Tags of 2013 - Not all rub-ons are created equal....

Well we all know this.  I have sheets and sheets of rub ons that would be ever so useful if they would just, well, rub on. Or Off, depending on your point of view. I don't however have any of the TH Rub ons that he uses for the May tag so I have no idea how they perform, although I expect very well. I do have a few from 7 Gypsies and Basic Grey which are super easy to use and hopefully will be perfectly fine for the resist technique that forms the basis of this month's tag.

The next step is to smoosh on some colour. As I have said before, smooshing is not a technique I
have a lot of success with. Several dun coloured tags later I have actually achieved some colour in pleasing proportions. Because I have used some Paris rub ons I opt for my Mme Berth stamp - eek alors, used a rather dry ink pad and she has come over all faint. Despite my best efforts she looked lost on the tag, so I finally cut her up and made her into an ATC. I end up doing the same with the next two attempts, saving the best bit of each.

Despite these minor setbacks I can see the appeal of this technique if only I can get it right. The effect is reminiscent of highlighting with a white pen. Oh well, perseverance is a virtue and finally I  have some modicum of success, even managing to weave Mme Berth into one design and using a trusty Lynn Perella image for the other one.

 I have left both of my May tags fairly unembellished, mainly because I don't have the bits Tim has and I don't feel like improvising. I did however spring for the word bands but they have been on my wish list 4 ages. (To be honest I don't think they need it either although I did add a bit of gilding flakes to one).














Phew only the middle of the month and the tags are done - brill!!

Oh, and Tim's tag and instructions are here.

Tags of 2013 - March

Tim's Tag is here. I gulped, read the instructions through once and had the germs of an idea.

Don't have a bunny die, but I could use an oval - looks a bit like an Easter egg.
Don't have tinsel but I've got some stellar flash I don't know what to do with - that might work instead.
Fringe die?.......Nope.  But I have scissors.
Flower  pins? Well plenty of pins, plus flower punches and craft metal - I'm sure I can come up with something.

And here they are. Actually thought these went together quite quickly (for me) considering I was improvising. One for me to keep, one to go towards next January's giveaway.

Speaking of which, the March Art Draw closes on Sunday 31st March at 9.00 pm. Leave a comment here if you want to be in the draw.

Challenges: Tags of 2013
 

Tags of 2013 - February

A pretty tag by Tim this month with a few Valentine overtones - sinking heart, I can't do a CASE on this tag (is that the correct terminology?), don't have most of the bits. So will need to deconstruct the tut to see exactly what all the elements are.

1.  Main image, stamped, coloured and decoupaged - what to choose?
2.  Distress background, that's OK, but may change colours depending on other items.
3.  Embossed and sanded kraft core as an embellishment - just need to choose something appropriate
4.  Custom cash key embellishment - perhaps I can use one of my 'medals' again.

5. Tissue ribbon -I know I won't be able to manufacture this without tearing - think I'll stick with stamping my vintage binding
6.  Finishing touches!

Mmm. First stop - stamp collection. There must be something there (!). I'm not feeling that loved up, Valentine's is long gone after all, and my gaze turns towards my oriental collection. Perhaps this lady with the lamp? She hasn't had an outing for a few years and I've never  tried decoupaging her before. She doesn't have a background as such but I'm sure I can find something to add.

My embossing folders aren't screaming 'oriental' at me but I've pulled out a couple of foliage ones and I do have some stencils - maybe I can emboss with them?

I like the red of the original - maybe I'll keep that, but I'll have to use inks, I don't have stains in those colours. Right. All my bits are gathered, off we go!!

Oh me likey!! Might not be quite what I usually expect from a Tim inspired tag but isn't going off and making it your own half the fun?

Here are  the finished tags - remember I'm doubling up ready for a giveaway next year. I managed to emboss with my bamboo stencil through my bug - perhaps not as deep as I would have liked but I am incredibly pleased it worked!! Not too sure the stencil is as happy as me however - it may have got a little bent in places - oops! My little medallions look cool too with their stamped chinese character (which means??!) finished off with glossy accents. All in all a very satisfactory evening's play.




 

Tim's Tags 2013 - January

Well here we go again!! Tim's Tag is here, and the main techniques for this tag are embossing, distressing and a bit of stamping - simple, but as usual put together in Mr H's signature style.

Once again I hope to make two tags a month, 1 to keep and 1 to give away.

- Don't have any kind of clock or gear embossing folder, but used my 'that special touch' gears mask through the GC to get an embossed effect. Inked up with the same inks as Tim - Rusty Hinge, Iced Spruce and Stormy Sky - as this was not a combination I woud have naturally put together. It pays to experiment, I liked it but I was a tad heavy handed - out of practice I guess. Edged with walnut stain.

- I only have die cut gears on heavyweight card as I don't posess the die. I painted them with my adirondack metallic dabbers, pouncing them to get texture. I have missed a few spots and they look a bit bright - no worries we're going to grunge them up - I like to add distress embossing powder to anything 'faux' metallic as I really like the effect. Although there are all sorts of colours, I only have one - tea dye - which I have had 4EVA, it never seems to get any less even though after clear EP I use it the  most. Anyhow, once I have heated it and rubbed a little (you could add it before the paint dries) I colour with inks or whatever to get the colour I want. (Looks cool on real metal as well).

- No film ribbon so stamped image onto acetate. Being acetate I used Stazon, despite the likelihood it will eat my acrylic stamp and so went immediately to clean it. For reasons I don't fully understand I squeezed my stazon cleaner bottle really hard causing the cap to pop off.
Well that was a mess I hadn't planned on.

- Guess who didn't read 'archival ink' when stamping on the ribbon? I'm pleased to report that it also works if you colour it first then stamp (for the second time because the DI you used initially ran ....). Like the effect though, stamping ribbon is cool.

- Finally chose my sentiments and added a few metal gears. I have to admit to being a bit more frugal with these than Mr H, but they do add a certain finishing touch.

So there's the first one, 11 more (or 22 in my case) to go. If you haven't seen it already and would like to enter my January Art Draw for a set of 12 Tim inspired tags a la Tags of 2012 then you can find the relevant post here.

See Ya Soon.

January Art Draw - Twelve Tags Tim Style

This is the set you will receive

It's time for the January Art Draw which some of you may recall I said was going to be a set of twelve tags based on the Tim Holtz Twelve Tags of 2012. Wherever possible I have tried to follow Tim's tutorials and these are my take on the tags he made staying as true to the original ideas and techniques as materials and ability allowed. Some are fairly direct copies and others much more interpretive but I hope that you will like them. 

 A couple more photos in more detail. I don't think the February one with the heart was ever blogged as we I did it out of sequence. The same goes for The September Industrial Tag, really like how that one turned out.

 

 

 

The November tag in fall colours wasn't blogged either. I love my little pine cone!!

 

Just for completeness here is the set I am keeping for myself.

 

 

Yes, I can count, I know there is one missing. I was looking at it earlier and now can't seem to put my hand on it........

 

And finally here are my 11 tags displayed on a big split ring. I will be posting the winner's set out packed flat but I'll  include a ring so you can do this if you want to.  Sorry about the lengthy post but wanted to make sure you know what you are getting. So, if you would like this set of tags all you have to do is leave a comment on this post before 9.00 pm on Thursday 31st January 2013.

International players welcome, feel free to link from your own blogs (if you let me know you have I'll put you in the hat twice).

 

I really enjoyed making the tags, even if I did feel a bit under pressure at times and the payoff is I have a ready made giveaway item.  It's time to start the Tags of 2013 so if this is well received I may do the same for next year (Nothing like planning ahead is there.........).

 

Did you know this giveaway has been running since February 2009? Where on earth has all that time gone! So thanks to everyone who has supported me over the last 4 years (some of you have been here since the beginning!) and here's to the next ........ well, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves!!                                                

 

 

Twelve tags of 2012... almost there................

Nothing like leaving things till the last minute is there? Still I'm sure I won't be the only one!!

Right. Finally got a chance to mosey on over to Tim's blog to see what delights he had prepared  to inspire us in December. Two Christmassy tags to make up for the January one we'd left out - and why not, suits me I still have everything christmas out and to hand.

For the first tag I improvised with the background using a broken china distress stain but a silver paint dabber for the metallic effect. Worked a treat. For the snowman I fell back on my trusted Octopode digi which has been much used in Christmas cards this year, I really love him, he is just a little quirky (which appeals to me) but not so much that my card recipients would wonder if I'd been on the sherry. I didn't have tinsel but added a line of glitter.

My snowflake embellishments are made from a heavyish card and covered with silver enamelling powder from Debbi Moore. I stamped into it while hot with a medallion stamp - well, some worked better than others but the idea is sound. They look quite metal like and it gives them a nice texture. I say some because as well as the two of each tag I committed to do this year (one for me to keep, one to giveaway in the January Art Draw) I thought I would prove I had read all of Tim's post and use one to make a card. Yay, I'm ahead of the game already for my 2013  Christmas cards!!

The second tag looked similar to one I had already made using a different TH technique, the rusted enamel look. So this time I just did the one following Tim's technique and design because I already have this one to keep myself and was pleased for an excuse to put it with my set of tags.

Hope that makes sense!!

So here is the second of my Christmassy tags. Again I had to improvise a bit with my backgrounds (no metallic stains so used paint dabbers again - cool effect!!) and the embellishments but I think the finished tag looks OK (though perhaps not very Tim Holtzy).  This is the one which will go in the January Art Draw collection.

These two tags will get posted on the TO2012 post for December but I have missed most of them as I am always late for everything. I confess I still have 1 month's tags to finish but I won't upload any more now until the big reveal for the January Art Draw which I will post in a week's time on the 3rd of January. Hope to see you then!!

Quick Update: Thanks to all who sent good wishes, son's girlfriend now out of hospital so nothing to worry about - a great relief to all  of us!!

 

November Art Draw - A bit of Christmas spirit!!

Well I suppose we had to mention the 'C' word sometime soon! In an attempt to be more organised and get this month's offering out to the winner before the festive season is over, I have  a Christmas themed project for November.


The item in question is this festive wreath, much influenced by samples I have seen using Mr Holtz's dies. These ones however are from Marianne Creatables. The wreath is not very large, being about 8" across but hopefully someone would like this in their craft room or home.
 The art draw will run until 9.00 pm on Friday 30th November. If you want to play please leave a comment on this post to that effect - this will secure your name going 'in the hat'. Feel free to link from your own blogs and if you let me know you have I'll put you in the draw twice. Overseas players welcome but please make sure I have a way to contact you should you win as posting dates might be tight for overseas delivery.

I think that's all for now, and err.... merry christmas??
(Anybody know how many sleeps??)

Tim's Tags again - playing catch up!!

Right here are my catch up tags for July and August (don't know what happenned to those two months!!)

First, July - Tim's tag is here. The main technique for this was alcohol splatter ink background (nice technical term don't you think?) I know Tim likes us to be resourceful but I'm not sure he expected us to substitute his neat can of compressed air for a curly straw. But needs must when the devil drives and it was the best I could find in the kitchen drawer (!).

Despite perhaps a less than efficient tool I was still able to produce some reasonable results. Here are my finished tags:

Finally got a chance to give one of my Lynn Perella stamps a work out (truly it is killing me not to play but I just haven't had time).

I really love the vibrancy of these backgrounds and they are great with crisp black stamping (or not so crisp - I double stamped one as the first impression was a little wishy washy but I think it adds a certain something - OK, I think I got away with it!!).

Typically the little test piece I had done that I  then just stamped and made into an ATC came out the best.

And now on to August - Tim's vintage style ATC is here. The techniques on this ATC were to heat emboss a frame and then using an embossing folder to dry emboss the tag leaving the centre blank. I used an Anna Griffin frame and (as I don't have the folder Tim used) embossed the tag very carefully by just putting it through the cuttlebug so that only part of the tag was embossed (Hope that makes sense!). Came out quite well. I don't have a silhouette stamp but had these paper cameos. Tim used his pine cone die (I am tempted....) to make his roses but I used the Spellbinders bitty blossoms spiral die. I think they make great roses though I did follow Tim's pinching and folding technique which I think helps make the kraft paper a bit more pliable. The rest is just inking and spritzing. All in all quite pleased with all these tags, which just shows if you concentrate on the technique things come out a bit better.

But why (you may ask) do I make two of each? Well I did say I would do this so that at the end of the year I can have a whole set for either my December or January giveaway, keeping one for myself of course!! So far I'm only a little bit off track, and they should all be done by the end of the year. But if you can't wait till  then, just a reminder that the current giveaway is still running. Click here to have a look.

Oh well, that was my little escape from making bits for MacMillan so now I'm back making cards.

I also had another little craft break at the WOYWW Crop yesterday - what fun, hopefully I'll put a few piccies up tomorrow! Ate too much, talked too  much..... oh well what's new? Must dash, have to prep for an interview tomorrow, I've been putting it off all day and now it's dinner time - oops!!


 

Tags of 2012 - October

Halloween tags. I'm not a great fan of Halloween and I don't have many Halloween bits n bobs. So what I shuld have done is take the technique and do something different. Doh. But instead I tried to copy Tim's and I'm not overly enamoured of the results. Pop over to see Tim's original tag and instructions here.

Could have cropped the photo as well but didn't LOL. Loved the background effect, although I did use a very fine book old page and following Tim's warning was careful not to be too over enthusiastic with the baby wipe wiping. The stamping and the shimmer made it yummy.  I didn't have black glitter or black alcohol ink so I tried my Staz-on re-inker to re-colour my white glitter. Ve-ry messy, and it didn't 'de-clump' once the ink had dried as Tim says the alcohol inks do and went absolutely everywhere. It also comes out rather purple, which fortunately went OK with the background. Frankly I think I'll just  put black glitter on my shopping list, at least if I brush it off my clothes there won't be a risk of ink stains. Anyhow used it to cover an old grungeboard skull and words and spider I cut out myself. Quite pleased with the way they turned out it's just all the other bits, nothing seems to look quite right so it looks rather unfinished to me. I also bizarrely chose a different sized tag to the ones I have been using so my tag book will have different sized tags. I worried about that for exactly 5 seconds.

And on the subject of that book, some of you may think OK, so this is October's tag where are July through September? They are coming along, and will be here shortly!!

Tags of 2012 - June

Well it's halfway through June and it occurs to me it might be time to mosey over to the 12 tags of 2012 and see what Mr Holtz has to  inspire us this month. Here is Tim's tag:






First I tried out the marbled/mottled backgrounds using the materials at my disposal. Unbelievably, I do not yet own the picket fence distress stain so I try and improvise with a chalk acrylic. Quite pleased with the result but I'm a little pinker than I should be perhaps. That'll be the Fired Brick I chucked in to liven things up!!

I'm going to have to make my own flower embellishment. Grudgingly looked in my material box (don't go there..) to see if I had a piece of organza I could use. Nada. Then I recalled I had one of those little drawstring bags floating around the craft room. So I chopped it up and stained it along with some vintage ribbon and (just in case) some flowers I'd found on an old hula hula costume ( I kid you not). It did occur to me that this might have been a bit premature as I am not yet sure what colour this tag is going to turn out ......

Chose a different TH stamp, but one that had the 'photography' words on to randomly stamp the background. These tags are definitely going to  be pink!! Did a bit of 'stressing' (as my dear old mum calls it) round the edges with Black Soot and Vintage Photo.

Watched the Vid with delight as I have tried this technique before and actually posess some of the nibs (though not the holder). Tim's photo was so cute I decided to go with it but with no photopaper to be found had to be content with a decent graphic paper. The tinting went well I think, although it was hard to spread the ink because this was not a coated paper. I wet the nib with water to help me move it around.



Nearly there, I had to go my own way with my embellishments - I even got out a needle and thread to that organza... not entirely successful LOL, in fact not happy with the flowers at all -  a bit of alcohol inking, distressing, embossing and generally mucking about with bits and bobs in y stash. Just don't have the variety of things to load them up as much as Tim does but here we are.
Had to re-colour the ribbons......

I'm still not sure about the pink though!!

Tags of 2012 - May, Just!!

Here's Tim's Tag which you can look at here.

Here are mine. As always lots of compromises but I think I managed the basic techniques of stamping on tissue paper, making a 'medallion' (made mine with faux metal, not bad but not great) and the faux porcelain flowers. Think I need to practice those (!)but it does make a different embellishment. I did some leaves as well and liked the way they turned out. The tag on the left seems a little unfinished (not enough layers?) but I can't think what else to do at the moment. I shall put it aside and maybe it will come to me.

Anyhow that's that for now, just squeaking in as is my usual habit.

One for the Boys.... Try it on Tuesday Challenge

Well with Father's Day on the horizon our new challenge is to create a project for the 'boys' in our life!! For my Design Team piece I decided to try a twisted easel card. My shabby union jack background was printed out from a CD and then overstamped with stamps from Indigo Blu's 'Pomp and Pageantry' set. I made the rosette myself from a strip of the same paper. A Tim Holtz die cut of course for the car and I coloured a chipboard swirl and triple embossed it to make an unusual shiny stopper for the card. I made the little bunting from odd scraps of card and string.

Want to play along? Then pop over to the Try it On Tuesday blog to read the fine print and check out the challenge. Add your link and we'll pop over and visit. Every challenge will now run for two weeks so there's plenty of time to get your entries in. Hope to see you there.

Cindy x

(I shall be away when this posts - IF it posts!!- so should you stop by and leave a comment it won't be visible until I return ....)

Time please! I have a question for you....

Do you ever have a moment of clarity? I have suddenly realised that despite almost constant crafting of one type or another the reason I don't enter many challenges is that I rarely make things without a person or a reason in mind - either it is to be a giveaway or a BRAK/RAK of some kind. I see a challenge that suits or inspires me but then I can't post it within the challenge time frame because I don't want to spoil the surprise if it is to go to someone in the future. Doh, it's only taken me about four years to realise why I keep missing the boat.

Don't know what the answer is to this dilemma but after yesterday's post decided maybe this ATC was finished after all! Made it for a 1:1 swap but for once was also conscious of the theme at Artful Times this week which is 'Time'. I also recalled that the Sunday challenge at Hels Sheridan's blog   'Ink on My Fingers' was 'Red' (sigh, if I had a tenth of Hels' talent I would be a happy bunny). So this week we have a 'twofer' as I am linking to both challenges.

So there!!

and just to be tidy, here are the other three with some minor finishing touches.