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 24 August 2012

Life is Good!

Hello and welcome!  I'm relieved to be back with a piece I'm wholeheartedly behind today, a tag which was a sheer joy to create from beginning to end...


It was inspired by the gorgeous Artistic Outpost stamps... these are from two sets: Old Grist Mill and Typography.  I was really looking forward to creating something using resist technique for the Frilly and Funkie challenge... it's a technique I love, and use a lot, so it was such fun to play. 

I took a piece of Kaisercraft's Timeless collection with handwriting on - I love any kind of text on papers and stamps.  Initially I used two different resists with the leaf stamp from Old Grist Mill. 

I stamped some with white acrylic paint, and some with Matt Studio Multi Medium.  Then I inked with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink on a blending tool, and wiped over the leaf prints with some dampened paper towel. 







It's funny, but when I first got the Old Grist Mill stamps, many weeks ago, my itch with the watermill was that it wanted to be stamped on glassine or tissue paper.  I've experimented with both, but never quite found the place I wanted to use it... until now!

I stamped it in Coffee Archival onto some tissue paper and then, using the Multi Medium, pasted it quite wetly onto the tag, creating some wrinkly texture as I went.  Thankfully, as hoped, the text still shows through in places - very happy!



So, having added some Vintage Photo round the edges, I already really liked the tag.  In a minimalist mood, I might even have kept it like this perhaps!



No... by now I was too enthusiastic about the tissue-stamping game, so I had a play with the leaf again, stamping it onto tissue paper in Archival Sepia and in Coffee, and gluing it wetly and wrinklily (?!) onto the tag.  









I loved how the layers were starting to build up, with all the different versions of the leaf.  And it was getting progressively more autumnal which, though I'm resisting it in real life, is a beautiful place to play crafting-wise.  The colours of Autumn are just gorgeous!







And I was quite simply happy and contented while I was making this tag, so when it came to choosing a sentiment, it wasn't very hard!  I used some of the leftover script paper, partly inked and partly not, and stamped in Coffee Archival.  It's mounted on some of the delicious metal mesh from the Funkie Junkie's Boutique.  






At the foot of the tag I added some natural twine (like this a lot at the moment), and one of the gorgeous rusty hearts also from the FJB.  I stuck to a simple knot rather than a bow, as it feels like such a simple, rustic tag.

It's casually (if carefully) placed so that there's the dark brown of the mill, a light resist leaf, and a sepia tissue leaf all in contact with it... call me a pedant or perfectionist if you like - I'm used to it!

For the top of the tag I used the ribbon which recently made an altered appearance in Sherlock Holtz, but this time I left it unaltered and added some natural raffia.










The heart is made out of some corrugated card which was wrapped around the metal mesh when it arrived from the FJB (thank you, Linda!).  I drew round the rusty one, so as to have the same shape, then gave it a dab of white acrylic and a sweep of Vintage Photo DI.  


And finally I added an extra leaf resist leftover from earlier, but gave it a more intense Vintage Photo background to set it in sharper relief.  

If you look closely, you'll also see a faint echo of the 'good' from the sentiment, which I'd also played with as a resist before deciding I wanted the earthier ink version. They're both attached to the raffia/ribbon with bronze jump rings (TH Idea-ology).  


Thank you so much for taking some time to visit here today.  I feel a real lift of the heart with this tag (perhaps in contrast to the walk on the dark side, which I was not very happy with as a piece, but there you go... it's all about the exploration), so I hope you've enjoyed it too.  Have a great day doing whatever makes you happiest, and I hope to see you again soon - here or elsewhere in Craftyblogland!

I'm entering this in the following:
Frilly and Funkie's challenge this fortnight which is How Can You Resist?
Artistic Outpost's August challenge which is Anything Goes (using AO stamps)
Because it makes me happy, I'd like to put this in as another No Rules entry for Simon Says Stamp and Show
I'd like to make this another entry for the Allsorts challenge this week, Heavy Metal
Another entry for the Anything Goes challenge this week, to Make Your Own Background
And I'm joining the Sunday Share at Frilly and Funkie too, having used heart and mesh (and corrugated card!) from the FJB

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
Albert Camus

If you want to be happy, be.
Leo Tolstoy

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think.  Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.
A.A.Milne


41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Stunning work Alison. I do admire your stamping ideas. Have a wonderful weekend.
Regards Florence x

Nicola said...

OMG, I love this tag, so much detailed work has gone into it and thanks for sharing the step by step instructions/thought processes as you built up the layers!
Thanks so much for using something metal on your creation for us at Allsorts, good luck and hope to see more of your work soon
Hugs Nicola xxx

Claudia N. said...

First autumnal greetings, Alison?

I love the leaf-masking-thingie you did and all the texture you got in there. There's loads of detail in your lovely piece of artwork here!!!! Can't stop looking!!! Love love love!

Hugs,

die amelie xx

Cestina said...

Oh I love the Pooh quote! And indeed the Camus.....

Oh and the tag of course ;-)

catherine said...

This is such a fantastic tag Alison and so creative with the techniques. Your work is very inspiring. love the colours and the stamps you have used. Hope you have a good weekend
x catherine

brenda said...

I absolutely love your tag Butterfly, the gorgeous tone on tone vintage colours work so well with the techniques you have used.

Thanks so much for joining us at Allsorts challenge this week.

B x

DottyA Cards & Things said...

With Fall being my Fav time of year... this tag hits me in the right place for sure... You did a beautiful job on all the leaves and all the added layers and even Screen too... Love that!!!

Deborah said...

Gorgeous tag! My absolute favourite bit is the corrugated heart. Looks so good.

The House of Bears said...

The tissue stamping effect is, well, very effective. What a great idea. We're worried if we tried it that it would stick to our paws!

Love your stamps, and the autumnal feel to the tag, our favourite season. Also, brown is our favourite colour so this is a real winner to us.

Victoria said...

I'm not surprised you love it - it's absolutely gorgeous. Love the stamp of the waterwheel.

Candy C said...

Hi Alison. This tag is so pretty. Very appropriate for this time of year as the summer winds down and we move into the more restful and beautifully color autumn. Love your background. That slanted script is really cool looking. I also love that stamped waterwheel. SO cool. Your oak leaves in orange are perfect. Love the wrapped twine with the rusted heart embellishment. And your sentiment....how true! Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

Carol Q said...

gorgeous tag with a definite autumnal feel. like your sideways application of the script stamp

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous tag Alison, I can tell you had a real ball with this one! Love the stamps you've used and all the resist techniques ! Thanks for joining us at Frilly and Funkie. Sue C x

Sarah said...

Metal mesh, corrugated paper, tissue, resist technique...some of my favorite things all on one project! I love what you did!!!

Anonymous said...

Your joy radiates and I completely relate to what you say, sometimes you don't want a project to end because you enjoy the process so much.
This is fabulously rustic but at the same time that touch of prettiness, gorgeous.
Wishes
Lynne

lilyandthelotus.blogspot.com said...

What a stunning tag and so detailed. elegant and wonderful
susan s.

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

What a great tag Alison, every detail fits...gorgeous!

greetings, Alie :-)

Netty said...

Loving your gorgeous tag, x

Redanne said...

Hi Butterfly, your tag is simply stunning! I love your description of how it all came about too, lovely to read and see. A x

Ellie Knol said...

Yu did an awesome job on this background!
ALSO : Thanks for all your comments on my blog, I really appreciate it!

Janny Jager said...

A great Tag Allison.
Love every detail one it.

Greetings Janny

Marjie Kemper said...

I'll be late to dinner because I can't take my eyes off this tag, Alison. All the layers of leaves/tissue/texture are stunning, and I can feel how happy you were making it from reading your post... that's what it's all about! So happy you joined us with this lovely tag at Frilly and Funkie. Thank you!

Shelby said...

Love love love all of the layers you've created in your design...so much gorgeousness to look at!

Shelby

Lisa Somerville said...

Beautiful monochromatic tag, wonderful added resist. Thanks for playing along with us at Artistic Outpost!

Anna-Karin said...

Beautiful tag! Lots of favorites of mine, resist techniques, text, old buildings. Wonderful technique results and design. Thank you for sharing it with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show!

emma mitchell said...

Oh wow what fabulous detail on this gorgeous tag , I love it.
Hugs Emma xx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Your tag is gorgeous and makes me long for Autumn! Love the AO images you used and those leaves make a great resist! Thank you so much for playing with us at Frilly & Funkie this fortnight!!!

Unknown said...

Just gor-juss oh and you blog is stunning to

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

This one just wrapped right around my heart and is squeezing it. I've been eyeing that Grist Mill set and now I have to have it. Like others have said, fall is my favorite season and this is perfection. Thank you for sharing all the layers you went through to build up the beautiful textures and images. And I do so love what you are doing with the rusty items from The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Thanks so much for sharing with us over at Frilly and Funkie, both for the resist challenge and for Sunday Share!

Hugs,
Linda

Christine L said...

Wowwww stunning tag.... with such a fabulous background... love the stamped images you've used on it!

Thanks for joining in at Anything Goes - Good luck and hope to see you again soon!

Hugs
Christine x

Jenny Marples said...

Hello follower and WOW!!!! This tag is truly STUNNING! You've truly nailed this and it's no wonder you are pleased with it. LOVE the stamping and all the texture elements. Can't wait to see where your journey takes you and I will be following along to watch. Hugs, Buttons x

May said...

Gorgeous tag... so much creative work has gone into this tag... Simply Perfect.. Love it!! Hugs May x x

Patti P. said...

Alison, a work of art...I am a sucker for anything Autumn and this is the best. Love the resist and the text shining through...I am with you text on anything! Thanks for the steps.
Have a great weekend.
hugs....

Ana K. said...

Fantastic autumn tag!

Gio said...

Your tag is so lovely and with a beautiful autumn shade!

Unknown said...

Wow, love this tag! I have to get some of those stamps because they are awesome. This is so pretty Alison.

cheryl said...

oh this is brilliant just love the background you have created bless you for playing at anything goes,this week hugs Cherylxxxxx

Mrs.B said...

Hi Allison, just catching up Love this tag, the layers of stamping give a wonderful depth, and gorgeous colours.
Avril xx

Rita said...

What a stunningly beautiful card. I love all the brown & sepia colours and your resist is just perfect. Hugs Rita xx

Teresa Kline said...

gorgeous!

LindaS said...

Gorgeus tag and techniques. I especially like your background work. WTG.