A Wonderful Life!

As a Design Team Ginger, I have some art posted on today's Gingersnap Creations Challenge: SP6: Once in a Blue Moon Ginspiration.   I'm challenging participants to CASE their Favorite Blogosphere
Find and Make it their Own.

I chose to CASE the very first tag in the Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas.  It was the one thing that called to me the most this past month.

I stuck with my original plan to duplicate my own Victorian house by using Tim's grungeboard haunted house and running it through the embossing machine with the new Tim Holtz Sissex Texture Fades:  Bricked on the bottom and Wood Grain on the top.  I added a weather vane from Tim's Idea-ology metals.  The windows are backed with a piece of thick plastic packaging from Maya Road.  Ranger Distress Inks include Fired Brick, Weathered Wood, Black Soot, and Vintage Photo. I also added a little ColorBox brown.  The chimney smoke is a bit of USArtQuest Dicrofiber.

Several days after Tim posted his first tag, I watched the movie, It's A Wonderful Life.  I had seen bits and pieces of the movie before, but this was the first time I'd seen the entire movie from start to finish.  I now know why it's such a holiday classic!  My creative light bulb went off during one particular scene.  After a run on the Bailey Savings and Loan in which George gives away all of his honeymoon savings to his patrons, his new bride Mary calls him home to dinner.  He doesn't know where home is because she's just acquired a rickety house--a real fixer upper.  He arrives in a pouring rain to his new home and wife. 

I decided then and there that Tag #1 was going to be my artistic version of this scene from the movie.  I added Tim Holtz' umbrella man stamped onto grungepaper, but removed the umbrella, as George has only his hat to protect him from the rain.  I think this is the perfect stamp because of the stock market numbers in the design. A very vintage pipe cleaner candy cane replaces the umbrella.  I was happy to have the bell on it because in the movie, George's daughter states every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.  And we movie fans know all about Clarence earning his wings by helping George.

I love my Martha Stewart fence punch but it wouldn't punch through grungepaper so I used regular black card stock.  I would have preferred something heavier in weight to wrap around the tree.  I cut off the bats and added Green Patina Perfect Pearls to make the wrought iron fence look worn. 

I've been admiring how Lisa Pace uses those bottle brush trees in her projects, so I put one of those in the yard.

Since in the scene it's raining, for my tag background, I used Distress Ink in Broken China, Tumbled Glass, and little Faded Jeans. I embossed my tag with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and highlighted the dots with Distress Ink in Weathered Wood. For grass, I added some of my leftover shelf liner that I had painted with Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in Pearl.

Wikipedia has a public domain photo from the movie which I downloaded and then added the title. I stapled this onto the tag and added a bit of wool trim.

Thanks for visiting and reading about how I made this tag my own.  There are several other challenges by the other Gingers so I hope you'll choose one and play along with us.  You have until January 25, 2011, to make something and link back to Gingersnap Creations.  Ten Ginger Gems will be selected on January 27.

I'm also posting this at
Simon Says Stamp and Show Something from Yesteryear
Vicki Romaine's Challenge #8 Life In Times Past at the Cheerful Stamp Pad sponsored by Unity Stamps

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my crafty cyberfriends!
two images from the Graphics Fairy; Tim Holtz ornament fragment; Bo Bunny pp.
I'm also entering this card in Vicki's challenge at the Cheerful Stamp Pad ( a creation depicting the true reason for the season): Oh Holy Night

"Angels May Have Gathered..."

A Blessed Holiday Season to All!
A little something I made last year.  The base is dry wall compound with stamped imprints.

Mommy and Me

I managed to get a layout done tonight.  This is for my Pages In Time design team work.  I also am entering this in this week's Shabby Tea Room Challenge: Week 41 Scandinavian Christmas where I was inspired by the red snowflakes.

I can't remember when I did one last--seems like I've only been making tags lately.  I dug into my stash, and everything on this page is at least a year old (except for the red snowflakes).  The Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses papers and matching felt woolies were a gift from dd1 so I used them with a photo of her first real experience in snow. (dh pulled the sled and then took our picture.) I adapted the circle in the sketch by using my new tumbled glass Distress ink on a white paper doily.  The image is from a Red Lead collage sheet.
Our Design Team member Charlotte provided us with this gorgeous Thursday Pages In Time sketch.

 For all the current members of Pages In Time,you can find the sketch in the Thursday sketch group under the proper date discussion, and for all you who are not a member of Pages In Time you will need to join the site, and then jump over to the Pages in Time Thursday group, you can find this under the groups header. Find the discussion with the current dated sketch and upload your take on the sketch there. Karen will upload all takes on that weeks sketch to her blog and by uploading your take on the sketch you will be entered in a drawing for a RAK to be given by Karen. Don't forget to stop by the Pages In Time blog and leave some love for the rest of the participants. I hope you play along and have a wonderful time exploring our site!!!!

Shh It's a Secret Tag Reveal

As moderator of the Pages In Time Tags and Things Group, I challenged the group members to use a set of supplies to create a tag.  Today is the reveal, and I'm so impressed with the creative use of some simple supplies.  Each tag is completely different. Here is my take on my own challenge.

First I painted the shelf liner with Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in pearl and then pressed it onto the tag.  It looks like shiny snow and you can see the pattern of the shelf liner if you look closely.  I then cut up the same shelf liner along the ridge so that it looked like lace and added it to the bottom and used it for a ribbon at the top.  On the bottom half of the tag I also added Rock Candy Crackle topped with glitter.
My personal addition is the image from Red Lead Paperworks collage sheet which I coated with glitter.  I added some Stickles to the snowflake and the runners of the sled.  I distressed and altered the color of the ticket to match my Distress Ink . I edged the tag with Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in Gold.

The original supplies were the tag, shelf liner, ribbon trim, Jolly label, snowflake, and ticket.

The 12th Tag on Twelve-12

I finally made another tag under the tutelage of the master Tim Holtz for his annual 12 Tags of Christmas.  I went straight to the end and created today's Tag 12. 

 

What's similar:  I used a patterned paper for the tag, mine is from Graphic 45.  I used a calendar, but from Jenni Bowlin.  I used a cut out ornament--this one a Basic Gray chipboard.  I was so pleased with myself when I saw the great results of the inked and Rock Candy crackled ornament.  It was only when I went to attach the metal hook, that I realized the BG different design included the hook so I had to go back and add a layer of silver stickles on the top. That meant more drying time! I found a couple of metal corners to add as displayed on Tim's tag as well as the evergreen trim.  Sometimes there's comfort in not straying too far from the original, unlike the other Tim tag I made where I created my own theme.

Since this is a technique learning experience, I followed the directions and used the same inks and distressing as Tim suggested. 

BRRRRR Glittery Snow Birds

The Great White North is the December Theme at Gingersnap Creations, and today starts a new supply challenge: glitter.  If you'd like to play along, you have until January 9 to link your creation to Gingersnap Creations.

For my Ginger Design Team glitter project, I knew immediately that I wanted to use the torn napkin technique I learned at the Art Quest 2010 Technique Tour.  I knew I wanted a winter theme because I also was using the design for a holiday ATC swap that I'm hosting in my Tags and Things Group at Pages In Time.  I found the perfect napkins by Gibson at my local Jeffrey Alans store.  Not only are they 3-ply (which you need for this technique) but also each napkin had six panels of the 2 bird images.  I really needed only one napkin, then, for my project.  I get to use the rest in my dining room.  YAY! 

I came home from the Art Quest 2010 Technique Tour with a boat load of product and an incredible number of kits that we used during the workshop.  We learned so many techniques that my head was spinning when I left.  Speaking of my head, thanks to my EWV blog buddy Lori, I came home wearing a little extra hair product.  Let's just say, never bend down to pick up your paper that just fell on the floor when Lori is sitting across from you trying to squeeze out a shot of glue! LOL!!!  Back to the number of kits:  I used some card paper and a mica chip corner that I found in one of the kit bags to complete this card.  Thank you Art Quest!  The sentiment is from Hobby Lobby.

I started by mixing acrylic and glaze to paint my canvas ATCs.  Then I glued on the torn  napkins sections and
and sprinkled the ATCs with Crystal Effects.

For the ATCs, I added a feather from a pack I purchased at JoAnn Fabrics and some gems.  I stuck to the basic ATC rules of composition: background, image, embellishments --using only a minimum of embellishments so as not to cover this great image on the napkin and the added glitter.  I have to make 5 all together.

I'm also entering this in the Tuesday Taggers Deck the Halls challenge.
It's supposed to feel like zero degrees this weekend. So bundle up and stay warm!

A Little Holiday Treat

A fun and festive way to use up some scraps with your basic supplies.  I got this idea from my friends at Prairie Art Stamps.  These types of decorated treats are often found at their store celebrations/open houses.  I started with the stamp and then decided I liked the punched snowflake better.  But the two together make a nice display.  I'm going to hand these out at work---just a nice little treat to find on your desk.

St. Nicholas Day: December 6

Did you find sweet treats or coins in your shoes this morning?

This is a special project for the Design Team Gingers at Gingersnap Creations.  We were challenged to create something for St. Nicholas Day.  I hope you click on the link to visit the post where you can read more about St. Nicholas and view the other Gingers' art created for today.

Nikolaos of Myra was a saint and Greek Bishop who performed many miracles during his lifetime (270 A.D. - Dec. 6, 347 A.D.)  He was the role model for the modern day Santa Claus.  Many around the world leave their shoes outside their bedroom doors on the night of December 5, hoping to wake up on December 6th to shoes filled with treats.

He is the patron saint of many, including children and sailors.The Graphics Fairy had the perfect image for this. I incorporated this very old Woolson Spice Co. advertising card, showing Santa hanging stockings on the moon and looking at an ocean scene below. I found it here on a blog post from The Graphics Fairy .

Wikipedia provided some details to help with my art interpretation.

roses: it is said the relics of St. Nicholas exude manna (or myrrh) which smells like rose water believed by the faithful to contain the power of miracles

If in the recesses of your mind you're thinking there's something familiar about this tag----it's because it's Tim Holtz' Tag #4.  You have your Santa, pearls, and fragment.  However, if you also are a member of the Everything Wendy Vecchi group, then you see something else that's familiar.  Our EWV group has been challenged to make Tim's tags Wendy style.  I have a trifecta here:  GC design team project, Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas tag #4 design, and EWV Wendy-style tag.  

Wendy is all about flowers.  Most famous is her grungepaper rose.  This rose is a perfect symbol for St. Nicholas' rose scented myrrh.  So first on the agenda was a rose stamped and then distressed with Broken China ink.  The leaves are distressed with Shabby Shutters ink.  I inked the tag with Spiced Marmalade and Vintage Photo distress inks.  On the tag, I had to fill in above and below the GF image, so I used Wendy's Merry Christmas background stamp on top, stamped in Broken China distress ink, to match the color of the sky in the graphic.  On the bottom, I used Wendy's scallop stamp stamped in Faded Jeans distress ink to match the water (for a few extra waves).  I stamped that on a scrap of another tag, then cut it to fit perfectly across.  Wendy uses Stickles.  I used Frosted Lace on the icicles and Rock Candy on the white caps in the water.  I used one of Tim's fragment ornaments and a second printed image to capture the ship.  I read somewhere that St. Nicholas rescued sailors from a capsized boat.  So up they go to hang on the moon with the stockings.  (kinda like a ship in a bottle) I topped the ornament with a bit of foil scrap (my version of Wendy's use of metal embellishments).  I couldn't believe that I didn't have the believe stamp!.  But I found a couple of stickers in the new Websters Pages Holiday pack.  So there you have it..  A design team challenge, inspiration from Tim, and Wendy's stamps = one St. Nicholas tag.

And it can't get much better than this because I can also enter my tag in:
Tuesday Taggers challenge: Jolly Old St. Nick.  I was fortunate to recently have won their drawing and got some scrummy stamps from the Craft Barn as well as a spot on their blog as a guest designer.
And I'll post this in the Graphics Fairy Brag Monday blog since I couldn't have made this tag without her image.

Holiday Tag

The Design Team started a new term on December 1st.  Like a comfy old chair and a cozy pair of house slippers, Pages In Time is a perfect fit for me.  So, of course, I agreed to stay on for another 6 months.
We welcomed five new incredibly talented women to our awesome design team....Carrie Taylor, Starr L Timmons, Sandi McClean, Shawn(mycupoftea), and Charlotte( Suepup). Please visit their personal blogs on my left sidebar and congratulate them!

The new term also means a new Design Team logo from Karen (PIT founder).  She decided to go steampunk. I chose one of the two possibilities and created a DT badge which I posted on my left sidebar.  Click on it, and it magically transports you to Pages In Time.  Next, Karen has asked each Design Team member to create something with one of steampunk images, so my creation will be posted here in the near future.

At Pages In Time, I'm continuing to moderate my Tags and Things group.  The November/December themed ATCs are rolling in now for me to swap out and return to participants.  We're also following along with Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of Christmas tutorials.  Karen is offering a prize to one lucky participant in our Tags group who completes all 12 tags.  The prize will be by random draw so everyone has an equal chance of winning!  If you're making the 12 tags, why don't you join us at Pages In Time?  We just completed our tag mingle.  Here's the tag that I made to mail out:

 

I used the Nutcracker theme challenge from the What Do You Ink? group at Pages In Time.  I found this beautiful digital image of Clara at McMahon 5 Designs.  After coloring her with my Copics and cutting her out, I used foam adhesives to place her on a tag I made from Making Memories Mistletoe music paper (the green ink is glittery) .  I used some Shabby Shutters Distress ink on the tag.Various trims in my stash filled in the tag.  On top are Making Memories holly leaves and berry brad.  The 25 is a Graphics 45 tag mounted on a cardboard inchie.

I'M ALSO ENTERING THIS TAG IN THE SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE.

The first of the month also means a new Pages In Time kit which you can get through the website.  This is such a beautifully coordinated kit and add-ons for the month of December:

And here's this week's Thursday sketch. There's a direct link on my left sidebar to the PIT Thursday sketches.

I've Been Caught Red Handed !

I'm this week's Rogue on the Run, having been caught  redhead-handed using my new RRD stamp plate, Relish Reading. Today my card is featured on the web site Rogue Redhead Designs.

I was caught on November 15-- if you care to scroll down to that post for all the details.  It's just two posts down as I've been MIA for a couple of weeks, mini vacation, Thanksgiving family reunion, needing to replace the router for my computer, etc.  I'm back now, ready to roll out some holiday inspired art.



I really like this Relish Reading stamp plate and plan to make some bookmarks and mini gifts with it.  I've been inspired by the many wonderful examples at the RRD site so I hope you visit there.

I've also posted my card up above as the background skin on my Playlist.  Yes, I figured out how to do that! It's not perfect as the dimensions don't match the screen so I'll post something new up there in a few days. But for now, I like to think she's thinking about the lyrics to the song I'm playing. (That would have been Grown Up Christmas List at the time of this post.) And I changed my blog background to have a new look for December (that part was easy thanks to Itkupilli who provides amazing free backgrounds for bloggers). 

I'd love for you to come back tomorrow for more news and some new art.