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...

Tuesday 7 April 2015

A busy krafty bee!






Hello all!  I'm back with my second offering of the month to inspire you to come and play along with our Use Kraft Card theme at Country View Challenges... and I found myself with a very busy bee on my hands.

It started (as lots of my tags do these days) with the Mixed Media thinlits - and this time it's the honeycomb I've been playing with... and from the honeycomb it was a small but obvious journey to the Tim Holtz Layered Bee.

The background is actually one which has been sitting around on my craft table for a while.  I was having a play with my (then) new Mini Bee on Time stencil, and created various backgrounds.













This one involved gesso and lots of Wild Honey and Scattered Straw Distress Sprays.

Looking at it, I'm pretty sure this one was a flipped-over print to use up leftover paint after gessoing through the stencil onto another tag (the bee is non-gesso, and the surround is textured gesso).










Then it was onto the kraft card and the honeycomb Mixed Media thinlit.

Having cut it, I inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and a little Rusty Hinge in places, I think, and then reassembled some of the pieces (not necessarily back into the right holes, though some of them have made it there).










I applied Glossy Accents to some holes and pieces, and Rock Candy Crackle Paint to others.













I'm really happy with the effect... like glossy honey ready and waiting to be harvested.











The large bee was also cut from kraft card, embossed, edged with Vintage Photo and then given his own coat of Rock Candy Crackle Paint.

After it had crackled, I added sweeps of Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo and Wild Honey Distress Stain to give a little more depth to the cracks.










He had to be positioned very carefully so as to allow his gesso cousin to be visible beneath.














The WordBand has been altered with some Wild Honey Distress Paint as well as some rusty and gingery alcohol inks...














... and there are some dyed crinkle ribbons to top it off.









I hope you're inspired to Use Kraft Card this month.  Remember, there are new projects from the team almost daily over at Country View Challenges, so hopefully you'll never be short of ideas and inspiration.  We hope you'll come and play along.


For now, I'll love you and leave you, and I hope to be able to come and do some visiting soon!

There is one masterpiece, the hexagonal cell, that touches perfection.  No living creature, not even man, has achieved in the centre of his sphere, what the bee has achieved in her own; and were someone from another world to descend and ask of the earth the most perfect creation of the logic of life, we should needs have to offer the humble comb of honey.
From The Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck, 1924

The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Find the ingredients at Country View Crafts:
Tim Holtz Layered Bee
Sizzix Mixed Media Thinlits
Distress Spray Stains - Wild Honey, Scattered Straw
Distress Stains - Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo
Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge
Distress Paint - Wild Honey
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks - Ginger, Rust, Teakwood
Gesso
Glossy Accents
Rock Candy Crackle Paint
Idea-ology WordBands - Observations
Idea-ology Crinkle Ribbons
Manila Tags
From my stash: Kraft card, TCW Mini Bee On Time stencil

49 comments:

Anke said...

F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C

Hugs
Anke

Helen said...

I love the bee, and the honeycomb thinlit, it looks amazing crackled and glossied!! Have a great week.

Unknown said...

Wonderful make, Alison! The tag background is so pretty with the crackled honeycomb! X

Shirley said...

Loads to see Alison and loads to admire. Everything rocks and you are the bees knees when it comes to tags.

Warm crafty hugs from Shirl x x x
ShirlsCards.

brenda said...

The honeycomb looks so tactile Alison and the whole piece bursting with inspiration.

B x

Redanne said...

A stunning tag Alison and I love the close ups of the honeycomb to show the wonderful texture and dimension you created. The bee looks fabulous too! Anne xx

chrissie said...

This is stunning Alison with the honeycomb and the amazing bee image.

Love Chrissiexx

Amanda said...

Bee-utiful!! Loving the honeycombed effect with the glossy accents, stunning tag!!
Love
Amanda x

hazel said...

I love everything about your tag Alison, it's wonderful.
xxx Hazel.

Deborah said...

Really does look like honey - brilliant!

craftytrog said...

Wonderful tag Alison, I love those beautiful golden colours!

Lucy Edmondson said...

Gorgeous Alison! I love the honey effect you have created,


Lucy x

Julie Lee said...

This tag just drips with warmth and honey! Somehow it reminds me of the scent of orange blossom and jasmine honies! I love the shades you've used on it and the textures too! I can't wait to just sit in the sun and listen to the hum of bees - that's the mood the tag creates - wonderful.

Julie Lee said...

So sorry, my brain is not functioning this morning - I meant honeys! xx

Marci said...

This is beautiful!

Jackie PN said...

Stunning Alison! the honeybee is one of my favorite creatures. xo

Pamellia said...

Gorgeous Alison!! Love the subtle bee in the background and your use of the crackle in your honeycomb in pure genius! Another stunning creation! PS...just put that bee die on my ever-growing, never-ending wish list!! haha, hugs :)

Cocofolies said...

Oh, a fabulous use of the honeycomb die-cut Alison as well as the large bee!!! Looks very delicate on this tag! As I love bees, I'm very happy to see this tag today during my lunch break... :D Thanks for all the pics and details as usual, much appreciated. Hugs, Coco xxx

Nan G said...

Gorgeous tag, Alison! One might say 'delish'!

Lys said...

Wonderful textures and warm colours... it seems I could spread honey on my toasts, right from your tag!

Kay Wallace said...

Absolutely gorgeous, Alison! It reminds me of summertime and definitely warmer weather. Great use of that honeycomb die, too! Just love this tag!!

Dorthe said...

Dear Alison, this is WONDERFUL , I love the honeycomb,die piece, filled with "honey"- it truly looks fantastic, and that huge bee, waiting to produce more golden honey !! Just gorgeous !!
Dorthe, xo

rachel said...

oh my Alison - this is wonderful - i adore the been and that honeycombe die looks fabulous - especially with the honey inside - beautiful work! Hugs Rachel x

Jennie Atkinson said...

Fabulous! and the honeycomb looks so delicious! Jennie x

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

It almost looks as if there's real honey on the tag....again an amazing creation Alison!
Greetings, Alie :-)

Unknown said...

Gorgeous, you're honeycomb is simply stunning!! Love this tag!!! xx

Paper Profusion said...

BEE-U-TIFUL! Love how you varied the honeycomb 'infills'. Nicola x

Chrissy said...

Oh! I love the Bee and honeycomb Alison..what a fantastic tag and love the colours too..brilliant.

luv CHRISSYxx

sally said...

I can almost taste the honey dripping from the comb this looks so lush!

Sally

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow!! Looks as though the honey pots have been used here to make these fabulous textures! Gorgeous!! Chrisx

experiments in paper said...

Beautiful coloring and textures.... love your bees and that honeycomb is brilliant!! Will be checking out this challenge for sure - and thanks for your visits in what I know is a jam-packed schedule for you :-) xx Lynn

Annie said...

A stunning tag in a beautiful colour combination. Love the honeycomb frame.

TFS and best wishes
Annie x

Meggymay said...

Beautiful tag, love the colours, its just like looking at part of a honeycomb
Yvonne xx

Evelyn Walter said...

So beautiful, dear Alison! Love your clever treatment of the honeycomb!
xxx Evelyn

massofhair said...

Your Bee looks like it's about to take flight Alison, wonderful warm tones on your Tag :-) xxx

Sue said...

Really beautiful Alison, and this has confirmed that I now NEED these thinlits xx

Anonymous said...

Wow Alison, you deliver every time. Such a beautiful tag with all that lovely honey waiting to be harvested. Very clever! Karen.x

Terry said...

I BEE so happy looking at this tag, Alison! The colors are so warm and rich with that lovely feeling of Spring! Love the texture you added with GA and paints! Gorgeous tag! Hugs!

cathylynn said...

Alison this is totally awesome. Love the colors and scrumptious colors. This is beeeeeutiful!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

PINNED!!!! Need I say more! BEEutiful and fabulous techniques!

Anjas-Artefaktotum said...

WOW that tag is really a masterpiece!
Big hugs Anja

Unknown said...

Oh how I love this combination of the golden honey hues and the kraft stock, Alison! This bee does look like it's busy with its chore of tending to the honeycomb--YUM! Makes me want to have a hot cup of tea with a good squeeze of honey!! :) Lovely inspiration creation for CVC!! XOXO-Shari

Kirsten said...

That looks amazing!! It's so gorgeous & I love the honeycomb.

Mrs.B said...

Another fabulous tag, love the infils on the honeycomb, they really do look like oozing honey!
Avril xx

Unknown said...

What a fabulous tag Alison. I love what you have done with the honeycomb diecut and the whole background is gorgeous. Perfect colour too!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Deb said...

Gorgeous tag Alison, I can't wait to get that mixed media die, it is so versatile! Amazing textures and details as always, love it!

scrappymo! said...

Gorgeous.
Just havinga wee catch up on your blog. Sorry I have been away so long.
Just busy with the house and garden. And life itself. Now we are only around the corner from my daughter, son-in-law and the grandkids, it is amazing how many times they just stop by. Often the kiddies will stay whist their parents attend to errands or chores, etc.

Quite a delight for us...but a timekiller of my craft room hours...lol

Ruth said...

Gorgeous hexagon crackle and honey colours. Bee autiful! Ruth x

Mary Elizabeth said...

Ugh ... you ... are... killing ... me! I keep seeing the mixed media thinlits in your projects. I had convinced myself that I did not need them. But then I see your crackled honeycomb and now it's back on the list. I'm going to have to take a break from your blog today. I need to go rummage in my craft stash and calm my impulse buying urge down :) Honestly though, I can see that this set of dies will be something I can use for a long time to come. This is gorgeous. One of my favorite color palettes! -- ME