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 1 November 2014

Christmas is coming...

…. though not quite yet!  However, Christmas is Coming is the theme of the challenge over at The Artistic Stamper this month, so you can start getting in the mood.

I always seem to end up going for neutrals with my Christmas makes and, since it's such a busy time of year, it seems sensible to keep things fairly simple (and repeatable).  So I've got a quick set of tags for you today using some of the fantastic Christmas stamps available at The Artistic Stamper (just click the product links to go shopping!).


I started with some tea and coffee stained tags (and I do mean that - I usually use a mixture of the two when I'm staining).






All the stamping is done in Archival Coffee.
















The stamps are a mixture from Victorian Christmas #2...












... and from Christmas Plate #3.












The fine detail of the images is just lovely.












The Kate Greenaway lettering is especially enchanting, I think.













As you can see, I've done a bit of extra inking around the edges with Distress Inks to draw the eye into the centre.










I added some tiny wooden stars - just a simple embellishment, but I love the pale pop of dimension against the rustic backgrounds.














I'm back with my favourite tiny pine cones - simple and natural.














And some pale rustic string finishes them off - perfect for attaching to parcels.








Come and share with us at The Artistic Stamper how you're getting ready for the festive season with your Christmas is Coming creations.

Hope all's well with everyone - I'm missing visiting you all!  It's been all go at the theatre - more than 12 hours a day in technical and dress rehearsals over the last two weeks.  Tonight we have our first preview in front of an audience, so we'll get to find out how well we're telling the story.  Then we can refine and tweak and hopefully end up with something that knocks their socks off!

Since it's the first of the month, I'll be back with another post later this morning - hope to see you then.

Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.
Charles M. Schulz

26 comments:

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

wow, Tag is gorgeous. Love to read your making process. Yes and that pine cone is very cute.

maria's knutselplezier said...

Great christmastags, dear Alison, I love them all!!

Greetings and have a nice weekend!!
Maria

chrissie said...

I like to way you make neutrals look so fantastic Alison. The tags are beautiful.

Love Chrissie x

Helen said...

fabulous Christmas tags... really AM going to buckle down to my Christmas cards today.. I've cleared the craft mat...

Marci said...

Love your tags. They look antique, if you know what I mean. Beautifully done. I forgot to say I hope the preview goes well on your other post, so saying it here.

Dorthe said...

Dear Alison,
so lovely and wonderfully sepia are your tags, of christmas ,- so sweet with the stars of silver, and a little nature.
Hugs, Dorthe

Unknown said...

Love the vintage feel of these tags, they look so warm and inviting and will scream 'open me' from any parcel they're attached to. x

Amanda said...

Neutrals at their best!
Love
Amanda x

Redanne said...

Oh I love your tags Alison, they really are so beautiful and I love the neutrals!

I really hope the preview goes / did go well! You are all clearly putting so much work in, you really do deserve to do well. Big hugs, Anne xx

Julia said...

I love your tea and coffee stained tags and these are no exception. Sweet little pine cones too, these are charming. X

Sandy said...

We had our first saw today so I guess Christmas is indeed coming. Wonderful tags Alison, in especially like the second one.
Sandy xx

Kezzy said...

Wow, such a gorgeous cottage style tag. The vintage looks so amazing wow. Happy Creating, Kezzy :-) xxx

Evelyn Walter said...

Hi Alison, I love your nature coloured tags and these stamps are wonderful!
I hope, your preview was a success!
Have a nice sunday.
xxx Evelyn

Jackie PN said...

So simple and so stunning!! I love this old vintage look!! Well done! xoxo

Dianne said...

Hello Miss Alison, miss you, well you know I looooooove these the browns are just yummy, and I will be making my Christmas cards inspired by you my dear, thanks soooooooo much love them, they are PERFECT for anything...

Kasia said...

Love your Christmas tags, Alison! So lovely :)

Julie Lee said...

I love gathering pine cones and then using them on Christmas makes. The neutral tones of these tags give them a super, vintage feel, and it's nice to have a rest from the heavy bling of a great deal of Christmas offerings - reminiscent of the natural world in winter too! Lovely images, beautifully stamped. xxx

Paper Profusion said...

I love them all Alison - beautiful mono tones and gorgeous stamps. Nicola x

pearshapedcrafting said...

These gorgeous tags will look fabulous on any colour parcel but must say I do like your neutral choice! Love the middle one especially! Hope you can get rest soon!! Chrisx

Unknown said...

Christmas is coming and I'm soooo not ready!! :) LOL!! But, I looove these natural Christmas tags you've made Alison! Love how you stained the tags and kept your color palette natural and your embellies 'wooden'..kinda! Are pinecones wood? ;) Do you do anything to preserve the pinecones? Lovely tags and nice and simple, too! XOXO-Shari

Jools Robertson said...

Beautiful tags, love the simply elegant colour tones
The images are gorgeous, exquisite quality

Jools x

Hettie said...

Beautiful tags Alison. I just love the depth of colour you have captured in these tags...so warm.
The stamps are fabulous. Love them.
Hope your audience behaved themselves and appreciated the work you have all carried out.
Hugs
xx

Ruth said...

Beautiful, elegant, vintage tags.....so effective! Ruth x

Cathy L. Calamas said...

Love love love these. The coffee ink is perfect with the stained tags. Simple beauty at its best.

barbarayaya62 said...

So natural! you're really good to make art! These shades are fabulous, your tags are gorgeous! BArbarayaya

Véro said...

Oh,these tags are so ,so lovely!Your blog is really wonderfull!Thank you too for your kind comment on my blog!