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...

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Harlequinade!

Hello all!  It seems a while since I last made something just for fun... but here's a tag where that's exactly what happened.  I wanted to play with another of the Tim Holtz Mixed Media Thinlits (having had lots of fun with the Lattice over at Destination Inspiration), so I got out the Harlequins and off we went.


It changes in different lights, and I couldn't decide between these two photos, so you're getting both!

There's all sorts going on here... inks, paints, crackle, Glossy Accents, manila, kraft, embossing, even a touch of sparkle - anything missing from the wishlist?!


With all those media, I'd like to enter this at the inaugural Anything Goes theme at the Mixed Media World challenge (newly altered from the Speedcraft Challenge!).








I especially enjoyed creating the odd glossy Harlequin diamond to catch the light!












I used one of the spare backgrounds leftover after making my my March Tim tag - the Monet Butterfly (you can see all the backgrounds if you check out that post), and spritzed a piece of watercolour paper with co-ordinating Distress Sprays so that I could use it for cutting things out of.







The first step though was cutting the Mixed Media Harlequins out of some kraft card which I'd cut to tag size with the Bigz Die.

I stamped it with some of the tiny text from the Stuff to Say set and gave it a good splattering of Picket Fence Distress Paint as well as a dusting of Ivory Frantage around the edges.












I layered that over my Distress Paint background, and then began to layer up extra Harlequins cut out of my spritzed watercolour paper.










Next I added my Glossy Accents - some of it to highlight indented Harlequins and some of it on the top layer.













Using the same sheet of spritzed watercolour paper I cut the Bigz/Texture Fades Butterfly Duo and embossed them.

Initially I thought I might use both butterflies on the tag, but I ended up not wanting to cover up too many of my Harlequins, so Butterfly 2 has now made its way onto another tag (which you'll see soon!).









I couldn't resist adding some Rock Candy crackle paint to them, as you can see!

And once I'd decided which one was coming out to play, I added a little pointer for the body, attached with a mini-fastener.










This tied in with some of the other additions I was toying with for the rest of the tag.

I'd picked a WordBand (love these!), and was busy adding various cogs, gears and pointers to complement it... 









... so the pointer for the butterfly's body was an obvious next step to echo the pointers around and about.















I really enjoy the trompe l'oeil effect you get with these thinlits... sometimes when I'm looking at it, I can't tell what's going in and what's coming out!













And the layering of the text, the splatter and the Frantage on the kraft card layer really pleases me.














The Frantage gives a really lovely extra kick of texture.












Of course there's some dyed crinkle ribbon at the top - dyed with Distress Paints rather than inks for a slightly opaque look - and it's fastened with some more of my curly wire, rescued from old ring-bound notebooks.










More Harlequins - showing off the Distress Paint marble on the lower layer of diamonds and the spritz pattern on the top layer.












The sun deigned to put in an occasional appearance while I was photographing - really worth it when you capture that glistening Glossy Accents as well as the butterfly crackle.





So, that's my playtime and, as I said, there was a bonus tag which appeared just by using up the leftovers and extras from this tag... so that will be along in a couple of days!


For now, I'll love you and leave you and hope to be around to see what you've been getting up to with your playtimes very soon!  I start a new RSC rehearsal process tomorrow, so time will start to run away from me again I'm afraid, but it should be fun.  Hope everyone's having a great week!

Harlequinade - a pantomime, farce or similar play in which Harlequin plays the principal part
(or a tag in which the Harlequin diamonds play the principal part!)

Curiosity is the very basis of education, and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.
Arnold Edinborough

I'd like to enter this in the following:
Anything Goes at Mixed Media World
Wings'n'Things at the That's Crafty Challenge Blog
Anything Goes at A Sprinkle of Imagination
Springtime at Artist Trading Post

64 comments:

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

I am making something in these wonderful colours too, I love love them and your tag is gorgeous, love the butterfly and the harlequin overlay and subtle stamping. Lovely. Tracy x

Dorthe said...

Your playtime, came out just fantastic Alison.
The harlequin with the glossy accent looks like beautiful tiles, and the butterfly is a magic creature, from the rainforest in all its green tones.So amazing again.
Hugs,Dorthe

brenda said...

I think we all need a but of 'me' crafting now and then Alison, it's easy to get sidetracked into must makes. And anything with a harlequin is always a hit with me.

B x

massofhair said...

Thank you for joining in with our challenge at Mixed Media World Alison! Wonderful Tag as always, loving this colour combination and the diamonds from the Mixed Media Dies are fantastic. I am using them to stencil at the moment and liking the effects very much. Can see why you wanted to keep the sparkling diamonds they are wonderful.

Mo :-)
DT MMW

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Ohh wow, what a fun tag, Alison. Love it!

toni said...

Gorgeous colours and textures Alison, love the way you've worked the harlequin thinlits x

Dagmar said...

oh wow - what a fantatstic textur and the Butterfly is a dream!!!

Nikki Acton said...

Fabulous tag Alison! Guess what - I have something very similar scheduled to go out... I looked at yours and thought, oh no!!! I love how you used the glossy accents and frantage - wish I had thought of that! Nikki xx

Paper Profusion said...

Your beautiful butterfly looks very ready to take off Alison - what a fantastic launch pad. Enjoy the rest of of your week and good luck at work. Nicola x

Marci said...

Beautiful!

Unknown said...

Hi Alison! What a fab tag! Love the harlequin die cut on top of the tag!! Fantastic combination of colours too. I'm so glad you find some time to craft for fun and that you chose to join our challenge at Mixed Media World! What a fab addition! Big hugs,
Ingrid xx

chrissie said...

Wonderful that you did something just for you Alison. It is a fun tag with lots of wonderful textures.

Hope your day has gone well

Love Chrissie xx

froebelsternchen said...

This is soo beautiful Alison!
You always thrill me with your creations!

LauraVi said...

Pinned! Beautiful background, great tag!!

Corrie Herriman said...

Beautiful as usual Alison !
Corrie x

SCarol said...

Simply beautiful!

Princess Judy Palmer said...

You always do such great intricate work and this is no exception. I love the pointer for the butterfly's body-extra clever!

Helen said...

You really are the queen of tags! love the mixed media dies, though so far only used one (and got into a pickle!) The butterfly alighting on this tag is just beautiful.

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Wow and double Wow Alison! Oh this is sooooo beautiful,loving all the texture and don't even get me started on the colours! Absolutely stunning tag,love that die cut too....now on my wishlist ;)
Thank you for joining us at MMW and good luck!
Big hugs
Donna xxx

Mrs.B said...

Stunning tag Alison and such beautiful colours and textures.
Avril xx

Willy said...

Wow beautiful and so inspiring!!

Fliss said...

Absolutely stunning creation Alison. Such beautiful texture and love the colour combination too.
Thanks also for sharing it with us at That's Crafty and wishing you lots of luck.
Fliss xx

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Great use of mixed media and colours...a wonderful tag, Alison!
Greetings, Alie

Meggymay said...

Fantastic textures and colours, love the butterfly, looks like its about to fly away.
Yvonne xx
p.s. Thank you for joining us at the ATP Exchange as well

rachel said...

so delicious Alison - I really love the harlequin pattern and the colour - oh and the butterflies of course - gorgeous xx

Shirley said...

So much pleasure is gained when the piece is just for fun and I can see you had a lot of fun when making this tag as it is so pleasing on the eye Alison.

Warm crafty hugs from Shirl x x x
ShirlsCards.

Vintagehandmade said...

Absolutely fantastic tag, Alison! I love the colors and the fabulous harlequin pattern texture! Clever idea to use the game spinner on the butterfly body! Awesome!
Hugs :)
Branka xxx

sally said...

I've fallen in love with this tag, it's so gorgeous :-) the colours & the harlequin diamonds...it just all seems to have come together perfectly.

Sally

Amanda said...

Beautiful! Loving what you've done with the harlequin die the effect is stunning I need to play more with my set of dies.
Love
Amanda x

hazel said...

A gorgeous tag, I love it.
xxx Hazel.

Annie said...

Gorgeous colours do details on your tag Alison. Love the harlequin die on the tag background. The GA gives it that "little something" too

Great use of the frantage and stamping

Thank you for joining in with my Springtime challenge at ATP
Hugs Annie x

Pamellia said...

Genius, gorgeous, stunning, beautiful...I could go on and on! This is amazing Alison, I can't believe the creative way you used the bits that I would have thrown in the bin! Love the colours too! hugs :)

Neet said...

Hi Alison - you know, I have never been a fan of green but I am so drawn to it in every aspect of my life these days and this tag I just love! Love everything about it.
What a brilliant idea for using handmade backgrounds and showcasing them in this way. I hope you don't mind if I use this idea in some things I have planned to do (I will credit) but do say if you do mind.
Love the way you have used the Glossy Accents, the Frantage - the additional embellishments - everything.
Can you tell I am in love with your tag?
Hugs, Neet xx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow Alison! The really is an amazing tag! Such a wonderful way to use this die - I've been trying to get hold of one but having to wait for stock to come in again!!! Hope you still manage to get some crafty time in your busy schedule! Hugs, Chrisx

Lisa Minckler said...

The texture and color make me wish I could dive into this tag! It's so hypnotic when you look at it and you can't stop admiring each individual diamond of bliss. I absolutely LOVE the whimsy and fun you've created on this tag. it's GORGEOUS!! Also, thank you so much for the very sweet comments you left me the other day. I know you're busy and it was so sweet of you. Hope you're having a blast but getting some rest too!
hugs,
Lisa x

cathylynn said...

Beautiful and brilliant of you to create such a delightful tag. You always do a fantastic job! Love it!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Inkypinkycraft said...

a really great tag , love the colours and all the textures x great details x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

WOW!!! Your triple harlequin background is sublime! LOVE IT!!! Gorgeous tag!

Sandy said...

Beautifully done Alison. Not only do I love seeing what you do but you explain everything so well!
I just got your box in the mail yesterday. I packed everything well so it should get to you without breakage.
Wonderful tag Sugar!
Sandy xx

Capescrapper said...

This is wonderful! Everything about it from the colors to the textures and butterfly make me smile. Great job!

pam said...

Stunning, just stunning.

Terry said...

WOW, WOW, WOW! That pretty much sums it all up. Gorgeous tag and textures are amazing! Love everything about this tag! Hugs!

Julia S-W said...

A real stunner Alison! I love the 'extra harlequins'; the colours, the texture and that random frantage. The butterflies are delightful with their subtle sparkle - just love it all!! Juliaxx
Thanks for joining the last challenge for us at ATP Exchange too.

Jennidee Mills said...

wow! It's lovely

Hettie said...

Boo-ti-full! This is absolutely spectacular! Love it!
Hugs
xx

Sue said...

I really like this one Alison, you are always spot on with your colours and the texture is fab. When I first saw these thinlits I didn't think I would have a use for them but I'm starting to change my mind now. Have a great weekend. Sue xx

Jackie PN said...

ok, now I have a new favorite and have to buy more supplies!! I love that harlequin thinlit!! Gorgeous Alison absolutely gorgeous!! xoxo

Karen McAlpine said...

So pretty. Love how you made the Kraft harlequin overlay.

Kirsten said...

WOW!!!! Stunning tags!!

Kay Wallace said...

This tag is absolutely gorgeous, Alison! Love your color palette, and the texture is just amazing! Another sweet thinlit!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Just breathtaking, that's a fantastic piece of art.

Unknown said...

Completely LOVE LOVE LOVE this layered tag, Alison!! Oh, I need me that set of Mixed Media Thinlits!! I love what you've been doing lately and this tag, using the Harlequin thinlit--My FAV! I love the harlequin diamond design and the way that you've glossed up some of the spare little pieces here and there! Just Fabulous, Alison!! You are just too AWESOME :) :) XOXO-Shari

Meihsia Liu said...

What a gorgeous tag, Alison. The colors and texture you created are awesome! :)

Astrid Maclean said...

Just trying to do some catching up, - this looks fantastic and great use of those MM dies!!

Deb said...

Please play more often Alison, what a stunning tag! I've ordered the thinlits MM die after seeing your gorgeous Destination Inspiration tag and can't wait to get it after seeing this beauty you created with it as well. Love how your Monet background is peeking through the harlequin die and the addition of the Glossy Accents is wonderful. Love the crackle on your butterfly and the pointer body!

Cocofolies said...

Oh, that's really gorgeous Alison!!! I love this Harlequin thinlit, and the colours you chose underneath really pop. And as I'm lucky tonight, I'm going to see straight away the second one hee-hee... :-o) Hugs Coco xx

Unknown said...

Love this!! Especially those glossy harlequins!! Great tag Alison, I love your art work. Thanks for joining us at Mixed Media World xx

Julie Lee said...

I'm catching up, Alison, so I came to this after the post featuring two butterfly tags. I so love your colour choices; the embellishments and the textures on this tag - the perfect partner to the one you made subsequently xx

Jenny Marples said...

Loving the Glossy Accented diamonds and hints of stamping on this one. Jenny x

Deborah Wainwright said...

Wow Alison stunning tag. Love the die on top of your fab background. Thanks for playing along with MMWhugs Debs xx

jaine drake said...

I love your tag. Everything about it is gorgeous, the colour the layers and the texture, fabulous. Thank you for entering our challenge at ASOI with it.

Ruth said...

Inspired picket fence on Kraft card, will be trying that! A perfect compliment to show off 'your' greeny, blue palette. The butterfly is the icing on the 'tag'? Ruth x

Mary Elizabeth said...

I've never seen kraft cardstock elevated to such heights. The Frantage was truly inspired. Yep ... love it!! I'm so glad you included both pics at the top of the post. It does remind me of concrete (which is why I couldn't figure out how you made it by looking at the finished tag in the second post). Wow!!!!! The rock candy crackle butterfly just floats overtop. It gives me a sense of some modern architecture that mixes concrete with beautiful colored marbles and stunning glass elements. Definitely ... this pair of tags are in my top 5 fave tags of yours. Now to go back an Pin the twins :) -ME

Frk. Bogstad said...

This is a supercool tag and I adore the brigth colours ♥
And those thinlitsdies are so much fun :)