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Friday 1 December 2017

A Winter Woodland Wonderland






Hello all!  December?  Are you sure?  Well, okay then... time for some winter and Christmas crafting.  And what better way to kick off the month than with a post doing double duty?

There's a new challenge starting at A Vintage Journey, hosted by the lovely Sandy, and the theme is Winter Wonderland.

I wasn't scheduled to be joining in this month, but I've finally managed to get started with my Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas, and it so happens that Tag 1 fits perfectly into the Winter Wonderland theme, so I'm offering it up in both places!

Linda Coughlin - a.k.a. the Funkie Junkie - creates a tag a week from the end of September, providing festive inspiration for us to follow or adapt or just take an idea from and play. 











Regulars will know I find it very hard to get to any Christmas crafting before December, so instead of 12 weeks to make my tags, I usually end up with about 12 days to get them all done!

But it's the 1st of December today, and here's Tag 1, and I have until the deadline on 29th December so it really should be possible.

I can't quite decide between the indoor and outdoor photos of this, so you can take a look at both!

You can check out all the challenge details, as well as Linda's very funky Tag 1 here, and see all the entrants so far.  It's a lovely community.

As you can see, if you look at Linda's version, I've followed very closely in some ways and not at all in others!












I started with a very different background - some wood-look paper from Anna Marie Designs' Christmas Jingle collection.

I gave it a sweep of gesso to soften it even further, and added some snowy landscape shaping at the lower end.















I stamped the lovely Tim Holtz tall trees multiple times, creating some depth and distance.














And I also stamped Wendy Vecchi's splatter stamp in Picket Fence Distress Paint...

... before doing some actual splattering with Snowflake Fresco.













Then it was out with the delightful Thinlits deer.  This die set is actually called Winter Wonderland, so what could be better for the Vintage Journey theme?!














The little shy one is so sweet!  I added some extra thick snow under their feet so that they would be nicely grounded.













I loved Linda's spray of greenery in the top corner, so I echoed that, but added a couple of my much-loved pinecones (a fixture in Christmas crafting round here) as well as some frosted berries.














Nestling amongst the branches, you find my words - from the Tim Holtz Christmas Clippings stickers.












I do like the trees against the wooden background - there's something very earthy and pleasing about it to me.

Of course there's plenty of white spatter - both stamped and splattered - and some simple white twine finishes things off.

And that's my Winter Woodland Wonderland.  










I hope you'll have time to hop over to A Vintage Journey and visit the Winter Wonderland inspiration provided by my lovely team-mates.  There's a prize package from the fantabulous Andy Skinner this month for one randomly drawn winner, and you could get selected as one of our Pinworthies and invited to make a guest appearance somewhere down the road, so do come and join in.

I'll be back before you know it... Yes, it's a double-post day here at Words and Pictures.  You've probably just got time to open the first door on your Advent Calendars, and I'll be here again.  I'm looking forward to a bit of catching up around Craftyblogland soon too.  Happy December everybody!





Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and "the dead months" will give you a subtler secret than any you have yet found in the forest.
William Sharp

I'd like to enter this as Tag 1 in the Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas, sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique

34 comments:

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

This looks amazing Alison, such a beautiful interpretation on Winter with those dear deer amongst the snowy woodland, they look so at home. Fabulous.. Hugs and wishes Tracey x

S@ndy Diller said...

So lovely Alison and late comers are always welcome (I think that's how it;s done in our crafty world)Thanks for joining and sharing. Hugs, Sandy xx

Kate Yetter said...

Wow Alison! I just love how you have created depth with your snow hills and how each deer gets progressively smaller. Great way to keep perspective. Such a lovely wintry scene with the perfect amount of sparkle.
Kate

Helen said...

Your Christmas tags for Funkie Junkie are always so fabulous. I love this one. Those deer are so sweet!

Valerie-Jael said...

This is a fabulous wintry and sparkly tag! Hugs, Valerie

Annie said...

Your tag is stunning Alison and I just love the wonderful background you created. I agree those deers are so sweet. TFS and huge hugs
Annie xx

Marci said...

Love this tag! It is gorgeous.

Brenda Brown said...

What a wonderful wintry scene Alison with the deer on the hillside surrounded by fabulous forest trees merging into the misty background. The little spray in the corner with the perfect words add those wonderful finishing touches. Winter is definitely here. xxx

sarascloset said...

Alison, I was so excited to see your tag in Linda's 12 Tags gallery this morning, and I almost forgot that it was the start of the new challenge at A Vintage Journey! What a lovely wintry scene, and I'm so enchanted by the trees on a wood plank background and your snowy hills! I'm having a good giggle here, as I've finished and posted yet not published week 9 which looks very much like this using an old technique of mine. Even our posts sound a little similar! But I love your tag much more with the brown tones, and I think I'm going to have to CASE this! So happy to be here this morning and be inspired by you! Sending warm hugs from sunny and warm Wilmington NC!

Monika Gulyas said...

Oh Alison, I love your beautiful winter scene! The brownish colours are fabulous! It's like an old sepia photo of a winter forest! xx

Dorthe said...

You created the most beautiful wood wonderland, Alison. So love how you made little snow hills, and the deer far away in the wood, looks smallest - I love your wood too of the high stamen pines . gorgeous also how you captured the snow wood colors .
Hugs, Dorthe

froebelsternchen said...

Perfection on a tag here! AMAZING Alison!

2amscrapper said...

beautiful background for your tag! Helene

Redanne said...

You really have conjured up a feeling of a winter wonderland with your gorgeous tag Alison. I love the depth and dimension you created with the trees in the background and the deer are so beautiful standing on that glistening snow - just wonderful! Anne xx

Neet said...

Your step by step instructions are always accompanied by such gorgeous photographs and you make it so easy to follow the process. Thank you.
Love the tag, it made me feel as if I was walking quietly in the snow and suddenly seeing those beautiful creatures. In fact it made me think of visiting Dunham Massey where there are lots of deer and looking at those beautiful animals for real. But then it wouldn't be the same as your gorgeous tag if it wasn't in a winer wonderland setting would it.
Hugs, Neet xx

Chrissy said...

oh, wow..this is just beautiful Alison..love the scene with the reindeer on your tag..the trees and snow mounds and the pinecones with foliage is just FABulous.

Luv CHRISSYxx

Julia Aston said...

I'm trying to get over the shock that there are no blues or purples on this tag Alison!! I'm proud of you branching out ;) Your tall pines forest is beautiful with the drifting snow and beautiful deer - and the sprig and cones are the perfect adornment with the sentiment stickers! Julia xx

Astrid Maclean said...

Gorgeous snowy tag, beautifully put together! I specially love the pinecones and white winter berries, just lovely!

Amanda said...

Fabulously put together tag, I’ve got the deers and really must get them out of the packet, great inspiration
Love
Amanda x

Jackie PN said...

This is such a gorgeous tag Alison! So dreamy and serene! Love it!
Jackie xo

craftytrog said...

A beautiful Winter woodland scene Alison! xx

Deb said...

What a fabulous tag Alison, adore the layered stamped trees on that wonderful wood look paper and those wee deer are so sweet! Love the greenery, berries and little cones at the top with the snowy splatters and that lovely sentiment, thank you so much for sharing it, Deb xo

Sue said...

This is brilliant as always Alison. The background paper is perfect for your woodland scene, and the berries and cones give it the ideal Christmas touch xx

Craftyfield said...

Just fabulous, Alison! Also demonstrating why we love Tim's products so much...

Lys said...

Such a calm and relaxing landscape for the deers... Gorgeous!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Oh my! I think it's all been said!This is such a beautiful scene....and all on a tag! Fabulous! Hugs,Chrisx

Jennie Atkinson said...

Just stunningly beautiful Alison - it just shouts out frosty winter woodland walk. Fabulous! Jennie x

A Pink said...

You have created a really beautiful Winter Wonderland scene , Alison with fabulous depth and dimension. Absolutely LOVE it.
hugs x

maj. said...

Delightful!!!

Gio said...

Not my cup of tea this colours so cold, but still, this one is truly outstanding!!

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Welcome Alison! How wonderful to have you back playing with me again this year in the 12 Tags of Chistmas Funkie Junkie Style! You have created a delightful woodsey snow scene with your first entry. Love the splatters and the way you added rolling hils and snowbanks. It truly gives your tag great dimension. Thank you so much for sharing it with my visitors!

Hugs,
Linda

SewPaperPaint said...

I totally love how you transformed this wood grain paper! The snowy gesso hills are so beautiful with the flecks of paint. Such gorgeous greenery atop! I love the tree stamping in the bg. All in all a stunning design. Hugs, Autumn

Mrs.B said...

A lovely tag and I love the woodgrain paper, gives a great rustic look to the little scene. I know I've done these comments backwards, but great to see you joining in.
Avril xx

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, what a beautiful tag! The way you built up the layers is amazing - I love it 😁. Happy December! J 😊