Tims Tags - playing catch up!

I have a cold...thanks to my darling other half who kindly shared his! So what better way to rest and cheer myself up than a day of making Christmas tags Tim Holtz style (see his 12 tags of Christmas here)...now I'm way way behind and will not manage them all but I've finished the first five. So here they are - I've had to adapt them to use materials I have but have followed the technique instructions pretty much..

Tag 1 - WOYWWers may have seen this incomplete on my desk last weds..since then I made a little holly garland (so fiddly!) and added smoke and a ticket. This took my ages - I made everything from scratch as didn't have any of the dies or pre-made embellishments but was really fun to make. I'm going to enter this at The Artistic Stamper Creative Teams challenge blog. (Ooh..and a thankyou to The Artistic Stamper cos I won a prize for guessing the materials used to make their snowman, looking forward to Mr Postie arriving!)

 Tag 2  - I really like the colours on this one - going to enter it at Gingernsaps Creations in the Colour challenge which is vintage hues and Simon says Stamp and Show where the theme is 'Holiday Greeting'.

 (tag 3 was made earlier in the week and is posted here)..

 

Tag 4 -The paper on this tag is Crafty individuals, I didn't have a facet to use so made an oval from shrink plastic and did the alcohol ink technique on that instead which I think worked ok. The glitter flourishes at the bottom were made with crystals on Tims card but i'm too frugal to use that many on one piece so used white glitter instead, I think they look like little snowballs!  Going to enter this one into the Gingersnaps Creations Spicey Supply challenge.  

Tag 5 - I think this is my favourate - I love this stamp from Stampington and Company. Made the numbers from grunge and heat embossed with white EP and then clear UTEE.  I'm going to enter this one over at Lets Ink it Up - their Christmas theme has an added option of sparkle or bling and the stickles on the holly leaves here definately add sparkle!

Thanks for stopping by...Esther xx

WOYWW - and Tag 1

Just a quick post  before I dash off to work. On my desk today is my unfinished attempt at Tag 1 of Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas. I've already made Tag 3 (see previous Post) for a specific challenge so thought I'd go back to the beginning, not sure I'll get all 12 done by this Christmas but I'm enjoying having a go and practising those fab techniques Tim is sharing. I'm working on an old place mat I found while sorting out some boxes stored in my mums loft - they're perfect for crafting because they're heat resistant and wipe clean and am recycling at the same time!  You can also see a tag that I've created a background on ready to start tag 2, and maybe if you enlarge the pic (should I be encouraging you to see my mess in more detail?) the tissue paper flower I put together but didn't use for the previous tag, still can't get these quite right.

And here's a closer look at the unfinished tag. The ticket is not fixed as I'm going to add some inks/glitter/something and I've still a Holly Wreath to make..but it's coming along...

Well would love to stay here and browse the other desks from Julia's blog where all the action takes place but someone's got to earn the Christmas Present money!! Happy WOYWW...Esther xx

Been AWOL !!

Blimey - I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I last posted..not sure where that went! I had a mammoth commisioned card making seesion last weekend and now my last order is done and posted off (HUGE queue at post office!) I can get back to some creative challenges here. Lord knows whether I'll get round to all of Tim Holtz's twelve tags of Christmas - he's on day 6 and I've only made one (and not number 1 either!).It's a variation on Lord Tim's as I had to improvise due to lack of supplies and I chose to make day 3 first because it used the Rock Candy distress stickles technique which Linda has chosen over at Studio L3 for the Compendium challenge.

This is my take on Day 3's tag - I didn't have a bird stamp so created my own little santa robin, I didn't have any tissue tape so improvised by stamping on masking tape and used that on grunge paper which I then cut the body shape from...it worked out pretty well I think and took the distress inks (frayed burlap and walnut ink) a treat.  It was on the Robin that I used the Rock Candy Distress stickles technique - and Linda's right it is difficult to photograph. I coloured some flower soft with alcohol inks (pinched that idea from Netty - thank you!) to add to the branches and finished off with glittery ric rac and an image from some papers I've had forever. I did make a tissue paper flower but didn't like it when I tried to position it - it looked unbalanced - maybe because the robin is quite big, but now I'm wondering if the tags missing something - but then I often think that !!?? Anyway - this tag is flying over to join in the Compendium of Curiosities challenge at Studio L3, The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Christmas, The stamp man - any 3 colours with a christmas theme and Simon says stamp and Show - Holiday Greeting.

Right then..do I make a start on the dinner or another tag...(where's that take away menu?)....Esther xx