Christmas Tags

One of the treats of the Christmas season each year is Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas.  Beginning December 1, each night for 12 nights, he posts a new tag - created that day - and boy, are they ever fantastic!  He's done them for 5 years now, though this is only my 2nd year participating.  I never can keep up with doing them at the same time as him, but I try to do at least some of them before the month is over.  So far, I've got these three finished.

I love how Tim had us use the embossing pad on the embossing folder to get this cool double-embossed effect on this tag.  And the pine cone die - wow - it takes a bit of learning, but it is SO much fun once you figure it out, and it can also be used to make cute little dried roses as well.  (Check out my Sizzix embossing folders review over on Craft Test Dummies to see a cute card I made with a dried rose on it using this die!!)

Day 2's tag had us using the Picket Fence Distress Stain over some Christmas Kraft Resist paper...two of my new loves!  And I just love how when you apply some Distress Ink over the Picket Fence Distress Stain, it takes on sort of a chalky look - totally cool!  I've had that little bow from Jenni Bowlin in my stash for ages...just waiting for the perfect project...and this was definitely it!  That reindeer couldn't be cuter...the little greenery wreath and that ivory bow on his neck are just too cute!

I skipped ahead a few days to Day 6 for this one - and I swapped out techniques, too, for one he showed us a couple years ago.  While the metal tape, embossing, coloring and clear embossing powder on top are from this year, I decided to color the metal with alcohol inks instead of paint dabbers (though I did paint the wreath with paint dabbers).  I absolutely LOVE the look of the clear embossing powder over the embossed,  colored and sanded metal - my first time trying this - but definitely NOT my last!  Totally in love with this look!

And I especially love how you can add the Distress Ink over the alcohol ink, and because of the clear embossing powder, the Distress is sealed in and gives the tag a vintage feel.  

I'm still hoping to get a few more tags done before December is over.  I also have a couple handmade ornaments to show you in another post!

The (Paper) Trailmakers Challenge Blog - Guest Design Team Project (and Tim tag #10!)

The second challenge for this month at The (Paper) Trailmaker Challenge blog was to somehow incorporate a tag, using the December Paper Trail kit.  Since I have been trying my best to work on Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas (I am soooo behind, not to mention doing them totally out of order!)...I decided to try using the Paper Trail kit to make one of the Tim Holtz tags, and this is what I came up with.  

I chose day 10 to work with the kit papers, because I thought the snowflake paper went perfectly with this tag - it is SUCH a cool technique!!  You can see Tim's original tag here.  I started out by tracing a standard size 8 manila tag onto the light blue snowflake paper and cutting it out. I glued the paper to the tag, and punched a hole at the top.  I used my  white Adirondack paint dabber along the edges.  Then I randomly dabbed some paint all over the paper, and quickly, before it dried, sprinkled some glass glitter over it - the paint acts as a glue for the glitter.  In the lower right corner, I also added some Glossy Accents, so I could add a LOT of the glitter, to make it appear as if there was a snowdrift.

Then, following Tim's instructions on his blog, I made my snowman out of grungepaper.  I cut the holly leaves for the snowman's hat out of the same paper - but showing the green "Merry Christmas" side, and used a hole punch to punch out berries from the red cardstock in the kit.  I used a cardstock sticker from the kit on the snowman's belly.  

I used the red organdy ribbon from the kit for the snowman's scarf.  I tied it in a knot, but was having a hard time getting it to stay down, so used my Tiny Attacher to put a little staple in it when I adhered the snowman to the tag.  I used my heat gun on the tails of the "scarf," which melted it a little and gave it a sort of wrinkly, more scarf-looking appearance.  I thought it was pretty cool!!

Then, following Tim's instructions, I cut a piece of clear packaging material (yes, PACKAGING!!) I had saved from one of his products, to the size of the tag, and embossed it with my snowflake embossing folder.  I punched a whole in the top, and then used my Cropadile to punch holes in all four corners to use copper brads to adhere the embossed tag over the snowman tag.  I attached the gorgeous shimmery white ribbon from the kit through the top of the tag.  Finally, I took three of the little cardstock banner stickers, edged them with distress ink, wrote "Fa la la" on them, and adhered them to the embossed tag.  

I hope you've enjoyed this tag as much as I enjoyed making it!  And you should definitely check out Tim's other 11 tags for more awesome inspiration!!  And if you've been inspired to make some tags, or to add a tag or two to a project of your own, be sure to link up to the challenge post here.

I want to take a minute to thank Karen and the entire design team at The Paper Trail team for letting me play along with them this month - it's been a true pleasure working with them!!  Even after all of these projects I've made this month, I still have TONS of product left from this awesome December kit - so if you still haven't ordered your December Paper Trail kit, you really should do so ASAP!!  You'll be wanting it to scrap all of your Christmas photos after the holidays, for sure!!  

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!!

12 Tags of Christmas - Day 9!! (yes - out of order)

I had the grandest of plans to keep up with Tim's 12 tags...well, actually, I didn't...I knew better.  That's why I was surprised when I got the first 2 done!!  LOL!  Not only is it hard to find adequate time, but I'm working with a limited "Tim" stash, which thus requires an extra amount of ingenuity - which is also time consuming.  Not that I don't enjoy the challenge - really, I do - it totally stretches me creatively - but between trying to finish up the semester of homeschooling, taking care of a newborn, getting ready for Christmas, and participating on two design teams for the first time ever this month...my extra creative time has been very limited.

Anyway, all that said, I decided to quit thinking I needed to "catch up," and just pick up where I felt like it.  Tim is actually finishing up tonight with his 12th and final tag.  I was able to find the time to do tag #9 a couple nights ago, and am really happy with how it came out, so I wanted to share it with you.  I do still hope to get the rest of them done in the next couple weeks...so we'll see!!

You can see Tim's tag #9 here, if you'd like to compare mine to his.  

I can't wait to see what he comes up with for the 12th and final tag for this year's series.  What a treat it's been to watch his mastermind creativity at work!!