The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 7

Hi everyone and welcome. Another day, another card. As we belt along towards 'the big day' at an alarming rate of knots you've got to wonder who it stealing time again. Mind you, having Linda's inspiration there to help finish those (last minute) Christmas cards is a blessing. Like so many of you out there I've been working through The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas challenge, sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and today it's the turn of Tag 7 to provide the starting point for my card.

This is one I really struggled with initially, and yet when it was finished it became my favourite so far.

Following Linda's background recipe I debossed the snowflakes on a manilla tag using Vintage Photo and misted with Biscotti Perfect Pearls. Then I needed to add some white. Rather than use embossing powder I reached for my Dylusions White Linen spray (note to self - NEVER run out of this!) After flicking a little on it seemed to need more, so I used the 'Tim Holtz chalkboard' technique on it and gave the whole thing an even more snowy feel.

Snow, ice... with that theme in my head I thought about the gorgeous card I received from Anne (HERE). Skating boots seemed a perfect accompaniment and as Anne had been kind enough to cut me some I went to town on them.

Picket Fence and Brushed Pewter Distress Stain and some Vintage Photo Distress Ink and they looked pretty good. Adding some dyed seam binding laces and a floral garland (including some Distress Glitter like Linda's original) finished them off perfectly. What a difference some die cuts make.

That's it for today. Tomorrow it's the turn of my version of Tag 8 (nearly caught up now).

Thank you for dropping by and for all those lovely comments you've been leaving.

Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

25 Jumbo Manila Shipping Tags 8x4" #12	Tim Holtz Sixxiz Texture Fades - Snowflurries and Snowman	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Dyan Reaveley′s Dylusions Ink Spray - White Linen	Ranger Embossing Antiquities - Frosted Crystal	Mini Toy Soldier and Ice Skate Set- Sizzix Alterations Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die by Tim Holtz	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Picket Fence White	Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Stain - Brushed Pewter	Rayon Seam Binding	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Festive Greenery Die
Tim Holtz Distress Glitter Tarnished Brass	Venise Lace Trim - 1 Inch	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Bundled Sage	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Fired Brick	Cotton Crinoline	Sizzix Alterations - Mini Pine Tree & Holly Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die by Tim Holtz	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Simple Sayings	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Paint - Tarnished Brass	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink - Watering Can	Maja Design 6x6" Scrapbook Paper Pad - It′s Christmas Time

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland...

Hi everyone and welcome. Tonight I'm giving you a night off seeing my '12 Tags' inspired cards (even though there's another one done!) and as promised am going to share my final entry to Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of 2013 challenge, the December tag challenge. And it's not a tag - that's not a surprise, but it's not a card either! You may want to grab a mug of hot chocolate and settle down as this is photo heavy, simply because there's so much of it. The upside is I won't be waffling much. So here it is...

You may have seen my little house before HERE. It includes stencilling with Distress Glitters, patina'd tinsel and chalkboard windows.

Well now it has somewhere to sit.

At the bottom of the garden is a skating pond.

And here are some of the Clearly for Art/Frosted Film poinsettias, resplendent with paint splatters and Stickles centres.

They sit on a bed of foliage (holly and mini pine trees).

Use the same method for the skating pond, inking with Cornflower Blue Archival Ink and sitting it on a base of Stormy Sky Distress Paint.

The snow uses Wendy Vecchi's idea of mixing her white embossing paste with Rock Candy Distress Glitter, and if you overlap it with the edge of the pond it looks even more realistic.

A huge thank you to my wonderful friend Anne for the ice skates, a pair of which have been carelessly abandoned by the previous occupant.

The Idea-ology woodlands trees have been sprayed with Dirty Martini Dylusions, inked at the base with Coffee Archival Ink and finished with a coat of Peeled Paint Distress Glitter.

Let's progress up the snow covered garden towards the house...

where we see a snowman and tinsel covered tree awaits...

turning to take one last glance back down to the pond.

The decorated tree has more of that patina'd tinsel to match the bouquet on the roof.

The snowman is just a couple of polystyrene balls covered in more paste snow and trimmed according to tradition.

And here's the house in all its glory.

More poinsettias have been planted around the house.

I love the way they look against the glittered brick wall.

Remind me to invest in a hot glue gun next time - Glossy Accents will do the job but takes quite a while to dry.

This is now going to grace the mantle piece over the festive season and a few treats may just get hidden inside the house.

And that's it for Tim's tags for 2013. Haven't we learned so many things along the way.

Having spent so much time on this I'm entering this into;

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2013 - December Tag

Anything But A Card challenges - Anything Goes with a Holiday Twist

Country View Challenges - Bah, humbug!

I'll be back tomorrow with the next card for The Funkie Junkie's challenge,

but for now take care of yourselves. Jenny xxx

The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 11

Hi everyone. The catching up is progressing well. Just four (plus the bonus two) to go when Linda releases the design for Tag 12 tomorrow. If you are wondering what on earth I'm going on about it's The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas challenge, sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique. This is becoming something of an annual tradition, and even though it's now mid-December there is still time to join in - the deadline has been extended to January 8th 2014, so what are you waiting for!

Here's my version of Linda's Tag 11...

I love the colours on Linda's original and took the white/brown/blue/green combo on board for this card. For me the transition from blue to green worked well as an 'ombre' effect. From dark to light blue, then light green to dark, it stills amazes me that you don't need to change your blending pad to hold on to the true colours when using Distress Inks.

This graduated colour palette looked even better when over-stamped with script in a similar way to Linda's tag. I forgot to mention that the starting point on this was heat embossed white snowflakes, again a nod to the original.

The snowflake border looked so good it had to be included, but rather than attempt a poor replica of the original (due to the lack of Broken China Distress Glitter) I opted for the white glittery version. It complimented the embossing and contrasted with the inky background.

This panel started life as a jumbo manilla tag and needed cutting down, leaving me with a spare piece of background. Never one to waste a scrap I added more ink (Pine Needles seemed appropriate) and die cut it into trees before adding Rock Candy glitter.

After including snowflake border strips I wanted to add a deer (like the original) but didn't want to overdo the glitter. Cue Sticky Back Canvas which is great for inking. A final sentiment and it was done.

Not sure where tomorrow will take me creatively. I have an order for around 40 cards just come in,  an engagement to do, a few more smaller Christmas cards for neighbours and any number of DT projects (if I want to be sensible and get ahead).

However, there is the small matter of Tim's December tag - I have gone mad this time and after much faffing it's finished. Would you like to see it?

Have a great week everyone and take care of yourselves,

Jenny xxx

25 Jumbo Manila Shipping Tags 8x4" #12	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Faded Jeans	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Stormy Sky	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Weathered Wood	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Bundled Sage	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peeled Paint	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Pine Needles	Sizzix Alterations - Mini Pine Tree & Holly Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die by Tim Holtz	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Holly, Beaded & Snowflake Garland	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz On the Edge Snow Flurries Die
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Picket Fence	Tim Holtz Distress Glitter Clear Rock Candy	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Papillon	Tim Holtz 2pk- Mini Reindeer & 25 Set Sizzix Alterations Movers and Shapers Dies	Claudine Hellmuth Studio Sticky-Back Canvas - Natural	Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Simple Sayings