Tim Holtz 12 Months of 2012 - February

Get supplies... something to eat and drink! this is a biggie!

Exciting news on the Tim Holtz website this week. Tim has decided to introduce new monthly challenges to replace the 12 Tags of Christmas. I loved the 12 Tags... it got my blog going and was such an exciting time. I am (on reflection) delighted to have the opportunity to make things at a more leisurely pace, but also, to be able to take part in something that enables us to learn more of Tims generously shared new techniques and lets like minded crafters discover each others work and find inspiration in each other.  Thanks as ever Tim xx

To celebrate this new and exciting development, I also decided to try and document my latest project in  a little more detail. This was partly inspired by Tim and partly by  the detailed tutorials that are often produced by my lovely blogging friends Sue and Anita 

Firstly, I took a textured Grungeboard Tag and gave it a covering of Adirondak 'Snow Cap' Acrylic Paint Dabber. I sanded the edges and added a partial coating of Fired Brick Distress Stain and then stamped text using a stunning Rogue Redhead Designs Stamp (Relish Reading) twice. First in Snowcap Paint Dabber and then in London Fog Memento Ink to create a layered effect. Although I am relatively new to using them, I can honestly say that RRD stamps are of amazing quality and quite simply a joy to use. I toned the effect of the white down a little using Spun Sugar Distress Ink. Then, I inked the sanded down edges of the tag with Aged Mahogany Distress Stain.

 

I covered a  Tim Holtz Die Cut Heart with Fired Brick Distress Ink, dried this with a heat gun and then gave it a very liberal coating of Fired Brick Distress Stickles. Once this was dry, I sanded the edges and applied Aged Mahogany Distress Stain to the edges and a little more was applied to the heart itself.

My Grunge Board Cherub was created using my own nail varnish crackle technique. Firstly, I coated it in Snowcap Paint Dabber. Once this was dry, I applied a coating of clear nail polish and again left to dry. Then,  I gave it a liberal coating of Crackle Glaze Nail Polish and had lunch while I waited for it to dry! I covered the Cherub's Bow and Arrow in Platinum Stickles. This turned out quite bright, so I rubbed Aged Mahogany Distress Stain carefully across the Bow and Arrow to age them a little.

 

I absolutely love using this technique... It really does make watching paint dry fun!  I cut out Tim Holtz letters from the Seasonal Stack, distressed and inked the edges with Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany Paint Dabbers and coated with Fired Brick Distress Stickles. I die cut a border from Coredinations Whitewash Card and sanded it down lightly using a Basic Grey file. This was  stuck  down around the outside and lower edges only (so I could tuck the letters in slightly). I added a band of tissue tape to the upper part of the tag and stuck down the different elements.

The yummy jewelled embellishment thingy has been cut from an old pair of jeans bought for a song from a carboot sale at the weekend. It was the fastening at the top of the zipper! I sanded it down and aged it a little and added a large Flatback Pearl to the middle. I am so proud of that little find! Ribbon finished off the tag - done!

At the same carboot sale, I also found something very very special! I am afraid I do not know its original significance (yet!) but immediately, it had a profound meaning for me and really made me happy. One of the very best things about blogging for me has been making friends with 2 people that I am in touch with really regularly - Anita and Sue (there is a link to both of their sites near the beginning of this post) They are both really special. So... finding an old Pin Badge with the flags of both of our countries linked together was brilliant and I knew straight away what I could use it for.

Oh Yes... Quite obvious really!  Using heart shaped pebbles collected (painstakingly) over the years by my daughter and I... I made  a heart shaped 'card free card' for my pals. Ladies, this is for you xx

I am entering this tag  into the February 12 Tags of  2012, here is the link for you:
 12 Tags of 2012 
I am also entering it into the folowing challenges:
 Grungy Monday Challenge   
 Simon says Stamp and Show
Inspiration Emporium - anything goes
Texture - The Stampman
Simon Says Tag It!

12 Tags of Christmas, Tag 12 - Thank you Tim and Mario!

I loved Tim's tag so much that later I am going to buy white tissue and have a go at that flower....and possibly make more tags and add them to this post, but for now, this is it!  I sanded Coredinations Whitewash Card, used Memento ink in London Fog to faintly stamp the text and reindeer/sleigh. I die cut a pretty shape to go on the bottom part of the tag. Sanded and swooshed a 'freehand cut' house shape with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and added a liberal dash of the 2nd best EVER product in the craft world, Rock Candy Stickles (the 1st being Vintage Photo Distress ink) to everything. Finished off with snowflake and stamped girl, Tim Tickets and a sentiment sticker from K&Co

Right now I need to finish knitting a scarf and sew the ends in on another one!

THANK YOU TIM, THANK YOU MARIO, THIS HAS BEEN  ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!. I'm sure lots of people echo this sentiment.  For a new blogger, this was, just the perfect opportunity. I have seen some inspiring blogs, started to make crafty friends and gained  a measure of confidence in my work...most of this is new to me



I craft a lot...I invite anyone to join me on my happy meanderings through blog land, company would be great! I do have a follower button and would adore to meet more of you - thank you so much for your comments - they have thrilled me so much and I appreciate each and every one of them.