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 15 May 2013

Boys will be boys

Hello and welcome everyone, with an especially big welcome to the newest followers - it's wonderful to have your company on this crafty journey.

It's time for the monthly Artistic Outpost bloghop, and our theme is month is Masculine.  (I'm a busy bee again this morning, so if you're looking for my Our Creative Corner Design Team piece, it's here!)

I hope you'll have time to have a look at what my amazing team-mates have been up to.  Here's the full itinerary:



For my contribution, I've used the delicious Huck Finn plate, and created a textured tag.

I started with an inky background (what else?!) - my current favoured blues and greens in Distress Stains swiped onto the craft mat and the tag swiped and smooshed into them.












Then there's a bit of spritzing and flicking for a watery feel.












I stamped the boys and the sentiment in Plum Archival Ink, and then clear embossed them, again to get a reflective, watery surface.









I cut a mask for the boys so that I could stamp the boat "reflection" around them.  I slightly cheated on the reflection.  If you look closely, you'll see I didn't actually reverse the image, as I should, but I think I got away with it!!

I'm certainly pleased with the angles, which I think make it look as though they're gazing longingly - or piratically - at the boat on the water.







I added an extra layer to frame the tag: my favourite corrugated card, which has had a sweep of Plum Archival Ink, and then a sprinkling of two embossing powders - some clear, and some of Ranger's Antiquities Verdigris powder.











And the topping is one of my favourite rustic combinations - raffia tied with twine... very simple, but it pleases me.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy hopping round the delicious makes from the rest of the Artistic Outpost team.  If you get lost, you'll find all the details here.

For now, happy hopping and happy crafting, and see you again soon.





Yes, I do heartily repent. I repent I had not done more mischief; and that we did not cut the throats of them that took us, and I am extremely sorry that you aren't hanged as well as we.
Anonymous Pirate, asked on the gallows if he repented.

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, 
a poet, a pawn and a king; 
I've been up and down and over and out, 
And I know one thing; 
Each time I find myself flat on my face, 
I pick myself up and get back in the race.
From That's Life (my favourite version is by Frank Sinatra)

39 comments:

Nan G said...

Love the embossing on the corrugated ribs! And the plum ink on the bluey green background is fab. Another beauty, butterfly!

maria's knutselplezier said...

What a great tag, beautiful background, great colours and great combination of stamps!! You are a very talented lady , I love your work!!

Greetings
Maria

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...this is a great tag Alison, love the Huck Finn images, really cool background with the aged watermarks and great textures too, superb crafting...Melxx :)

Brenda Brown said...

A fabulous layered tag Alison, the corrugated card looks amazing.
hugs {brenda} x0x

brenda said...

Fabulous tag Alison,I must take on board the idea of adding some extra texture to the corrugated, looks so effective.

B x

Astrid Maclean said...

Wonderful tag! Love the ship's reflection and the brown hues around it against the aqua background,wonderful colour play somehow, but what really excited me with this one is the plum archival embossing, looks fantastic! (I may have to steal that idea and if I do, I'll give you credit)... Love it!

Sophie said...

Guten Morgen, Alison.
Ich bin wieder begeistert von diesem schönen Tag.
Auch die Farben sind traumhaft.
Chapeau!

Liebe Grüße von Sophie xx

Von said...

What a super tag Alison the colours work so well :)
Von ♥

Rita said...

Beautiful tag Alison. I love the glorious colours too. Hugs Rita xxxxx

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Lovely tag Alison, the stamping is gorgeous and I love the corrugated card. Tracy x

Bonnie Irvine said...

The verdigris and plum combination is gorgeous. Love the corrugated card and the watery feel to the background. These stamps are fabulous. This tag makes me smile, Alison.

Suzanne C said...

Beautiful serene colors in your tag. Sweet image and love how you added that raffia! Lovely tag!

craftytrog said...

Simply gorgeous...I adore that fab quote! xx

Netty said...

I love this set of stamps and how you've used them. Terrific tag. Hugs Annette x

Carol Q said...

aren't they lovely stamps Alison - the whole tag has a lovely "rusty" feel to it.

Marjie Kemper said...

Super tag! Love those fellas and the rough feel of the corrugate.

Dianne said...

I have to say this blog hop has been so inspiring such fabulous artist, I saved the best for last, this tag is GORGEOUSSSSSS..
The background is freaking fantastic, the brown ship and it refection on the gorgeous green background is fabulous,, love how you did the sentiment in plum ink brilliant, and how you created the embossing on the corrugated backing is FANTASTIC,I looove it. thanks for sharing and this has been a wonderful blog hop, I'm all a twitter and can hardly type:):)...

Wee Von said...

Love this tag Allison, the colors are beautiful and I love the stamps. Looks like a reflection on the bottom. The two boys are so cute, reminds me of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. Great job.

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

How fabulous is this? Totally sensational - gorgeous BG and I LOVE what you did with the mirror image. I was just thinking that I never learned how to do that when you admitted that you faked it - LOL, I never would have known! The corrugated cardboard works awesome as a tag backing too! Sensational make, Alison!

Hugs,
Linda

Terry said...

Alison, you know I am loving the background and those stamps! Now that reflection you created is so brilliant! Fabulous creation! Hugs!

Redanne said...

Another fabulous tag from you Alison, the embossing on the corrugated card looks amazing and the Huck Finn image is so lovely. Love the watery feel to it too. Hugs, Anne x

Ellie Knol said...

Great, great tag, love your stamping, colors, it's just perfect
!

Gerrie Johnnic said...

Well...........ya' could'a fooled me GF! You played an amazing trick on my eyes with this beautiful tag

Dorthe said...

That stamp, is so sweet, and the tag a lovely piece. The corrugated cardstock, where you added glitter, looks so wonderful,all around the tag, and compliments the turquise colours wonderfully! I love the mirrored effect Alison!
xo,Dorthe

Hettie said...

Love this Alison. The embossing on the corrugated card is brilliant. Those two boys look like they are up to mischief!
Hugs
xx

Jenny Marples said...

So now Plum Archival Ink is top of the wishlist!! Love what you've done with it and the EP's to create a holographic effect and the watery feel. Great job. Hugs, Jenny x

May said...

Brilliant work Alison, Love how you added texture to the corrugated card, the tag colours & stamping is AmAzing work...Love those stamps... Hugs May x x x

Julia said...

Love the blues and greens and really like the idea of using embossing powder on the corrugated card, it's very effective. Great tag!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

A beautiful tag, love the images :)

Debi said...

I love these Huck images, and I love your tag- love the plum embossing- clever ;) Debi x x

Lisa Somerville said...

Fabulous tag! Love the added reflection in the water!

Keren Tamir said...

wow Alison, fantastic tag!! I love the background!! its my fave color!!

Kate Yetter said...

I love your distressed background with the stamping! Its fabulous. This stamp set is so cool!
Kate

Tincan Crafter said...

I think that this one is my favourite!

Kezzy said...

Wow wow another gorgeous awesome tag and I love the embossed edging, I love doing that myself but tend to become heavy handed. The image is awesome and I love the overall natural feel to it. Happy Crafting :-) hugs Kezzy xxx

Ephemera said...

Glorious tag Alison love the rusty hues and the boat and reflection look amazing with the boys looking on. Always such beautiful stamping. XX

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Great color, especially on the embossing powder tying it all together! I love the subtle sparkle! Fun tag!

Unknown said...

This is lovely - I can so imagine those boys watching and wishing, lol. Love the background and the images are fab. Chris xxx

Margaret said...

How can one little tag be so filled with adventure and longing?! You have definitely achieved the water effect and I don't think anyone would have noticed that you didn't mirror the reflection! The raffia, twine, and corrugated base add to the rugged adventurous spirit of this fabulous tag!