Tim's Tags 2013 - January

Well here we go again!! Tim's Tag is here, and the main techniques for this tag are embossing, distressing and a bit of stamping - simple, but as usual put together in Mr H's signature style.

Once again I hope to make two tags a month, 1 to keep and 1 to give away.

- Don't have any kind of clock or gear embossing folder, but used my 'that special touch' gears mask through the GC to get an embossed effect. Inked up with the same inks as Tim - Rusty Hinge, Iced Spruce and Stormy Sky - as this was not a combination I woud have naturally put together. It pays to experiment, I liked it but I was a tad heavy handed - out of practice I guess. Edged with walnut stain.

- I only have die cut gears on heavyweight card as I don't posess the die. I painted them with my adirondack metallic dabbers, pouncing them to get texture. I have missed a few spots and they look a bit bright - no worries we're going to grunge them up - I like to add distress embossing powder to anything 'faux' metallic as I really like the effect. Although there are all sorts of colours, I only have one - tea dye - which I have had 4EVA, it never seems to get any less even though after clear EP I use it the  most. Anyhow, once I have heated it and rubbed a little (you could add it before the paint dries) I colour with inks or whatever to get the colour I want. (Looks cool on real metal as well).

- No film ribbon so stamped image onto acetate. Being acetate I used Stazon, despite the likelihood it will eat my acrylic stamp and so went immediately to clean it. For reasons I don't fully understand I squeezed my stazon cleaner bottle really hard causing the cap to pop off.
Well that was a mess I hadn't planned on.

- Guess who didn't read 'archival ink' when stamping on the ribbon? I'm pleased to report that it also works if you colour it first then stamp (for the second time because the DI you used initially ran ....). Like the effect though, stamping ribbon is cool.

- Finally chose my sentiments and added a few metal gears. I have to admit to being a bit more frugal with these than Mr H, but they do add a certain finishing touch.

So there's the first one, 11 more (or 22 in my case) to go. If you haven't seen it already and would like to enter my January Art Draw for a set of 12 Tim inspired tags a la Tags of 2012 then you can find the relevant post here.

See Ya Soon.

January Art Draw - Twelve Tags Tim Style

This is the set you will receive

It's time for the January Art Draw which some of you may recall I said was going to be a set of twelve tags based on the Tim Holtz Twelve Tags of 2012. Wherever possible I have tried to follow Tim's tutorials and these are my take on the tags he made staying as true to the original ideas and techniques as materials and ability allowed. Some are fairly direct copies and others much more interpretive but I hope that you will like them. 

 A couple more photos in more detail. I don't think the February one with the heart was ever blogged as we I did it out of sequence. The same goes for The September Industrial Tag, really like how that one turned out.

 

 

 

The November tag in fall colours wasn't blogged either. I love my little pine cone!!

 

Just for completeness here is the set I am keeping for myself.

 

 

Yes, I can count, I know there is one missing. I was looking at it earlier and now can't seem to put my hand on it........

 

And finally here are my 11 tags displayed on a big split ring. I will be posting the winner's set out packed flat but I'll  include a ring so you can do this if you want to.  Sorry about the lengthy post but wanted to make sure you know what you are getting. So, if you would like this set of tags all you have to do is leave a comment on this post before 9.00 pm on Thursday 31st January 2013.

International players welcome, feel free to link from your own blogs (if you let me know you have I'll put you in the hat twice).

 

I really enjoyed making the tags, even if I did feel a bit under pressure at times and the payoff is I have a ready made giveaway item.  It's time to start the Tags of 2013 so if this is well received I may do the same for next year (Nothing like planning ahead is there.........).

 

Did you know this giveaway has been running since February 2009? Where on earth has all that time gone! So thanks to everyone who has supported me over the last 4 years (some of you have been here since the beginning!) and here's to the next ........ well, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves!!                                                

 

 

Twelve tags of 2012... almost there................

Nothing like leaving things till the last minute is there? Still I'm sure I won't be the only one!!

Right. Finally got a chance to mosey on over to Tim's blog to see what delights he had prepared  to inspire us in December. Two Christmassy tags to make up for the January one we'd left out - and why not, suits me I still have everything christmas out and to hand.

For the first tag I improvised with the background using a broken china distress stain but a silver paint dabber for the metallic effect. Worked a treat. For the snowman I fell back on my trusted Octopode digi which has been much used in Christmas cards this year, I really love him, he is just a little quirky (which appeals to me) but not so much that my card recipients would wonder if I'd been on the sherry. I didn't have tinsel but added a line of glitter.

My snowflake embellishments are made from a heavyish card and covered with silver enamelling powder from Debbi Moore. I stamped into it while hot with a medallion stamp - well, some worked better than others but the idea is sound. They look quite metal like and it gives them a nice texture. I say some because as well as the two of each tag I committed to do this year (one for me to keep, one to giveaway in the January Art Draw) I thought I would prove I had read all of Tim's post and use one to make a card. Yay, I'm ahead of the game already for my 2013  Christmas cards!!

The second tag looked similar to one I had already made using a different TH technique, the rusted enamel look. So this time I just did the one following Tim's technique and design because I already have this one to keep myself and was pleased for an excuse to put it with my set of tags.

Hope that makes sense!!

So here is the second of my Christmassy tags. Again I had to improvise a bit with my backgrounds (no metallic stains so used paint dabbers again - cool effect!!) and the embellishments but I think the finished tag looks OK (though perhaps not very Tim Holtzy).  This is the one which will go in the January Art Draw collection.

These two tags will get posted on the TO2012 post for December but I have missed most of them as I am always late for everything. I confess I still have 1 month's tags to finish but I won't upload any more now until the big reveal for the January Art Draw which I will post in a week's time on the 3rd of January. Hope to see you then!!

Quick Update: Thanks to all who sent good wishes, son's girlfriend now out of hospital so nothing to worry about - a great relief to all  of us!!

 

As promised - a Few things....

Thought I'd share a couple of things I made when I was demonstrating last week end.

Really loved the way this tag turned out. I was trying out what Tim Holtz calls the 'rusted enamel' technique although I did mine in pink, so I thinks it's a bit more shabby than grunge! I also stamped my snowflake in to the embossing powder for extra texture. I was pleased to find a use for the metal 'happy christmas' embellishments I have had  hanging around for a while. I remembered seeing somewhere that using white paint over these kind of things really makes the debossed words 'pop' so I tried it out and really liked it. The poinsetta's are the same marianne die I used for the Christmas Wreath - they are so pretty I could put them on everything!! The embellishment was made from some 'medals' I had left over from a kid's promotion at work (librarians among you will probably recognise them) so a bit of recycling was included as well.

The second tag design I did was supposed to be showing a  'blended batik' background but after the first one I had a bit of an accident with my craft iron - I pulled it out from the socket on the floor, tossed it nonchalantly up onto the table and the plug landed right in my mug of cold tea which I had forgotten about. Honestly, you couldn't do it if you tried. I can't hit anything at all usually. Still it's quite a sweet little tag even leaving the background embossed!! I love the double bottom to this tag and was inspired by another blogger (I believe I even left a comment!!) but can I remember who it was? It's sure to be someone who reads this one as I don't get around that much!! So if this reminds you of something you did then let me know so I can give credit and a link - and thanks for the inspiration!!

Finally a card with some metal embossing. I think it looks quite cool with one of my big Wendy Vecchi style flowers though I don't think this is one I can send in the post!!

Giveaway will be along later tomorrow (oops, just looked at the clock, err, later today then....)

Cindy