Tag Along with Me over At Altered Pages

Hi Everyone!  Today I invite you to tag along with me as I share my latest creations over at Altered Pages.

Having recently attended the Australia/NZ AFA Meet in Sydney I was inspired by one of my crafty friends and her Altered Tag Workshop to create some tags.  Six to be exact, with 3 different themes -Summer, Fairies and Halloween.

To see them all you will have to pop over to the Altered Pages blog, where I also share the details of the Collage Sheets and Papers I have used.

Happy Holidays!

To all my readers Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I hope that the end to 2014 is festive and safe for you all as you are on the road to visit loved ones or have family traveling to you.  Enjoy the time spent together and I look forward to spending time online with you here and on your blogs throughout 2015.

Thanks for all your support and comments.

This is a pic of my last Christmas Project for the year which is being shared with all the details over on the Altered Pages blog a little later today and it is actually my lost post as part of the Altered Pages DT. It features stamps from the StampTangles Range of Stamps available at the Just for Fun Rubber Stamp Co.

A Christmas Tag

I delivered my finished mini book order today and they were thrilled.......I wasn't however because I forget to take some photos..............doh! A last minute idea of adding some beautiful images from the Graphic 45 Secret Garden and Botanical Tea Papers along with one from Fab Scraps which I purchased yesterday whilst visiting Time to Create had me creating right up to the last minute.  I had my camera out ready but then got side tracked as you do.

Oh well, it has definitely inspired me to make one for myself at a later date but for now I am still creating for the swaps I have signed up for.  One of them being a Christmas Tag Swap.  Inspired by a couple of current Challenge Themes, I revisited some I made last year by creating a similar background using Distress Stains and stamped text. Today's tag is however layered a little differently and uses a different stamp for my main image.

I love the effect achieved by dotting the Distress Stains across my background.  The Christmas Text (Darkroom Door) stamp was stamped with Memento Luxe Ink - Color Rhubarb Stalk, the edges inked with Red Archival Ink, and the ornament image (Unity Stamp Co) was stamped with Jet Black Staz On and Colored with Memento Markers - Love Letter, Pistachio and Peanut Brittle.  The torn paper was some left over from another project and the decorative strips are from Bazzill.

I am linking the above tag up to the following challenges:-

Craft Room Challenge - Make Your Own Background
Vandicrafts.com Artistry Challenge #13 - Fashion Your Background
Inky Chicks Challenge #40 - Christmas
Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Christmas (Old Stash Item Used - Bazzill Decorative Strips)



Here's a look at the one's from last year using a similar background and idea.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Tim's Tags of 2014 and some New Stash

Hi Everyone!  Yesterday I spent a wonderful few hours crafting at my local scrapbook studio Time to Create and came home with some wonderful new things, which included two of the new Alterations Frameworks Dies from Sizzix.

Upon arriving home I wanted to play and remembered that the April Tag for Tim's 12 Tags of 2014 had used one of them so I decided to make my take of his tag using it.

As always I don't own all the wonderful products he used on his tag so I had to improvise.  I replaced where he used Distress Paints with Distress Inks and Stains and my roses and leaves were cut using a different non Sizzix Die and a punch.  I don't own any of his charms so instead added a wooden word strip with the word inspire.  

Supplies Used:

No 5 Manilla Tag, Tim Holtz Tissue Tape, Pumice Stone Distress Ink, Weathered Wood, Bundled Sage, and Evergreen Bough Distress Stain, Sizzix Frameworks Die - Trellis, Dienamics Mini Royal Roses Die, Stampin Up XL Bird Punch (leaves)

Prima Divine A4 Paper Pad, Havana Brown Seam Binding, Inspire Wood Word Strip, Green Rhinestones

I love the pretty combination of these elements and the colors on my tag (a little out of my normal style too) and have to say that I can see these frameworks dies have so many possibilities I can't wait to play with them some more as well as add a few more to my stash.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Time to Spring Forward!

This month I was asked to be a GD over at Anything But a Card which is a fabulous challenge site which requires you to design anything but a Card to a set theme.  The theme currently is Spring Forward where they are wanting you to welcome spring by using bright colors with Spring and Easter in mind or simply seeing where your muse takes you.

I love everything about Spring, its my favorite time of the year and I am honored to have been asked to join the team over at ABAC for this challenge. As we head into Autumn here in Australia any chance to play with some of my favorite colors is a given, and so with time being short and Easter just around the corner I embraced my messy side and created a tag.

My tag today uses images from Altered Pages (Victorian Easter Collage Sheet), whilst my background has been created using distress stains, Gelatos and paper scraps.  I also added some further interest using a flower border punch strip, bright striped paper and a cute pastel green bunny brad from the Eyelet Outlet.

Be sure to pop over to ABAC and check out all the other wonderful spring inspiration from their Design Team.  

Topping Off Spring with Altered Pages and the Robin's Nest

Hi everyone! This month Altered Pages is teaming up with the Robin's Nest to bring you creations made using products from both companies.

I just loved the sorbet glitter papers from the Robin's Nest and thought they were perfect for a Spring Inspired Project.   I teamed them up with a great Collage Sheet from Altered Pages to create some pretty Spring Toppers which can be used for a multitude of projects.

Here is just a sneak peak at part of my toppers.  To see it in full you will have to head over to the Altered Pages Blog.  I do hope you pop over and take a look.

12 Tags of 2014

Hi Everyone and Happy Monday.  This year I have decided to play along with Tim's 12 Tags of 2014.  

Over the last few months I have really enjoyed making tags, which is something I don't do often, so I thought that a little inspiration getting me outside of my comfort zone and doing a bit more grungy vintage may be just what the doctor ordered.  Also only having to make one tag a month is manageable.  

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So here's my first tag.  I didn't have all the products on hand that Tim used on his tag so improvised some and went without others.   One thing my stash sadly lacks is a steam-punk embossing folder, and the fabulous TH Pocket Watch Die.

Tim's January Tag was all about Time, which is as you know if you have been reading some of my previous posts the word I chose for 2014.

My other mantra for 2014 I have also included on this tag - Imagine - Believe - Achieve.

Supplies Used:

• STAMPS: Time is on Your Side Stamp from Altered Pages, Unity Stamp Co Alphabet Background, Numbers & Empowered Words by Donna Downey
• STENCILS: The Crafter's Workshop Mini Pointy Circles Stencil
• STAINS: TH Distress Stains - Weather Wood, Antique Linen, Bundled Sage, Tea Dye
• INK:  Black Versafine, Archival Vintage Sepia,
• EMBOSSING: Cuttlebug, Divine Swirl Embossing Folder
• OTHER:  Perfect Pearls Copper Powder and Medium, Ribbon, Tim Holtz Ideaology Journaling Tickets, Manila Tag.

What's on your Workdesk? Wednesday #237

Happy Wednesday!  I have this morning arrived back from a few days away at the beach and with not much else needing my attention thought I would join in the fun again this week.  With being away my work desk hasn't really changed much in the past fortnight since my last WOYWW post.  What's the big deal about my desk? Well head over here to our hostess Julia's blog and find out!

One supply item which was in good use prior to my departure was my Distress Stains.  They are perfect for when you are time poor and I just love using them for quick random and colorful backgrounds.  I have been combining them with lots of background and Christmas Stamps for some fun tags like the one shown above which are perfect for gift giving.  You will find my tutorial for these tags over at Unruly Paper Arts 

And they also make fabulous backgrounds for cards too!

Heading into the new year I have decided my word for 2014 is Time, so I was playing with some of the stamps from the new Time on Your Side Stamp Set from Altered Pages, they are perfect to mark so many different occasions with the various time related sentiments out there.  Like Time to Celebrate, Time to Dream, etc.

Speaking of Time - this past week as mentioned I have taken some time out; and yesterday we spent the day exploring Mt Tamborine part of the Gold Coast Hinterland which included a walk through the rain-forest, a nice lunch and some wine tasting.  So in finishing my post today I thought I would share one of my favorite photos taken yesterday.

This is the Richmond Bird Wing Butterfly which is native to my home region of the Northern Rivers of NSW and also parts of Queensland but sadly endangered.  Here she is in all her glory just having landed on the Lantana.  Unfortunately this photo doesn't do her colors of red and yellow justice but I love it all the same.

Wishing all my fellow deskers and their families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and I look forward to popping by your desks in 2014.

Cards in Envy - Tag You're It

Well I promised I'd be back crafting this week, so I have my latest DT Card for the newest Cards in Envy Challenge.  This fortnight the theme is Tag You're it, and we are asking for you to include a tag on your card.

I recently purchased the Christmas Reindeer Stamp Set from Darkroom Door so used this for my very quick and simple card today.  This year Green and Red have been my go to colors for Christmas unlike previous years where I have been drawn towards other non-traditional colors.

Be sure to check out all the other fabulous cards from the DT over on the Challenge Blog and I hope to see you playing along too!

Tagged for Christmas - December at Unruly PaperArts

Hi Everyone, I've been a bit quiet lately haven't I?  Not too much crafting happening here at present apart from a couple of DT Projects, and some rearranging of things like my stamps.  I have had a few shopping splurges plus I managed a day out with some lovely crafting friends on Wednesday just gone making tags for the Local Hospital Auxiliary at Time to Create.

Tags seem to be in focus as I head into December - Tagged for Christmas is this month's Theme at Unruly PaperArts, and one of my other DT projects which will be shared with you all tomorrow also features tags.

If you would like lots of wonderful ideas on how to make great looking tags for Christmas then be sure to join each of our columnists who are sharing their work with you throughout December over on the Unruly PaperArts Blog.

If you head over there now the Schedule of Contents is available, and a little later on today we will be announcing our challenge themes for our two Reader Art Quests.

Hoping to be back in the swing of crafting things tomorrow.

A week for Stencil Crazy definitely not Stir Crazy

Hi Everyone!  Well I am back after a week of whirlwind adventures.  The past week we have been up the coast to pick up mum and dad from their holiday and where we celebrated 'A's 15th Birthday quietly following his return from a 10 Day Camp which involved hiking and canoeing approximately 85kms.  He was just exhausted and as the camp had previously been postponed till these dates it had ruined our previously arranged plans for his B'day which have been put on hold for a few weeks time.  On Monday we sent him back to school where he was off on yet another camp.  Late Tuesday we picked up our new car and Wednesday we drove it up the coast to fly out to Sydney for a 3 Day Conference for Foster Carers and have just arrived back this morning.

Our three days in Sydney were just fabulous between the wonderful speakers and learning at the conference to the fabulous people we met and the delicious food we ate.  I think I have come home at least 3 - 5kg heavier.  We stayed in the city center just on the edge of China Town which has such a wonderful mix of cultures from the shopping to the cuisines and I can highly recommend one Spanish and one Chinese restaurant to try if you are ever there.

So upon my return this morning I am in catch up mode with all things crafty.  This month's theme over at Unruly PaperArts is Stencil Crazy and we have two fun Reader Art Quests that you can play along with as well as a month of fabulous projects to share with our readers.

Before I left I was working on a few things for this issue.  One of my articles this month is a bit of a product review on Splash Inks.  And whilst playing with them for my article I had some leftover colored Impasto Gel and Spray Inks so I created the above tag for the Tantalizing Texture Reader Art Quest using of course one of my Favorite Stencils - TWC Swirly Garden and leftover papers and fibers.

If you want to discover lots of fabulous ways and ideas for using your stencils be sure to check out this month's issue over at Unruly PaperArts.

And speaking of challenges where you are needing to break out your stencils, my Unruly Counterpart Zoe also is involved with the Craft Room Challenge Blog and they are having a stencil challenge too.  So be sure to link up your stencil creations to both challenges.

Paper Scraps and Bottle Caps

Hi Everyone I hope you are enjoying your Sunday. We have another day of storms ahead, with thunder rumbling overhead as I type this. Yesterday we were lucky enough to be spared the severe storms that lashed around us both to the north and south, and I spent the afternoon watching a live stream from a Storm Chaser who was watching a Super Cell Storm Form over the Darling Downs in South East Queensland. Scary stuff indeed.

Anyway today I have a Christmas Tag to share with you all, created using up some of my paper scraps and a bottle cap. I am using some other goodies you can buy at Altered Pages also for this project.

I have been working on a number of projects for Christmas using the Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium Papers from Altered Pages and had some bits of these delightful papers left over so I thought I would make some tags. I started by taking a Manilla Tag and using this as a template cut out the same shape from a piece of the Blue Snowflake Paper. To this I have stamped and embossed some white snowflakes and added a small clear rhinestone to the center of each snowflake. I then inked the edges with some Paris Trunk Walnut Ink and adhered to the Manilla Tag. For the center of my tag I have layered some Gold Metallic Ribbon and Natural Colour Netting under a scrap of the Toy Paper.

To coordinate and add another touch of Christmas I have punched out with a 1" Circle Punch Santa's face from one of the images from the Santa Santa Santa AP-1111 Collage Sheet and adhered him into the center of a flattened Bottle cap using some Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer to both adhere and seal the image into the center

Once dry I then added some gold glitter glue to the outer rim of the bottle cap so that it matched my metallic ribbon which I used as a tie for this tag also. And there you have it a Christmas Tag using Paper Scraps and Bottle Caps.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have a great weekend!

Alter Your Creativity Challenge - #2

With it being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Altered Pages has turned Pink and we want you to think Pink for our second challenge!

Be sure to pop over to the Challenge Blog to check out the wonderful inspiration from all the DT, which includes a Bra Mini Inspiration Book, Post It Note Holders, an assortment of tags and an Altered Barbie!  Whilst there you can also vote for your favorite project from the Design Team!

Here's what I came up with!  I took a Manilla Tag and using my new Gelato Pens colored it Pink!  I then cut the bra image out from the Support Collage Sheet and the image of the female looking in the mirror from the Waterhouse Maidens Collage Sheet both of which are from the Altered Pages store. A touch of Inka Gold - Old Silver from Viva Decor adds a bit of shimmer around the edges and  I then stamped an Awareness Ribbon on Shrink Plastic using a Unity Stamp from their October 2011 KOTM.  Once shrunk I colored this in with a pink marker and attached with a rose on top.  To finish my tag, some pink grosgrain ribbon, twine and my favorite can't be without bling - a dew drop from the Robin's Nest.

The Altered Pages Team would love it if you joined the fun, simply think pink and create something for our challenge this month.  One lucky winner will be rewarded with this fabulous prize jam packed with lots of wonderful pink goodness from the Altered Pages Store.

And the Top 3 as voted by the Design Team will each receive a Digital Collage Sheet of their choice.

For all the details head over to the Alter Your Creativity Challenge Post here!

Altered Pages Fall/Halloween Blog Hop

Hi Everyone and welcome to my post for the Altered Pages Fall/Halloween Blog Hop (and my official first creation for the Design Team)

Each of the DT will be sharing with you either a autumn inspired or frightfully scary project using some of the fabulous products you will find at Altered Pages. Simply by hopping with us,becoming a follower and leaving a comment on each of the blogs including the main Altered Pages Blog means you have a chance of winning a prize.

So now for my project which was inspired by the Letter T as I had recently received the Alphabet T Collage Sheet from Altered Pages along with the wonderful vintage Thanksgiving Images on the Gobble Gobble Collage Sheet.

So Let's Ponder the Letter T.    T is for Tags, Two to be exact and also for Turkey, Tradition, Thanksgiving and being Thankful.

Tag 1

Decorative Letter T and Turkey Collage Images were  cut out and added to background and edges were distressed with Aged Magohany and Dried Marigold Distress Inks.  Words computer generated, and faux stitching added to edges with a rust colored coordinating ribbon added to finish.   Background created from Crafty Individuals Paper Pad attached to a Manilla Tag

Tag 2

The Vintage Image was cut out and added to background and edges were distressed with Aged Magohany and Dried Marigold Distress Inks.  The word thankful (part of one of my sentiment stamps) was stamped with Dried Marigold Distress Ink and cut out and attached with gold ribbon added to finish.     Background created from Crafty Individuals Paper Pad attached to a Manilla Tag

Today I am thankful for you stopping by my blog and hopping with us. Simply follow the links below to continue on your way and be further inspired by the Wonderful Altered Pages Team.

There will be One grand prize winner will receive a scissor mouse from AP. There will be two winners from each blog that will receive a free digital collage sheet. To be eligible for that the hoppers must leave a comment on each blog & become a follower of each blog. To be a winner they must finish the hop and go back to AP's blog and let us know they did. They must, also, leave a comment and follow every blog.




PS.  Be sure to join us again on Monday over at Altered Pages Challenges as the Design Team celebrate all things Pink in Support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and kicks off the start of our second Challenge.

The Poodles Parlour - Tag It Challenge

Hi Everyone!  Hope you are having a great Friday!  I have and to top it off I have just enjoyed some fresh prawns and a nice glass of wine for dinner.  I think I mentioned in an earlier post that September is a month full of birthdays, so be prepared for a lot of birthday themed posts in the coming days starting with today's.

This fortnight's challenge at the Poodles Parlour is called Tag It.  Which is pretty straight forward we want to see a tag in your creation.  It can be a card with a tag or simply a tag on its own which is what I have done.

Image:  Birthday Boy - The Digi Garden, Sentiment:  Unity Stamp Company

Card Stock/Paper:  Manilla Tag coloured with Tria Markers, Distress Honeycomb Paper from The Robin's Nest.  

Choc Chip Cardstock from Stampin' Up!

Other: Martha Stewart Ribbon Loop Border Punch, 1 1/2 Inch Circle Punch, Dew Drop from the Robin's Nest,

Brown Satin Ribbon,  Tria Markers, Early Expresso and Red Riding Hood Ink.

My tag was designed with a boy's birthday in mind and uses the adorable image called Birthday Boy from the Digi Garden who are our sponsors this week.

So Tag Your It!  It's your turn to create, and I do hope you will play along with our challenge.  You know the drill.  Head over to the Poodles Parlour Blog for more wonderful inspiration from the team and all that.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Shaving Foam Fun!

Hi Everyone!  Well what can I say, I haven't finished tidying up my craft room, I got side tracked.  My craft table was calling me to play and I was also helping to set up the wonderful new Challenge Post over at Altered Pages and do some sponsorship stuff for Party Time Tuesdays.  This also means I still haven't got round to visiting all my lovely crafty friends blogs to leave some love either.  

I felt the urge yesterday to play with my dye re-inkers and get messy with some shaving foam.  I now have some fabulous backgrounds for my cards and ATC's.  

I also made this tag using my shaving foam backgrounds with another new challenge in mind.  Anything But a Card and their theme this fortnight is Texture.

I have used the ribbon, paper strip and flower to highlight some of the colors in my background.  To add some simple texture I have embossed with my Divine Swirls embossing folder and run some black ink over the top to bring out the embossed design.

So here is some of those results of my shaving foam adventure.  What is it about Blue Ink.  It doesn't matter in what form I use it, it seems to be the only color determined to stain my hands and fingers.

This is the first generation of color after first being added to the foam.  I have used the SU Colors of Pixie Pink, Green Galore and Brilliant Blue (all retired).

Eventually the colors start to mix so I have added a few more drops of color into the foam 

for the second generation 

Each time I remove a piece of paper I allow it to dry a little and then scrap the remnants of the foam back into the mix, as the foam starts to dissolve I also mix it up a little in the tray.  This is the third generation of color.

I do so love getting messy and playing with color!

Other Challenges I am entering this into:-

Scrappers Delight Challenge Blog - Make Your Own Backing Papers

UnstampaBelles Challenges - #15 Embossing

Brown Sugar Challenges - #7 Bags or Tags

Platypus Creek Digitals - New Release Cutting Files

Hi Everyone!  Today it's another new release day over at Platypus Creek.

You will have lots of spooky fun with the any of these great cutting files which will have all your halloween projects covered!  There is a Coffin Treat Box, A Coffin Card (which I used for my tag today) and what would Halloween be without a Haunted House.

Be sure to pop over to the Platypus Creek Site and check these out!

Home is Where You Park your Heart

Home is Where you Park your heart! 

How True!

 Its wherever you love, wherever you are happy, wherever you are together with those you love, 

wherever you laugh, make memories and are at peace.

This was the thought and the sentiment behind my art journal page I am sharing with you all today!

Brayered Background, and lots of Unity KOTM Stamps and of course my Tria Markers!

Just playing, I added some water to my grass! 

Lots of Bright Color makes me Happy!

And as the rain has been keeping the days quite gloomy what better than some bright colored tags using up some paper scraps and featuring beautiful butterflies.

I have simply colored the tags using two tones of the same color ink pads.  Echo Park Papers, Darkroom Door Butterflies, Viva Decor Sunny Yellow Pearl Pen, Matching Ribbons and some paper and crocheted flowers from my stash.