25 years ...... and still going strong!

Morning everyone,

It's a bit of a landmark day today - I've done my Tim Tag with over 2 days to spare!!! ....... No,  that's not the reason ......... it's actually our Silver Wedding Anniversary.  I can't believe it's 25 years since we said 'I Do' 
After seeing each other for only 10 days, Stephen whisked me away to Scotland for the weekend and proposed.  I said Yes, (obviously) and the rest is history.

July 30th 1988 (he looks so young!)

It's been a fabulous 25 years of fun and laughter, always an adventure, there's been a few tears along the way too.  But, I wouldn't change a thing.  He's my best friend, he can always make me smile (well, nearly always), and I love him to bits!
We're certainly eeking out the celebrations - the holiday in Italy, weekend away in the Cotswolds, we're off out for a meal tonight (just the two of us) and we were going to spend the night in a hotel but, unfortunately Stephen is off on a business trip early tomorrow so we thought we'd save that for another time.

I must confess, I haven't made him an anniversary card - how bad am I?!  I am going to dedicate my July Tim Tag to the best husband ever though .........
Here's Tim's inspiration for this month

and this is my take on it ....... specially for hubby.

All the details on the techniques and products used can be found over on the Tim Holtz blog.  As usual, not all mine are the same. 
I kept to the colours (more or less), and did Tim's brayering technique to colour the tag.  Then I used stamps from Urban Chic (CMS086) and Shabby French (CMS087) to create the background.  I also added a few words from a sheet of the 'Words'  Remnant Rubs.

I went for the Heart Wings alterations die to create the focal point, cut from Grunge Board.  I think it's time I had a new pot of the Rock Candy Crackle paint though - mine was very thick when I applied it, you can see all the brush strokes.  I quite like the effect it's made though, it's still crackled ok and I love how it takes the colour  from the stains ......

I used Festive Berries Distress Stain on the heart, and Brushed Pewter on the wings.

The 25 was cut using the Wordplay die then coloured with Distress Paint

The words are from Tim's 'Simple Sayings' stamp set .......

and I finished it all off with some seam binding, coloured to match, and some metal embellies

There's even a tiny heart on there, encased in Glossy Accents, along with a lock and key.  Well hubby does have the key to my heart - aawwwww!

Thanks for popping by today.  Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday. 

Cheerio for now

Linda

xx

Oh no! It's Friday the 13th .......

Good morning everyone, 
Happy Friday 13th. I hope today's a good day for you all.
Doing household stuff yesterday didn't last very long. I made the bed and tidied the bedroom. Did a pile of ironing whilst watching 'This Morning'.  Entered their competition to win £50000, not much chance of that I know, but, you have to be in it to win it! Entered online so at least it didn't cost me anything.  I emptied the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen, and that was it.  I'd had enough at that point so off to the craft room I went.  Well, I still had my Tag to do for April.
Yes, it's that time again. Tim's tag has been up there for 2 weeks nearly and I hadn't even started mine.   Check out his blog to see what he came up with. 12 Tags of 2012
As usual I didn't have all the products that he's used, I'm still waiting to get my hands on the new Bird on a Branch die.  So I had to see what was in my stash that would inspire me to create a similar look.
Here's my finished tag

It's a little more feminine than Tim's, I like the addition of the flowers and a little bit of pink, adds a touch of Spring.

Products used ....
#8 Manilla Tag
Tim Holtz Reflections Stamp
Sizzix Oval Frame Embossing Folder
Sizzix Caged Bird Bigz Die
SizzixTattered Florals Border Die
Grunge Board
Distress Inks - Wild Honey/Stormy Sky/TumbledGlass/Broken China/Gathered Twig/Vintage Photo/Old Paper

Black Archival Ink
Perfect Pearls Mist - Pearl
Vintage seam binding
Chain/jump rings/tiny clip/Adage ticket
Pearls

I did some of the techniques he used - stamped on the embossing folder with the reflections stamp before embossing the tag through the Big Shot, used the distress inks to highlight the embossed areas and colour the tag. Instead of misting my craft mat at the end, to pick up the excess ink, I spritzed some water into my hand and then splashed it onto the tag. I used kitchen roll to mop up any excess water, this takes some of the ink out and creates a 'mottled' look.  You can just about see this in the photo.
The bird cage was cut from grunge board and then coloured using Old Paper Distress ink.  It was then spritzed, very generously, with the Perfect Pearls.  I was hoping to get a nice shiny metalic look to the cage.  I think it worked.
The leaves could do with a little inking around the edges I think, but it's not bad.
I think I'm all crafted out for this week.  I need to give my room a good tidy and put some things away, ready to start again.

Thanks for popping by.  I hope you've enjoyed my ramblings this week.  Have a lovely weekend wherever you are, and whatever it is you're doing.
Bye for now

Linda

x