Queen Bee

This is a tongue-in-cheek entry for the Monday blog challenge at SSS. This week's theme is "in the family" and mine happens to be royal.

The tag was made from a scrapbook paper collection by Authentique called Classique Pretty, a bit of Tim's Wallflower paper stash (top), and a frame from Tim's Industrious stickers which I distressed a bit by sanding and painting.

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The background in the frame was stamped and embossed (Hero Arts Lace Flower Cluster) then I applied an image transfer of the Queen and her accoutrements. I tinted here and there with distress ink and paint and dirtied up the inside edge of the frame with pencil rubbings. I intentionally offset the frame but, in hind-sight, should probably have centered it instead. It also needs a ribbon topper which I didn't add because then I'd have to photograph it instead of using my flat bed scanner.

I really need to buy a camera and take some photography lessons!

Cultivate

I've made a lot of nature-inspired tags lately so why stop now? Prompted by this week's SSS Monday blog challenge "family" theme, I found this excellent photo from my great aunt's collection.

I don't know their names but my relatives lived on a farm in Nebraska and I think it's fun that all the boys are barefoot and wearing bib overalls. In the original photo they were standing on a front porch.

With stalks of corn and advice taken from a gardening manual, this tag was made by creating a background with distress inks, cutting and pasting a copy of the photo, drawing and painting the plants, and hand-lettering the text.

Mariquinha

The image of this lovely lady, Mariquinha Junqueira, was found here and was my inspiration for creating a tag to link-up to the Tim Holtz blog.

His monthly tag for August has challenged participants to create something that showcases our own personal muse and reminds us that each of our artistic voices is unique and we must embrace it.

He also shared some great techniques including a personal favorite which is taking advantage of the resist quality of his tissue tape to retain white space.

My technique was similar to his--I used tissue tape, distress stains and Tim's burlap stencil with texture medium. The house (LaBlanche) was stamped on to deli paper which also has a resist quality. A bit of colored pencil was used to create a shadow under Mariquinha's dress to ground her to the page (keeps the image from looking like she's floating).

I love finding images that inspire me and then trying to place them in a composition using stamps and other collage elements. I created this tag for the pure joy of it and give thanks to Tim for a great suggestion and for time well spent.