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...

Monday 12 December 2016

Tis the Season





Hello all!  It's the start of a brand new week, and I've made it to half way through my self-imposed challenge to get all of the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas done in just over 12 days (rather than the generous 12 weeks which Linda Coughlin - the Funkie Junkie herself - allows us all).

This is my sixth tag but since I'm now running out of order, it's actually Linda's eighth.  If you take a look at her original, you'll see mine is pretty much a direct CASEing of her design, but transferred into my preferred colours.

Once again - as I did for Tag 4 Let it Snow - I've exchanged the poinsettia/red combination for snowflakes/blue.

I don't have the poinsettia-making equipment nor, as regulars will know, do I go much for red around here.  It just never really feels like "me" when I use it, so I'm sticking to what I know!










I absolutely adored Linda's crackled light in her lamppost, so I followed her example for that.  I actually made the lamppost first of all, as I knew the Crackle Accents would need time to dry.













I've used the PaperArtsy White Fire paint for my silvery lamplight and I love the soft glow of it.  I left it overnight to get on with crackling.













The next morning (ie. a couple of hours ago!) I cut some snowflake masks using the Thinlits, and then spritzed Stormy Sky Distress Spray over them.  One of them flapped a bit in the draft of the spray so there's some leakage, but I'm pretty happy with the result overall.













Since I'd used White Fire in the lamp, I decided to stamp my sentiment in my favourite metallic embossing powder, Liquid Platinum.














I had a feeling it would tone in with the White Fire pretty well... it's no accident that I love both of them.

Having done the sentiment, I wanted more Liquid Platinum, so I brushed around the edges of the tag with the Versamark pad to add a textured metallic frame to echo Linda's gilded edging.












Then I thought I should probably also echo her gilded splatter so for that I used the White Fire again - very happy altogether with the wintry shimmer of it all.








I googled for a vintage winter photograph and came up with a couple of options.  I know I've seen this girl before - is she one of Tim's Found Relatives too?












Anyway, I printed out both her and the little boy, but when I tried them next to my lamppost, it was clear that I needed the bolder shapes and contrasts of the girl's photo.  Don't worry, that little chap will be stored away for future use...

I mounted her on card and inked the photo with Antique Linen and a hint of Vintage Photo (but of course).  I'm all about the holiday greenery, so this photo appeals to me no end.













And since she's gathering greenery, I wanted plenty of greenery around her.  I used my mop-up inky papers left over after Tag 9 Pine Cones Galore! to cut some fir, holly and mistletoe.











To create some more colour variation, I blended some Forest Moss onto some of them - it's a lovely earthy green which I haven't really made the most of in the past.













A couple of sparkly berries top the pile of gathered branches.  Oops, I notice the glue's still wet... well, there you go, you're practically at the craft table with me!









I've used music manuscript again on this tag (it put in appearances on Tag 1 Bare Branches and Tag 3 The Silent Night).





This time, rather than forming the background, I've used it to cut a few additional snowflakes dotted around the place.






You may notice another Tag 3 echo in the black embossing I chose to do on my lamppost to get a nice shiny wrought iron look.  It must be brand new!















Of course, I added some shadowy ground for the lamppost to stand on - Paynes Grey DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic, applied with a water brush.













So that's my version of Tag 8.  I hope you like it.  I do - I think it's joining the Pine Cones Galore! as one of my favourites this year.  It feels pretty good to have made it to half way, plus I have a couple more already done and waiting to make their appearance here at Words and Pictures.

But after such a quiet year on the blog, it feels like overload to go for multiple posts in a day... so you'll just have to be patient, I'm afraid.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll be back tomorrow to share another tag.






A few days before Christmas Tom Garland and Dan took a bill-hook and knife and went into the woods to cut branches of scarlet-berried holly.  They tied them together with ropes and dragged them down over the fields, to the barn.  Tom cut a bough of mistletoe from the ancient hollow hawthorn which leaned over the wall by the orchard, and thick clumps of dark-berried ivy from the walls.
From The Country Child by Alison Uttley

I'd like to share this as Tag 8 in the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas, sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique
I'd also like to enter it in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is Let There Be Snow

26 comments:

Evelyn Walter said...

gorgeous tag, Alison! love the colors and the image - and as always the crackle :-)
Hugs Evelyn

Annie said...

Your tag is beautiful Alison x love the background and stunning crackle in the lamp...really effective

Good for you challenging yourself to complete Linda's stunning tags.......xxx Lovely work so far xx

Sending huge hugs
Annie x

Chrissy said...

Super tag Alison..love the lamp post all black a shiney, love the picture and greenery with the snowflakes..gorgeous.

luv CHRISSYxx

Marci said...

I love EVERYTHING about this one!

Helen said...

I am impressed with how you are catching up!! (I know I say these each tag..sorry!) The image you found was perfect, and I bet we see the little boy before long too...

SewPaperPaint said...

I'm so glad you had a lamp post! That was my favorite part too, but I didn't have anything of the sort. The blue masked background is just perfect - I like much better than red and the googled images are delightful! Another amazing design, sweetie. Hugs, Autumn

chrissie said...

Otis easy to see that you enjoying making this set of tags Alison. This one is very you I think and terrific as are the others you have made

Love Chrissie xx

rachel said...

stunningly beautiful tag Alison - really very pretty. I love what you have done x

Redanne said...

Like it? I love it and I am going to change my mind - this is now my favourite! It really does look like one of Tim's relatives but I am not entirely sure.... I LOVE the Platinum embossing, the colour is gorgeous... I think I NEED some of that now. The crackled glass in the lamp post was a perfect touch too. Love this so much! Anne xx

Meggymay said...

Its wonderful, as all the others have been. Love the greenery on this one and of course the lamp.
Yvonne xx

Brenda Brown said...

A delightful tag Alison, the lamppost looks so real and the greenery adds a wonderful fresh feel to your vintage creation. Xxx

Barbara said...

Alison !!! Love this color combination! Your tag is waonderful as always, the design is perfect! Barbara

craftytrog said...

Another wonderful tag Alison!

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is so pretty, Alison! I cannot believe how realistic that foliage is!

Lucy x

Hazel Agnew said...

Patient, for your work.....never! Such a gloriously nostalgic tag! I never do much die cutting, but might have a session gathering some together. Love the lamppost, it seems to tie it all together. Another great make Alison......more! Thanks for my encouraging comments by the way. It really helps! Xx

Sandy said...

Love your tag Sugar - now you have turned on a few light bulbs for me!
sandy xx

Dorthe said...

This is amazing Alison, so very beautiful. The greenery is creating such a wonderful light with the snowy weather, and your crackled light looks wonderful, shining down on that little "old" girl. This is for now my favorite !!
Dorthe, xoxo

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

I love that you just goggled the photograph and came up with those...they are wonderful images. Gorgeous tag, and I love your blues!

sarascloset said...

OK, so I'm working backward here trying and having fun playing catch up! Now , THIS is my new favorite! A girl can change her mind, right?

That background is delicious and I'm so glad you masked the snowflakes. I never think to do that technique, but it turned out perfectly here!

Your lamppost is gorgeous, and our city street maintenance department would be proud as heck for the impeccable maintenance. (One day I spotted one of our high paid (read high taxes) city employees polishing the stop sign at our nearby intersection, while not 100 ft. away there are sinkholes that will swallow 1/2 a car! What a country!) Tee Hee!

Great googled images--you know your way around the internet, for sure! This is just the perfect wintry scene, and I sincerely call this as my favorite! You are doing an amazing job meeting your goal! I hope it pays off for you in the end as being one of the winners! Well, we all are, aren't we?? Hugs to you!

Jackie PN said...

Beautiful Alison!! I love both photos, but am pleased you chose the lil girl for this one! xx

Paper Profusion said...

Very lovely indeed Alison!! The blues look fantastic. I do like red but I'm not a fan of poinsettias either. Nicola x

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Fabulous, this is hands down my absolute FAVORITE, Alison. I adore everything about it - the lovely blue background, snowflakes, fantastic vintage photo, lamppost and that wonderful greenery spray. Everything came together to perfection. I'm so delighted that you are playing and providing such amazing eye candy to the challenge visitors!

Hugs,
Linda

Cocofolies said...

Oooh, this one is EXQUISITE Alison, really fabulous!!!
You made a wonderful reminder of this lovely image with these greenery die-cuts at bottom right... and the sparkly berries are the icing on the cake :)
Also your lappost is fantastic.
Love love love this tag, a great one! Hugs xx

Astrid Maclean said...

Brilliant!!!! Love the crackle effect behind the lamp post, wonderful and brilliantly put together!!! I think this must be one of my favourites!

Julie Lee said...

What a beautifully composed tag. I love that fir foliage and the wintry colours are perfect. I am really happy though that the little boy dwarfed by the Christmas tree might be making another appearance. It's such a lovely image in itself and too good not to use somehow. I'm really enjoying these tags, Alison. xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I swear I could still see the spray moving around on the one photo of the sprayed tag with the resisted snowflakes. So fresh! I love your pile of greenery along side that wonderful wrought iron lamp (complete with crackle housing). Of the two vintage photos you definitely picked the right one for your tag. Awesome as always!