No. 10 for Christmas, 2022

Today, I'm sharing a nature-themed Christmas tag made with a fussy-cut bird from a Graphic 45 paper collection, mounted inside a handmade box lined with Christmas/Noel collage paper, and a piece of Tim Holtz Christmas ephemera.

The background was embossed with a Texture Fade, there's lots of Stickles, a bit of gold paint, a tiny scrap of muslin and a vintage button. I just don't do bows well so to balance the top I created a tiny paper scroll.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

No. 9 for Christmas, 2022

For this tag, I created a landscape with watercolors using a few stamps. I was mindful of my color choices (and their intensity) in order to create a sense of depth and realism for these somewhat contrary subjects. A general rule of thumb: Keep your colors dark and bright in the foreground, light and dull in the back.

I like to use hot press watercolor paper because the smooth surface makes the stamped images crisper. I trimmed the border with platinum Stickles and used Stampendous Clear Snow glitter on the branches and berries. The text and snowflakes are Remnant Rubs.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

No. 8 for Christmas, 2022

I wanted to make a Christmas tag inspired by a favorite artist, Wendy Addison, who puts on a special sale/show every year at Christmas. She uses paper rosettes in a lot of her work and that was my starting point along with a plan to use lots of glitter. ☺

I used vintage book paper and ephemera along with die-cut pieces (Carta Bella) covered with silver Stickles and dots made with off-white Scribbles.

I'm linking up to Simon's Monday challenge for this week's "Tag" theme.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

No. 7 for Christmas, 2022

 

Yes, it's another Christmas tag (I'm on a roll this year) and it features a vintage Santa figure from a Tim Holtz Christmas ephemera release.

I began with a scrapbook paper from Stamperia (Christmas Patchwork) and applied a clear embossed stencil layer (Holiday Script) to act as a resist for some Distress ink tinting. I ironed-off the embossing (see technique here) to keep the background smooth so I could use a tree stencil (Clear Scraps Pine Trees) over the top.

I used a pencil to trace the stencil outline then a brush to fill it in with white paint. The dried brush strokes provided some texture made more visible when I used inks for tinting.

Santa was pasted on next then a border was added using Simon's Tiny Dots stencil and texture paste. Final touches include a Remnant Rub and Stickles.

I'm linking up to Simon's Monday challenge for this week's "Tag" theme.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

No. 6 for Christmas, 2022

I used a Found Relative, a stamp (Mundo Holly, Ellen Hutson), printed tissue paper, scrapbook paper, a Remnant Rub, and glitter glues to make this tag.

I'm linking up to Simon's Monday challenge for this week's "Tag" theme.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

No. 5 for Christmas, 2022

I inherited multiple copies of professional portrait photographs of my great aunts and their relatives/friends (circa 1900-1940) mounted inside thick, tri-fold paper folders. Since I don't need to save, for example, ten copies of a graduation portrait of the same person, I recycle the folders to use in my artwork. That's what makes up the foundations for this tag.

It features a die-cut pattern of poinsettias (Tim Holtz) that were filled-in with Stickles along with a Christmas Collage Paper covering. I used a laser-printed vintage photo mounted inside an old Idea-ology sticker frame antiqued with paint and Liquid Pearls. The numerals were cut from scrapbook paper and covered with Stickles.

I'll share a tip for anyone who doesn't like the unavoidable shedding of glitter--just cover it with a layer of clear medium to seal it. And if you use a matt finish it creates a more subtle, vintage appearance.

I'm linking this one up to Simon's Monday challenge, this week's theme is Holiday Cheer.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

No. 4 for Christmas, 2022

I took inspiration for this tag from the cover of a vintage magazine (see it here). I traced the ornament design on watercolor paper and tinted it. I messed-up the background so I had to cut it out instead. It was pasted on Tim Holtz Christmas papers and embellished with Stickles.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.