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...

Sunday 20 January 2013

Explore, Dream, Discover



Hello all!  Welcome to Words and Pictures - and an especially big welcome to the new followers - I'm honoured and delighted that you've decided to join the journey.

I'm very happy to be back with another Artistic Outpost project, and I've been playing with the Huck Finn stamp set for the first time.  I had a lovely time with this extended tag, and I'm pretty pleased with the end result.

Some of you will be ahead of the game, having already seen this over at the Artistic Outpost blog, but there are some more how-to details for you today and, of course, some more photographs!

After the extravaganza of the Lace Box - thank you all so much for your amazing feedback on that, by the way - I thought it would be nice to go for something of a simpler, natural style for today - and we've also gone from girly to boy-y (how come that doesn't work?)!

The pictures were taken a while back... we're now pretty snowy - how about you?








The background is Tim Holtz tissue wrap, wrinkled onto the tag and inked with various Distress Inks.

I love the texture you get from the tissue wrap, and the fabulous type-text into the bargain.  I like the idea that Huck is emerging out of words, since he belongs in a book!





All the stamping was done in Coffee Archival, either on white or kraft card, and I coloured Huck himself using Distress Markers, sometimes with a little water, sometimes not.

I used mostly the fine-tipped ends of the markers, as I wanted to keep the checked pattern of his dungarees, suggested by the stamp.

It's such a beautifully detailed image - look at the crooked ear on the dog!

I tore around the edges and then inked with Broken China and Vintage Photo... You're safe even if you get near the image, as the Distress Markers will resist any ink blending you do to a certain extent.






I stamped the large words from the set onto kraft card, and ripped the edges for a rough, natural look.

The inking was done with Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs.

I love this vintage typeface, and its built-in distressed look with blots in some places and thin ink in others.





The little wooden pegs (pulled off the back of the very cheap flowers  I got in The Range) got a sweep of Peacock Feathers DI, to tone in with the background.

And since I was aiming for a rugged look, I layered the whole thing up with some burlap ribbon.


Originally, I had the sentiment stamped on kraft too, and was trying to get everything onto the tag.

I spent a while juggling the elements to find a layout I liked, but the wonderful quote was covering up too much of the background for my liking.








So I decided to add a separate panel using eyelets and some twine - now the sentiment had somewhere of its own to live.

But it no longer looked right stamped on kraft, so I re-stamped it onto the same card as Huck, and gave it the same edging treatment, to tie the two areas of the tag together.









The whole thing's topped off with some raffia and natural twine.  Again, the twine ties the top and the bottom of the tag together (artistically rather than literally, that is).












So that's my extended AO tag... the Huck Finn set is really lovely to work with, and I think you'll be seeing a lot more of it!  

I hope you're all keeping safe and warm inside (great excuse not to leave the craftdesk!) - and enjoying your Sunday.

We're celebrating my mother's birthday so there might not be much visiting time today, but I'll do my best to catch up during the week... And I'll also have some birthday present projects to share with you over the course of the next few days.

For now, thank you so much for stopping by, have a great weekend, and I'll see you soon.

He was sunshine most always - I mean he made it seem like good weather.

It's lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made, or only just happened.

Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.
BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR

All from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

42 comments:

Brenda Brown said...

Love the hessian to bring extra texture but also provide the feel of the time of the images. The extension provides the perfect place for the sentiment. A great tag Alison.
Hugs Brenda xox

Inkypinkycraft said...

A great balance of colours and textures..love the natural elements against the colours..some of my favourites, trace x
Have a great day!

Chrissy said...

Another fabulous tag Alison, love the linking to the sentiment..
love the tissue background and the colours...awesome.

Luv CHRISSYxx

chrissie said...

Amazing tag Alison. Always something original to see when I visit your blog. The hanging idea is just terrific and the quote is so true everyone should have it tattooed on them somewhere as a reminder lol. Well maybe just the last three words.

Love Chrissie xx

craftytrog said...

A wonderful tag Alison...I love the little pegs & the burlap layer! xx

Anonymous said...

Fabulous tag Alison, love the distressed edges and the texture the hessian brings. Sue C x

sam21ski said...

Absolutely gorgeous tag Alison and I love how you've used those mini pegs.

Sam xxx

Redanne said...

A wonderful extended tag Alison and love that stamp set, love the way you coloured and mounted him over the hessian, very earthy. The quotes at the end took me right back to my childhood when I first read the book..... hope you have a lovely day with your Mum and family. Hugs, Anne x

Annie said...

Fabulous tag Alison..........so up my street. I love the background and torn edges...............fabulous sentiment too x

Hugs

Annie

Astrid Maclean said...

Love all the different elements you have used on this fabulous tag!

Michelle Webb said...

Alison this is hugely brilliant! Really loving all the effects, loving the wrinkled tissue, the hanging panel. The jute and the raffia are a great touch, it almost makes me think of the country or the beach. I like how it makes me think of being outside on a hot sunny day. I loved Huck Finn as a kid too. Michelle x

The House of Bears said...

We love this, Huck Fin is one of our cubhood favourites. We love your explantion of him coming out of the words as he belongs in a book, perfect! You have such a wonderful collection of stamps, we have some mini pegs from a kit and now have inspiratin for how to use them. Thank you.

Jenny Marples said...

Gorgeous Alison. Love the mix of colours on that fab tissue background and the hessian just makes it perfect. I'll send you a link for the Caught in Crystal technique btw.
Hope you have the best day celebrating with your mum. Our trip to MIL's (it's her birthday too!) has been postponed as the snow is falling and the roads aren't clever. Hugs, Jenny x

Francesca said...

Looking good, love the use of the hessian at the back. Love francesca

Silvia(Barnie) said...

This movie was one of the favorites during my childhood.
Your tag looks wonderful, great crinkled background.

Ralph said...

What an interesting and informative post. I found myself reading it a second time. Thank You.

Netty said...

Have a great time with your mum Alison. Loving your extended tag and thats a fab set of stamps.....mmmmm now can I afford another set....yep... Annette x

craftimamma said...

What a glorious tag Alison. The colours and textures are wonderful for the subject and you've co-ordinated them perfectly to bring out the best in each one. Lovely image of Huck and his four legged friend. Love the extension for the quote too, it's a great idea and enhances rather than detracts from the main tag.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Bonnie Irvine said...

Huck Finn is one of my favourite books from my childhood and you've done an amazing job capturing the feel of it on this tag. Love the extended design with all of the natural fibres. The colours and textures create the perfect setting for Huck and his rafting experiences...very rustic and natural. Love it!

Bonnie Irvine said...

Meant to say Happy Birthday to your mom. Enjoy celebrating with her :)

Keren Tamir said...

Beautiful rustic tag Alison!!!

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Fabulous piece - love the colors and all the wonderful texture and dimension. That hanging piece is so cool. Awesome stamp set and you totally did it justice!

Have a great day.

Hugs,
Linda

Janny Jager said...

WOWWWWWWWWWW Alison this is beautiful.
Lotst of details .
Love it.
Greetings Janny

Paper Profusion said...

Such a fabulously textured male tag Alison. Have a lovely day. Nicola x

Martina said...

Beautiful stamps, fantastic arranged and terrific colored, dear Alison! Great tag.

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

I pinned it before I wanted to leave a comment Alison...does that say enough?
AMAZING...love this one so much!!!!!

greetings, Alie :-)

maj. said...

So wonderful tag. So gorgeous details!!!!

Claudia N. said...

Nothing "simple" to be found in your lovely extended tag, Alison!

"Less is more" - that's what I see here (because the "less" is done so very well ;).

What works best with me when I have mislaied something is to search for something completely different... that really always works (AND the "different" sought after thing is - of course - not to be found *lol...so it's a chain actually *hystericalgiggle)

Hugs,

Claudia xx

catherine said...

This looks fabuluos Alison and love all the natural look to it
x catherine

ria gall said...

This is so pretty and all the texture adds so much depth to the tag. Really lovely
Ria

Sue said...

A fabulous tag Alison, I love your burlap and the little hanging piece, perfect! x

Hettie said...

Lovely tag Alison.
xx

Unknown said...

What a beautiful project~! The texture is amazing- wonderful job!!

xErin

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

AMAZING!!!!! Love every AO bit and the color and design is fabulous!!!

Sophie said...

Ein großartiges Tag!
Man sieht die Liebe zum Detail.
Das ist einfach wunderschön geworden.
Mir bleibt der Mund offen stehen...

fatmonica said...

Brilliant!I love all the textures and the embellishments.

Kim Dellow said...

Gorgeous tag, the colour, the texture, I just love the perfect rustic feel. Brilliant. Kim

pearshapedcrafting said...

This really is a gorgeous tag! A perfect combination of colour and texture! Hope you enjoyed the birthday celebrations! Chrisx
2nd attempt at comment -hope this works

Bärbel said...

Ein großartiges Tag, Alison, ich liebe die schönen Stempel, die wunderbaren Farben und die tolle Gestaltung!
Liebe Grüße.

Unknown said...

Love this fab tag and the colors you used. :)

Anonymous said...

Love the colours and texture on this one, very artistic
Hugs julie P

Margaret said...

Another fabulous tag! The kraft works so well with the image of Huck and his dog, and I LOVE how you made the sentiment work!

The quote from Mark Twain at the end of your post really warmed my heart. While I loved studying literature in school, there really is something special about reading just for enjoyment and not over-thinking things...