I am a Ginger Gem!

While checking the Dashboard of my blog today, I noticed that the Gingersnap Spicy Challenge  #128 "Yellow, Red and Brown" had wrapped up and my tag was chosen as one of the 10 "Ginger Gems"! 

Check out the winner's artwork, my tag and other submissions by clicking here:
http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2011/12/wrap-up-gc128-yellow-red-and-brown.html?showComment=1325010832865#c6777557596612754015

Thanks ever so much! Makes my day!

Sharon

Tim's Twelve Days of Christmas Tags - Day 9

(Click on title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog for Day 9 tag)

For this tag, I stayed with Tim's instructions and didn't try to create a "different take".  Much easier to get them done in a short time,eh?

double click to enlarge pic

close-up of detail

For the background see Tim's instructions for double embossing. I used a Penny Black "Winter Holly" stamp inked with TH Evergreen Bough distress ink, then sponged over with TH Festive Berries, and Brushed Corduroy.

I cut the candle and candlestick using my Cricut from the "Christmas Noel" cartridge. Once the crystal glaze was dry covering the whole candle, I went back and added some more to look like wax dripping.

The verse is from Sizzix Sizzlet #656285 "Merry Christmas"set of three dies. I cut the greenery from several sizzlets dies and Martha Stewart punch. Scrolls are a Quickutz die.

My husband has been following my completion of the tags each day and commented last night that this one looked a bit plainer than the others. I explained that each of Tim's tags was like a mini-class in technique and this one was all about the background. Then he understood!

Sharon
Dec.13/2011

Tim Holtz Twelve Days of Christmas Tags - Day 8

(Click on title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog - Day 8 tag)

Well when I saw Tim's steampunk tag, honestly, I wasn't too enthusiastic about it for christmas. However, after thinking about it all morning, I came up with the idea to make one with a New Year's theme and Father Time, since clocks and cogs would lend itself to easily to this.

double click to enlarge pic

close-up of details

I used the Cuttlebug Clocks folder on Tim's Co-ordination Grey paper, and sanded it to expose the design. Originally I used a piece of silver paper, but I didn't like how it embossed.  There is also silver embossing powder along the edges of the tag.

I downloaded a pic of Father Time from the internet, edited it to sepia tone, resized to ticket size and printed on cardstock. Then I covered it with self-adhesive acrylic (love this stuff - by Quickutz) and used one of Tim's ticket pins. The chipboard clock I had in my stash. The cogs I covered with Brilliance Platinum and gold ink, then clear EP. Adorned clock and cogs with Tim's embellies, and the top of tag with some silver star tinsel for the new year bling.

I cut the Happy New Year with my Cricut from the Wild Card cartridge on Stampin' Up Glitter silver paper. 

I'm happy with my idea and how the tag turned out.

Sharon
Dec.9/2011

Tim Holtz Twelve Days of Christmas Tags -Day 7

(click on title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog - Day 7)

Yesterday, I said I wasn't going to do any more tags as they were taking a lot of time each day....well, "eat my words" LOL!  Last night I did Tag 7.  I enjoyed watching Tim's video on how to use glassine paper. Neat Stuff!
double click to enlarge pic

I pretty much followed Tim's design except for adding a grungeboard poinsetta stained with Festive Berries ink (sizzlet's die)
for the pop of  red.  The verse is a cling stamp from Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer, "AL2779 Rhonna's Christmas Card" -11 stamps in set. I dyed the ribbon with Forest Moss DI. The baubles at the top are from my stash of  costume jewellery that belonged to my husband's mom. When we were cleaning out the house, hubby's sisters came across two containers of broken necklaces, bracelets and earrings that they were going to throw out. My daughter always enjoyed playing dress-up with them at Nanny's so I took them home. Being the packrat that I am, I figured the bits and pieces would come in handy someday for crafts.

Sharon
Dec.9/2011

Lucky Day - Random Winner

I just had an email that I was a random winner on the Crafts4Eternity challenge blog for challenge #47 christmas decorations. I had made mittens with the Nesties mittens die.

Not sure what the gift is yet, but the news made my day.

Sharon
Dec.7/2011

Tim Holtz Twelve Days of Christmas Tags - Day 6

(Click on the title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog - Day 6 tag)

Well, I think this might be my last tag for now - I have to say that I would rather craft than do housework, decorate for christmas, bake shortbread cookies, etc. My sisters would not be happy without their yearly gift of shortbread (they don't bake!!!)  I have certainly enjoyed learning new techniques while doing the tags; however, mastering the techniques to get a tag worth posting takes more time than I expected.

Day 6 was all about embossing metal; painting, sanding, distressing with ink and embossing it with clear EP. The folder I used is an older Cuttlebug one - "Holly". I found it quite relaxing painting the image, and the whole process went quite well (unlike the frustration of the cracked finish in Day 4 tag).

double click to enlarge pic

close-up of metal background

My metal sheet is gold (Tim used silver). At first, I was going to leave the background as it was, but then decided to paint it beige. After sanding and distressing with the walnut stain, I'm glad I did that step as it gives a nice, aged "patina".

I think I took more time deciding what I was going to add for embellishments, than doing the technique!  I had several different ideas; using a verse tag/ticket; stamping and fussy cutting a poinsetta. However, I wanted to keep most of the embossed, painted image showing so kept it rather plain except for the decoration at the top.

I'm amazed at the finish after doing all the steps. The tag doesn't seem like it is made with metal - it almost feels like leather! Neat!

Sharon
Dec.7/2011

Tim Holtz Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 5

(Click on Title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog for Day 5)

This tag had a technique I hadn't done before. Tim used his reflection stamps to do a whole background but I decided to try a snowflake image on a smaller piece of acrylic. I used Cranberry and Red Pepper alcohol inks. He said to let the ink completely dry, so I left it for about 10 minutes before stamping with the archival.  I found the archival ink wouldn't rub off. So I did another alcohol background, just barely let it dry, then stamped. The technique worked perfectly revealing the snowflake.  I cut the ornament on my Cricut (Christmas Noel cartridge) out of left-over plastic packaging.


Double click to enlarge pic

close-up of alcohol technique on
back of ornament


On printed Basic Grey Wassail snowflake paper, I stamped an Inkadinkadoo snowflake scroll diagonally across the tag, then sponged the edges with Pumice Stone and Festive Berries distress ink.  Created a little tag with one of Tim's fragments, found a shiny snowflake embellie in my stash, punched a border from coordinating paper with Martha Stewart quilted edge punch, and added a big organza bow. The shiny snowflake looks kind of odd in my picture,as the natural light from window is only picking up half of the holographic shimmer.

I like the red for this snowflake tag instead of blue!

Sharon
Dec. 7,2011

Tim Holtz Twelve Days of Christmas -Day4

(Click on the title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog - Day 4)

This tag sure had a lot of steps!!!  I pretty much followed Tim's instructions and worked at it in stages throughout the day, waiting for the snow cap paint to dry and the crackle glaze. Ended up doing three before I was happy with the crackle.

double click to enlarge pic

Things I did change are
-stamped trees instead of the flourish
-put the acrylic snowflake border towards the outside and used Star Dust stickles over the Snow Cap paint on the edges.

I also didn't use as many embellishments on my tag -left off the tulle button, and some of the trimmings near the bottom and on the snowman's hat.

I thought I had some tulle left over from my daughter's wedding three years ago. You should have seen me. I looked like a whirling dervish checking all the cupboards in my craft room and my sewing bins, but couldn't find it. So I tore some 4" wide organza into 1" strips which made a "shabby chic" frayed edge ribbon. 

I made two of these snowman tags - one is more country with twine and gingham, so I don't want to ruin the surprise for my friend by showing a pic.

Sharon
Dec.4/2011

Tim's Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 3

(click on title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog - Day 3)

My take on Tim's Day 3 Tag:


I got out my verse stamps and randomly stamped over the kraft tag in different coloured distress inks, as I didn't have cut 'n dry felt to try the stamping technique for this tag. Improvisation is the name of the game, eh?
Sponged around the edge with Forest Moss and Tea Dye. Added a chipboard holly and leaf embellie by K&Company, ribbon, twine and bell.

I did try the technique where he wraps his twine around a pencil, & heats it to make it curly. Works great! It amazes me how he thinks of these things!!!!

Sharon
Dec.3/2011

Tim Holtz Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 2

(Click on title of this post to go directly to Tim' Blog  - Day 2)

Here is my finished Day 2 tag:

double click to enlarge pics

close-up of Pearl Mist "snow"
This tag took a little longer than I expected because I wasn't happy with the first background that I made, especially the spritzing of the Pearl Mist to get the "snow" effect. Tim makes it look a lot easier than it is .....when I squeezed the bottle and pressed the mister, I got HUGE drops of stuff on the tag that rapidly spread into puddles. Anyhow, I did manage to get some smaller drops on the second background.Another "boo, boo" happened.  The Pearl Mist spray kind of drifted on to my completed reindeer which I thought was sitting far enough away  (maybe because I was pressing the sides of the bottle?) So he is a little sparkly too, but that's a good thing!

I don't have any kraft resist paper, so I used a section of  page from Tim's Idea-ology Seasonal Paper, and stamped the verse merry christmas and postmark before using the Picket Fence paint dauber.

All in all, I'm happy with this one!

Sharon
Dec.3/2011

Tim's Twelve Days of ChristmasTags 2011 -Day 1

(Click on title of this post to go directly to Tim's blog -Day 1)

I'm so excited that Tim's tags are up and running!! Last year, I didn't have all that much TH product, just a few distress inks. Since the summer I've been buying supplies to get ready for this year's tags. Sadly though, I ordered the pinecone die and it is backordered....SIGH! At least watching Tim's video for the Day 1 tag, now I know how to put the pinecone together once I receive the die.

I followed Tim's instructions for doing the background of the tag on the  Co-ordination cardstock, and really like how this technique turned out. I very tentatively made the slit in my SU "Northern Flurry" embossing folder to insert the tag and it worked perfectly. The sled was created on my Cricut with the "Stretch Your Imagination" cartridge set on real dial size at 3". The winter verse is an older Sizzix Sizzlet cut from silver mirror paper.

double click to enlarge pics



On the bottom edge is Tim's edgeability snowflake die which I cut from SU Glittery paper. A sheet of this stuff is so sparkly, it hurts your eyes to look at it! I love that the glitter is firmly attached and doesn't rub off when cutting or handling. Hope they come out with gold next year.

For the top of the tag, I dyed the ribbon with TH distress ink "Iced Spruce" according to his instructions, added a trinket pin, a round facet and some sprigs from Martha Stewart's pine punch.

I hope this tag evokes the crisp feeling of winter and sledding!

Sharon
Dec.2/2011

Challenges:

Tim Holtz- Tag Day 1

Joans  Gardens  - Tags

Cards Und More #40- Snowflake

Crazy for Challenges - Snow

CCEE Stampers #1148  - Snowflakes

Santa Tag- Rosette made with crimper

I took colour inspiration for this tag from Linda, The Funkie Junkie and her twelve days of christmas tags "funkie junkie" style. I see that these colours are also the challenge over at Gingersnap Creations
double click to enlarge pics

close-up of  Perfect Pearls glimmer


The background is done by patting on a silicone mat TH "Scattered Straw" and "Brushed Corduroy" distressed inks. I also spritzed Perfect Pearls "Biscotti" into the mix of inks, then smooched the tag around in the mixture, and dried with a heat gun. Then I sponged "Fired Brick" all around the edge.

I have been seeing all sorts of rosettes on blogs, and of course, Tim Holtz's rosette die comes to mind, and the Cricut cartridge "Rosettes and Ribbons". Well, I was playing with my crimper last week and thought that this would be ideal for making rosettes! It worked! Just make sure to keep the strip very straight when rolling through the crimper. I almost gave away my crimper some time ago. Just goes to show you never know when something stored in your  craft cupboard that hasn't seen the light of day for quite a few years might come in handy! LOL

I cut a 1-1/2" wide piece of 12" long paper, and used my Martha Stewart small scallop punch along the edge. After punching, this makes the strip approximately 1-1/4" wide. I made valley folds sort of every other crimp - that's just approximate. Then I followed Tim Holtz' tutorial on making rosettes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcBUyhGDpO4&feature=player_embedded
The rosette is sponged on the edges and spritzed with the Perfect Pearls Biscotti. For the centre, I cut a 1" circle from brown printed Santa paper (Kaisercraft "Tis the Season") and covered it with Crystal Glaze.

I cut the Santa letters on my Cricut from brushed gold paper using the Storeybook cartridge,  capital font at 1". They sort of look like Tim's vintage letter die strip.

The glitter at the bottom is a new purchase and I love this stuff! It's made by Stampendous, Fran-tage line of products -"Champagne Crushed Glass" chunky glitter. I adhered it with Sookwang 1/4" wide tape.

Background music stamp and ticket stamps are from Tim Holtz.

I like how this tag turned out! 

Sharon
Dec.1/2011

Challenges:

The Funkie Junkie Tag #12

Gingersnap Creations #128 colour  - Yellow, red, brown

Stampacular Sunday  - Anything Goes

Drunken Stampers - Monochromatic

Simon Says- Anything Goes