TAG ALONG BLOG CHALLENGE #82: FUR 'N' FEATHERS!

The new Tag Along Challenge has been posted and it calls for fur 'n' feathers!  You can interpret this challenge anyway you want as long as it is a tag!  I had been in Pinterest earlier today and found a beautiful tag done by Tammy Tutterow, and I was inspired to follow her tutorial.  Here's my finished tag:

I began with a #8 manila tag by Ranger.  I covered it with a piece of patterned paper which is called "Heat Wave."  It is one of the artist papers designed by Kaitlin Mendoza (with artist elements inspired by my dear friend Corrie Herriman) for Stampington & Co.  

I pulled a paper doily from my stash and "pounced" on color from Tim Holtz' Distress Paint in Wild Honey.  I folded the doily in half and adhered to my tag.  

Next, I prepared my ribbon by pouncing a bit of Wild Honey on my craft mat, spritzing it with water and dragging my idea-ology Crinkle Ribbon through it until it was completely coated with color.  I dried the ribbon with my heat tool.

I selected some metal pieces from my stash (all are Ranger, I am pretty sure) and, using a jump ring, attached two of them to my ribbon.  The third, I slid behind the ribbon.  I added my white feather by sliding it behind my ribbon, as well.

The last step was to add my sentiment from Stampotique Originals called "One Second..."

I had a lot of fun making this tag and hope you can find some time this week to make one, too!  You can find the details here.  

TAG ALONG BLOG CHALLENGE #81: ANGELS

I have been invited back to host the Tag Along  Challenge Blog this week, and the theme I have chosen is ANGELS.  You can interpret this theme any way you like, but mine is definitely with a twist of humor!  First, my tag, then some detail/technique photos.  

I have used Stampotique Originals' "Angel" for my focal stamp.  I stamped the image onto white card using VersaFine Onyx Black, then clear embossed it.  I used Copic markers to color in the top of the dress, the hair and the skin.

The background was created using Dylusions Ink Sprays sprayed onto my craft mat.  I added a few sprays of water and "smooshed" my tag into the inks repeatedly until I got the look and color that I wanted.

My sentiment was computer generated and printed.  I used my small Xyron to create stickers out of my words, then used a black pen to create a border.

I used an oval punch and black card to create an "anchor" for the angel.  Lastly, lacking any black ribbon, I created my own by spraying Dylusions Black Marble Ink Spray onto my craft mat and dragging Tim Holtz' idea-ology crinckle ribbon through it.

It was a fun tag to create and in just a short amount of time.  I hope you will play along this week with my ANGELS challenge over at the Tag Along Challenge Blog.  Thanks for both your visits and comments today!

TAG ALONG BLOG CHALLENGE #80: ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Today's Tag Along Blog Challenge is all about St. Patrick's Day, the Irish, and those who claim to be Irish!  Since I have nothing in my stamp stash that is even close to being Irish, I called upon The Graphics Fairy for assistance.  And, she did not disappoint!  The Graphics Fairy is a resource for crafters that provides 4,000+ free images, tutorials and decor ideas.  

I used a Ranger #10 manila tag.  I adhered some green (could I have used any other color?) patterned paper from my scrapbooking stash to the tag, then created a bit of interest by stamping Stampotique Originals "Design Cube" by stamp designer France Papillon.

I used some burlap and twine from Petaloo's Fancy Trims.  The sentiment I "plucked" from Pinterest, and I used Wendy Vecchi's Fern Green Archival Ink from Ranger to edge both my tag and the words.

I hope you will find some time this week to play along with us at the Tag Along Blog Challenge.  And, I thank you for stopping by today and for your comments.  Both are appreciated.

TAG ALONG BLOG CHALLENGE #79: SPRING

My local art store recently had a grand re-opening after altering its focus and reorganizing the store.  I couldn't miss the opportunity to wish them well and to do a bit of shopping! One of my purchases was a Unity stamp set called "You are Important."  I just looked at the flower on the outside of the package and did not flip over the package to see the actual size of the flower.  It's huge. I was only able to use about 3/4 of the stamp on my #8 tag. But, in keeping with the Tag Along Blog Challenge this week, which is Spring, it is spot on. It literally screams SPRING!

I used washi tape from my stash and several colors of Tim Holtz' Distress Spray Stain for the background, then stamped and embossed my flower.

Here's my tag for the Tag Along Blog "Spring" Challenge.  I hope you will join us this week--and every week!

I am entering this tag in the Craft Stamper Magazine March Take It, Make It challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  Both are important to me!

12 TAGS OF 2015: MARCH

Again this year, Tim Holtz has created a challenge called 12 Tags of 2015, providing a tutorial so that his followers might be inspired, play along, and create monthly tags.  I have admired his tags, as well as those of others who have participated in the past, but never felt I was artistically quite up for this challenge.  

This month, I was inspired when my dear friend Val-Belle posted her tag for the March challenge, and I just could no longer resist.  When I looked at Tim's list of supplies, I was missing quite a number, but thought I could "make do" with what I had (my supply list will follow the detail photos below).  

I have to tell you that when I finished my tag and looked at it, I almost cried.  It's beautiful, and I am, indeed, quite capable!

I have some detail photographs to show, but the following is my favorite because it showcases an element very dear to me. In October of 2014, I was grateful to attend the Art-Is-You Conference in Stamford, Connecticut.  One of the things that most attendees do is to create small pieces of art to "trade" with others attending the Conference. The beautiful "smile" element attached to the ribbon on my tag is a "trade" I received from Marjie Kemper of Marjie Kemper Designs.   I am privileged to have taken classes taught by Marjie, but, even more special, I am privileged to call her "friend."  

Here are the others:

Supplies used:

• Ranger #8 manila tag
• Washi tape from my stash
• Distress Spray Stain in Fired Brick, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Faded Jeans, and Salty Ocean
• Butterfly stamp from Finnabair Don't Forget to Fly Cling Stamp Set
• VersaFine Ink in Onyx Black
• Melt Art ultra thick clear embossing enamel
• Schoolhouse stencil (THS011)
• Studio 490 (Wendy Vecchi) embossing paste in Metalic Gold 
• Loop pin to attach "smile" charm
• Basic tools
• Other items from stash

So, thank you Tim, thank you Val-Belle, and thank you Marjie!  I couldn't be happier! Thanks for your visit today, as well as your comments.  Both are important to me!

I am entering this tag in the Craft Stamper Magazine March Take It, Make It challenge.

FEELING SKETCHY CHALLENGE #116

This particular Monday has been very busy, but I did steal a few moments to share a card I made yesterday for the Feeling Sketchy Challenge Blog.  Here's the sketch:

I did take liberties with the sketch this week, but basically in the rotation and in substituting flowers for the ribbon.  Here's my card:

List of supplies:

1. Cougar A7 white card blank
2. Textured orange card stock from my stash
3. Black card stock from my stash
4. Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper
5. Ranger Archival Ink re-inkers in Dandelion and Monarch Orange
6. Tim Holtz' Adirondack alcohol ink mixative in Gold
7. Rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit)
8. Palette knife
9. Finnabair "Don't Forget to Fly" cling stamp
10. Jolee's Boutique dimensional stickers
11. An orange Sharpie!

An orange Sharpie you ask?  In lacking orange ribbon or flowers, I came up with this great technique:

Also, items 4-8 were used to create the background using Wendy Vecchi's "re-inker" technique  (using alcohol), which she introduced at Winter CHA 2014.

I hope you can find some time this week to participate in the Feeling Sketchy challenge.  Come on!  You know you want to!

Cheers!