Only a few days left

Morning all,

Not long to go now before the start of a new year.  What's 2013 got in store I wonder.

I hope you've all had a good Christmas, not too much of the old festive spirits.  It's been a pretty quiet one over here, nice and relaxing.  Christmas dinner out is something I can definitely get used to.  I did miss having the whole family around but, we had a fabulous meal, ate far too much though - 10 courses!!!  And the best bit was, no washing up - or loading the dishwasher I should say.
When we got back home we spent the rest of the day on the sofa and watched the whole first series of something called 'Falling Skies' - all 10 episodes!!  Neither of us could face anything else to eat, not even a "little mint wafer"!  In fact we didn't eat until well into the afternoon on Boxing Day.  The fridge is still bulging with all that 'just in case' festive food, and the Christmas pudding still hasn't been touched.  Oh well, the diet doesn't start until January.

The old craft room door finally closed on Christmas Eve (and hasn't been opened since!)  The last task on my 'To Do' list was my Timmie Tags.

Drumroll please ............ my December tags are done - whoo hoo!!  My set of 12 Tags of 2012 is now complete.

Here are Tim's December tags ......

He's made them into cards this time.

And here's my versions .......

I've kept pretty much to the original design, just added my own little bits here and there.
I loved doing the backgrounds using the metallic Distress Stains. You can't really see the shine from the metallic stains in the photograph but it is there, trust me.
   
On the snowman one I decided to add some snowflakes in the background and embossed them with a sparkly white powder.  I added an extra layer to his hat and also his scarf.   The word 'snowman' was stamped again and layered to cover up a bit of bad rubber stamping on my part, but I do quite like how it stands out.  My sentiment is a rubber stamp I've had forever, and I chose to finish off with the blue tinsel instead of the silver - very frosty looking.

The final tag was so quick and easy to do, it's all die cuts.  The tattered poinsettia is done in the same way as Tim's, grunge paper covered with tissue wrap then coloured using Distress Inks.  I did an extra layer in green Kraft-core cardstock for the leaves. Each layer of the flower has been given a coat of frosting using the Distress Stickles Dry Glitter in the Clear Rock Candy.  It's more sparkly when the light hits it in real life, on the picture it does actually look like frost.    My flourish is a Memory Box die - would you believe I don't have the Alterations one (must sort that out in the new year!) and I've added a couple of metal charms from my stash.

There you have it, all 12 Tags done!

I've really enjoyed doing these, and to have actually been amongst the winners one month too was just amazing!  I hope we can do it all again next year.

In case I don't get chance to blog again this year, I'd like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year.
Thank you for all your comments and support over the last 12 months, it's been fun!!

All the best

Crafty hugs

Linda

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Tag! ....... you're it!

Morning all,

Well it's finally done, my Timmie Tag for  12 Tags of 2012 - September - yeah!!
It took me all afternoon yesterday but I was determined to get it done.  After all, time is running out and I don't want to miss any.  It's October on Monday, so there'll be a new challenge.  Let's see if I can get that one done any sooner shall we!
This is Tim's September tag ......

 ......... cool isn't it.

As usual, I didn't have all of the products that the master himself had used - nothing new there then.  But I managed.
Here's my version ......

Everything started ok, I had the foil sheets, so covering the tag wasn't a problem.  Had great fun making the faux rivets using an everyday biro, an old credit card (actually it was my current one, the other half will probably say this is the only way I should use it from now on),  and a pricking tool. I used this in two different ways, can you spot them.  I will say one is not that easy to see.
Obviously I used the pointy end to make small holes in my tag, but then I noticed that my pricking tool has a textured bit around the bottom.  What would happen if I rolled this along the foil tape ...........

You can just about see the result down the righthand side, under the film strip.  There's a bit of a mesh type effect going on.  Sorry it's a bit hard to see - didn't really think this through properly did I!  I'll know for next time.

Colouring the foil with alcohol inks next - this was fine, I had all the right colours so on I went.  Then came my first hurdle - no steel wire!  The best I could come up with was a kitchen scourer - it seemed to work ok.  I managed to get most of the ink off and achieve that look of old riveted metal. 

Next came the embellishing.  Hurdle number 2.  I didn't have the typewriter die, or anything similar.  In the end I decided on a pocket watch, and used one from the Art Parts range.  I coloured it with the new Metallic Distress Stains in the Tarnished Brass for the inside layer and the Brushed Pewter on the outside.  I used one of my Indigo Blu stamps from the Take the Time set  to stamp some cogs to give the look of the workings inside the watch.  Then added some mini metal cogs from the Idea-ology range along with a metal clock face.
Some of my trinkets are the same ones that Tim's used on his tag, but again I didn't have all of them. So, I added some words instead.  The only problem with this of course is that it does cover up a lot of the 'metal' on the tag.  I think you can still see enough of it though.
A bit of black vintage seam binding, some Chit Chat words, and a piece of chain attached to the pocket watch finish it all off.

Not quite the same as Tim's, but mine never are.  He gives the inspiration, and it's all about adding your own little twist.  I'm quite happy with the result.  It's my most masculine tag to date.

It's back to the craft room later but first I'm off to meet a friend in town for coffee.  And apparently while I'm there, I have to go and pre-order some new XBox game which is released tomorrow (FIFA 13).  The Game store in Douglas is opening at midnight tonight for anyone that has a pre-order and my son just has to have it asap!  Kids eh! 

Don't forget Kay from Indigo Blu is back on the TV today 11 o'clock and 3 - Create and Craft - Sky Channel 671.  You hadn't forgotten had you?!  I've set my Sky box to record.  Hopefully my samples will be on there along with those from the rest of the Design Team.

Thanks for looking. Have a great day.
See you again soon.

Linda

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