Get a Jump Start on the Holidays With These DIY Leather Gift Tags

The supplies you’ll need include: vegetable tanned leather scraps or hide, strong scissors or shears, mallet and protective rubber board, alphabet stamping kit, round leather drive punch, edge beveller and wood slicker (optional), cookie cutters in various shapes and sizes and ribbon or baker’s twine.

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Lay out a piece of leather upside-down on a flat surface and trace the shape of a cookie cutter using a pencil or an ultra fine point permanent marker. Be careful not to shift your cookie cutter as you’re tracing.

Gently cut out the shape with sharp scissors. You can tidy up the edges with an edge beveller or wood slicker, but don’t strive for perfection: a slightly raw or worn edge is part of the handmade charm and will age well.

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Punch a hole in the shape with a mallet and a round leather drive punch. Don’t forget to put down a thick rubber board or mat to protect your working surface.

Stamp the recipient’s name, initials or a festive phrase using an alphabet stamping kit. Use a ruler or tape to ensure the letters are aligned correctly. We’ll warn you: with all the hammering, this is a noisy craft! If you live in a condo or apartment, avoid crafting during the early or late hours of the day.

Finish by threading a ribbon or piece of baker’s twine through the hole. Look for ribbon or twine to complement the colour of your leather.

Leather tags make great gift toppers, but they’re also cute on luggage, purses and even door handles! We’d recommend upgrading to a sturdier ribbon or thread should you wish to reuse your leather tag after the holidays.

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