TAGGING ALONG! Mr. Holtz's HALLOWEEN tag!

Heyyy there, everyone!

What a crazy busy week!  Along with everything else that pops up during a regular Monday through Friday, I was also somewhat busy with the production of FRANKENSTEIN at the theatre I work for-  what a production!  And a great set.  If you're in the OKC area, get yo'self downtown and see FRANKENSTEIN!

We've reached the second half of October.  Halloween is speeding towards me and I still don't know what my costume is gonna be...  decisions, decisions.  But at least I DID finally sit down and make my version of Tim Holtz's OCTOBER tag!

I LOVED the technique he taught us with this tag-  smashing and smooshing up the tissue paper when gluing it down and smearing acrylic paints on top.  It was fun and just looks great!  I didn't have a roll of tissue wrap - so I used a 'newsprint' background stamp on the tissue paper, first.  It looked pretty similar.

The skull was stamped and embossed before I ever-so skillfully cut it out, using my nifty Cutterbees.  Those scissors are little gifts from God, aren't they?!  I also embossed the 'Happy Halloween,' using some gold embossing powder.  The 'Happy Halloween' stamp is one of my favorites- I found it in the dollar bin at Jo-Ann last year.

There's some detail of the newsprint and colors.  I LOVE this technique!  It's somewhat similar to what I did on another Halloween project- but it was a 'technique' that I kinda made up as I went- I'm excited to add paint to more projects, now-  I LOVE PAINT!

Here's the full view of my version of Mr. Holtz's October tag:

Hope all y'all are having a great weekend!  Be back soon!

-kory

It's time for the Tim Holtz Tag O' The Month!

  Am I alone in my excitement, or are Mr. Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012 not the best things to happen to the year, so far?!  I mean, what else do we have to look forward to- an election?!  Which means nonstop talk at work from loudmouths who know nothing about politics, except when an election nears and you're forced to hear their insane and idiotic political talk until election day when you find out they didn't go vote anyways, cuz they 'didn't have any time?!'  It also means idiotic political commercials and even worse- commercials for products and businesses that think they're being oh so clever by parodying political commercials?!

Sorry, I get a little worked up.  I should have a glass of wine and relax.  I should.  But instead- I'm here because today is April 1!  

No, I'm not talking about April Fools Day-  it's time for the next tag in Tim Holtz's hella fun 12 Tags of 2012 series!!!

I was sitting around, doing what I do best- being lazy, when I remembered- FIRST DAY OF APRIL!  I WONDER IF THE NEW TAG IS UP?!  It was!  And I wanted to make mine as fast as I could- but suffered a great delay when my Mom called me up, needing a ride to the auto parts place to exchange a car battery.

Hours later, I'm home and here's mah tag!

Kinda similar, right?  Well, it's got a bird on it.

I didn't have the new bird on a branch die, because when I saw it- I couldn't think of anything I'd need another bird for-  I like the birdcage die lots, tho-  so I used it to cut a bird from some chipboard, which I colored with Walnut Stain and Broken China Distress Inks, then heat embossed it it some clear embossing powder.  Which looks like some kinda candy when I sprinkle it on, pre-heating, and I almost just wanna eat it.  (Don't).

I used a Grungeboard flourish from one of the Grungeboard shapes packs, for under the little bird.

The tag- I followed Mr. Holtz's instructions to use the frame Texture Fade embossing folder, stamping it's smooth side with a 'dictionary' stamp- then embossing the tag.  Imagine my surprise when it WORKED!  So cool!  So, the embossed part doesn't have any text on it- just the 'background!'  I love this technique!!!

I colored the tag with the same Wild Honey and Broken China Distress Inks that Mr. Holtz used- but I went a little too heavy on the Wild Honey.  I also added some ICED SPRUCE Distress Ink (from last Winter's SEASONAL set).  I love this color.  Last, I rubbed some Walnut Stain onto the embossed frame.

I didn't have any word bands, so I cut another piece of chipboard with one of the 'Labels' Movers N Shapers, colored it with some Picket Fence Distress Stain, stamped 'JOURNEY' on it, and glued it on...  It was an 'Enjoy the...' stamp, so I used a mask to just get the 'Journey' on there...

Last, I grabbed a strip of white ribbon from my ribbon rack, ran the Weathered Wood Distress Stain across it, and tied that little booger on my COMPLETED TAG!

There it is, people.  Kory's version of Tim Holtz's tag for the month of APRIL 2012.   I don't know how happy I am with the 'Journey' label- I might redo that part, if inspiration strikes later this evening.  But I also need to shave.  Since I haven't shaved in a week, I might need a machete and a good three hours, so...we'll see what happens.

-kory

The 12 Tags Of 2012: March

Thursday Night:

I got home from yet another rough 'n tumble day at the office.  I parked myself in front of the TV for a couple of episodes of 'Leave It To Beaver' while I unwound from the day at war and pondered tomorrow's PAYDAY-FRIDAY celebration.  I'd nearly resigned myself to a Benadryl and praying for early sleep, when I noticed that Mr. Holtz had a new post up-

The March tag of The 12 Tags of 2012 was up!

So I un-parked my ass from the sofa and parked it at my worktable.

I grabbed a pickaxe and mined STASH MOUNTAIN, gathering anything that reminded me of Mr. Holtz's tag.  Some butterfly stickers, a few Distress Inks, a tag... then I dried up and considered going back to the sofa.  No, I want to be productive.  I want to be creative.  I want a glass of wine.

I began playing around- and I'm gonna admit, I'm rather proud of my tag!  Is anyone else tagging along?

First, I 'wrinkle free distressed' the tag with a combination of Distress Inks in Victorian Velvet, Broken China, and Scattered Straw.  I felt they were rather Spring-y colors!  I've had the woodgrain stamp for a few months and haven't had a use for it, until tonight.  It's a Hobby Lobby brand stamp- rather plain, but I like the fainter/lighter (?) woodgrain on this stamp- it isn't an overpowering grain, get what I'm saying?  I was also surprised/impressed that I lined it up so well when I stamped the second half of the card.  I'm usually off just enough to drive me crazy.  I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink for the woodgrain stamp.

I embossed the upper right and bottom left of the tag with a Sizzix folder that I didn't know I had- and definitely don't even remember buying.  It must've been on clearance.  I am pretty sure it was with a Christmas-themed set, because its companions were a snowflake strip and a generic 'card-sized' folder.  Hmmm.  Really don't have a clue when I got it, where it came from, or what it's called.  After I embossed the flourishes, I sanded it a bit and rubbed some Tea Dye ink onto the exposed tag.

I heat embossed the Prima bird with a crown. Does anybody know where this trend came from?  Birds with crowns?  I have a few, and even have a porcelain bird with a crown on one of my bookshelves.

And yeahp!  I had to use my October Afternoon doily stamp!  After stamping the doily onto some kraft cardstock, cut that little treasure out and rubbed some Picket Fence Distress Stain over it- it still didn't look quite right, so I did the edges with a little more Broken China and Scattered Straw.

The 'title' tag, I just used some more kraft cardstock.  When I sprayed water on my woodgrain stamp to clean it off- I shook it and let it drip onto the scrap of cardstock, then stamped it with the 'Journey' sentiment.  I distressed it, and attached it and the doily to the tag with my beloved Tiny Attacher.  I love that thing.

How about a close up?

If you've made a tag based on the March tag, let me know- I'd love to see!

-kory