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...

Saturday 9 February 2013

Hello! Good-bye!


Hello all, and a warm welcome to Words and Pictures... with an especially big welcome to the newest followers - I'm so thrilled you've decided to join up!


I'm here to share another Design Team piece for Artistic Outpost which, as usual, some of you may already have seen over at the AO blog.  If so, by all means, hop on by!


If you've never visited the Artistic Outpost blog, I do recommend it - there's daily inspiration from my fellow Design Teammates.  And if you make something which includes an AO image, you can enter it in the monthly Referral Challenge, with a chance to win an AO prize package.


I had such fun making this tag - it was another accidental start that developed into a piece that really pleases me.


It uses stamps from a couple of AO sets - I love that you can mix and match them so flexibly - but mainly from the lovely Wonderland Collage sheet.












The background happened because I wanted to try out a spritz of Colorwash diluted with water that I was using for a different project.


There was a tag lying nearby, so I thought, "what the heck - we'll see what happens, bound to be able to do something with it"!


Far more liquid came out than I was expecting so, in a moment of remembering one of Tim Holtz's tags from last year, I grabbed a straw and started to blow at it to splat it around the surface of the tag.


Oh boy, I love the effect!!  The movement and the random chaos of it clearly indicated urgency, so from there it was a very short step to the White Rabbit getting in on the act.




The clock face is also from Wonderland Collage (as is the sentiment), and the numbers are from Generation Redux (moving up on Think and Wonder, though not yet quite ousting it as my favourite set!).

I first stamped the numbers in Coffee Archival, and then overstamped using Fresco Snowflake paint - giving a chalky, slightly dimensional effect.










The White Rabbit himself is stamped in a combination of Archival Inks tapped onto the stamp randomly - Black, Coffee and Sepia.

I love that the clock face from the set is echoed by the one in the White Rabbit stamp, but with different sizes - given so much of Alice in Wonderland is all about size-shifting...









I used the same combination of inks on the stamp for the sentiment, and restamped a couple of times so that I got progressively more faded versions.

I played for a while with where they should go on the tag before coming up with the fan which rather nicely gives you repetitions of No time, No time and Good-bye, Good-bye!





I asked visitors to Artistic Outpost try to guess what the topper was made out of, and we had nearly a 100% success rate...

House clearing is a useful process for adding to one's crafty stash. Crafting is not a useful hobby for those trying to clear a house!

It is, as most of you correctly suggested, the tape out of an old audio cassette.   Love the curly-wurly craziness of it - though I had some "fun" trying to photograph it in the wind.  But I had to make the most of the sunshine while it was there.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.... it's a pleasure to have your company.  Happy crafting til we meet again!




"I could tell you my adventures — beginning from this morning," said Alice a little timidly: "but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."
"Explain all that," said the Mock Turtle.
"No, no! The adventures first," said the Gryphon in an impatient tone: "explanations take such a dreadful time."

"Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop."

“She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it).” 
From Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

I'm going to add this to one of the furry challenges which helpfully bobbed up this week in time for my Peter Rabbit triptych...  rabbits galore here at Words and Pictures at the moment!  So I'm entering this in the following:
Fur and Feathers is the February theme over at Stamping Sensations

40 comments:

Astrid Maclean said...

What a fantastic tag Alison, I am especially in love with the background, but all of the stamping and the lay out of it is right up my street. Though I haven't been to the AO blog yet, I did guess what the "ribbon" at the top was. Love the sepia tones as well, gorgeous make altogether.

Chrissy said...

Fabulous tag Alison, I love the technique with the ink, so effective, and love anything to do with Alice in wonderland..

Luv CHRISSYxx

chrissie said...

Brilliant! Love the old tape idea as a tag tie.

“She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it).”

That's me lol

Have a lovely day Alison

Best wishes Chrissie xx

Sophie said...

Oh, Alison, das ist so großartig, so exellent geworden.
Toll die verschiedene Stempel-Kombinationen.
Ich bin sehr beeindruckt.

Nice weekend xx

Anonymous said...

Fabulous tag Alison ! I'm in love with the background, I need to find some straws ! Sue C x

Deborah said...

Love the restrained use of colour - and what a great idea to use old cassette tape!

froebelsternchen said...

oh my gosh...what creative ideas and gorgeous stamping!

brenda said...

A stunning piece of work and absolutely perfect for our theme this month Alison.

Thanks so much to joining us at Stamping Sensations challenge this month.

Hope you have a good weekend.

B x

sam21ski said...

Love how you've created the background

Fab tag

Sam xxx

Mandy's Crafts said...

Love this. As usual fab work.
Mandy

Rita said...

Wonderful creation Alison. I love the sepia look and the white rabbit looks charming. Enjoy your Week-end. Hugs Rita xx

http://blog.timetocreate.com.au/ said...

I've looked at that tape and NOW I have seen a fun thing you can do. Your tag is fab and so is your very enjoyable post.

Redanne said...

Brilliant, brilliant tag Alison, I so want that rabbit stamp set (and the C.I. one) - so many possibilities. I do agree with you crafting is not a useful hobby for those trying to clear a house (or garage)! Hugs, Anne x

Annie said...

Loving this tag Alison....such fun with splodging inks. Fab stamp set and amazing background.

Been crafting now trying to have some fun time...... Take care

Annie x

Netty said...

smashing whimsical tag Alison. Good luck with the house clearing. Hugs Annette x

Keren Tamir said...

Fantastic tags Alison. Love all the techniques.

Sally H said...

A fabulous card. great quote and lovely vintage colouring. Thanks for joining us at Stamping sensations this month and good luck!

Dianne said...

WOOHOO love this tag , beautiful background, brilliant job, thanks so much for sharing.. Oh and thanks for the link ti Artistic outpost, never been there before and it is full of ispiration, love the work there I have sub so I won' miss anything

Ana K. said...

Hi Alison, what should I say? I mean, it seems that every time I am writing the same words…amazing, very creative and unique! I also love your previous posts- altered book and canvas. I have to say that I am a bit jealous that you have time to create almost every day.. :)
Hugs

pearshapedcrafting said...

Love your tag! The background is fantastic - must remember to save a straw next time I'm out with my grandchildren! I know exactly what you mean about house clearing and being a crafter - had to wrestle one or two things away from being outed! Good luck with your continuing mission! Chrisx

Nan G said...

Love the tag when it was posted to AO. great background would love to see more of it.

Sarah said...

Another fabulous creation, Alison!

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Geat description, awsome tag Alison!

Nice weekend, Alie :-)

pinky said...

What a brilliant project. Thanks for joining us at Stamping Sensations.
Pinky

Dorthe said...

That splach background is AMAZING Alison,and the numbers echoed from it to the white rabbit tag - is great. Love the sepia tones you used with grey, in the sweet stamp from Alice!
I also struggle with the house cleaning ---every day!
Sending wishes for a great evening and sunday- Hugs,Dorthe

maj. said...

Super creation, Alison! Love the colours and stamping !

catherine said...

This is just fabulous Alison. the images are so fantastic. Hope you have a good weekend
x catherine

Unknown said...

I love this tag and Alice in Wonderland so it makes me twice as happy. :) Have a terrific rest of the weekend!

House of Bears said...

Oh wonderful. Ŵe love everything to do with time themes, and AIW so this really appeals to us.

Brenda Brown said...

Superb tag Alison, beautifully designed and put together with lovely colours and background.
hugs [brenda] x0x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Love the added tape film...fabulous touch! FUN FUN FUN tag! Great AO images!

Bonnie Irvine said...

This tag really speaks to me! I love the images...huge fan of Alice in Wonderland characters. The background with the blown ink blots and the clock is wonderful. The fanned out message creates such a sense of speed and urgency and that tag topper...fabulous. Love your imagination, Alison!

Sandy said...

A day without sunshine is like a day with out Alison - I often run late with my blog spying so I can definitely identify with Mr.
Hare! I love all your work Alison but I think you know that by now. You always creative, original and grand!
Sandy

craftimamma said...

~Another stunning tag Alison. I have to be honest and say the obsession with all things Alice didn't grab me at all ..... probably because it was one book I never did manage to enjoy inspite of reading it several times. However, I do love the way you have used these stamps and my favourite bits are the overstamped numbers and the brilliant fan of the sentiment. You do have some really clever and so original ideas.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

gayle said...

Love this! The layering is brilliant, and I am one of those with a soft spot for Wonderland :) xx

Francesca said...

A beautiful creation
Thanks for joining us at Stamping sensations
Francesca xx

Silvia(Barnie) said...

A beautiful tag with great stamping.

nefertiti said...

The background is fantastic!!!!!lovely tag! bizz

Nicecrane Designs said...

Wowwww, love this tag,,,,Alison ,,,,,,,you insdpired me , to create a new Alice Back,,,,,,yeah,,,,, I adore the distressesed effect here.

Chris said...

WOW Alison another fantastic piece of art and a beautiful piece! The most gorgeous stamps and fantastic texture. X