Yes! Needles ARE leaves!!

So it seems a day in Blogland is a lifetime in real time! Just when you think you are up to date checking out what others have been up to, you go to sleep for a few hours (and I do mean a few - I'm no golf fan but the end of the Ryder cup was way too exciting to leave:) and wake to tons of new stuff! Although a little daunting it can also be exciting, especially at the beginning of the month when lots of new challneges are set.

Truth be told I had lots of fun with my latest tag so it fit three challenges (in no particular order) as a result;

First up, The Artistic Stamper Creative Team October Challenge - The Natural World sponsored by The Artistic Stamper (brought up the rear last month and got to the front of the queue this time! Yay!)

Next, Simon Says Stamp and Show - Leaf'spiration sponsored by Simon Says Stamp

And last, but definitely by no means least, Sunday Stampers challenge - Happy Heart.

Linda Coughlin's Christmas tag challenge has seriously got me in the Xmas mood (yep, out of denial finally!) I plan to use all my tags on the front of cards this year - so a lot need to be completed. I find tags a useful way for trying things out, especially for backgrounds, and in this case was inspired by Anita Houston to have another go at Tim Holtz's alcohol resist technique (which has always failed dismally in the past for me). To get it to work properly finally really made me a happy bunny:)

The background used Oregano Ranger Alcohol Ink, Black Archival Ink (behind and on top of the acetate) and Ranger Glue n Seal to protect the acetate and make it matte.

The twine and ribbon are all from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and the papers are Basic Grey Jovial (a bit of a theme throughout these tags).

The stamps are part of a Christmas set from Creative Expressions, and the holly leaves were sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer Mist - Golden Mint. Oh, and the final touch - yep, those are real pine needles to match the background stamping collected by my own fair hand on a recent dog walk:)

Now just in case anyone was wondering, pine needles are also classed as leaves, honest! Needles, the adult leaves, which are green (photosynthetic), bundled in clusters (fascicles) of 1–6, commonly 2–5, needles together, each fascicle produced from a small bud on a dwarf shoot in the axil of a scale leaf. A pretty tag and a spot of education, what more could you want? Hopefully to get crafty yourselves and take a trip around Blogland using the numerous links above to collect even more inspiration.

Happy crafting, hugs Buttons x