charm on to the tag through the large hole at the top and let it dangle.  Wrap the remaining twine around the lengthwise spine of the card and knot it on the side. Use Zot dots or foam tape to adhere the tag to the card, and your card is ready to go!
Several years ago, I taught this technique at our LSS, and we had so much fun marbling everything in sight!
With parents supervision, this would even be a fun craft for kids during the summer. Work outside, then if they get all foamy and messy, you can just turn the hose on them to wash most of it off! Also, remember to use a kid-safe washable ink if kids will be involved. It will work too!