12 Tags for Christmas - September

Perhaps one of the most challenging Tim Holtz tags this year was the one for September mainly because it featured an embossed transparency and I don't own the necessary equipment. While that fact is still true, my Christmas spin does feature a transparency that was laid (bowed) over the top of a paper background embellished with texture paste using the Idea-ology Scribbles stencil.

Click to Enlarge

I attached a stamped image that was cut from vellum to the back of the transparency along with some metallic star confetti then stitched around the edges to secure it to the tag. It looks pretty cool in person (though hard to photograph) and gives the appearance that the angel is hovering over clouds.

A Christmas Remant Rub was attached to the front of the transparency and a bit of Broken China Distress was used to tint the edges of the paste.

12 Tags for Christmas - August

Tim's August tag this year featured a die-cut text background and a Found Relative collage. My Christmas version features a background that was stamped with text and I used an image from his Merriment paper stash.

I was happy to use some vintage postage, Correspondence remnant rubs and Chit-Chat stickers for embellishment. It's hard to believe that five cents was all it took to mail a Christmas card from 1963-1968.

Since the paper tones were rather muted I used a little Fired Brick Distress Ink to emphasize the costumes.

For me, this tag's best features are the soft matte paper textures and the way the photo was cropped to fit the tag.

I'm linking to Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is (no surprise) Holly Jolly Stamping.

12 Tags for Christmas - July

I can't pick a favorite from my 12 Tags for Christmas series (inspired by Tim's monthly tags for 2015) since I haven't made a December version yet but this tag, for the month of July, is a top contender.

Why? I would never in a million years have combined Santa images from three of his Christmas collage stamps in this way but did so to mimic the theme from July which featured three watercolored blueprint stamps. And I think the result is pretty awesome (if I do say so myself ☺).

Using a page from his Merriment paper for a background, the stamped images were embossed and tinted. The number 25 is a cut-out from that same paper line and the cents symbol was covered up with an Ideaology star tinted with alcohol ink (click to see a close-up). 

When it comes to creating flesh tones, I find that a combination of red, yellow and violet works pretty well. And since my watercolor paper is a bit on the heavy side, stitching the images to the tag is a good way to secure them and adds another level of interest.

I can't wait to attach it to a package for my great-nephew who happens to be the biggest Santa fan in the family this year.