TAG ALONG CHALLENGE BLOG #91: CELESTIAL

It is Anne who has brought this great challenge to the Tag Along Challenge Blog this week.  I was afraid I was not going to have enough studio time to make a tag, but I didn't want to disappoint Anne, so here is my rather simple tag:

The background came from a simple "cloud" search on the internet.  My angel is from Stampotique Originals and is simply called Angel.

I also searched for related quotes and came up empty.  Since I couldn't find what I wanted, I wrote my own!  It's not that I don't believe in heaven, but what I do believe in is first striving to make heaven on earth.

I am so glad that you came by today.  I hope you will try to find some time this week to get crafty and play along with the Tag Along  CELESTIAL challenge!

12 TAGS OF 2015: JUNE

After having been one of Tim's 12 picks among so many talented artists last month, I just couldn't resist throwing my hat in the ring again this month!  The challenge and guidelines for this month's tag can be found here.  Tim offers both visual and written directions, so come play!

Here's my tag:

I was lucky in that I had quite a few of the supplies on the list this month, but I did rearrange items just a bit to accommodate the die I used.  A fun tag to make and I did learn how to create that patterned background using ink pads and a stencil!  

Thanks for coming by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

FEELING SKETCHY CHALLENGE BLOG #122

A new month and a new sketch from Feeling Sketchy Challenge Blog!  A great sketch again that allows for varied interpretations.  First, here's the sketch:

I was stumped at first, but then quickly remembered a stamp I bought from Stampotique Originals called "3 in a Round."  The image was not quite as big as I needed, so I used a photo software program called CraftArtist to "draw" a huge scribbled circle, extending that element of the stamp.  

The second element I added was a bit of humor.  The veiled reference here is to the story of Alice in Wonderland, when Alice falls down the rabbit hole.  The text was computer generated and printed.  The background paper is from DCWV; other papers are from my stash.

I hope you will find some time this month to get crafty and create something from this sketch.  It can be a card, a layout, a journal page, or even an ATC!  Whatever you are inspired to make.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Creative Embellishments.  I hope you will pay them a visit.  You can check out this sponsor's prize and submit your work here.

TAG ALONG CHALLENGE BLOG #90: FAIRYTALES

Donna is hosting the Tag Along Challenge Blog this week and she has chosen the theme of fairy tales!  I suppose my favorite fairy tale has always been Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! Everyone loves a good love story, right?  But, creating a tag with Snow White was just so...well, expected, and I love the UN-expected!  So, meet Dopey!  Other than the prince, of course, Dopey has always been my favorite.

I used a #8 tag from Ranger and covered it with some bluish-greenish-yellowish paper from my stash.  To add a bit of interest to that background, I used a new stamp I received from my friend Barbara (thanks again!), but rather than inking it up, I painted it up with DecoArt's Green Gold fluid acrylic.  Since I still had paint on my foam brush and I hate to waste anything, I used the brush to ink up the edges of my tag, paying particular attention to creating a wider border on the bottom to "ground" my image.  

I also used the remaining paint on my foam brush to ink up my Stampotique text stamp for my sentiment.  I thought it was the perfect sentiment as Dopey doesn't speak, yet communicates just the same!

There was still a bit of paint on my craft sheet, so I spritzed it with water and let my Ranger crinkle ribbon absorb it.  I crumbled it and set it aside to dry.  It got quite stiff, but I love having the matching ribbon!

I hope you will join in on our fun at the Tag Along Challenge Blog this week.  Thanks for your visit and your comments; both are important to me!

DREAM GIRL

A young friend of mine needs a bit of encouragement from time to time.  To keep her motivated and to help in replacing some lost self-confidence, I make and send a card or other piece of art to her now and again.  

The background for my card was created in a class I took with Seth Apter at the Art-Is-You Conference in Stamford, CT, last Fall.  It is a painted background upon which I used a piece of a wallpaper sample as a stamp.  For my focal image, I used a Unity Stamp called Dream Girl.  The text stamp is from the same set.

I will be entering my card in the Craft Stamper Magazine's Take It, Make It Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I appreciate both your visits and your comments.

12 TAGS OF 2015: MAY

I have been pondering the Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015 this month and decided yesterday to jump in!  Using Tim's tag for inspiration and his list of supplies as guidance, I have created a tag not unlike his, but in my own style.  I hope you will feel inspired to play along (details in the link above) this month.

Here's my tag:

And a bit of detail:

I am so happy that you came by today.  Both your visits and your comments inspire me!  If you have not already done so, I hope you will join as a follower today.  If you would like to receive an e-mail when I update my blog, you can also sign up to follow by e-mail.  Both options are in the top right-hand sidebar.

Cheers!

FEELING SKETCHY CHALLENGE BLOG #121

A new sketch challenge has been posted on the Feeling Sketchy Challenge Blog, and it is a fun one!  Take a look:

I love rick rack, but I have only white, so that, along with my background papers, set the color palette for my card.  I hope you like it:

You can see that I remained pretty true to the sketch, so it was a simple card to make, but with impressive results, I think!  I used scraps of paper, plus

• rick rack from Wrights
• adhesive sticker sentiment from Recollections
• heart was cut on my Cricut using the George & Basic Shapes cartridge

Our prize sponsor for this challenge is Bugaboo Stamps.  I hope you will take a few minutes and pay them a visit!  I hope, too, that you will find some time to create something (doesn't have to be a card) using this sketch.  To be eligible for the prize donated by Bugaboo, you can submit your work here.  

TAG ALONG CHALLENGE BLOG #89: METALLIC

Years ago, my daughter worked for a roofing company and had the opportunity to buy 5" x 7" pieces of aluminum flashing--but by the dozen.  She and I shared a dozen and over the years I had used one of them on a card.  It took a while, but I was able to find the remaining flashing and decided to make my tag out of metal as opposed to using metal as just one element.  

I used my Sizzix Big Kick to emboss the piece of metal using a Tim Holtz Alterations die called "Eiffel Tower."  I trimmed the embossed piece of metal to the size of #8 tag.  

I began by using a Tim Holtz distress paint dauber and applied "Rusty Hinge" to the entire surface.  Over the top, I added Ranger's patina in Lapis and Verdigris.  

Next, I lightly sanded the raised portions to bring back the metal.

Now, I believe this next step was a chemistry experiment gone bad.  The metal sealer I "painted" over the top as a finish seems to have actually removed much of the color.  

Undaunted, I reached for my alcohol inks in Clover, Stream and Pool along with the blending solution.  I applied these inks and the solution directly to my metal tag, then moved them around by using a blending tool.  It certainly was not the look I had envisioned, but I cannot say that I am unhappy with the result.

I added a bit of ribbon from my stash and called it done.  

I hope you will take some time this week to play along with the Tag Along Challenge Blog "metallic" challenge.  You can do anything you want as long as there is a metal component and it's a tag!  

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

TAG ALONG CHALLENGE BLOG #88: FROGS

The Tag Along Challenge Blog this week is turning our attention to frogs.  I usually think of green and slimy when I think of frogs, but there is a fun and frolicky side to them, too.  It is that second side that I will address in my tag art today!

I recently invited a friend for a playdate in my studio and she came bearing gifts (thanks, Barbara!).  One of the items in my goody bag was a sheet of lime green polka dot tissue paper.  As you will see, it is perfect for my tag.  Here's a pictorial on how the tag came together:

A great tag for my grandson's birthday--with more green stuff attached to the back.  He loved it! 

I hope you will carve out some time this week to do something crafty.  Playing along with the Tag Along challenge would be a fun way to start!  Come on!  Get froggy!

FEELING SKETCHY CHALLENGE BLOG #120

The new challenge at the Feeling Sketchy Challenge Blog is up! Each time I see ribbon in one of the sketches, I must admit to groaning a bit.  You see, I don't "do" ribbons and bows!  If there is a way NOT to use a ribbon and tie a bow, I will find it! But, first, let me share today's super challenge sketch:

Groan!  

One of my New Year's resolutions is to use what I have, and I have...

• a box of DCWV cards called The Linen Collection
• white card stock
• a Cricut and an Elegant Edges cartridge  
• Melissa Frances' Trinkets & Baubles (pearls)
• Trim from my stash
• Recollections foam adhesive mini dots
• Stampotique Originals' sentiment

Here's my card for this challenge:

I hope you will find some crafty time during May to build up your card stash using this Feeling Sketchy sketch!  Be sure to post what you create on the Feeling Sketchy challenge blog.  It doesn't need to be a card, so bring what you have! You can post it here.

PolkaDoodle is sponsoring the prize for this challenge.  I hope you will pay them a visit!

Happy Spring to most of you; Happy Autumn to my friends "down under!"