It Never Gets Old!

That little "whoop!" in your stomach when the complimentary copy of Stampers Sampler comes out of the mailbox!!

The Catch-up issue is full of beautiful art submitted over the last few issues.

I had one tag towards the back.

GRIN!!

OH!  PS...the balloon on the cover is a Rogue Redhead set - Relish Reading!!!

Rogue Redhead: Chemistry Lesson

It's Rogue Redhead Thursday!

It's no secret that I love Tim Holtz's techniques! And like many of you, I enrolled in Chemistry 101 for a few lessons. I haven't completed all the classes just yet. But one or two of the techniques inspired me to get out BITS and PIECES and FLORICULTURE.

This first tag is "Spritz and Flick". Sponged color and drops of water. I used Broken China, Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge, Spiced Marmalade, and Brushed Corduroy.

This second tag was a "WOW" gotta try that technique. Tim calls it "Archival Resist". I used Archival Sap Green, Olive, Monarch Orange, and Saffron. Tim sponged his creation with a brown Distress Ink and I thought it looked dull and lifeless.  So I used Scattered Straw and a little Spiced Marmalade.

Rogue Redhead Designs: Stamped Backgrounds

It's an even Thursday! Time for some ROGUE REDHEAD inspiration!

The Rebel Challenge this month is stamped backgrounds. I love the large background stamp in the RELISH READING set. For some reason I really like print and script background stamps. I use then frequently as "vintage" grunge.

Having just finished my Valentine's Day collage tags, I decided to do my stamped background on a tag. I recently purchased some kraft tags, so I stamped my print background with Archival Coffee. And added some swirls in Archival Crimson. The label at the bottom came from some designer paper. The sentiment and roses are part of the FLORICULTURE set.

Stamp out your background and join the challenge!

Valentine's Tags & ATCs

I dug out all my Valentine goodies. I ordered some fun stuff this year too - wood hears from ArtChix, clipart from Collage Stuff and Red Lead, German scrap, ribbons and hearts. And then I did my best to channel Kris Dickinson. Kris has a collage style that I just drool over. I love every piece she makes and when she starts in with Halloween goodies...I'm in HEAVEN!

So if you're out there Kris...thanks for the never ending inspiration!





The ATC's were all made from "gift with purchase" packs from Collage Stuff.



I had a blast using up goodies I've had laying around for years! WOO HOO!

Rogue Redhead: Je T'aime

It's the first even Thursday of the new year! Time for some Rogue Redhead goodness!

It seems like FOREVER since I did any tags....and then I had to stop and laugh. I did all 12 days of Tim tags...silly me! Still the urge to do a tag over took me tonight.

The background text and boy come from RELISH READING and the sentiment is part of FLORICULTURE. I tucked a heart under his arm in preparation for Valentine's day!

Stamps: Rogue Redhead Designs RELISH READING & FLORICULTURE (sentiment)
Ink: Archival Jet Black, Distress Inks
Paper: tag
Accessories: ribbon/rhinestones; Prima rose & butterfly, copper spray, heart Nestabilities

Gift Tags

A few years ago I gave my family and friends a small tin filled with 10 Christmas tags. I said at the time, "return the empty tin and I'll refill it".

So last year the empty tins came back (all but one...Heather). But I didn't get around to filling it. I made a good start but just ran out of time.

So this year I put about 20 tags inside and returned them.

I didn't offer to fill them again. But we'll see how I feel next year.

(I used a wide variety of stamps, papers, and embellishments -- and I didn't keep track. So enjoy!)

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 12 (The Finale!)

Well, we come to the end. Tim posted his twelfth tag on Monday, but I've had family issues that absorbed Monday and Tuesday. I finally got my twelfth tag done last night but it was too late to post it.

So here we are! I loved Tim's colors! And the little house (his looked like a surfboard for the angel tho...) I decided to just stay with the houses.
I free cut them out of grungeboard. I had blue German Scrap already (so no need to invent some). And I went with simply typed words. (Did I tell you I bought a typewriter a while back?? Sooooo retro!!) (grin)

I am so happy that I completed all 12 tags this year! That's a first for me. I've been taking them to work and hanging them on my cube wall. EVERYBODY stops by to see the new tag each day. It's been fun!!

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 11

Day 11...wow...it's almost over for another year. I liked Tim's tag for today but I'm not a fan of making shrinky-dinks. I don't like how they curl. And if I have any shrink plastic right now, I have no clue where it is.

So I did my own thing today. My only inspiration was his color palette, and in the end I ditched that too!

The background is "spray & smoosh" with Broken China and 2 Glimmer Mists (Marshmallow and Turquoise Blue). Then did some stamping with found objects in white & silver. Since I ended up with a modern palette of colors I decided to go with a cute image from Whipper Snapper. Colored with Copics and glitter pens. I added some Flower Soft polar white but you can't really see it (even in real life).

So..tomorrow is the finale.

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 10

Today Tim was all about faux mercury glass. Which I love! This is a fun technique. Packing tape transfers work best with vivid colors, so these are a bit washed out. But it goes with the mercury glass feel.

The background stamp is from Red Lead. Distress Inks are Brushed Corduroy, Pine Needles, Red Barn, and Scattered Straw. I added a little vintage tinsel (also by Red Lead) and some red wire hangers.

Only two days left!

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 9

Wow...I really like Tim's Day 9 tag and I like mine better! (grin)

I liked that Tim's tag looked like vintage wallpaper, so I looked for a similar stamp. I don't think I've ever inked up this Stampabilities motif stamp. But it was perfect for this tag. I used Victorian Velvet and Shabby Shutters.
I made mine more feminine with the doily and flowers (a Prima set from several years ago). The letters I painted with Glimmer Glam. It's my first time using that, it's got great shine but I wish the brush were bigger/longer!

Looking forward to Day 10!

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 8

Ok...I didn't get my tag done yesterday. I got home and fell asleep during dinner. I needed a night off!

I really liked Tim's Steampunk tag...but it didn't say "Christmas" to me. So I used the same background technique (love arcylic resist) and collaged a postcard to Santa!The Distress Inks I used are Tim's new holiday collection (Festive Berries, Evergreen Bough, Iced Spruce - LOVE THEM!!). I also sprayed the background with Marshmallow Glimmer Misty - it adds a snowy white sparkle. Santa was stamped with Festive Berries then clear embossed and also sponged with Festive Berries.

The lights I colored with Red Pepper alcohol ink. I had the idea and then saw that Ellen Huston's Classroom also had the same idea (she used Copics). Great minds!!

I'm off to get some dinner, then work on Tag #9...

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 7

Whew! I'm so relieved that Tim is back on his game today! I LOVE THIS TAG!!!

I changed a few things up. I used my favorite technique for the background - the "spray and smoosh". Tim calls it Wrinkle-free distress. I stamped swirls and red postmarks in the background for interest.

I've been waiting all year for him to demonstrate uses for the kraft glassine paper. I'm really inspired and can't wait to play with more of the techniques in his video.

The sentiment is one of my favorite Amuse Studio sets - Vintage Holiday Greetings. If you're interested in ordering contact Chris.

Ready for Day 8!

Tim Tag 2011 - Day 6

Ok. Let me just say...I hate Tim's tag today. It's messy. It's sloppy. To me, he called this one in...

My challenge was to do something I liked out of the un-inspiration of Day 6. AND I LOVE WHAT I DID!!

I was looking thru my embossing folders and came across this musical note folder. And I remembered my resin birds - and BANG! I was inspired.

I don't have the big wide sheet of heavy foil Tim had, but I've had this roll of flashing tape for years. It's shiny. It has an adhesive backing. It's cheap. You can find it in the hardware store near the venting materials. The only down fall is that it's 2-inches wide. But I just laid two strips together and when embossed you don't really notice the joint.


What I disliked most about Tim's tag was the messy paint dabber painting. So, I colored the tag with my COPIC R29. Since Copics are alcohol based they act just like the Ranger's Alcohol Inks. Better yet..since Copic has like million colors you can get the EXACT shade you want (if you have it that is...).


The alcohol dries quickly but leaves the metal tape feeling a bit sticky. After I used the sander to remove color and distress the tape, I sprayed it with Workable Fixatif.


Here's my resin bird. I also colored with Copics.


The branch was a Prima product which I just hot glued to the tag. Added some ribbon and "Merry Christmas" - which is part of a Memory Box stamp. I also spot colored that with a Copic directly to the stamp.

Here's hoping Day 7 is more inspiration...

TIm Tag 2011 - Day 5

I love Tim's technique today...but it doesn't love me! I've have tried the alcohol ink/Archival ink removal technique 3-4 times now. And I ****FAIL**** miserably every time! And today was more of the same.

In the end I created an AI background. Then I stamped silver snowflakes but didn't try to remove the ink. In the end I covered that with silver glitter too. A quick layer of spray fixative and it was ready to layer on paper (you can't really see it in the background) and decorate.

The decorations are a wreath made of holly tinsel; a Red Lead sled; and a grungeboard snowflake covered with glass glitter. I added silver balls around the wreath. The sentiment "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" was a last minute add because the tag needed one more thing. (wink)

On to Day 6....

TIm Tag 2011 - Day 4

Well, Day 4 is coming to a close and I'm finally done with my version of Tim's Day 4 Tag.

Mine looks a lot like Tim's but is different in the following ways:

1) I used pre-cut grungeboard pieces I've had for 3-4 years now. (See, I am using my supplies!!!)
2) I didn't have the number dies but didn't like that part of the tag, so I used some of the grungeboard holly that was on the same sheet as the snowman. Everything was colored with paint dabbers.
3)I like the acetate snowflake border but I think I'd like better out of a sparkle paper (next time...)
4) I used a mesh flower I've had for a while now...I like that bit of silver!
5) I added a bit of POLAR WHITE Flower Soft. Another supply that is just sitting here waiting for me to drag it out!

So, back to work in the morning. We'll see if I can keep up this next week! (grin)

PS...Happy Birthday to my niece, Jessica. Her card will be posted on Thursday!

TIm Tag 2011 - Day 3

Every year Tim does a tag I'm not so crazy about. I'm not afraid to say I don't like Tim's Day 3 tag much. I think it's just too simple for my tastes. So I set out to do mine a bit differently!

It started with the technique. Tim created his own stamp pad. And while I did that last year (and really liked how it turned out), it's not my favorite technique. So I took the same stamp and spot colored it with Distress Stains! Before I embossed it I sponged Wild Honey and Vintage Photo around the entire tag (that Wild Honey makes it GLOW). THEN I embossed it. The trees and deer where stamped on other tags using Vintage Photo and my new Holiday color - Evergreen Bough. The deer was also roughly heat embossed with "Antiqued Silver". All the other supplies I got at Red Lead Paperworks. If you don't know Red Lead check them out!! BECAUSE THEY HAVE FABULOUS VINTAGE FINDS!

See ya tomorrow!

TIm Tag 2011 - Day 2

So this was a pretty quick tag. Tim's Day 2 tag was pretty simple and retro today.

I didn't have Tim's kraft paper but I did have the holiday collection. I love the vintage Santas. I had the deer die Tim used today, but I decided to use the lamp post.

I decided to use the felt snowflake and a calling card "SNOW" from Red Lead. Similar to yesterdays but I really like this. The holly leaves were covered in Rock Candy Stickles. And I sprayed the tag with Glimmer Mist Marshmallow.

See ya tomorrow!

TIm Tag 2011 - Day 1

YEAH!!!! The day is here! I love this time of the year - Tim is doing his 12 Tags of Christmas. The Day 1 tag is elegant!

I have sworn NOT to buy ANY SUPPLIES! But to use what I have. I don't want to replicate Tim's tag but use it as inspiration.

So here's what I did have - the tag Die and the pine cone die; and the pearls. Everything else is a substitute. I used grungeboard precut letters and some green glitter (an off brand I got at the Expo). I used Amuse Studio paper because it has that nice white core that shows thru when you sand it. And I had some coffee-dyed ribbon a friend sent me for my birthday a few years ago. I had bought some great "vintage" embossing powder that was white and gold mixed...I love the flecks of gold!

So! Day 1 is complete. Can't wait for Day 2!

Rogue Redhead: Floriculture Tag

It's Thursday! Time for another ROGUE REDHEAD DESIGNS entry!

A little summer goodness coming your way! I know most of the country is suffering heat and humidity, but I live in the mountains of Colorado. Right now there's a nice gentle rain falling (and believe me, we need it!)

I used the FLORICULTURE set to make this summery tag. I embossed the checker board and then sprayed with Colorwash and Glimmer Mist.


Stamps: Floriculture
Ink: Archival Ink: Coffee; Stampin' Up Old Olive
Paper: Tag, yellow pattern paper
Accessories: White embossing paper, gold bead, clipart by Red Lead, Colorwash spray, Glimmer Mist spray, ribbons.

GC109: ON THE ROAD

Oops...I'm a bit late in getting this posted! I went to an acupuncturist for the first time last night and 4 hours after my appointment time I got home and it was too late to post! ( I'm happy to say I'm already seeing some benefit from the session, tho...)

This month Gingersnap Creations is dedicated to machines with a focus on steampunk style, a mix of Victorian elements and futuristic components. We also have a great sponsor - Dezinaworld who is a great source for collage sheets! I'll be playing with some of their steampunk sheets next week. ;)

This week's theme is ON THE ROAD! Not steampunk but I love this set.

SO...my tag.

Hummm...ever have one of those creations that goes horribly wrong but you can't stop? I started in a good place. Postcard sized tag, a piece of map torn from an old atlas, my ROUTE 66 stamps from Artistic Outpost. And I took a left turn down a bad road!

My friend, Heather and I have an unending debate about "one less vs. one more item". Heather always thinks everything needs one less something. I always think everything needs MORE. But I have to say in this case...Heather is right (did you hear that Heather???) But what needs to come off...well that's where the road took a left turn. I don't know.

So...enjoy my over embellished tag and don't forget to get your KICKS ON ROUTE 66!! (yes...I'm that old...)
Post your ON THE ROAD creations on the Ginger blog by the end of the month!