12 Tags of Christmas - Day 12!!! (only a few missing!)

So...I'm not admitting I have a problem...or a crafting addiction or anything.  But I did stay up 'til midnight last night just to see the 12th and final tag of Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas.  Oh - and then, I was so inspired by HIS tag, and his wonderful videos, that I may have stayed up all night long creating MY version of tag #12.  But I don't think I have a problem.  Just sayin'....

So, once again, I was completely and totally inspired by Tim.  Did I have the products he used on his tag?  Nope...hardly any of them.  I think the only two products HE had that I used were the Brick Red distress ink and the Rock Candy crackle paint.  Well, those, and I had my own version of some evergreen and pine cones.  Other than that - it was ALL creative improvising.  Which is what I think I love most about this whole experience...it totally stretches me creatively, and forces me to think outside the box.  I have to go through my stash (and seriously, folks - while my Tim stash is minimal, my crafting stash?  is not.  I have a craft room SMOOSHED full of crafting supplies and stash!) and figure out what I can use in new ways that I wouldn't have thought of before.  I LOVE THAT!

So...how did I do it?  

• The background - I used a piece of pattered paper from a K&Co Christmas paper pad, which I've been loving.  It has wonderful vintage appeal.  

• The ornament?  I found a pack of chipboard ornaments and snowflakes in my stash.  It wasn't *quite* the shape I wanted, so I cut it with scissors a bit to re-shape it.  It obviously doesn't have the word "JOY" cut out of it - and I definitely would still LOVE to have Tim's ornament die and the word shapers - as well as the magnetic tray - SO versatile - but for now, I was totally stoked about finding this ornament in my stash!  And I love the way the Rock Candy crackle paint blends with the distress ink - so cool!!  Isn't that shiny crackle just beautiful?!

• The corners?  I don't have any of Tim's awesome corners.  But I did find some copper 1/4 inch metal tape in my stash.  I decided to experiment.  I put three strips of tape down on a piece of scrap cardstock.  Then I ran it through Tim's postcard embossing folder with my Sizzix Big Kick, to give it texture.  I applied a bit of Glossy Accents to the back, and wrapped it around the corners - and voila - my homemade metal corners!

• The calendar?  I don't have a December calendar stamp.  But I do have a package of Maya Road mini calendar sheers.  It didn't really take the distress ink very well, so I inked a scrap piece of manila cardstock, then glued the sheer to the cardstock, and distressed the edge.  I love that it shows 2010 on it, so that I will always know what year this was made!

• I used a gorgeous, lightly glittered evergreen leaf, rather than pine needles, for my greenery.  I added a few red berries and a few miniature pine cones, attaching all of them with my hot glue gun.  I would be LOST without my hot glue gun!!
• I finished it off with a piece of green ribbon on the top.

So, there you have it.  My version of the 12th tag.  I love how clean and fresh it is.  It really is a lovely finish to  the 12 tags, I think.  Don't worry - I still plan to go back and complete the 8 I have missed...I just have to find the time!!  (I can't stay up all night, every night...I *do* have four children who need me to be in an upright position and somewhat coherent during the day!)  The four I have finished do look beautiful on our mantel!!