The last TAG of the year ........

Happy Tuesday ........

It's been a bit touch and go as to whether I would make this blog post today.  My laptop decided that the festive season was just too much ....... it couldn't do anymore, so ...... it switched itself off last Monday afternoon, whilst I was a the checkout stage on two websites might I add, and wouldn't turn back on again!  Nothing at all ..... completely dead!  To make matters worse I hadn't backed anything up for weeks!!! Just what I needed ..... not!!

Anyhow to cut a long story short it was the power cable.  Could have been worse.
So ..... we're back up and running (yeah!) for the moment anyway, and I'm playing catch up with everything! 

It's time for a little reminder about this month's TAGplorations Challenge

The theme is  ..... All About Christmas with the optional twist of ..... Glitter
Who doesn't like a touch of sparkle at this time of year!

Here's a real quick and easy design for you ......

A simple Kraft tag, die cut using the CUTplorations Nesting Dies Tags #1  and then the greeting has also been die cut using the CUTplorations Merry Christmas phrase

The Merry Christmas was die cut from red glitter card and also from the Kraft tag.  The glitter card was then inlaid into the tag.

To finish off I added a touch of white ink around the edges, and sprinkled on some chunky white embossing powder to give a snowy look

I love this stuff on Christmas projects ...... sprinkle the embossing powder onto your tags and cards and then heat gently from underneath so that you don't blow the powder away. Perfect falling snow every time!

As it's Christmas, there's some special prizes for this month's challenge

• Leave a comment on the December TAGplorations challenge post AND on all the designer's blogs for a chance to win a $15 Gift Certificate to spend in the STAMPlorations store
• Play along with the challenge and 1 player, randomly drawn from all the entries will win a $20 Gift Certificate
• and also 1 player randomly drawn from all the entries will win their choice of 1 set of Tag Dies from the store

Happy stamping!

Well, that's it ..... the last tag of the year.  I just need to put it on the last of my Christmas gifts.
All the presents are bought and wrapped, the cupboards are well stocked but ....... I'm still making Christmas cards!!!  The last ones need to be in the post tomorrow ........ it's going to be a long night!

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day and just in case you don't visit again before the big day, have a wonderful Christmas ..... see you for more tags in the New Year!

Cheerio until next time ......

It's TAGplorations time .......

Happy Tuesday .......

I hope you're enjoying your week. It's another busy one in the craft room, although I'm not actually working up there .... I've taken over the kitchen, to complete a rather large project for Santa.  Yes, it's that time of year when I'm one of Santa's little helpers ....... more about that later!

How about a little more inspiration for this month's TAGplorations Challenge over on the STAMPlorations Blog.

The theme for November is All About Gratitude ....... with the optional twist of polka dots.

There's a few of my favourite techniques on this little tag ..... inlaid die cutting, hidden words, ink splattering and, rubber stamping of course.

I stamped the pretty STAMPlorations Blossom Spray #2 onto a white tag, cut using the largest die from the CUTplorations Manila Tag Nesting dies

I then used the CUTplorations word die ... Thanks and die cut the word down the length of the tag.  In places I've only used part of the die, cutting over the edge to get a more random look
When I reached the bottom I made sure to cut the word 'thanks' in full ...... the die fits across the largest of the manila tags perfectly!

I die cut more of the word from plain white cardstock, layered them with the ones cut from the tag on top, and then inlaid them back into the tag, giving the look of embossing.

You can see I also cut the word from a piece of  dotty card which I found in my stash and layered this on top of the complete word at the bottom to add even more dimension.

A little cut off strip of the dotty card adds a bit more colour, and I finished off with some coloured ink splatters

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There's still time to play along with the challenge. Just remember that your project must feature a TAG on it somewhere.
There's prizes up for grabs ..... a $10 gift certificate for the winner, and $5 gift certificates for the top 2 picks.

Happy stamping!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.
I think I'd better go and scrub my hands and put on some clean clothes.  We're going out for something to eat this evening and I'm currently covered in red and green paint and I'm sparkling just a little bit!!!

Cheerio until next time .......

TAG time again ......

Happy Tuesday .......

Time for another Blog Challenge....... and guess what ..... it's another tag (I'm having great fun at the moment .... I love tags!) 
It's STAMPlorations this time with the second TAGplorations Challenge
Last month's launch was really popular ..... looks like you all enjoy making tags too, we had some fabulous entries.

This month the theme is All About Gratitude ....... and there's an optional twist ....... Polka Dots

This tag was so easy to do and it uses some of those pretty patterned papers that we all love to collect but never use!

I covered a piece of Kraft card with some pretty polka dot patterned paper and then die cut my tag using the largest die from the CUTplorations Manila Tags Nesting Dies

Blossom Spray #1 was stamped onto white watercolour card and then painted using Distress Inks

I fussy cut around the blooms and attached it to the front of my tag using foam pads for dimension

'Thank You' was stamped and heat embossed in gold across the bottom of the tag ......

and I finished it off by simply stamping the second part onto a snippet of card and cutting it into a banner shape before attaching it underneath ...... (sentiment from the STAMPlorations stamp set  For the Birds)

Check out the Blog for all the challenge details along with more gorgeous Tag inspiration from the rest of the Design Team, and then ........ why not join in the fun.

Happy stamping!

Thanks for popping by again ...... enjoy the rest of your day.
I'm off to make a start on the packing for our weekend away ...... important stuff first, my craft trolley!
Because we're on the ferry with the car, there's no big decisions to be made on what to take with me, and what to leave behind ...... I can take the lot!!!  Well ..... not everything of course, but you know what I mean.

Cheerio until next time ......

Boo! ..... time for another tag

Happy Tuesday .......

Thank goodness the weather is a little calmer today.  I think Ophelia has done her worst here. 
We had trees down all over the island, one of the hotels in Douglas lost part of its roof, and it was a little scary at high tide but .... it's now blue sky and sunshine .... at the moment!

Enough about the weather though ....... I'm here to remind you about the latest Blog Challenge from the STAMPlorations team ........ the new TAGplorations  Challenge .... have you joined in the fun yet?

The challenge is all about creating TAGS.  Your projects can be anything you like .... as long as there's a tag, or tags, on there somewhere.  The tags can be large or small and any shape you like. The DT will of course be featuring the CUTplorations tag dies but, the challenge players (that's you!) don't have to.  Go on ..... join in the fun.

As we're into October I thought it would be fun to create a Halloween Tag ...... I think this still comes under the challenge theme of 'All About Fall' don't you.  I've even used the optional twist of using red, gold and orange .......

I die cut my tag, using CUTplorations Manila Tag Nesting Dies, from a piece of cardstock in my stash that had been coloured using Distress Inks and a ghosting technique with a stencil ......

I splattered a little black and white paint onto the background to add a bit more interest, and a couple of strips of ultra tacky double sided tape across the bottom on top of which I put some gilding flakes

I then stamped the pumpkin from the STAMPlorations Oh, So Grateful stamp set, twice onto a piece of coloured cardstock from my bit box and heat embossed with a clear powder.

I added a touch more colour to the leaves at the bottom and a sprinkling of fine coloured glitters

The mouth was drawn on with a black marker pen and then I added fine black glitter over the top, and of course it had to have googly eyes!

Gold letters cut using the CUTplorations Uppercase Alphabet Die make up the greeting

Check out all the challenge details over on the STAMPlorations Blog along with lots more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time

TAG! ..... there's a brand new Blog Challenge

Happy Tuesday folks ........

We're at the beginning of a new month and ...... there's something exciting happening today.  It's the start of a brand new Blog Challenge ...... whoop! whoop!

Do you love making tags? ...... well if so, you're in for a treat, because today sees the start of the brand new TAGplorations Challenge from STAMPlorations

It's a monthly challenge with a different fun theme each month, along with an optional twist.
You can play along as many times as you wish, just make sure that each entry has it's own Blog post.
Your project can be anything you like but ...... it MUST feature a TAG.
You don't have to use STAMPlorations products to enter ..... but it would be nice if you did!
And, there's prizes up for grabs ....... a $10 gift certificate for the winner and a $5 gift certificate for each of the 2 Top Picks
So .... come on ...... Tag! You're it!

As you can see, the first theme is ......

All About Fall 

and the optional twist this month is ..... a colour one 

 red, gold and orange 

I love making tags, and of course it's fast approaching that time of year when we all need a few in our collection (dare I mention that Christmas is not that far away!)

But .... it's not here just yet.  Let's enjoy the Autumn .... or Fall ..... my favourite season.  I love it when the leaves on the trees start to change, the colours look spectacular.

I've cut my tag using the CUTplorations Manila Tags Nesting Dies ...... I used the largest size, and cut it from a piece of card coloured using the faux wood grain technique ....... 

PVA glue applied randomly to white cardstock.  Once dried, turn over and score lines on the back.  Apply distress ink over the PVA glue to get this fabulous wood effect ... I love it!

I stamped the leaves using various colours of Distress Oxide inks and one of the stamps from the STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves

I fussy cut around each one and spritzed one of them with a little water to get this speckled effect before attaching them to my tag 

A few drops of Glossy Accents here and there to add a little more interest  and I finished off with a strip of Kraft card across the bottom and a seasonal greeting

I used the CUTplorations Upper Case Alphabet together with the happy thin metal word die.  Each was cut twice and then layered to add dimension, and the finishing touch was a cute, autumnal ribbon bow on the top.

I've used all the colours from the optional twist ..... the red, gold and the orange but you don't have to.  Your project can be anything you like ..... but it MUST feature a TAG!!
Go on .... join in the fun.

The craft room door is well and truly open again and it's busy as usual.  Have to fit in the household chores too ..... the mountain of holiday washing is slowly getting smaller.  Don't you just love unpacking suitcases ..... not!  Thank goodness for the tumble dryer.

Thanks for popping by ....... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ....