Nearly there...

Hello all... thank you so much for stopping by.  The end is in sight for me with the Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas, but I think it's going to go pretty much to the wire!

This is my version of Tag 12.  You can see Linda's elegant, glamorous original here - mine's an altogether bleaker affair...  

I loved the sideways spin on the tag, and my main image is also about someone travelling but, unlike Linda's travellers, comfortably speeding along in their horse-drawn sleigh, my Father Christmas is trudging, step by weary step, towards his destination.

And there are stars, but rather than burnished golds, I've gone for a darker, wintrier look.

Regulars will be unsurprised to learn that the image comes from the Artistic Outpost Snowy Woods set (it's been my "go-to" stamp set all season).  It's stamped in Potting Soil Archival ink.













Slow but steady... I hope he'll make it...











I love the quote incorporated in the image.  In fact, the full poem has already put in an appearance here at Words and Pictures alongside an earlier FJ tag (dash it all... what am I going to use for today's Words then?!).

Rather than texture paste, I simply inked through the Tim Holtz starry stencil with some Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

And I did some spritzing and flicking with water too...










I have used some crinkle ribbon but, instead of the sleigh bells, I've used some more twigs and pine cones to echo the forest and Father Christmas's staff, supporting him along the way.
















They've had a little touch of snowy gesso, of course.













I've really been enjoying incorporating these natural elements into my Christmas makes.  

As you've already seen in my beeswax art journalling, I think it's something which will be putting in an appearance on a more regular basis.








So, that's me for today.  Three Christmas tags and one bonus tag to go - should be do-able... I'll be back soon and several times over the next couple of days!!

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.
Herodotus

I'm entering this as Tag 12 in the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas (click on the link for all the challenge details).  There's a prize draw sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique, plus everyone who completes the full set gets a money off coupon for the store - so you can see why I'm persevering!

I'd also like to enter it over at Country View Challenges where they're looking for Monochromatic creations... Since that seems to be my bread and butter, they could be seeing more of me this month!