Hello all and a warm welcome to a chilly Words and Pictures.
I'm here (or rather not here - scheduled posts are a wonderful thing!) with my second inspiration offering for Doreen's theme at Country View Challenges - and The Colour Blue has become colder than ever!
As you may remember from my first blue tag earlier this month, I gave myself the additional challenge of trying to keep things a bit simpler and, while the first one was a "yes-and-no" on that front, I think I've fulfilled the brief this time.
(Hopefully it makes for shorter posts too - much needed after the Mixology extravaganzas of recent days!)
I started with a tag cut from ivory card and the background was as simple as a couple of spritzes of Distress Spray.
It's Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch if I remember rightly... sprayed from the top left corner downwards.
Then I stamped the beautiful bird from the recent Sara Naumann set for PaperArtsy.
I love the bleak, spare image, so that's why I wanted to stick to a bleak, spare background.
I wanted a little more tree going on, so I stamped the bare branch too.
Both of them were embossed with fine black embossing powder, and you can see a few grains of powder escaped and attached themselves to bits of spritz that weren't yet dry.
I don't mind at all... embrace that happy accident, I say!
For a bold contrast, I stamped the words in Versamark over the dark inky sky and embossed them in white.
And I finished up with some fine spatters of white (and Weathered Wood I think) "snow" in the sky, and the simplest of toppings.
There you go... simply blue! I hope you'll be inspired to come and play along with The Colour Blue over at Country View Challenges. Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope you all have a great weekend.
Oh, "darkly, deeply, beautifully blue",
As someone somewhere sings about the sky.
from Don Juan by George, Lord Byron (he's quoting Robert Southey who was actually talking about the dolphins in the sea!)
A fabulous background Alison, so perfectly graduated making for a super tag.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good weekend, it's looking very much like crafting weather if your's is anything like ours.
B x
Love this tag - the white words really pop. Have a great weekend, we have flakes of snow falling and it's cold! Guess it probably is where you are too!!
ReplyDeleteLots of wonderful ideas on this beautiful tag Alison. Just right for our weather forecast today brr
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend
Chrissie xx
Wow.. what an amazing wintery tag ?! Stunning art Alison! Happy weekend! oxo Susi
ReplyDeleteOh! THat's SO pretty. Simply blue works for me. I love all the cool spatters and drops. Lx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blue winter tag, Alison! The "simple" background looks like a real snowy heaven. The bird stamp is gorgeous, although I love the one of your first tag too!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend!
xxx
It's quite the juxtaposition sitting on that sun warmed ivy, but nevertheless it exudes the frosty air of winter. I think it's possibly quite versatile for Halloween too! It's perfect how you separated the birds position from the starry night sky. A gorgeous tag!!
ReplyDeleteOh boy Alison, how wonderfully frosty!! Love the bird silhouette, such a perfect winter scene! hugs :)
ReplyDeleteSo, so dramatic and hypnotic! Love the way that silhouette pulls you to the sky and thought provoking words. Jenny x
ReplyDeleteB r r r r! He looks so stark against that perfectly blue sky with the wintery words.
ReplyDeleteYour rather simple (by comparison only) tag is not without depth and interest, Alison! The color palette, indeed, encourages reflection. Love it, my friend!
ReplyDeleteAmazing blue tones, loking so much like a very frosty day, where the birds seek shelter and food. Love your snowfilled wind blowing and the balck bird trying to find its way ,when leaving its, safe twig !! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove it, Hugs, Dorthe
Fabulously chilly Alison, just like our sky was here earlier today .....before if went all grey and depressing, lol! Love the tag and the background is perfect for the bare branches and lonely bird.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Lesley Xx
A simple tag Alison, but so elegant and beautiful. Just love it!!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great week-end too,
Warm hugs Coco xx
Super cold looking background and striking design.
ReplyDeleteJulie x
BEAUTIFUL Alison..and I love happy accidents..if I tried to make that happen it would be a disaster..love the bird on a branch and the pop of pure white..gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteluv CHRISSYxx
What a stunning winter tag Alison. Vert cold and winters feel to it. Love it. Hugs Rita xxxx
ReplyDeleteStunning use of the sprays and that wonderful image..... love it! I love the versatility of your talent, Alison - always a joy to see your projects! Hope your trip is going well.... xxx Lynn
ReplyDeleteThe bird looks stunning on your very cool blue tag, perfect for a cold snowy day here! Anne xx
ReplyDeleteloving the blueprint sketch on this one. lovely make xx
ReplyDeleteA wonderful frosty tag and quote, just like our weather up here in the north at the moment.
ReplyDeleteYvonne xx
Oh my!! This is beautiful Alison. Love that blue - it truly is a chilly blue, a bit like today really.
ReplyDeleteHugs
xx
Simple, but so striking, ALison! Sometimes the simple style is harder to get, you perfectly nailed it!
ReplyDeleteSimple but absolutely stunning! Perfect background! barbarayaya
ReplyDeleteOne of my fave tags Alison.
ReplyDeleteWarm crafty hugs from Shirl x x x
ShirlsCards.
Wonderful tag. Great design, less is more.
ReplyDeleteThis is a real winter blues!
Beautiful winter tag, simple and great design. xx
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful, simplistic tag that holds so much beauty and thought- I love it Alison!
ReplyDeletexo Jackie
Two perfect colours for winter, and such an elegant bird standing on this fabulous background! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tag, Alison. Love the fabulous blue tones and the bird looks amazing on this great background, simple but very effective, I love it.
ReplyDeleteMar xx
What beauty there is in simplicity!! But then yours is beautifully artistic simplicity. LOVE this! Nicola x
ReplyDeleteThis is so very beautiful! Love the silhouette stamping against this awesome background!
ReplyDeleteBlue and cold, and definitely reflection time! Gorgeous and simple yet so thought provoking!
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous Alison! I can't stop using Sara's lovely stamp set! xx
ReplyDeletePlaying catch up yet again Alison and love this beautiful tag. Wonderful simplicity and love the beautiful background for the bird silhouette.
ReplyDeleteFliss xx
Love the black silhouette against that gorgeous background
ReplyDeleteAvril xx
A beautiful tag, I love the background.
ReplyDeleteI love the winter, and I love this!
ReplyDeleteSimply lovely! The color, the silhouette, the words all so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a peaceful looking tag - I love how the blue is so strong at the top - I can almost hear the blackbird singing his first song of the day! I must confess that I bought this stamp set when it first came out and it still hasn't been inked! You have given me inspiration to get on with it! Chrisx
ReplyDeleteSimple or complex, your tags are always a delight, Alison. This one so captures the magic and beauty of the Winter. I really love how you have used that beautiful stamp. xx
ReplyDeleteI love this, you can feel the cold here! Have a fab weekend, Sue xx
ReplyDeleteThat blue is perfection, conjuring up crisp winter evenings when the stars shine so clearly. This is a beauty of a tag.
ReplyDeleteAlison, I was working with that same set of stamps for a card, I love that bird stamp and hope it explore it further in the new year.
Wishes
Lynne
Beautiful Alison, in this case less is certainly more, love your tag! Deb xo
ReplyDelete