Tim Holtz Monthly Tag Challenge

This tag was inspired by the TH tag for September I believe. It used several fun techniques and I had a blast making it. I traded it away as I made this for a swap on Swap-Bot.com. If you like snail mail, I highly recommend you check it out.

The background was made with a mix of various colours of distress stain and a few inks brayered on. Then I added some die cut grunge paper coloured with metallic Distress stain. The dies for the branches are by CAS-ual Fridays, flower by Prima and the rub ons by Tim Holtz.

Enjoy, Rebecca

SAF Pins and Needles Challenge

I am a huge fan of trinket pins. I love the way Melissa uses them so I was excited for this challenge.

I tucked this one into my bow then bent the rest of the pin with jewelry pliers so it was flush with the back of the tag. I am going to add a backing to the tag later so it is covered up. The green paper is a little heart tag but it’s hard to see with the flower on there.

Enjoy, Rebecca

12 Tags of 2015 - March

I thought this month’s tag was quite doable. And quite pretty even though I decided to use lighter background colours.

There are quite a few different techniques involved in making this tag; an acrylic paint background, masking, adding texture paste and embossing that texture paste. Be sure to visit Tim’s Blog to see the whole tutorial. I made mine pretty much the same except I chose not to mask my images. I just worked around the images mostly. I actually liked them overlapping some.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Tim Holtz
Ink: Archival black-Ranger
Paper: ivory CS-PTI
Accessories: various brands of acrylic paint, Golden acrylic paint, washi tape, stencil-Tim H., gold EP-SU!, Liquitex embossing paste, butterfly charm-Making Memories, other metal embellies, hand dyed seam binding ribbon, gold twine-stash

Balloon Tag and Package

A matching tag and packaging was another PTI challenge. I had just made the tag in the post previous to this one with a set I neglect and thought about stamp sets I don’t use often enough for this tag.

I bought Everyday Button Bits a while ago second-hand and I’ve only used it once. So I decided to use it and use up some of those enormous buttons I don’t use much. I don’t use Vintage Labels a lot either so it made for a good match. I think this would make a good baby gift package.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: as above
Ink: archival black-Ranger, Hawaiian shores-PTI
Paper: white, aqua mist CS-PTI
Accessories: chartreuse, wisteria, spring rain buttons-PTI, labels 1 dies-Spellbinders, cloud dies-PTI, washi tape-stash, baker’s twine-Divine twine

Happy Car Tag

The next challenge I worked on was to use a stamp set that hasn’t seen ink or hasn’t been used often. I looked through my stamps and immediately decided on this one.

I’ve rarely used this stamp set. When it first came out, there were so many awesome ideas shown by the team but once I got it, I just haven’t thought to use it much. That ever happen to you? That’s why I don’t buy stamps right after releases any more. If I still remember how I wanted to use it and love it after a few months, I'm more likely to use it.

But I still do really like this set. It’s so cute and fun! I didn’t get it lined up perfectly; maybe I should have stamped the outline first, not second. But I didn’t mind how it looked with the slight edge showing. I paired it with one of my favourite sets, Fancy Flourishes.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Enjoy the Ride, Fancy Flourishes
Ink: Lipstick red-SSS, kraft-PTI, archival black-ranger
Paper: ivory, kraft CS
Accessories: baker’s twine-Masterstroke ribbon, button-Basic grey, ribbon-stash

Amour Tag

This tag was for a Swap-bot swap with one of my favourite partners. She came up with the theme of Love Story. I took that quite literally!

Since I took this photo, I added some glue to restrain that bow and keep the little lady at the top from being swallowed up by it! :) The papers, tag and leaves are by Maggie Holmes for her new Open Book collection. I just ADORE it. I added the strip of glitter to the bottom of the tag, coated the people and heart in gold paint/Copic ink and added glitter to the little bird too. I love altering embellies to make them more my own.

The ribbon was hand-dyed (by me!) and when I first made it, it looked almost fluorescent! But it seemed to go well with this bright rose paper. I used some vintage lace to go with it.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Paper: Open Book-America Crafts, ivory cs (to make tag)-SU!
Accessories: Potty people, heart veneer-Studio Calico, lace-stash, ribbon-Hug Snug seam binding, tag, leaves-American Crafts, letters-Dollarama, Krylon gold paint pen, Copic marker, Art Institute ‘sand’ glitter, Sulyn Ind. gold sequins

Shabby Doll Tag

Here’s the second part of a swap. I posted the first tag HERE. While the other tag was chunky, this one was supposed to be flat. Since most of my embellies are chunky, this was a bit tricky!

I’m afraid the right side is a bit blown out. There is a second layer of lace out there that you can’t see very well. For some weird reason, this was hard to photograph. To get the main colours right, the lace disappeared into the background. I should have used something in the background but I’d already mailed it when I realized. :( There isn’t too much to really describe. I just collaged lots of fun stuff on there!

I’m entering this in the Card Concept Challenge #26. And another Happy Anniversary to the CCC! Yeah, I am so glad I found you. This is my first time even seeing this challenge!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: postcard-Crafty Secrets, Doll-Prima
Ink: Memento black, Ranger Archival black
Paper: Prima Something Blue
Accessories: lace-stash, tapes-unknown, rhinestones-K&Co, foam dots-Sticky Stuff Store, hand-dyed Hug Snug seam binding ribbon

CASE Study Floral Edged Tag

My third and final (out of time, I had more ideas) entry into the CASE Study DT challenge. My personal muse is definitely Melissa Phillips so here’s another CASE of a tag she made.

Here’s a link to Melissa’s tag. I kept the tag, scalloped bottom though mine is made of paper strips not strips of washi tape, felt flowers, polka dots and single large embossed work across the top. I changed up the colours and added longer lace and ribbons at the top styled differently with a button tie. I also added a reinforcer circle made from DP, a cardstock lace edge, and quite a few super tiny rhinestones.

I really like this one. It’s so happy and springy and works for any situation. I mean, seriously, who CAN’T use a hug when you give them a gift??

Please choose me for the DT. I work hard, am punctual and love working from inspiration challenges.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: hugs-Say it Loud-WMS, dot-SSS
Ink: Versamark
Paper: pastel DP pack, kraft, blush CS-PTI
Accessories: felt-Etsy, rhinestones-TE, scalloped, lace border dies, twine, button-PTI, various tiny flower, oval dies-Memory Box, PTI and Spellbinders, ribbon-May Arts, lace-stash, 1/2” hole punch, gold EP-SU!, Crop-a-dile-WRMK

CASE Study DT Mannequin and Roses Tag

This is my second entry for the CASE Study DT. I sooo want to be chosen. I save so many cards on Pinterest and CASE them so this DT would be perfect for me!

I CASEd the April tag by Tim Holtz. Of course I plan to link this up to that challenge too. I used almost the same technique for the background with the exception of using distress stain instead of distress paint. I added some more embellishments, made my flowers differently and added some stitch stamping. I also added some lovely shimmer with bronze distress stain.

I hope you like it. I know I would be an excellent team member. I am currently on the Unscripted Sketches DT and I haven’t missed a week since November. I hope I am chosen. Pretty please!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Button Boutique-PTI
Ink: Vintage photo Distress, Archival potting soil, black-Ranger
Paper: linen CS-PTI, DP-Melissa Frances, grunge paper
Accessories: mini tattered Rose die, dress form die, hex cover plate die-PTI, shimmer mist-Tattered Angels, various distress stains, Copic refill G21, Hug Snug seam binding ribbon, button-Ebay, pearls-Kaisercraft, red, pink, ivory acrylic paints, 1/2” circle punch-SU!, Crop-a dile-WRMK, cherish charm-TH, pin-stash

Snowflake Crocheted Bead Wreath Tag

I’m a bit bummed about the photo of the wreath on this tag; it’s so pretty IRL and so hard to see in the photo!

I would have made the crocheted strand much longer so the final wreath would be thicker but I ran out of time. Maybe if the background was solid it may have stood out better, in fact I'm pretty sure it would have, my bad.

It’s actually really easy to make, you thread your beads on thin wire, 26 gauge or thinner. Keep your wire on the spool, don’t pre-cut it. Then just start chain crocheting it. Every so many stitches, you have to decide what look you want (one bead every stitch, every second, third…), you slide a bead along and stitch it in. Easy Peasy! I wrapped mine twice but I think I should have wrapped it at least 4 times to make it more dense and stand out from the background more.

For the background, I used Sharon Harnist’s double embossing technique. You can find her tutorial at the Classroom as part of the 12 tags of Christmas. I started by using glitter embossing powder but I overheated it so I embossed over it with clear embossing powder. Then I used two blues, one was more turquoise-ish, and E77 to airbrush the background. Removing the colour from the embossing was the fun part; it is quite dramatic!

I’m also going to enter this in the Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge 62 to create anything!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Thanks All Ways-PTI (on back)
Ink: Teal Zeal-Memento (on back)
Paper: white CS-PTI, chocolate CS-SU!
Accessories: craft wire-Michaels, beads, lace, crochet hook-stash, metallic string, embossing folder-Cuttlebug, 1/2” hole punch-SU!, small hole punch-WRMK Cropadile, Hero Arts ultrafine embossing powder, iridescent ice embossing powder-SU!, Copic airbrush system

PTI Blog Hop Pastel Smiles

Time for another PTI blop hop! This month the challenge was to pull out our favourite floral set and combine that with a colour palette featured on Nichole’s blog.

I’m afraid this isn’t my favourite floral set but my favourites don’t lend themselves to being stamped in multiple colours which is the second part of the challenge. I love larkspurs but it really works best in one colour and my other favourite is Sweet Life which could be stamped in multiple colours but I often find myself challenged to find three colours that work well to come up with one coordinated final blossom so trying to get them done in multiple colours seemed like too much work! It wasn’t until I started typing this that I thought about Life which would have been great, darn it! Oh well, this turned out really well even if it is CAS which isn’t my forte.

I personally don’t think of these colours as neutrals as referred to on Nichole’s blog, they are lovely pastels! I didn’t end up using the fine linen though. The layered die cut technique is from JJ Bolton’s blog, if I wasn’t typing this at 3;30 am I’d happily link it! She was featured at the CASE Study blog recently which is where I found the link so that might help you find it.

I hope you enjoyed my card! If you’d like to see more of my work, be sure to visit again by subscribing by email, I have to get a new RSS feed thingie since I think mine is the type that is ending soon or bookmark me! Thanks so much for dropping by and have fun visiting some more blogs on the hop!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: PTI
Paper: white CS-PTI
Ink: wisteria, lavender, moss-PTI, pirouette, eggplant-SU!
Accessories: tag die-Spellbinders, rhinestones-Dollarama, eyelet-WRMK, ribbon-Masterstroke ribbon, twine-Queen and Co, foam dots-Jody Morrow, eggplant marker-SU!

Shabby Gift Bottle for WMS Sketch Challenge

I’d recently finished a bottle of supplements and noticed that , for once, I had a nice bottle with a nice metal lid without any weird colours or writing on it! Yeah, can you say embellishing opportunity! And then when I saw this week’s WMS sketch, I knew it would be perfect!

The sketch lent itself, I thought, to having a tag as the focal panel. I made the tiny little flower with a Cheery Lynn Cuties die, sorry, I don’t remember which one.

I decided not to do any distressing because I don’t know the recipient very well. This is for my future brother-in-law’s mother! I know there are a few people out there who think distressing looks dirty and I wouldn’t want her to think I make junk! I think I’ll fill it with some chocolates to accompany the thank you card I’m making for having an engagement party for my sister. My family doesn’t know his family so it was the first opportunity for us to meet them all and his is a BIG family as he is one of 7 kids and they are all older with their own families!

I am very pleased with the result. I love altering and decorating pretty found items and I feel so green doing so!

Click on the sketch to link to the challenge.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamp: WMS
Ink: chocolate, banana-SU!
Paper: MME Follow your heart, vellum, kraft CS-PTI, white CS-Taylored Expressions
Accessories: cuties die-Cherry Lynn, leaf die-SU!, border die-PTI. mini scalloped edge punch-EK Success, twine-MME, foam dots-Jody Morrow, ribbon-Walmart, pearls-Dollarama, eyelet-WRMK, Copic marker

Pretty Packaging

I searched high and low on Pinterest back when school ended looking for packaging ideas for my gifts for my kids teachers.

Didn’t this tag turn out adorably? I tried to go very collagey with this one.

I put this in the most adorable bag, I’ve seen them in so many places lately but I was fortunate enough to have won these from the Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.

My other gift was much larger so I used a similar tag but a bigger, plain kraft bag. I added some hydrangeas from a larger stem. I often buy stems with big clusters of flowers and gradually use them up individually.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamp: PTI
Paper: Doily-Wilton

PTI Stamp-a-Faire Challenge–Handmade Embellishments

This DIY badge is for making your own embellishments. I rarely use store-bought bellies that can be handmade. So I had fun choosing which tutorial to try out. But since I was short of time, I went to an easy one, layered butterflies.

I only have two butterfly dies so I had to use one twice but you can barely see it in the photo; look at the top right of the pink butterfly. You will see a tiny bit of moss peeking  out.  Unfortunately, it is really late here and I am hurrying to get to bed so I can’t take another. But it looks cute!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Mega Mixed Messages, Label Basics
Ink: memento toffee crunch
Paper: all PTI
Accessories: berry button, label die, small butterfly die-PTI, large butterfly die-Sizzix

CPS 161 Guest Designer–French Inspired Collage Pocket Card

I am thrilled to be a Guest Designer for CPS today! I won CPS 158 a couple weeks ago, Yeeeaaaah!, and playing along with their DT is the best reward! (Read to the end for a link to the winning card.) Be sure to check out the challenge if you’d like to play along with CPS 161. I’ll admit I was taken aback by the diagonal line on the sketch as I am not a huge fan of diagonal lines. But this is called a ‘challenge’ after all! So…

… I made a pocket card! For me, it was a perfect way to make the diagonal line work! This card actually has two pockets. You can find the tutorial here: SCS  Diagonal Double Pocket Card. My paper started to tear at the ‘spine’ so I punched some holes in the side and turned it into a mini book style card. I would have tied a bow but the tulle was too short. I really like this and I think I’ll keep it so I may add another sheet of paper, the same design but folded with the yellow out and make it an actual mini book. For each pocket, I made a tag which I collaged.

The base was actually a sticker so I adhered it to some of the leftover DP from cutting a 12x12” sheet down to the 8.5x11” sheet required for the tutorial. Although I removed the bulky plastic bits from inside the flowers, they still are a bit thicker than is ideal for the pocket. Oh well…

The base of this one is a plain white tag. Quite a few of the items I used for this project were given to me in swaps so if something isn’t in my recipe list at the bottom, that’s why. I have no idea of the origin. Sorry. In fact, on this tag, the only thing I can list is the metal clip and the ribbon.

Here is the card with everything. It is quite busy so that is why I decided to photograph everything separately first. I hope you will play the challenge today.

I want to thank the CPS judges so much for honouring the card I won with (You can see it here: Happy Anniversary Double Challenge Card) and for choosing me to Guest Design today. I really appreciate it! I’d love to join your team in the future, once my baby is a bit older. You can see photos of him HERE.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: PTI Vintage Labels (gold stamping along pocket edge)
Ink: Faded Jeans, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo Distress inks, Encore Gold ink
Paper: Vintage Blue-Glitz Designs, vintage music paper, Cologne and France stickers-Cavallini Papers & Co., vanilla CS-SU!
Accessories: seam binding ribbon- Masterstroke Ribbon, Silk ribbon-May Arts, bling strip-Recollections, tulle, sentiment sticker-Glitz Designs, mini clothespins-Pebbles Inc., pearls-Dollarama, Kaisercraft, vintage lace, metal clip-Making Memories, film strip, staples-Tim Holtz, flowers-Michaels, gold shimmer mist-LuminArte (clothespin colouring), foam dots-Jody Morrow
(Anything not listed is unknown)