The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 12

Hi everyone. Ready yet? As expected things are getting there here and I refuse to get stressed about it all. Sometimes a few time constraints can work wonders with pushing you forward, as has been the case this year with my entries into The Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge, sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Don't feel panicked if you haven't finished just yet (or possibly even started!) The deadline has been extended to January 8th with the addition of a couple of thank you tags to come. You can find all the details HERE.

Linda's twelfth tag was a vision of elegance, dominated by a gold, white and black colour scheme. I followed that scheme to a certain extent with a change of colours for the 'eroded metallics' background.

The stars needed to be on this but I loved what Alison did recently when layering her stencilling and found it worked here with the stars and stripes.

Linda was kind enough to use my idea of adding partial strips of snowflakes so I thought it only fair to add these too.

The wreath is made from Black Magic Coredinations cardstock, embossed, die cut, sanded back and inked to enhance the contrast colour. A few Stickles berries helped to bring it to life a little more.

A seam binding double bow finished the wreath off and of course the sentiment - where would I have been without this stamp set this year?!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing these over the past couple of weeks. I for one am glad the challenge will continue on for a couple of weeks yet as it has been a joy to get so much inspiration from Linda as the challenge has progressed.

I'm not planning to post anything else now before Christmas Day so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support and encouraging messages throughout 2013. It was a year ago that Linda invited me to become part of the Frilly and Funkie challenge team and I still feel beyond lucky to work alongside her and the rest of the team (both past, present and future). The prospect of heading into 2014 is incredibly exciting (and nerve-wracking, with two teenagers taking important exams)  and I plan to continue enjoying the present and embracing the future, whatever happens.

I hope you all have a restful and enjoyable Christmas and wish you a wonderfully creative New Year.

Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Picket Fence	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Stormy Sky	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Weathered Wood	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Bundled Sage	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Iced Spruce	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Paint - Tarnished Brass	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste - White	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Stencil - Yipes Stripes	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencils - Stars	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Holly, Beaded & Snowflake Garland
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The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 10

Hi everyone. Well, I wasn't going to do this just yet. There are a million and one other priorities right now, but with two ideas firmly ensconced in my head it seemed advisable to bring them into reality so I could concentrate on everything else fully. You'll get to see No. 12 when it's dry, so for now here's my card inspired in part by Linda's Tag 10.

The Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge, sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique, has been my annual saviour again in the rush to get cards made for friends and family. For me it's the ideas that are crucial to keep my mojo on the straight and narrow.

I don't have the new Tim Holtz Holly stencil (it's on the list!) but loved the idea of using the diffuser to create a central oval on the card. So I grabbed another manilla tag, gave it a buff with Gathered Twigs, and then used a oval aperture mask to allow for the stamping in the centre. With the ink still wet Perfect Pearls powder was buffed into the lettering, and then it was misted with water to allow the ink/Pearls to wick and smudge a little.

Then I used the diffuser to emboss the outer edges with snowflakes, and blended them with more Gathered Twigs and some Peeled Paint Distress Inks. I don't have that lovely ornate frame either, but added a silvery 'border' to the edges of the oval with some Brushed Pewter Stain.

Linda's tag may have provided the initial inspiration, but with a need to add more red/silver I turned to this awesome card created by my friend Anne. Changing the colour of the Sizzix skating boots was a touch of genius, and it put me in mind of Shelly Hickox' Faux Leather technique. And so, with some thin brown packaging paper, Aged Mahogany Distress Ink and Fired Brick Distress Stain I set to work making some aged red leather. This was then cut to fit and layered over the boots (replete with swirls) using Claudine Helmuth Multi Medium Matte. And with some Venise Lace trim the boots were just perfect for Mrs Claus to don at the most fashionable rinks near the North Pole.

Now, as well as The Funkie Junkie challenge,
I'll be linking this up to Country View Challenges - Bah, humbug! where there is a chance to win a place on
Brenda Brown's upcoming January workshop. If you can get there I HIGHLY recommend this.
Time to get off and cook some tea. Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

25 Jumbo Manila Shipping Tags 8x4" #12	Ranger Tim Holtz Seasonal Distress Ink Pad - Gathered Twigs	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Papillon	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Aged Mahogany	Ranger Perfect Pearls Pigment Powder - Forever Red	Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Embossing Diffuser	Tim Holtz Sixxiz Texture Fades - Snowflurries and Snowman	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peeled Paint	Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Stain - Brushed Pewter	Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Ice Skates Bigz Die
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Fired Brick	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Festive Greenery Die	Claudine Hellmuth Multi Medium Matte	Venise Lace Trim - 1/2 inch wide	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Walnut Stain	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Simple Sayings	Ranger Archival Ink - Vermillion	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink - Watering Can

The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 8

Hi everyone. Back again as promised for my next entry into The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas challenge (generously sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique). This card was inspired by Linda's Tag 8...

At first sight this doesn't look anything like Linda's but there are similarities. The blue background was created using Tammy Tutterow's 'Satin Damask background technique' using Faded Jeans, Picket Fence, clear embossing powder and brown script stamping in the same way. I used The Artistic Stamper Marbled Background stamp rather than go for something overtly festive for a change. I'm going to enter this in The Artistic Stamper Creative Team challenge for December - Anything Goes.

You'll see I did include snowflakes (like the original) including this altered filigree metal one. The script motif continued through too on the central panel courtesy of this Maja Design paper.

Apologies for the quality of these two quality of the next two photos. The skies went dark and miserable as the current storm started to descend and it played havoc with my attempts to get decent shots.

You should still be able to see the die cut banner papers, the embossed strips, and the stamped reindeer.

That's it for now. A few things need doing before I tackle the last two Christmas tags so you'll be pleased to hear you've earned a temporary reprieve from posts. Thank you to everyone kind enough to drop by and leave such lovely comments. I hope you've got a few ideas along the way too.

For now take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

25 Jumbo Manila Shipping Tags 8x4" #12	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Faded Jeans	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Picket Fence	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee	Ranger Perfect Pearls Mists - Biscotti	Maja Design 6x6" Scrapbook Paper Pad - It′s Christmas Time	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Holly, Beaded & Snowflake Garland	Snowflake Filigree Metals	Tim Holtz Sizzix Texture Fades - Damask and Regal Flourishes Set
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Snow Cap Mixative	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Denim Blue	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Stream	Tim Holtz 2pk- Mini Reindeer & 25 Set Sizzix Alterations Movers and Shapers Dies	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Old Paper	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink - Watering Can	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Simple Sayings	Ranger Archival Ink - Vermillion