Joy To The World...

Hello friends...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and ready for a brand new week of crafting and creativity! This week over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog, our theme is all about the most wonderful time of the year ~ CHRISTMAS and with this in mind, and so many festive products available, we would love for you to join us and play along!

For my make, I chose to create a tag all about the smiles, the laughter and the JOY of this magical season, and I combined products from across the Tim Holtz brands to make a festive project full of ideas that can be used on cards, scrapbooks, journals or home decor pieces...the world is your oyster and you can choose! At the time of making this project, I hadn't seen the new colour to the Tim Holtz Distress family ~ the glorious Lumberjack Plaid, so this was a complete coincidence that I chose to create a festive tag in red but I can't wait to try the new colour once it arrives and looking forward to seeing how it works with all my Christmas makes, and beyond!

So let's get started, and I hope you enjoy the process of how I created this project.

BASE TAG

To begin with I covered a mini size Etcetera Tag using Collage Tiles, which fit perfectly side by side across the tag. When it comes to the length, the tag is a little longer than a full tile, so I just trimmed away the excess, so that it fits. Adhere the tiles onto these surface with Matte Collage Medium and once dry, run a Walnut Stain Distress Crayon over each join and around the edges, blending out the colour and any harsh lines with your fingertip.

SMALLER LAYERED TAG

For the smaller tag that sits in the centre of the large one, I used a Size 8 Mixed Media Heavystock Tag. I began by applying a layer of Translucent Crackle Paste through the Numeric Layering Stencil. Set the tag to one side and allow for the paste to crackle and do it's thing.

Once that has happened, you can start adding the colour and for this I used Distress Spray Stains; Barn Door, Aged Mahogany, Walnut Stain. I added a spritz of water over the top and allowed the inks to blend, and saturate the cardstock, and sink into those crackles.

I heat dried the tag very carefully, but you can allow it to air dry, and then I inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I then stamped some script onto the inked surface, using the a script stamp from the Tiny Toadstools stamp set, before machine stitching a border around the edge.

I matted the tag onto a panel of silver metallic kraft stock and then mounted the layers onto my tag using foam pads.

At the top of the tag, I added a cut strip of Linen Patchwork Tape, folded over and stitched before I stitched a Snowflake Adornment, placing it in the centre of the tape, so it will hang down. Adhere the tape into place along the edge of the tag, and then I placed a mini pin into the fabric.

EMBELLISHMENTS

...and we'll start with the icicles, that sit underneath and can just be seen dripping down.

I took two idea-ology Mini Icicles and painted the backs of each one with Picket Fence Distress Paint, or you can use gesso.

I then allowed for the paint to dry, before flipping them over to the front, and smearing a good coverage of Glossy Accents over the top. I then sprinkled Rock Candy Glitter over them, tapped away the excess and allowed them to dry. Once they are completely dry, I attached them across my layered tags, placing them onto the smaller tag, but ensuring that they go from side to side of the larger tag.

PHOTO TRANSPARENCY

The photo that I used is from the Christmas Paper Dolls pack and I colour tinted it with Distress Watercolour Pencils and a water brush. I then placed the photo behind the Baseboard Transparency which is in the Christmas Baseboards pack. 

The edge of the baseboards piece is actually bare chipboard/mountboard, so a little trick to cover this is to use Design Tape Trims, and I used the matching plaid from the Christmas set, and just run it all along the edge, turning the edges over and adhering them to the back of the transparency.

LAYERS

Now to start building up the layers and I used the Holly branch and poinsettia die cuts from the Christmas Layers Botanicals and shaped each piece to create a more realistic look to the pieces. I then layered these onto my tag, placing them along and above the top edge of the icicle and using foam pads to add various heights and depths to each piece.

On the right hand side, I attached the Transparency frame, again placing it over the top of the botanicals, and adding some poinsettias around the edges to soften the corners.

To add more of an icy feel to the layers, I used Snowfall Grit Paste and a sprinkling of Mica Flakes, just on the tips of the botanicals and across the top of the frame. Leave to dry before splattering Picket Fence Distress Paint across the tag, covering the photo so that it protects it from the paint splatters.

'JOY' WORDING

With the tag set to one side, I moved onto my JOY wording and for this I used the Bold Text Christmas Thinlits Die Set and cut the letters, four times, from gold metallic kraft card.

I then stacked each die cut letter to form a really substantial JOY. I wanted more of a vintage feel to the metal, so I added some Burnt Sienna Acrylic Paint over the top of the die cuts. I wiped away the excess, allowed to dry before repeating with Black Soot Distress Paint, again wiping away the excess. This technique just creates more of a tarnished look to the metal, less clean. I attached each letter to the tag, placing them just beneath the floral arrangement, and using foam pads to adhere them before adding a smear of Snowfall Paste and Mica Flakes to add a frosty touch.

We're nearly there and all that's left is a few tiny details...

STARS

The stars are from the Baseboard Layers pack, and I used two which I attached to either side of the lettering and in the centres of each star, I added a pearl droplet.

...and I completed the tag with a couple of Hardware Heads that I placed at the top, on either side.

So that's it, my tag is made and the joy is ready to be shared for Christmas. I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial and all the techniques that are in it.

As always, if you make anything, or if you've been inspired by anything that you've seen here on my blog ~ then please, let me know by tagging me on social media or leaving a comment here and I will be right over to take a look and if sometimes I miss it ~ just keep nudging me!

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today...Love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Stampers Anonymous: Mini Etcetera Tag, Numeric Layering Stencil, Tiny Toadstools

Sizzix/Tim Holtz: Bold Text Christmas

Distress Spray Stains: Walnut Stain, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany

Distress Paint: Picket Fence, Black Soot

Distress Pencils

Distress Crayon: Walnut Stain

Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

Tim Holtz idea-ology: Christmas Paper Dolls, Design Trim Tape, Snowflake Adornment, Christmas Layers, Linen Tape Patchwork, Christmas Ephemera, Collage Tiles, Christmas Baseboards, Christmas Layers Botanicals, Pearl Droplets, Mini Pins

Surfaces: Mixed Media Tags, Metallic Kraft Card

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Translucent Crackle Paste, Burnt Sienna Acrylic Paint, Snowfall Paste, Mica Flakes

Tools: Glass Media Mat, Blending Tool, Tim Holtz Paper Trimmer, Heat Gun, Splatter Brush, Collage Brush, Waterbrush,