Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2012 September

Or wise owl version 3

Yes, the 3 of us decided to use the same tag for Tim's 12 tags of 2012 September, you can see how he did it here. It started out with Dorrie saying are you going to us the Steam-punk owl stamp (Stampendous), I replied that  I was going to but I could use another stamp. So off Dorrie went stamp in hand and started her tag. Meanwhile Mouse decided she wanted to do the owl entirely in metal. So I said why don't we all use the owl stamp and voila 3 very different tags see Dorrie's here and Mouse's. here.

I created a tag out of red card then created a smaller tag out of blue metal,  using a selection of equipment from Walnut Hollow and Ten Second Studio I embossed  a border, sanded it on the raised edges,I then scooched an pattern on the metal and re-coloured the exposed metal with pro-markers. I then created a leaf border on a separate piece of metal and again coloured it with Pro-markers.

I stamped Mr Owl onto newspaper using coffee Archival ink. Then covered the newspaper with Perfect Medium to make the paper go translucent. The image can then be seen on both sides I used the reversed image. I used Gel medium to stick Mr Owl to some card this also seals the sticky Perfect Medium. Once I had impatiently waited for it to dry I highlighted the image, again using  Pro-markers.
 It was then just a quick assembly job or so I thought. However Mr Owl looked very forlorn sitting on the tag a good excuse to get out some embellishments. I am really loving Prima's Junkyard findings (Available in our craft shop) at the moment. I tried to colour the clock face with Pro-markers but the surface was a bit resistant so I covered it with Gel Medium the re coated it with colour, my impatience got the better of me though as some of it wasn't quite dry and the printing of the clock face blurred a bit, but hay ho I like the grungy look. The light bulb says sweet so I added the word dreams with some letter peal off we had in the workshop stash.

Unlike last months tag, which I had lost my mojo for and to be quite honest was not my finest hour, a bit pants really, this months attempt I am really quite pleased with. Perhaps my mojo is back..

Enjoy your crafting
Til next time
Georgina

12 tags of 2012 August taking it to the wire

It is official, I am in the creative doldrums!

I haven't felt very creative in the last few weeks but had to stir my stumps to post my tag for August. I started with all good intentions at the beginning of the month, but it has all gone down hill since then. Gawd I sound like a whinging pom.

Anyway here is my tag, very simple and self explanatory. I did try painting my embossed background but didn't like the effect that I achieved so I have gone for the natural look of kraft paper, which I do like.

I was going to add words but decided the words I had chosen weren't quite right. Perhaps it is my mood. Anyhow I am now going to start September by re-organising my craft stash and work space, maybe I will find the embossing powder that I seem to have lost. I'm bound to find something in my stash that I have forgotten about and will inspire me. See I am in a better mood already there is nothing like a bit of re-organisation to sooth the battered spirit.

Enjoy you crafting
Georgina

12 tags of 2012 July

I have surprised myself, I was determined not to leave July's tag until the last possible moment and whilst I am not the 1st to post I did not let myself down.

We don't celebrate the 4th July in England, but we are celebrating a lot this year including the Olympics starting at the end of the month so I decided that London 2012 would be a good theme. I am really pleased with the effect I achieved I hope you like it

I enjoyed playing with Alcohol inks they have not been out of the cupboard for a while. I tried both the air can and the blowing through a straw method and found that I had more control over the ink with the later method. Having said that the ink splats on the tag were achieved with the air can method, just because of the location of the ink splats on the paper. The stamps are from sets by Kanban and Papermania and the other embellishments came from my stash, except the guard ribbon which Mouse choose when we went to buy some buttons. I have a feeling it will make it's way into her tag as well.

Happy crafting
Georgina
  

12 tags of 2012 June

I want to know where June has gone, it has just disappeared in a flash.
I did manage to fit a little holiday into the month on the heritage  coast and North Yorkshire Moors, beautiful if a trifle wet. I treated myself to some Whitby Jet Jewellery. Had a great time rummaging through a host of antique shops and stomping around the coast and moors not to mention the tea rooms and country pubs bliss!
I had been pondering on what to do for Junes' tag when I came across a pile of old postcards in a flea market I have to say I am a fan of old sepia and black and white postcards particularly when they have been sent to someone I suppose it is a bit like eavesdropping but it is kind of uplifting to read messages of good cheer sent to friends and relations.

The postcard I choose to use was sent from Vic to his mother, the journey to Bournemouth was good, the weather was marvelous and he was making the most of his holiday in sight seeing. It was sent on the 8th August but the year on the postmark can't be seen The stamp has the head of George VI, the Queens' father and cost 2d (I am probably boring you now but I find these details fascinating). From the fashions worn on the card I would guess it was sometime in the late 1940's or early 1950's.

Having spent ages looking for a packet of craft nibs both in the craft box and in the shop to no avail ( I have now ordered new stock) but in the meantime I used a fine paint brush to tint the postcard using a variety of distress inks.I have kept layout and embellishments simple.The old penny has the Kings head on it. Even though the postcard originally cost 2d to send I thought the caption PENNY POST sounded better.

When we were going through some old family photos for Dorrie's tag we found a few of Dad's attempts at tinting photos then I remembered this. He made the frame out of old cigarette packets. In those days smoking was socially acceptable. The colours on the photo have degenerated Mum's hair really wasn't green.

I hope you all have a great weekend 

Happy Crafting

Georgina xx

12 Tags of 2012 May but only just

May has been a very busy Month for me. I have had a birthday, another year has just flown by and yes the police men look even younger. I haven't made as much time to be creative as I should have this month so next month I am going to try to be creative every day not that I will blog every day you understand, but I will try to blog more often. Who knows I might succeed. Well it is nearly10pm on the 31st and you have guessed I have just finished my Tag for Tim Holtz's 12 tags for 2012.

The pattern paper is from a pattern for dungarees that I made in the early 70's. I remember them well they were made of red denim material and I had to walk down the catwalk for the school fashion show. It went better than the choir concert the previous year at least I didn't fall off the back of the stage.
The dress is a Kanban stamp coloured with Prisma colouring pencils  a bit of ribbon and a few stickers. Add a bit of distress, a little flower holder that I have had in my stash for ages and don't remember where it came from and some artificial flowers and as the french say viola.

I would say have a crafty day but the day is nearly over so I will say sweet crafty dreams.

Georgina

Red White and Blue

It seems that where ever you go these days every thing is red white and blue (in Britain that is) from bunting and flags to exceedingly good fondant fancies from that iconic British cake company. I personally don't care for fondant fancies but every week when I go to the supermarket I am tempted to buy some for mouse who does like them. But I am digressing the point i was going to make is that this nation seems to really getting behind this years jubilee celebrations not to mention the Olympics later in the year. It seems that in the years running up to the Olympics everybody has had something to say some good some bad. When the Olympic symbol was first released it was slated from all corners now it is a symbol we see everyday and I expect that most don't even notice it any more being on so many sponsors packaging and advertising but it puts a smile on my face,it has sort of grown on me and I suspect on a lot of other Brit's as well.

A few weeks ago we had a delivery of Kanban goods among them some clear stamps including a set of dresses. I made a few demo's for the shop and the recent craft show but thought they would look good in red white and blue so below is a pic of a mixed media canvas I have recently finished called Red, White and Blue, which is sort of my tribute to 2012.

I think I am going to have to take a course in photography or may be it just that the glass bead gel medium (Golden) doesn't reflect the light as much as I thought, but the cream coloured section is a crown that seems to show up much better when not viewed through a lens.Any how I am pleased with the effect in real life so to speak you can the writing from the paper background underneath it.

I am sort of having a day off, I  went to work at lunch time for a couple of hours as we are so busy at present, but now I am feeling creative so I am off to play despite the fact the housework isn't done but hey that's life.

Keep crafting
Georgina.

Lost and Found

 I cannot believe that it is nearly a month since I last posted. I have no excuses but I am going to list them any way.
I lost the charger for my camera. How can something disappear in a space 61' by 7'9" where everything has a space and everything in it's space (or not as the case may be).
St Jude did not cooperate and bring back the lost item
I didn't get to go skiing, I don't enjoy the cold anyway.
I had to deal with the sale of the boat
I had to run the office the craft shop and the bar.
I did a lot of business life laundry to try and make room for all the junk, sorry, all the important items  that needed to come out of the boat. If you could see the number of things that need to find a new home you would agree that I was not entirely successful.
I had to look after the demented teenage hamster. We had an agreement I would feed him all the lettuce he could eat and he would not kick the bucket before Mouse returned from her holiday. I won't go into the house issue, but he definitely won.
Did I mention I lost the camera charger.
I got to the point where I was going to that shop that retails cameras the one who's name starts with a J, but I opened a cupboard to put something away and out fell a camera charger lead Yay! (not that I hadn't  looked in said cupboard at least half a dozen times before). A quick charge and right on the wire I can post my April tag for Tim's 12 tags of 2012 challenge.

I have kept it very simple
I decided to use an old dictionary page as a background painted with a Citrus Dabber and then inked with Vintage photo distress to tone it down. I could not decide what to emboss when I come across a frog die which I cut twice and then put them through a couple of different embossing folders.  I added a frill to the tag and found a rub on which said free spirit but it was too big so I stamped the words using alphabet stamps. I used some rub on flowers from the sheet and added a few paper flowers for some extra dimension. Not my finest effort and there is a lot that I would do different but it is what it is.

Happy crafting
Georgina