Wednesday, December 29, 2010

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

24 comments:

Gerrie Johnnic said...

Oh, picking up jaw from floor....this is just to die for! I luv your case, so much...I might have to case your case! What a "wonderful" idea, each and every little touch. xxoo

Terry said...

This tag is absolutely incredible!!! You have Mr. Umbrella guy holding a candycane which is brilliant. Love the yard you created and even added a Christmas tree! A master piece and then some! Love this!!! Happy New Year!

SusanK said...

Love your interpretation of the movie on this tag!

Lynn Stevens said...

ohhhhh Love that you cased Tims tag and made it your own! Its A Wonderful life is a classic and a great idea for your tag!

PetraB said...

A wonderful and inspirational interpretation of Tim's tag. Love the idea behind the creation.

Vicki Romaine said...

I love your tag and the story behind it. You really put in a lot of work on this one and it really shows. Thanks for joining the challenge at The Cheerful Stamp Pad.

Anonymous said...

Love what you did with this tag!

Lori said...

Awesome work with this one! Love the house, and brolley man standing next to it is just spectacular!

Michele said...

so creative and beautiful Helene! awesome. xo

Sandi McLean said...

I adore every little bit on this tag! For a first timer "all the way through" you have nailed the movie, the time, the nuances - everything. I am like a previous commenter - I want to case you!

michele hileman said...

That is really awesome. I love things of yesterday...

http://michelesscrappyworld.blogspot.com

Lynne Moncrieff said...

I not only love the art, I love the story behind your creation. This is one of my favourite films and amazed at how you were inspired by particular scenes from this movie. Simply Wonderful. Wishing you all the very best for 2011. May all your dreams come true. Lynne M x

Linda M. Cain said...

Now this is extremely COOL! Fantastic idea!

Linda

Netty said...

I love your interpretation of the Tim Holtz design Its a Wonderful Life, the all time Christmas favourite film. Happy New Year. Annette x

Anonymous said...

Stunning - I just love the tree. xx

Outi said...

Very interesting to read the whole story behind your tag. Just love it!

Hugs, Outi

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Oh, this is just the coolest tag ever. I love art with a meaning behind it and think it's awesome the way you shaped it around the "It's a Wonderful Life" theme with all the subtle details you have included. And your Victorian house is sensational! So happy you could join in the fun with us this week at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

scrappygal said...

Wonderful work! Love it!

Terry said...

I think all my comments aren't posting, because I know I left one here! I just popped by to take another look at this gorgeous tag! Just adore this one!

BarbaraW said...

What a wonderful version the TH tag. Love how you adapted the house. Awesome job. Thanks for joining the challenge at The Cheerful Stamp Pad.

Candy C said...

Very interesting and beautiful tag. You do lovely work and welcome to ATT! I noticed you're a newbie! I am fairly new there, too!

penny4thoughts said...

What an excellent CASE Helene! I love your take on the tag and it's such a good idea for a challenge :-)

BarbaraW said...

Fabulous tag. Love your story about it.Thanks for joining the challenge at the Cheerful Stamp Pad.

JP Card Crazy said...

Love the tag and the lay out. The use of the candy cane is great!

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