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Friday, 14 March 2014

Bonus Butterflies



Hello and welcome all!  

It's absolutely brilliant how excited everyone is about A Vintage Journey (me too), and we've a little bonus over there for you all today.  

Every other Friday will usually be our winner's post, but since we haven't even completed the first challenge (Anything Tim, as if you needed reminding), there obviously isn't a winner to announce yet.

So Brenda thought it would be nice to offer you some "bonus tags", Tim-influenced of course - so you'll find offerings from some of my team-mates over at A Vintage Journey today, and here's mine.  

Before we start, though, I just wanted to put in a quick plug for my PaperHeartsy canvas over at PaperArtsy last night.  Busy schedules meant the sneak peek put in only a very brief appearance here at Words and Pictures - so if you blinked you might have missed it!









I love getting messy with mixed media, lots of texture and techniques, and I sometimes forget the pure joy that comes from just some simple inking and stamping - especially when that inking is Distress.

So for this tag, I simply got inky and stampy... 









It was a chance to play with some of my new goodies - stamps from the new Classics #17 release, and one of the new Tim Holtz stencils, the Latticework.

I inked up the tag with Scattered Straw, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint and Peacock Feathers, layering them up until I was happy.











Then some spritzing and flicking to create that lovely water drop texture...







More inking, this time using the Latticework stencil as well as the Dot Fade.












I stamped the large butterfly stamp in Olive Archival, and then again on some leftover packaging acetate using Staz-On Olive, in an echo of one of my favourite Tim tags from last year.




 







I cut around that second one, and used a heat-tool to give some shape to the wings.  An Idea-ology pen nib, with a touch of Antique Linen Distress Paint, got pressed into use as the body.












I used one of my favourite TH flourishes along the bottom, and added the sentiment embossed in Vanilla White.  











And I flicked some Antique Linen Distress Paint around the place too...















And then, since I had them sitting there anyway, I decided to cut out the two tiny butterflies from the acetate stamping too, and after a little heat-gun moulding action I glued them down around the quote.













Crinkle Ribbon and Paper String finish the whole thing off at the top...












... and the Paper Distresser has been in action around the edges.

Pretty simple, but oh so much fun to make, and I really like the dappled sunlit look of the end result.

Do hop over to A Vintage Journey to see the tags my team-mates have been creating - you won't be disappointed! - and a fortnight from now we'll be back to reveal the very first A Vintage Journey winner...  You've got to be in it to win it, so come and play Anything Tim!  

And don't forget we're looking for one more DT member to make up a Travelling Twelve... all details are in the challenge post.

Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.
From The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry





I'd like to enter this in D is for Distress over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.
And they're looking for A Splash of Colour at the Inspiration Journal sponsored by the Inspiration Emporium.
Over at the Stampotique Designers Challenge they're playing with Green so I'm off to play there too.

72 comments:

  1. Spring summed up on a beautiful tag Alison.

    B x

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  2. Love the Spring fresh colours on this piece Alison and the fantastic dimension on the wings. Lovely piece. Tracy x

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  3. Lovely background Alison and again a great tag in total. Love that pen nib as the body of the Alison, uhhh the butterfly :-)))

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  4. Such a fresh colour making a fabulous spring Tag Alison as always the details are many Love it!
    Enjoyed playing along and I hope many journeys to come.

    MaggieH

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  5. Wonderful Spring colours for this terrific tag Alison. Just when you think you have seen everything you get to see a pen nib used for a butterfly's body--amazing idea:)

    Love Chrissie x

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  6. 'Dappled sunlit look' describes this tag beautifully Alison, I just love that beautiful big butterfly with it's acetate overlay which gives lovely movement to it. I love the gorgeous Spring colours in the background and your use of the splatters is a wonderful finishing touch. Anne xx

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  7. Great inking and stamping on this one Alison, love the fresh Spring colours, so suited to the butterfly!

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  8. A beautifully layered background and those butterflies are about to fly! Love it. Jenny x

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  9. Beautiful fresh colours Alison and what beautiful bonus butterflies they are ! A gorgeous tag ....hugs x trace x

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  10. Beautiful tag as always Alison. Thanks for joining our Stampotique challenge again this week..

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  11. such a sweet tag! Thanks for sharing your creation over at SDC!

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  12. Love your pretty tag Alison. Am sure you will have loads of entries for the new blog as there are loads of Tim Holtz fans. Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  13. What a beautiful , green & yellow(my favorite colours) butterfly tag!!! So pretty , love all the details a lot!!!
    Super!!

    Greetings
    Maria

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  14. This looks fabulously alive Alison - it may well actually take off! Gorgeous work indeed. Have a lovely weekend. Nicola x

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  15. lovely, spring tag. and i really like this sentence :)

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  16. A beautiful tag with a bright, light and airy feel, the sentiment is so apt too! Love it! Chris xxx

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  17. Another great artwork Alison.
    It's awesome!!
    Thanks for joining us at Stampotique DC

    xx Arwen

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  18. this is stunning Alison - I love everything about it and what joy it has been seeing all of these marvellous Tim tags today - brilliant xx

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  19. This is beautiful Alison! So lovely to see the butterflies in the garden again!
    Have a lovely weekend,
    Alison xxx

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  20. Gorgeous tag, love the inking and stamping. The butterfly is stunning in acetate and the pen nib is a perfect body for it. I was just thinking this week that I don't use green enough and that I should attempt something with it. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  21. Oh do I love the richness of the greens and love the scrolls and butterfly! This one is stunning!
    Hugs Kelly

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  22. Wow!
    So sieht der FrĂĽhling aus, Alison :-)
    Ein wunderschönes Tag ist dir wieder gelungen.
    Herrliche Farben und ein toller Hintergrund.
    CHAPEAU!

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  23. Love the bright and springtime colors, Alison! So much interest and gorgeous layers of mediums! I think this will also be one of my favorites stamps sets and it is about to get inked! Hugs!

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  24. This is absolutely beautiful, love the wings, they look so delicate.

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  25. So beautiful Alison! Love the pretty color palette and beautiful butterflies!

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  26. Alison...this tag is stunning! I live your blended greens in the background. What a WOW factor! I also really love your large butterfly and the beautiful wings you have given him! As always, such lovely work! Hugs, Candy

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  27. Beautiful tag. Love the fresh green. Thank you for your explanation Anneke.
    www.annekescardart.blogspot.com

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  28. Gorgeous gorgeous background and just fabulous colours. Just a wonderful tag all round!!! x

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  29. Love Love Love the green! Perfect for this time of year too! Your tag is fabulous! Love every bit!

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  30. Gorgeous zingy tag, Hugs Elizabeth x

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  32. Green, green, it's green they say! But, your tag, at the same time is definitely art. I couldn't help but think SPRING when I saw this today! Well received in Boston! Thanks so much for participating in the Stampotique Designers' Challenge this week, Alison!

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  33. A beautiful tag Alison, full of promises of Spring xx

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  34. Fabulously Lovely Tag, Alison! Love your mix of colors and I have to say, I'm partial to the paint flicks :) Love flicking paint all over the place :) Thank you for sharing! I think I'll spend today in my craft dungeon being inspired :) XOXO-Shari

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  35. Now I want to sit and take in more and more of the seasonal colour inspiration from your glorious tag. You have created the epitome of Spring with this gorgeous design and that wonderful butterfly. Have a great weekend xx

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  36. Gee I must have blinked -- I have to go see what I missed.
    Your tag is delightful and as I told Anne, between you and A Vintage Journey and the Tim Holtz tags, I just have to learn something!
    Green and yellow are so pretty together and I just have to learn how to do multiple things. I have never been able to chew gum and walk at the same time!
    sandy xx

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  37. Your tag is a picture of spring soon arriving. Beautiful and full of life. Lovely techniques here too! As always you've created another beauty!
    Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

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  38. Absolutely stunning! I love the green colors, it givs me the feeling of summer :) How creative to use a pen nib as the butterfly body! You ar amazing Alison!
    hugs, Unni

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  39. Fabulous tag Alison and sounds like you did have messy fun.
    Avril xx

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  40. Fab colours and the whole tag a work of art

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  41. Wonderful spring colours, its a fabulous inky tag.
    Yvonne

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  42. This tag is full of good things! I love the colours, the water droplets, the beautiful nib and the stenciling. It's a beauty! Julie Ann xxx

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  43. The colors just grab you and I love the Tim influences on this tag. The world of crafting would not be the same without this creative genius. So glad you always include how you create your masterpieces Alison. :) Amazing inspiration!! Hugs, Lisa

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  44. Love the distress colours you have used on this tag that blend so well together... the background is so shiny! And your butterfly using acetate on top of the first stamped image is just fabulous!!! Hugs, have a lovely week-end Alison. Coco xxx

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  45. Stunning tag, I love the acetate butterfly. And your PA canvas is gorgeous.

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  46. HI Alison......gorgeous inky layers of stunning Distress ink Colours.>>>I love it and the butterfly looks wonderful too

    Have fun

    Annie xx

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  47. Hello dear,
    Gorgeous, Alison, I love the splashes the white wing (last photo ) ,whish makes the butterfly allive,- all the layers of stamping and painting , your tag is a beautiful, summerly artpiece.
    Hugs,Dorthe

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  48. Lovely, lovely greens and white. The pen nib body on the butterfly is just perfect. I have some catching up to do looking at all your blog posts as I have been away for a while, it may take me all day! X

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  49. Oh wow! Amazing tag, Alison! Love this butterfly :)

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  50. That's an amazing tag in great colors - fabulous fresh green. Love the use of the pen nib.

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  51. So delicate and beautiful. Stunning.
    Thanks for joining in with us at Stampotique this week :)

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  52. Wow, stunning! I love the idea of using the pen nib as the centre of the butterfly!

    Emma x

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  53. Hello Miss Butterfly, well would we expect with a butterfly here but PERFECTION and that's what we got, those beautifully blended colors created some glorious greens, that butterfly is SUPERB,love all the flicking with the linen, the beautiful seam binding with the white curly cues, like I said, PERFECTION, thanks for sharing, your THE BOMB Miss Bomber...

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  54. Absolutely stunning tag Alison. Love the shades of green and would love to join in the challenge but time is very much at a premium this next few weeks (some things never change, lol)!

    I just wanted to say I loved your PaperArtsy design this week and was disappointed I didn't get chance to use your wonderful inspiration. Might just make one for fun if real life doesn't get in the way, lol!

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  55. Love this! The stamping and embossing, the colors. Did you see that this is another of Michelle Ward's designs'? The butterfly, that is. Like the gorgeous dragonfly and others. A beautiful tag.

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  56. Alison, just the love the freshness of your tag, but I especially love the pen nib body of the butterfly, Debi x

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  57. Beautiful tag! This stamp is one of my fav , I love the body of your butterfly! A tag that takes us into the spring! BArbarayaya

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  58. Another beautiful piece Alison....it does look like sunlight...and I adore that flourish too! A Vintage Journey looks like lots of fun....

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  59. I just adore the pen nib for the big butterfly's body. I love that the butterflies are done up in acetate too. I can't get that Staz On to work worth a darn so I'm always impressed to see that others can. I love the sunny feel to your tag too.

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  60. This is so beautiful, your acetate butterfly looks perfect, and those paint spatters are the perfect finishing touch xx

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  61. Lovely spring colours, great inky textures and watermarks

    Lovely words topped off with gorgeous ribbons

    Jools x

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  62. Love those Spring colours and the great layers you've got there! Chrisx

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  63. Your tag is beautiful. I also love your blog and all your other things you have made They are truly inspirational. Thank you for sharing
    Happy Crafting
    Julie

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  64. What a dreamy tag, Alison. The colors are so rich, and those spare wings are fantastic!

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  65. Wow, this is so you!! And you rock!

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  66. I love this tag, especially the butterfly! Thanks so much for joining us at Inspiration Journal.

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  67. Wow, this is absolutely stunning! I love the acetate butterfly (thought it was glossy accent) and the fountain pen as the body is genious! Thanks for joining us at Stampotique Designer's Challenge.

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  68. A gorgeous tag where the butterflies truly grab the attention. I think limiting the tag to shades of green makes it all work so well. Another winner here. Jenny x

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  69. Wow wow wow absolutely gorgeous stunning tag, I love the way distress works and I never seem to use them enough. Such simple techniques but such a pop of wow :-) Kezzy xxx

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Thank so much for taking the time to stop by. It's lovely to hear what you think - every comment is so much appreciated.