/* */ Beulah Bee: December 2016

December 31, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - December


I didn't mean to wait so long to complete my final tag of this series and link it to Tim's December post but it's been a busy month.

Each day I would pass by the bulletin board in my bedroom/studio and see the blank spot meant for this month's tag. I considered skipping it but that just wouldn't sit right with me--my track record for completing the monthly tags will not be broken!

So on the last day of the month, last day of the year and at the very last minute, here's number 12.


Happy New Year!

December 21, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - November

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Tim's November tag was a lesson in using Remnant Rubs as a resist and dimensional coloring. As with my original tag and again for this one, my rubs didn't resist in the same way Tim's did. I'm not sure why but think it may have something to do with how absorbent the background paper is.

My background is a little out-of-the-box in that I used a piece of delaminated cardboard (made by soaking it with water then peeling apart the layers). I like how it took the various stains I applied and puddled around the cardboard lines.


I used the white version of Tim's Christmastime Remnant Rubs, filled-in the background with random dots made with a Gelly Roll pen and added some vintage lace and a few seed pearls. The tag borders were hand-stitched with thick white thread after punching the holes on my machine.

I stamped my poinsettia (Penny Black, Christmas Star) on watercolor paper using red archival ink then tinted it and filled in the lines with some glitter paint. To make the flower coordinate more with the rubs I outlined the petal edges in white. The center is a Gumdrop tinted with Butterscotch and Wild Plum alcohol inks.

I have one more tag to go but don't expect to complete it before Christmas Day so with this post, I'm sending you my very best wishes for a safe and peaceful holiday that's full of good cheer!

December 16, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - October

A patchwork collage and Sizzix monster, the remix for Tim's October tag, was too big a reach for duplicating in a Christmas theme, so I went for good old-fashioned vintage.

I pasted a book page on my tag (the right hand side is the original patina), added strips and text from Tim's Tidings paper stash, cut a piece of Festive ephemera into an oval, added a tree cut from some Kaisercraft Frosted paper, and cut and tinted a stamped reindeer (Inkadinkado Christmas Silhouettes).

The oval was enshrined with lots of tiny dots of red glitter.

December 13, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - September


Paint patina and an alcohol ink resist technique was the recipe for Tim's September tag. My intentions were honorable for attempting a Christmas version but when I tried the ink resist technique using glossy paper instead of Yupo it just didn't work.

So my background of various alcohol ink drippings was stenciled over with white paint then a stamped image (Deep Red, December Tree) was pasted in the center and tinted with ink.

I cut numbers from Tim's Christmas Words stamp, outlined them in black and applied tint and glitter. A remnant rub (Christmastime) was used to balance the top along with a Mirrored Star (tinted with alcohol ink).  More bling came from dots of purple Stickles around the borders.


The multicolored background reminds me of those big old-fashioned Christmas light bulbs and how any and all colors can work for this holiday!

December 09, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - August


Gosh, I'm having a hard time sticking to Tim's monthly techniques--it seems unfair to even call this one "August." You may recall that I'm making Christmas versions of his monthly tags and I'm resolved to the fact that I just don't have the stash to pull it off.

Still, it's the inspiration that gets me started and narrows down my choice of materials and I'm always happy for the nudge in a direction I might not have considered before.

This one started with a brayered stain background that didn't work with the stamps I wanted to use so I turned it solid using Seedless Preserves (such a strong color--it will cover up almost anything).

The stamping (Inkadinkado Evergreen Holiday) was done on watercolor paper using Sepia archival ink then tinted with watercolors and Gelly Roll pens.


I cut out the negative spaces so the background would show through then embellished with machine and hand stitching, some Liquid Pearls, Rock Candy Stickles and Lace Trimmings. I felt the lettering needed more contrast so I outlined them with a fine-line marker.

December 06, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - July


Last year, I was able to stick with the same techniques Tim used for my Christmas versions of his monthly tags. This year, not so much. For many of them, he favored using word die-cuts quite a bit and it's difficult to find an appropriate substitute.

So here's what I did instead for this year's July tag (a remix of watercolor resist and layered words).


A book page, Tissue Tape and an oval cut from tissue paper (which was sealed with acrylic medium) were pasted on a tag. The edges were brushed with white paint then I stained the surface with Distress inks and the previous elements resisted the tint.

My angel is a stamp from Inkadinkado (Christmas Silhouettes) which I cut out and embellished with a white Gelly Roll pen, Liquid Pearls and Stickles. A Christmastime Remnant Rub provided the sentiment.

My little angel still seemed a bit plain (especially for Christmas) so I covered her with lots of Clear Rock Candy Distress Stickles. You just can't beat this old favorite for adding the perfect amount of vintage sparkle!

December 02, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - June


Here's my Christmas version of Tim's June tag which, technique-wise was a total miss. I should have read the directions more carefully, ha!

He featured a tissue wrap collage and making a plaid pattern with a stencil. I just copied the overall appearance by simulating a die-cut over a contrasting background.

The pine tree was hand-cut and tinted with Distress stains, I used Simon's Falling Snow stencil with paste medium and there's a bit of glitter glue, stitching and paper-cut text from Kaisercraft (Frosted). The background paper is a dark maroon miniature damask.


If you are wondering about my Distress stain colors, I used a very dilute version of Concord Grape and my Peeled Paint, which has gone-off somehow, has a queer smell and has turned a very bright, almost fluorescent green. I toned down the brightness behind the tree with a wash of Faded Jeans. Frayed Burlap was used around the edges.

I'm linking this one to the Monday Challenge Blog at Simon Says Stamp because this week's theme is O' Christmas Tree.