12 Tags of 2012 Complete!!!!

This one is right on the wire but I was determined to finish my 12th tag in 2012 and I was running one behind as November's tag got away from me.  You know how it as as life goes into fast forward on the run up to the holidays.  I am really hoping that it is not New Year in America yet so I am getting my speedy typing dusted off and here goes for my last two tags and my last blog post for this year.

I wanted my 12th tag to be the January tag to complete my 2012 tag set so I decided as I didn't have the metallic stains that Tim used for his 12th tag to work with the poinsettias that Tim used and then to make a fun shaker tag to match my December tag.  I have used coredinations card stock and I used a time embossing folder that I thought was very apt as we move from this year to next.  I made my poinsettias from the little leaves of the Autumn Gatherings strip die.  They were a little fiddly as all the leaves were individual pieces but I was happily with the overall effect.  It is the first time I have used this die as I do not yet have the long plates to use them properly and every time I think of splashing out on them the price has put me off a bit.  I loved the little pieces which are perfect for embellishing small projects so I think I will get them in the New Year when my finances have recovered - I know you know what I am talking about!!! ;-)

I tie dyed more ribbon to perfectly match my tags colour scheme  using Scattered Straw, Broken China and Dusty Concord distress inks.  I really love this technique for colouring ribbon and have used it time and time again to make the perfect trim to match my projects.

I also discovered as I was using the heat gun to dry a bit of ribbon that if you heat gems they magically turn into cabochons.....how neat is that.  It doesn't take much so be careful not to over do it but it is a nice effect and easy.  I filled my shaker with teeny tiny micro beads and wooden stars and added more gems and sparkle to the tag to hopefully give a bit of party glitz to my New Year celebratory tag.

The final touches were two beautiful hatpins from Prima (sorry Tim!!) and two charms to bring good luck and wisdom in the New Year .......I hope ;-)

Then tag complete here is my catch up November tag to complete my set...

I love the resist technique that Tim used for his November tag although I used distress ink rather than distress stains to create my background.  I did indulge in some distress stains splats - very therapeutic if you are feeling frazzled.  Once again I used the Autumn Gatherings die and more inky paper to cut out lovely Autumnal leaves and acorns.  I used some glassine paper (old purchase not yet opened until today) to make ruffles for the bottom of my tag.  A touch of glossy accents to shine my acorns and another matching prima hatpin with a leaf charm and some leafy green bling to finish my 12 tags of 2012 with less than two hours of this year to go - I am off to see if I made it in Tim land.

Happy New Year all my fellow 12 tag artists.  It has been wonderful seeing what everyone has made of Tim's wonderful inspiration.  I wonder what the New Year will bring from Tim.

A BIG THANK YOU to Tim (if you ever pop this way).  I have loved playing along and exploring new techniques and old.  It really was a really lovely challenge - INSPIRED.

Tag Tuesday - Decorate a Christmas Bauble

The theme of Tag Tuesday this week was right up my street - I love all things Christmas and love to make things to decorate my home and of course my tree.  I have made a quick video of how I made this bauble and it was nice to take a break from all my lists of this and that to do before Tuesday next week!!!

Here is the bauble I am showing you how to make on the video below.

Here is one I made last year in a different colour way.

And if you really like the look of the bauble why not try covering a wreath?  It takes a while but it looks fab.  I made this one last year too and it now takes pride of place on my chimney breast.

One final bauble that can also be made from large punches or dies (my snowflake was a die and the circles were cut with the Cricut).  This one is really easy to make and takes hardly any time at all.  

I, like many others, have lovingly chosen all my Christmas baubles and decorations over the years but there is a moment of pride when the ones I have made are admired as much as the ones I have splashed out on!  I am especially fond of some material baubles that my hubby and my eldest son made many years ago.  I think I may get my youngest started this year!

Hope you like the video!

I just want to say a big THANK YOU and to send a big HUG to my tag swap friends Anni, Barb, Mo, Jane and Jan.  I love receiving your tags and unwrapping them.  How wonderful to hold actual tags in my hands.  Thank you too to Carolyn for arranging the swap it was a lovely bit of Christmas fun.

Wishing everyone at Tag Tuesday a wonderful Christmas (with stockings full of crafty goodies!) and a happy and healthy New Year with time to play!

Merry Christmas X

12 Tags of 2012 - December

I am now only 2 tags behind as I missed November - I can't believe I am falling at the last hurdle.  I am going to try to catch up in between the decorating and the shopping - might help me hold on to my sanity in this the silly season!!!  So here is my December tag for Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2012.....

Snowman Snowing Tag!

I decided to make a video whilst I was making this.  I quite like making these 'fast forward' how to videos as they are quite fun for me to watch back - You see only I know how many times I stopped the video to go to look for something and how many times I had to cut my head out of shot as I leant forward to concentrate!!!  .....and then when I think my video looks super organised and clutter free I have a chuckle to myself as I know the chaos that builds up around me as I work!  Take a look at the video and you will see what I mean ;-)

As usual I do not have all the lovely goodies that Tim uses but that is what makes each and every one of our tags unique and I have loved that about this challenge......oh and of course the encouragement to shop for the odd must have new addition to my stash - Thank you Tim ;-)

So without further ado a quick how I did it video......

Hope you are more organised than me and are enjoying all the festive preparations.  I am decorating my trees tonight - Baubles by OCD tree decorator - poor Callum - he has learned to humour me now ;-)

Tag Tuesday - Keeping Warm!

This was a great day to pick to do this tag as it is freezing outside!  I should be painting the utility but it is so chilly out there (no radiator!!) I decided to stay in my cozy craft room to play!!!  This weeks tag theme is Keeping Warm and I just had to wrap up my tag!  So giving my tag some personality I drew some eyes and then added a paper hat and scarf with fluffy wool trim!!! (relatively quick for me!!!!)

As I was working I realised it would be easy to make this tag completely reversible and so I did.  Side one looks decidedly frosty!!!

And side two is looking much more thawed and cozy!

I am going to have to brave the utility to make a hot cup of chocolate and then I am going to come back here and nip over to Tag Tuesday to see what the team have been up to this week (click on the link if you want to come along).

My son got all excited this morning as the weatherman predicted snow on Sunday.  He is hoping for the snowed in kind and not just a dusting!!!  Have a great weekend and be cozy wherever you are x

WOYWW 182

Hi to all my WOYWW friends - and of course anyone else that happens by this way!  I hope you are all having a wonderful day wherever you are in the world.  I am sharing number 2 desk today as that is where the action has been this week.  I have been videoing like crazy and my You Tube Channel is filling up nicely and I am getting quicker and I hope slicker at making videos!!!  I am having a ball.

This is the view you never get to see on camera!!!!  I hope the view on all my videos looks like calm and organised creativity - This is craft mat exit left, right and up!  Where all the stuff is shoved as it is used and no longer required to be in shot!  Actually the only bit that gets on camera is inside the little bits of tape - The tape shows me I am keeping my hands in shot.  The Graphic 45 paper was there to take a shot of a finished set of tags that I videoed the making of so I can share it once a swap is completed.  A bit of Christmas fun I am joining in with over at Tag Tuesday.  Actually I made another video of this weeks music themed tag - I had such fun doing a fast forward film of how I made it.

What do I do with all my tags?  I was putting them on a wall - some of you may remember it was a very pink wall and they didn't look quite right (too much vivid colour didn't make a great display wall) so all the tags I have lovingly made are now in this bag!!!!  They should be on the wall behind my camera but I just haven't gotten around to it yet!  The xylophone tag on the top of the pile is the one I made the fast forward video I was just telling you about (click here if you want to see it! (10 mins of very fast crafting indeed)).  Once I get the tags displayed I think they will become my inspiration wall.

Some of you may notice my Blog Background has changed - something I learnt how to do this week when I also learnt how to alter the background on my You Tube Channel.  By next WOYWW I may manage to do the top bit of my blog (I think it is a banner or is it a header!!!????)

I am looking forward to catching up with you all over a cup of coffee today.  If you are new around here and wonder what I am talking about then follow this link to join in the biggest desk hop in town - hop this way please!!!

MY ETSY SHOP IS NOW OPEN!

Today is the day I have been working towards for over a year now.  I have learnt much (so much that I am surprised my brain hasn't exploded!) and finally I am putting all that knowledge to the test - so fingers crossed for me.  I feel like I want to add a fanfare to this blog post but there is always something new to learn!!!!

This is the banner for my new shop.

I will be selling templates with photo and video instructions.  As yet the shelves in my shop are a bit bare but I will work hard to fill them.  So today I am announcing the availability of my first project template.  If you follow my blog you may have seen a sneak peek of this project on one of my WOYWW posts.  The lovely comments I received made me choose this as my first item to offer for sale.  Here is a taste of what you can make if you decide to purchase my template and the two video tutorials that accompany it.

As you can see it is a very versatile template that is great fun to make and great fun to give.  I will be releasing more design ideas for using this template over the coming weeks so if you intend to purchase this item (and I am keeping my fingers crossed that you do!!) don't forget to sign up and follow my Blog and my You Tube Channel to make sure you do not miss out on the inspiration.

I hope to add a links page soon (.....again when I learn how to do it!) so that anyone that purchases a template can share their own interpretations and design ideas for using my template.  I can't wait to see what everyone makes.  It is so exciting.

I started this blog at the beginning of the year to keep a track of my progress towards starting my own internet crafting business and almost a year later - TODAY IS THE DAY!

My Blog has introduced me to all the other wonderful folk who blog and craft out there and I have had and am having such fun.  I have met lots of lovely people (virtually!) and thank you for all your kind words of encouragement.  I am definitely going to carry on blogging ('cause I love it!) and hope to still make time to participate in the wonderful challenges I have been playing along with.

So without further ado here is the link to my brand new shop:

TheCraftProjectShop

and here is the link to my relatively new You Tube Channel:

ACraftProject - You Tube Channel

Watch this space.....More coming soon!

WISH ME LUCK!

Tag Tuesday - Music

I was having withdrawal symptoms and needed a tag fix!!!!  I have missed two weeks of Tag Tuesday and that is not like me at all so I must have been busy!!!  I had a lovely play yesterday to make up for it and here is my Music inspired tag.  The idea popped into my head night before last and I have had great fun making it.  My hands were looking very glamourous covered in ink and bits of hot glue strings!!

I decided to leave my video camera running while I made this - a bit of an experiment - not really a tutorial but it gives you an idea of what I got up to yesterday!

A 10 minute recap of an 'almost' all day project!!!!!

I am looking forward to catching up with everyone over at Tag Tuesday and seeing what they have all been making for the past 2 challenges and this one of course.

Then it is put my thinking cap on as I have decided to spend Sunday making my tags for the Christmas Tag swap.........what to do - Note to self: I have to make sure I can get them in an envelope!!!!!!

Hope you are all having a great weekend X