Ink Splatter tags

On AFTCM, the latest theme for the October tags is Ink Splatters.

I thought that White glossy paper would work best for this technique so I cut some tag shapes from it.

For the first tag and for the first one I used alcohol inks.

I dropped the inks on the cardstock then used compressed air to blow them around. The can was running out so I didn't achieve the same effect that Tim does when he demonstrates this technique, however, I am happy with it.

Using Rangers Pitch Black archival ink, I stamped the Graphics 45 stamps on the tag. On a scrap piece of cardstock I stamped the PSX sentiment and attached it with double-sided foam tape.

I outlined the edges of the tag with a red marker and attached some foil trim to the top. And of course, added a red reinforcement to the hole and strung some cording through it.

For the second tag, I decided to use the Rangers (Tim Holtz) Distress Stains to create the ink splatters. I just thumped each colour down on the cardstock and they spread nicely.

I stamped the Hero Arts stamp with archival ink then added the Magenta stamp at the bottom using the same ink. I coloured  a piece of scrap cardstock with yellow dye ink, stamped the Hero Arts flower and cut it out. I attached this by the bird with double-sided foam tape.

I outlined the edges with a black marker then added a green metallic reinforcement to the hole and attached the black and silver fibres.

Shabby Chic' Tags

 On AFTCM we did a swap in September with the theme Shabby Chic' with a clay embellishment.

For the first tag I stamped a Hero Arts harlequin stamp on white cardstock with white pigment ink. I coloured over it with Clearsnap Shabby Chic' pigment inks in 3 different colours using a stylus and foam tip.

I punched some flower shapes from scrapbook paper with text on it and glued them together. I added some air dried clay circles to the centres, which I had stamped texture on and coloured with Mica Magic inks.

I outlined the edges with a coordinating coloured marker and attached lace to left-hand side and fibres to the top.

On the second tag I stamped a Penny Black floral stamp in white pigment ink and embossed it with white embossing powder. I coloured over it with the Shabby Chic pigment inks. 

I added a piece of a doily at the bottom and some text scrapbook paper on the right, and coloured them with the pigment inks. I added a string of pearls and some lace. 

I applied some Vintage Photo distress ink around the edges of the tag to add some depth.

The air dried clay piece was coloured with distress paint and attached near the bottom.

Due to a slight mix up on the group, I sent the tags to the wrong person so I made two more tags for the correct partner. 

On the first of the new tags, I coloured the tag with the Shabby Chic pigment inks the Stamp Smoosh technique, and a colorbox stylus and foam tip. 

I stamped the image by Rubber Stampede in Rangers Black archival ink.

Took some Tim Holtz tissue tape, coloured it with the pigment inks and attached it on the lower portion of the tag and added lace above and below it. I glued the clay flower in place with some glue.

I coloured scraps of white cardstock with the pigment inks and punched out a small circle, then punched a hole in the centre. Stamped over this with a text stamp and Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I placed this over the hole at the top of the tag as a reinforcement.

The second tag may actually look more vintage than Shabby Chic, so hope my partner will like it anyway.

I coloured the white tag with the Shabby Chic pigment inks, sandwiched it between two pieces of newsprint to heat set it. Stamped around the tag with a clear Magenta stamp.

I coloured a piece of white lace with Lavendar fluid chalk ink, heat set it the same way as the tag and attached it at the bottom.

I die cut a Memory Box Palace Oval frame, covered it with clear embossing ink and embossed it with Silver embossing powder, added some clear UTEE and let it cool. I went over it with some black acrylic paint then wiped it off.

I printed an image from Elizabeth's blog  and die cut it using the same die. I inserted the picture in the middle of the die-cut and attached it to the tag.

I glued a piece of velvet ribbon over the lace, attached some pearls and the clay piece which I adorned with some little gems. Must admit that the more I look at my "clay piece", I am thinking it might be a UTEE piece, so if it is hope my partner doesn't mind the substitution!!

Tags with UTEE

Been a while since I posted anything as I had a busy couple of months. Recently on AFTCM we did some tags using the same image and UTEE (Ultra thick embossing powder).

I had recenty printed off an image from Elizabeth's blog which really appealed to me and I decided to use them for my tags.

For the first one I colored the background with fluid chalk inks, stamped a floral stamp and Tim Holtz script stamp in a darker colour, then adhered the image to the tag.

I cut out a frame and covered it with white UTEE then sprinkled on platinum UTEE and some queen's gold embossing powder, heated it till it was "liquid" then stamped into it with a Magenta background stamp.

I stamped and embossed the Magenta sentiment then coloured it with fluid chalk inks and buffed it to remove the ink from the embossed area.

 On the second tag I coloured the background with pigment inks then stamped a PSX Maple Leaf stamp in black. Attached a smaller version of the image. It then cut out some Cuttlebug leaf dies and glued three together, added white UTEE on top and a couple of other colours of embossing powder heated it and stamped into it with a maple leaft stamp. Ahered these to the tag with double-sided foam tape.

I cut another piece of cardstock, and again applied white UTEE and sprinkled some Platinum UTEE over it heat it and stamped the Hero Arts sentiment with the dark pigment ink while hot. I attached the screw brads, then adhered it to the tag with double-sided foam tape.

Stains and Dry Embossed Tags

On AFTCM we are doing a swap using some type of stains and dry embossing.

For my first one I dabbed Distress Stains across the page then spritzed some water over them. It did not blend as well as I would have liked but still happy with it. I then ran it through one of the Texture Fades embossing folders (clock faces). Added some script with a Tim Holtz stamp.

 I had a little image from moonlightjourney.com sitting on my desk so I added a page pebble over it and placed on one of the embossed clocks.

I took some grunge board letters and did Tim's technique where you put the Rock Candy Crackle Distress paint on the surface and allow it to dry, then add different colours of stains. I attached them to the tag with some Glossy Accents. I had another stamped piece on my desk from a Magenta (Crafty Individuals) stamp that I liked so I added it to the bottom of the tag.

The second tag was also using Distress Stains with Tim's technique were you apply Picket Fences stain on a mat and add various colours of stains around it then drag the tag through it. For some reason this did not turn out the way it did when I took his Chemistry 101 class, so I am thinking it may be the tag I used, which did not seem to let the colours blend together. However, I am pleased with the end result as it has a bit of a shabby look to the background.

I stamped this tag with a Hero Arts stamp then lined up the matching embossing folder and put it through the embossing machine. I added more colour to some of the flowers with Distress markers, and used a glitter gel pen to colour the centres.

I stamped a Tim Holtz stamp on a piece of scrap paper coloured with the stamps and inserted inside the embossed area. To finish it I added a little butterfly die (which I received from a friend), ran it through an embossing folder and added a piece of wire to simulate the antennas. I used the same gel pen to highlight the embossing on the butterfly.

Fairy Tag

On A Mad Crafters Attic we have added some mixed media swaps, rather than just doing Artist Trading cards. This month is the first swap of this kind and we are doing a fairy or sprite tag.

I had bought some scrapbook paper that has several little jars on it and decided to use one for my tag.

I stamped a Hearts in Touch silhouette fairy stamp on the little jar piece, added some stickles around her to look like fairy dust, and covered the heart with some glossy accents. I cut a butterfly wing and added it to the image. Put this aside to dry, then covered it with a piece of transparency.

I had a piece of cardstock that I had used under a project when spraying it with Dylusions sprays and decided to use part of it as my tag base. I stamped some flourishes on it, then added opals embossing powders in some areas and stamped a star into the hot embossing areas.

I stamped some words from a Diane Reaveley  stamp set, cut them out and adhered them to the tag, along with the little fairy jar. Hope my partner will be happy with it.

Birdcage Tags

On AFTCM I am participating in a tag swap, where we are to make two different tags featuring bird cages.

The first tag was done on glossy cardstock. I stamped a Stampscapes image with  watermark stamp pad and brayered over it with Big N Juicy ink.  Stamped the Crafty Secrets bird cage and the branch and embossed them. I stamped the little birds, cut them out and attached them to the bird cage with double-sided foam tape.

I stamped and embossed the saying then added an additional piece of cardstock at the bottom.

The second tag is the one I did for the Ezee Pzee design team. The little circle had come loose and in my quest for a good glue I used a new one that I had purchased. Unfortunately, I used too much and had set a heavy object on top of the circle for it to dry. Not a good idea as the glue oozed out...great glue but should have been more thrifty with the amount!! Another disaster as when I removed the circle with the glue I also managed to pull of the top of the birdcage.

Since I did not want to redo the whole tag I had to improvise. I used a mini washer for the top of the cage, added the wire back, stuck a paper flower over it and attached the circle again, using jewellery glue this time. Actually I think this is one of those "mistakes being a creative moment" since I think it looks better now.

Witches Hour Torso Tags

I just joined a new group Art for the Creative Mind and have already signed up for a couple of swaps. One of the swaps is where we make two torso shaped tags with the theme Witches Hour i.e. Halloween.

The first one I coloured with Clearsnap fluid chalk inks but it was not intense enough, so I spritzed the top and bottom with Glimmer Mists and went over the centre with some Mica Magic Burnt Orange ink. I stamped the Stampscapes Crooked Limb stamp with the Smokey Gray Versafine ink pad, then I added the images and saying from Vintage Paint Works which were one of the free downloads on their site.

To complete the tag, I added some little confetti stars at the top and some maple leaf punchies at the centre and bottom.

For the second tag, I started by punching out a circle and placing the negative part on the tag, and colored it with some yellow pigment ink then some silver over a portion of it, then added some iridescent violet mica watercolour paint over the same area.

I masked the circle with the punched out piece and using the tonal applicator stamp (Stampscapes), I added colour, starting with Clearsnap's Vivid yellow along the centre up to the top, then Marvy Matchables inks in Salvia Blue, Blue, Pale Violet and Green.

I stamped a Stampscapes fir tree, crooked limb stamp and a cloud stamp with Clearsnap's Coal Black Ancient Page. The Owl image is from Vintage Paint Works. The remaining images are from Dover Publications; (You can sign up and receive free samples each week from them by following the link).

Although I don't normally make any Halloween art, I did enjoy making these two tags.

Inchie Swap

I signed up for an Inchie Swap on CCSwaps. I first thought of making a little notebook but Carol is doing that for her swap so thought I would do something different.

I have a stash of beautiful embossed papers and decided to use them instead of hoarding them. I started by punching circles from the various papers and punched small holes for them to be used as tags.

Two of the white ones I coloured with Twinkling H2O's then sprayed with Glimmer Mists. Another one, I coloured with Fluid Chalks and sprayed with the Glimmer Mists. The other two white ones were coloured with Fluid Chalk inks.

One black piece was coloured with Fresco chalk inks the second with Versamagic inks then sprayed with silver Glimmer Mists.

The final piece is a Pinata~ ink background stamped with a snowflake stamp in gold. Thought this one was appropriate for the little girl that I used on the inchie who looks rather angelic.

The inchies were made from scraps of my homemade background papers and various freebie images. The Dragonfly was a scrap of plumbers tape that I had embossed in the Cuttlebug that I punched then coloured with Adirondack pens.

I may add something to the binder ring that I attached to make it a bit more attractive.

Colour Me!

I joined a swap on CCSwaps where we make an item using our favourite colours. Mine are green and blue  the colours I tend to use the most in my art.

I started with a piece of 100 lb Lunamat cardstock and stamped various images by Tim Holtz and Hearts in touch using Marvy, Distress and Versafine inks. I then stippled over the top with stipple brushes and dye inks.  I then stamped the word stamp by Stampers Anonymious with Ancient Page Coal.

I took two pieces of 130lb card stock and did the "stamp smoosh" technique (mentioned in other posts) with fluid chalk inks. I outlined all the pieces with a marker.

The inside is done with a text-weight lunamat paper and stamped with Tim Holtz stamps in blue and stippled with greenye inks. This insert is two pieces of the paper joined together and scored to make four (4) pockets. The edges are joined with pieces of the lunamat paper stamped coloured and scored to fit the ends and the middle.

I attached a coordinating ribbon to the inside and then attached the panels to the insert.

I took 4 tags and coloured them with dye and distress inks and stamped images on them and placed them in the pockets. I did not add fibres as I thought I would let the recipient choose the  ribbons or fibres for them.

I only scanned one side of the open booklet  as I did not feel like getting out my camera. When fully open the middle is a mountain fold and you can see all four tags in the pockets.

Nesting Tags

We are swapping a set of nesting tags on CC Swaps.

I took a couple of ready made tags and coloured the smallest with the Stamp Smoosh technique which I learned from Cathie Allan . This technique was featured in the September 2005 Scrap & Stamp Arts magazine where Cathie is a regular contributor. The Second tag was done using a technique I found on the Ranger website by Wendy Vecchi  where you put your inks directly on the cardstock, then rub one of the inkpads on a craft sheet, mist it with a mixture of perfect pearls and water,  stamp into the mixture then onto the cardstock. When the tag dried I stamped an image on top.

The third was a tag I cut out from some background paper that I made that was coloured with Clearsnap Fluid Chalks inkpads, overstamped with Alabaster Fluid Chalk, then sprayed with Glimmer Mist.

I placed the tag in my stamp positioner and stamped a Magenta Poppy with with several layers of pigment ink. I outlined each of the tags with a marker.

 I completed the largest tag by cutting a piece of the handmade background paper and stamping a saying (Serindipity Stamps) outlined it and attached it with brads to coordinate with the colours of the poppy. Finally added some fibres. The picture on the right is the three tags "nested" together.

Instant Art

I am participating in a swap hosted by Adrienne on CC Swaps, where we create several pieces of art for embellishments. They consist of decorated tags, altered slide mounts, ATC ( artist trading card) backgrounds, little beauties (embellished backgounds measuring 1.5" x 2") and a printed copyright free images. I have not included the images, as I am still deciding on which one to share.

I really enjoyed making these so I signed up twice for the swap, and this gave me an opportunity to use some items from my "stash".

These are my tags.

I used various techniques and inks, Brilliance, Fluid chalks, Opalites, and dye inks. The one with the woman's image was stamped, then covered with a paper towel coloured with watercolours; the shiny one is covered with candy wrappers. The odd shaped tags in the top row are actually thread holders, and have little cut out peices for the thread, so a person could attach another bellie to them.

Here are my slide mounts:

The first 2 on top are covered with craft paper, the 3rd with a dictionary page painted with Lumiere paints.

The 2nd row : Peeled Paint technique, Opalite inks and Mica Magic stamping, the last is covered with cancelled postage stamps.

The 3rd row: DTP (Direct-to-Paper) with pigment inks, Fluid chalks, and the 3rd one is dtp with distress ink. The final one is coloured with Pearl Ex-press watecolours.

My ATC Backgrounds:

I had several sheets of backgrounds that I had made and so just used some of them for this swap. Again, they are various techniques, wax paper resist, acrylics, Pinata` inks with gold leafing pen, brayered dye inks with H2o's, brayered inks, lumieres, crackled paint, shaving cream technique, Mica Magic resist with Fluid Chalks, and "stamp smooshie-smooshie" with a crackle stamp over it.

Little Beauties

1st row: Webbing spray with a button bellie, Kailedcolor ink covered with black dye ink then stamped with bleach, Dye ink pads directly on glossy cardstock with bellies colored with Pinata`inks, H2o's with a shrink plastic bellie.

2nd row: Brass stencil sprayed with Memory sprays then stencil paste over it coloured with Mica Magic inks, Fluid Chalks applied with Masking tape stamped UTEE bellie, Dye inks and sprayed with bleach and Monoprinting with dye inks.

Last row: Marvy Metallics technique on black glossy, Opalite inks dtp on matte black cardstock overstamped with Mica Magic and Versafine. The bellie is a jewellery finding with a picture inserted.

Recipe Tag Swap

I have not posted for a while as I have been busy with various social activities as well as a lot of other things.

I recently joined a recipe tag swap in the Chunky Book Artists Group and this is what I created.