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...

Friday 30 December 2016

Gift Tag Games

Hello all!  It's a final fling for the year over at A Vintage Journey with a fun Tag Friday.  We all just get to play however we want, as long as we create a tag... well, I've created many!


I was inspired by a class offered at SkillShare by the wonderful Anna-Karin Evaldsson of Layers of Ink.  You can find the details of the class here.  I was in time to take advantage of her generous Christmas gift of taking the class for free, but it's still a bargain.






I'm not going to share the details of the techniques used here - that wouldn't be fair - but I will show you lots of pictures instead!

I had a lovely time getting messy with my watercolour paints.












The resists give light to the gift tags...















... not only because of the white space they leave...















... but also owing to the glossy light-reflecting properties of the gel medium used.  This is under a daylight bulb since there was so little sunlight around!















I stuck to a limited colour palette for these...

















... but I'll definitely play again with different colour groupings.















It'll be a lovely way to play with colour combining.














But for now I stuck with some of my favourites.

















Like Anna-Karin, I used lots of snippets of different sizes of paper.
















There are some tall, thin, elegant ones...
















... some tiny ones...
















... and some more substantial ones in case you want to write a longer message on the reverse.














It was lovely to put my little Hero Arts alphabet to use again.















I think this is the first time it's been out to play in 2016.
















These gift tag games are a good excuse to play with lots of different stencils...

















... as well as doing some more of the scribbling I've been enjoying this year.















... and because you're creating in batches you end up with a nice handful of tags to keep handy.















Some are Christmassy...
















... some less so.
















I kept the toppings simple - all plain twine.










For my preferred gift wrapping of "brown paper packages, tied up with string", these will add a little life and colour.


I hope you'll be able to hop over to A Vintage Journey to see the taggy delights my lovely team-mates have in store for you.


And I'll be back later today with one final post for 2016 (a year I shan't be sorry to see the back of in many ways, though I personally have had lots of lovely adventures).  I hope I'll see you again later on...

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.
Pierre Corneille

38 comments:

Scraps of Elegance said...

Oh my goodness! These are stunning little pieces of art. Love the background technique.

Julia Aston said...

Love the beautiful watery look to your tags Alison - and your mix of colors - SO pretty! Julia

Astrid Maclean said...

A great collection, it certainly looks as if you had fun with these!

Redanne said...

I thoroughly enjoyed Anna-Karin's class too and am really looking forward to having a play! I love your limited colour palette and how wonderful to make tags - beautiful AND useful. You have made me want to go and have a play... Anne xx

chrissie said...

A very beautiful collection Alison and what a wonderful idea to do a batch while you have everything to hand.

Happy 2017 if I don't get to wish you one again before the big day

Love Chrissie xx

Helen said...

what gorgeous tags, love your muted colour tones, they make me want to play!

Hazel Agnew said...

Beautiful tags, intriguing methods? Love the colours and variation of design. Brown paper packages started me off singing again Alison! Xx

Deborah Wainwright said...

Lovely tags Alison I love the colours hugs Debsxx

Marci said...

The colors are just luscious! I like the watery look also.

sam21ski said...

Great tags, love the finished effects xx

sarascloset said...

Beautiful collection of tags! I love the watercolor effects and your color choices! I was lucky enough to win that class, too, but for the life of me cannot find the e-mail she sent with the code in this mess of emails I have. I sure hope I haven't deleted it! Now I am in more of a mission to wade through my messages to find it! Sending wishes for a healthy, happy and crafty New Year!

sarascloset said...

OOPS! that was to her first class! That was limited to a certain number of winners, not limited by the date. My mistake. But this one looks like a "must attend".

Meggymay said...

A beautiful selection of tags and so handy to have some made and good to go.
In case I dont get back tomorrow.
I hope you have a very Happy New Year.
Yvonne xx

Dorthe said...

Beautiful use of few colors, Alison, -they are so different all, in how you used the resist , and the stencils. I can see you had fun, dear friend.
I wish you a healthy, and happy New Year! Lets hope the world, will be a better place to live in 2017 !!!
Hugs from Dorthe

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Great selection of mixed media tags Alison, these would be perfect for journaling too. I love the colour palette and the touches of white space too. I also love the stencilled elements too. Happy New Year sweetie. Tracy x

Sarah Anderson said...

absolutely beautiful

froebelsternchen said...

What a fantastic collection this is!

Paper Profusion said...

Gorgeously splishy and splashy in an artistic way Alison! These will be a fab addition to any parcel. A very Happy and Healthy New Year to you Alison in case Im not back for your next post. Nicola x

Anna-Karin said...

Your tags are stunning Alison!! I love the scribbles that you made here and there and that you used alphabet stamps. The colours are lovely, and I know that's one of your favourite colour combos. Wasn't it fun making tags in all kinds of sizes? I really enjoyed using up lots of scraps of watercolour paper when I made my class samples.

Thank you so much for your kind words about my class and for joining it and sharing your tags!!

I hope you will have a wonderful year 2017, with lots of time for creativity!
Hugs!

Lys said...

A great collection of tags, such a lovely combination of colours. They are perfect with your brown paper wrapping indeed. Happy New Year, Alison!

Jennie Atkinson said...

Absolutely fabulous Alison! And such a wonderful choice of colours.

Wishing you a very happy and crafty 2017 xxx

scrappymo! said...

Your tags look fabulous!

We keep Christmas through to Epiphany so we will save my presents and a few that DH and the girls held back and we will open them on Twelfth Night!

My eldest has her Birthday the following day so perhaps she will stay over...that is always such a treat. Her nickname is Glamour Girl as she always looks like she stepped off a magazine cover...so perhaps she will help me thin my clothes closet as I like to do that every New Year. She will leave me detailed lists on what types of clothing I should purchase! Hopefully I won't lose them as I never look as though I stepped off a magazine cover!!! lol

Jackie PN said...

Alison! I love the technique you have used, your tags are so full of whimsy-very lovely! xoxo

A Pink said...

A wonderful collection of tags! Alison in such lovely colours . I too was fortunate to get Anna Karin's class for free but have yet to sit down to play.
Wishing you a very Happy healthy and peaceful New Year
hugs x

Sue said...

I love these Alison, and what great colours you've chosen. Hope you have a wonderful 2017 xx

Barbara said...

Wonderful collection ! love the color palette! HAppy New Year Alison! I hope your 2017 will be full of health and creativity! Barbara

Jenny Marples said...

What a beautiful set of tags Alison! I love the light that bounces from the white areas and really lifts each design. Wishing you a successful and creative New Year xx

Julia said...

Beautiful dreamy watercolour tags, I love these.
Happy New Year to you Alison. x

pearshapedcrafting said...

I love this watercolour resist collection - such beautiful colours! Hugs, Chrisx

sally said...

Delightful selection of tags in your favourite colour range:-)

Sally xx

Cocofolies said...

They are all gorgeous!!!!

I have also loved playing just a bit following her videos, like you I was in time to take advantage of her generous Christmas gift of taking the class for free the last day! I will create more and share too if I can of course, it's an easy, fun and so interesting way to create several tags really beautiful! x

Deb said...

Gorgeous tags Alison, love your colour palette and the wonderful play of light and dark! Will have to check out Anna-Karin's class, looks wonderful! Deb xo

Evelyn Walter said...

beautiful tags, Alison - and ooo many!
Love the watered down coloring!
xxx Evelyn

Anke said...

Wonderful tags, Alison. Great backgrounds !!!

Hugs
Anke

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Brilliant collection of tags Alison, love them. Angela xXx

Miek said...

What a lovely collection .I like it very much.

Claudia N. said...

Such a fab bundle of beautiful tags, Alison! Love them all!
Claudia xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

These are so fun. I can see you going to town and just having a great play day making these.