I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Friday 6 June 2014

Embrace Imperfection





Hello all!  I'm so happy you dropped in.

It's a bonus Tag Friday over at A Vintage Journey today... do hop over and see all the fabulous tags my lovely team-mates have been creating, as well as the Winner and Pinworthies from Anne's All About Him challenge. 

But, before you go, here's my offering for the day.

I used one of the backgrounds created for my Destination Inspiration tutorial at A Vintage Journey earlier this week - so you can pop over there to see how this tag started out.

A major element in that post was embracing things that don't go according to plan, so I carried on with that theme.




The fourth tag created had beautiful delicate outlines from the stencil.  

But it had so little Distress Paint that it almost disappeared under the inking, which seemed a shame.






I decided to use it anyway - and was delighted to find that, with the darker Walnut Stain inking, the Distress Paint resist suddenly came to the fore again, giving a great extra textural effect around the edges.










Working on the theme of imperfection, I stamped the beautiful ornate script from Tim's Typography set, and then added lots of ink blot stamping all over it, using a Visible Image stamp set of splatters and blots.












The ink is all coming out of the ink bottle, obviously...

I stamped it first on some acetate packaging in a mixture of Forest and Olive Staz-On inks, and then again in Cobalt and Jet Black Archival onto some Specialty Stamping Paper.











I cut and glued the label onto my acetate version, and then used the heat tool to shape the curve of the "glass" over a paint bottle.














I stamped the gorgeous large feather from Bird Feather onto the quill die-cut to get some extra featheriness, and mounted it on padded tape so that the nib is right over one of the blots.











I used some leftover mirror card (you'll see what it's leftover from when I get to the dollshouse posts next week) with the Frameworks Trellis die, and positioned them around the tag.














If you look into them directly, you get to see your own imperfections... also worth embracing!











The topping is some twisty wire out of the top of a discarded note pad, bound with some Distress Stain-dyed crinkle ribbon.






The Idea-ology Word Band with that great advice sits proudly at the heart of things, and the whole tag is mounted on one of the Prima pre-printed tags - its vintage script making a perfect extra border.











And that's my Tag Friday tag for you.

There are lots of great tags from my team-mates over at A Vintage Journey to get your crafty weekend off to a good start - I hope you enjoy them all!

Thanks so much for stopping by... I'm back tomorrow with a new Calico Crafts project, so I'll hope to see you then.

Have no fear of perfection... you'll never reach it.
Salvador Dali

To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyse vitality.
John Ruskin



62 comments:

Marci said...

Wonderful! The colors are so soothing and the stamping is fantastic. The ink blots are stamps? Anyway, I love them. I didn't know what TH formal script stamp would be used for, now I see. Of course, thanks to you. Love this tag.

Marci said...

Oh, and the bottle! FABULOUS

Nan G said...

Fab tag, butterfly! Love the bottle, script and those ink splats! Now thanks to you three new must haves were added to the 'top' of my must have list. You're just too darn good at this artsy stuff, dear Alison. ;) Hugs

Amanda said...

Wonderful tag, I just love how imperfections can become so perfect!
Love
Amanda x

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous tag Alison! Wonderful background, loving the feather too, and a lovely sprinkle of some framelets. Best bottle I've seen. Karen.x

Brenda Brown said...

Love how this came together Alison. The walnut stain certainly helped to bring those edges to life more with the distress resist beneath and the ink bottle is inspirational and so realistic. I love the splatters and extra feathery quill and the embrace imperfection theme you have woven through the post xxx

Almo said...

This is a gorgeous tag Alison, I love how you have embraced imperfection and made it perfect.I love the whole inky theme you have used and the added lattice pieces give a super extra dimension I would not have thought of. Mo x

Anonymous said...

Fabulous tag Alison, love the resist that came to life with the Walnut DS. Sue C x

Kath Stewart said...

gorgeous tag Alison...from imperfection comes creative genius...love it...hugs kath xxx

Jenny Marples said...

Positively adore this Alison. The way you've got that stencilling to pop and the bottle work an absolute treat. One of my all time favourites of yours. Jenny x

Astrid Maclean said...

Gorgeous tag Alison, love how you used that last stenciled one and added all those gorgeous layers. That fab bottle from the M set always does it for me, gorgeous all together!

Sophie said...

Meine Güte, Alison...
ich bin eben fast vom Stuhl gekippt :-)
das Tag ist großartig, einfach cool.
Die Flasche sieht so echt aus, ich kann garnicht genug schauen.
So genial und super!


Schöne Pfingsttage...
Umarmung und Grüße
Sophie xx

chrissie said...

Wonderful tag Alison and I have just been to have a look at the other--terrific work by all as ever

Love Chrissie x

sally said...

Ooooh lovely!

Sally

Redanne said...

It is always a huge delight when the darker ink makes a piece of art come to life. Your tag is stunning and I love the feather and bottle and your layering up is superb! Anne xx

Deborah said...

What a brilliant idea to use the spiral wire from notepads, Alison! Where do you come up with all these crazy - but effective - ideas?

Unni A said...

Fabulous tag! I love the dimensions and the colors. As always, amazing work!
hugs, Unni

rachel said...

gorgeous tag Alison - really love the background and how you've built it up - beautiful x

Lisa Minckler said...

I'm in love! Not just with the outcome, but the inspiration that created it AND the fact that my blog is called You Made Me Ink...it's perfect!! I have 100% embraced its imperfections and I would LOVE to hang this in my craft room. Any chance you'd part with this beauty?? I'm serious..it's wonderful.
Hugs to you Alison and have a great weekend.
Lisa x

Words and Pictures said...

Sold!

Lisa Minckler said...

WOO HOO!!! :D

Shirley said...

What a fabby tag Alison the acetate bottle is gorgeous.

What a truly generous person you are to give away it away.

Can't wait to see the dolls house.

Warm hugs from Shirl x x

ElizabethR said...

That's so gorgeous, I love the way you always come up with lots of yummy layers! Elizabeth xxx

S@ndy Diller said...

Your tag is lovely and I would not say that there is imperfection. It looks pretty perfect to me. Hugs

sam21ski said...

Fantastic xx

sam21ski said...

Fantastic xx

Carol Q said...

what a fab combination of different elements and paint layers Alison - stunning.

Helen said...

I don't know where to start, it all looks fantastic!!

Kay Wallace said...

Love all the detail in both the background and foreground, Alison! I so admire your work!

Meggymay said...

Wonderful colours, love the details and that awesome bottle.
Yvonne

Nikki Acton said...

Another butterfly stunner - just love it all - the bottle is fab! Nikki xx

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! The colours are absolutely gorgeous.
So love the way you stamped the bottle onto acetate. I know I should do this ever single time I stamp bottles as the result is so much better than simply stamped onto cardstock.
Have a lovely weekend.
Wishes
Lynne

cathylynn said...

Only you can create beauty from imperfections. I also love how you created the bottle. You're just full of artistic talent! I can hardly wait to see the doll house projects. I know we'll be in for a real treat.
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Jennie Atkinson said...

A stunning tag Alison - the inky background is just a wonderful foil for the amazing bottle. Jennie x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Now, I know what imperfection looks like and this ain't it!! Just fabulous, love that bottle - so clever! Chrisx

Neet said...

Fabulous! What a great idea, love the thought and process behind this tag and I am amazed at the bottle. Brilliant idea!
Hugs Neet xx

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is amazing Alison, I love that bottle!

Lucy x

Dianne said...

Hello Miss Alison,, glad to hear you made it home safe. Your tag is PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS... I looooooooove the background, all that gorgeous green and brown, greens my favorite,that bottle is FANTASTICCCCCCCCC it flipping looks real, amazing and I love the feather. I've learned to embrace my imperfections since most of my work is a little cock eyed if you know what I mean. Thanks for sharing this inspirational tag..

Anonymous said...

Stunning tag. The background looks amazing & I love the bottle. And I almost forgot to say - welcome home!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wow, that's a FANTASIC tag, great color scheme. Love the look of the bottle.

Mona Pendleton said...

Fantastic tag Alison! Love the inky background!

Tincan Crafter said...

Allison - this is super awesome. I am so glad that I checked your blog before I posted my Tim tag for this month cos guess what - mine had a bottle and feather too!!! I swear its like I channel you or something!! So its back to the drawing board for me. I also wanted to drop by and say thanks for the lovely comments you always leave on my blog - I appreciate the effort you make to come by and to write a comment! I found some pipes....I mean straws at the Asia Market the other day with extra long bendy-bits - I am so excited - I can make pipes with "U" and "S" bends now!

hazel said...

A brilliant tag Alison, the background's fabulous.
xxx Hazel.

Mrs.B said...

Fabulous tag Alison, the bottle looks amazing.
Avril xx

Cocofolies said...

Wow, fabulous tag Alison!!! The bottle in acetate is truly fantastic, and so many great ideas and stamping on this one!! Love it!! Hugs, Coco xx

Netty said...

Thank you for your kind comments Alison. I love your creation, great colours and design. Hugs Annette x

http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

Gio said...

Even if green is my not favourite colour ever, I'm in awe !!! I can't see any imprfections, it's just Art!

Hettie said...

Stunning Alison! I love this. What is not to love about it?
Hugs
xx

Kasia said...

What a wonderful tag, Alison! Love this bottle :)

Unknown said...

Gorgeous Green Goodness!!! I am truly Green w/Envy over your creativity Alison! :) But in a good way, for sure :) I do love everything about this tag, but the bottle is my fav! Clever reuse of an acetate! I love that! Wonderful inspiration piece for A Vintage Journey! Just Wonderful! XOXO-Shari

Meihsia Liu said...

Such a gorgeous tag, Alison. All the details you created are so awesome. Love the beautiful color scheme. :)

Margaret said...

What a perfectly imperfect tag, Alison! All of your experimentation and perceived imperfections came together wonderfully in this tag!I'm still 'oooohing' over that ink bottle!!

Bärbel said...

Alison, ich bin ganz begeistert von dem Tag, den wunderbaren Farben in gestempelten Motiven.
Liebe Grüße, Bärbel

Julie Lee said...

I love this tag! The colours are -fabulous together. The background is terrific and that bottle looks sensational! Lucky indeed the lady who can now claim this as hers! Julie Ann xxx

craftytrog said...

Great tag Alison, I love the green bottle! xxx

Sandy said...

Wow! Your green bottle is grand - wouldn't it look pretty sitting in my kitchen window!!
Sandy xx

barbarayaya62 said...

I am very late with the comments! For this tag I can only use one word: amazing that left me breathless! everything is perfect, colors, design, embellishments, the bottle is fantastic! You are always a wonderful artist! BArbarayaya

Anke said...

F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C

I love your work, Alison.

Hugs
Anke

Dorthe said...

Hi Alison,

What gorgeous colours, both the green and the blue looks so special,and the feather is amazingly coloured, too. Love you "framed" the tag! What a lucky reciever.
Hugs to you.
Dorthe

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Love these greens and the bottle is fabulous!

Marjie Kemper said...

What a beauty! That bottle looks incredibly real.

Kezzy said...

Yep yep yep the darker distress ink really does make the paint pop, definitely must play. Stunning awesome tag, really love the stamps you used and I most definitely need to spend more time with the top of my tags, yours always look amazing. Hugs Kezzy xxx :-)