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 10 December 2016

Let It Snow!





Hello all... it never rains but it pours, they say, and after a long period of drought, it's pouring posts here at Words and Pictures at the moment.  I'd rather have snow than rain though, so let's say it's a blizzard of posts, shall we?

I'm on day 4 and Tag 4 of the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas.  The challenge actually started back in September, but I've left myself 12 days rather than 12 weeks before the deadline, so we're really full steam ahead at the moment.

For Tag 4, I've followed Linda's inspiration tag fairly closely except for the fact that I've gone with snowflakes rather than poinsettias.

I'm not much for poinsettias, so I don't have much in the way of poinsettia-making crafty stuff, but I thought the snowflakes made a suitably shaped substitute.













And I've continued to eschew the reds (hence the ambivalence about poinsettias, though I do like the white ones), sticking instead to my favoured colour zones.

Those colours and the simple twine topping tie us back in to the previous three tags, continuing the set.












To start with, I wrinkle-free-distressed a tag with Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire.


For the cut through, I used the Paper Snowflakes thinlits (not the Minis, but the smaller two from the larger set - I have the Minis on the way though) but, of course, cutting them only gave me the outline.








I wanted more detail so I kept the tiny pressed out parts and stuck them down in the appropriate positions to keep the more detailed design.

I stamped the delicate snowflake pattern from Tim's Christmas Nostalgia set over the top tag in Stormy Sky.













The snowflake centres were fiddly, but definitely worth the trouble, I think.  (The very tiny central dots are done with white pen... there are limits to my patience!)















The actual snowflakes also got pressed into service, of course, in place of Linda's fabulous dimensional flower heads.  They've just had a very light inking around the edges with Stormy Sky for an icy blueness.












They're layered over some Holiday Greens, but mine are done in soft frosted green rather than the gilded version of the original.

The greenery is cut from some more wrinkle-free-distressed cardstock, this time smooshed with Iced Spruce and Evergreen Bough. 









I followed Linda in creating a krafty sentiment label, but since I'm working with smaller tags I had to go with a smaller sentiment too - the Handwritten Holiday stamps came to the rescue with a simple but heartfelt plea... Let it snow!













A little bit of inking around the edges ties in with the colour of the label and the natural twine topping.












We spend a lot of time here in the south east of the UK dreaming of a white Christmas.  Some parts get snow, and I know it's terrible for travel, and for the aged or isolated, but I would still love the magic of waking up to a hushed and sparkling world on Christmas morning.  Apparently it is a possibility this year, even in the south east... but I'm not holding my breath!

So that's another one down, and I'm still on course for 19th December... I hope I'll see you again tomorrow with the next tag.

When snow falls, nature listens.
Antoinette van Kleef

I'd like to enter this as Tag 4 in the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas, sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique

28 comments:

SewPaperPaint said...

What a great technique! Those layered snowflakes are amazing! This is absolutely stunning! Christmas hugs, Autumn

Amanda said...

Loving this!
Love
Amanda x

Helen said...

I love this one! (no, in answer, the other 8 haven't yet been done.. Just got back from London. Christmas shopping... mad, it was rammed!)

Gaby Bee said...

This tag looks gorgeous. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing your creative process!

I wish you a wonderful Adenet eason!
Hugs,
Gaby

Meggymay said...

A great ides yo use the die cuts as a base , its a really pretty tag. Don't wish for too much snow, the north usually gets it as well.
Yvonne xx

Chrissy said...

Beautiful Alison..love the dimension and colours..gorgeous tag.

Luv CHRISSYxx

Redanne said...

Oh Alison, I think this may be my favourite so far, it must have taken you ages to piece all those little bits back on but it was so worth it! The snowflakes are beautiful, I love the blues and greens and the Kraft tag is a lovely addition too! Love this! Anne xx

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Beautiful tag.

chrissie said...

Wonderful layers of snowflakes images Alison.

Love Chrissie xx

Lisa said...

Oh my gosh, this is absolutely stunning!! I love the techniques you used!! The layered snowflakes look amazing!! I love, love this!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

Lisa
A Mermaid's Crafts

craftytrog said...

Lovely tag Alison! xx

Shirley said...

Another stunning tag Alison.

Warm crafty hugs from Shirl x x x
ShirlsCards.

Astrid Maclean said...

Well done on keeping this going Alison, another beauty, love what you did with the snowflakes!

Marci said...

The snowflakes and greenery look beautiful!

Hazel Agnew said...

Heading off to my craftroom, you just gave me another great idea!! Xx

Sandy said...

Beautiful! I can smell the pines and feel the cold of the snow!
Sandy Claus xx

Dorthe said...

So beautiful with the layered snowflakes parts, looks wonderful and the green foliage gives hope of spring !!
Dorthe, XOxoxo

Juliz Design Post said...

Super techniques and a fab tag.
Julie x

Corrie Herriman said...

It's gorgeous !
Corrie x

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous vintage style tag - like the colour palette very much.
Wishes
Lynne

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Another beauty! I'm loving your blue and green color palettes. It's brilliant the way you cut and layered the snowflakes. My hat is off to your patience - they came out perfect. Your sentiment is just the ticket. Checking off Tag #4 - keep it going!

Hugs,
Linda

Brenda Brown said...

Wow, you are on a roll creating your beautiful tags. Ken came home yesterday saying we are likely to have the warmest Christmas Day ever this year!!!! :0(( xxx

sarascloset said...

Oh, dear, it's another favorite!!! Love your snowy take on this week's tag and your delicate flurries in the background. Why don't I have this stamp set??? Well, I am so impressed with your work with those die cuts; you deserve a big round of applause for so successfully saving all those little bits and then getting them exactly in the right places to create those debossed flakes! And your ticket is "just the ticket" for this rustic scene! Lovely! I do hope you get your Christmas wish! We usually get some of the hottest muggy weather on Christmas Day for some reason. I would even be happy if it were chilly, but there is something terribly wrong about wearing shorts and a tee shirt on Christmas, don't you think? Sending hugs!

Jackie PN said...

So very beautiful Alison!
Sending wishes for a soft ,fluffy white Christmas morning for you! xx

sally said...

Great set of tags Alison, I love them all....but this is my favourite so far....must be something to do with the snow methinks!

Sally xx

Cocofolies said...

Another delightful tag, so gorgeous once again!!! xx

Julie Lee said...

Do you know, I've never been much of a poinsettia fan myself. I adore your snowflake substitute. It fits so well and the pure white looks amazing. xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I wondered how you got those cut out snowflakes to look so detailed... duh! You put all the little parts back in. Bless you for doing so (you have more patience than I). It was well worth the effort though. I very much enjoy this tag made by you using your take on the poinsettia tag.