Believe in the magic of Christmas

well here I am wishing you all a Happy festive time...with one more of the 12 tags for Linda's 12 tags of Christmas....I have now made all the tags , halo duly polished...but this will be my last crafty offering until 31 December, as I sign off from crafty blogland and spend some much looked forward to time with my family...
I also want to take this time to thank all my followers and all those who have stopped by and left such lovely comments and supported me this year..so  All the details of linda's 12 tags can be found here and it is sponsored by the funkie junkie boutique, Linda's fab online shop....here is linda's tag #9 and here is mine below...

I started by creating an inky background and the added some white embossed snowflakes and some white embossing to edge the tag ( a #10 tag from Linda's boutique ).
To complete the background I added some flourishes stamped , then embossed with sticky embossing powder and sprinkled with... rock candy distress glitter..

I am so not a glitter person but I just love the frosty finish this creates... I added some cheesecloth and then added a reindeer painted white with picket fence distress paint, then coated with glue and seal and more glitter.

Next inspired by Linda's cluster of three flowers, I added 3 flowers created using the tattered floral die and I also added pine fronds, as linda...but coated with...yes you guessed rock candy distress glitter...not that I am hooked or anything..

To complete I added some stars (idea-ology)...some dyed seam binding and more idea-ology 

and a word band..

I am linking this up to Linda's 12 tags of Christmas here .

so I will leave you ...hoping for lots of magic in your household...I certainly have 3 excited children ..hoping that some magic will come their way ...so lets hope our magic Santa sprinkles do the trick!

may your hearts be full and happy x

another tiny snowflake falls

Well here I am again with tag #7 for the lovely Linda's 12 tags of Christmas...the details of the tag challenge are here along with all the details of the prizes and how to enter. You have now, until the 8th January to play along and you could win one of the generous gift certificates for the Funkie junkie Boutique, lovely Linda's boutique that is sponsoring the challenge.

 Everyone who enters and complies by the rules will also get a discount . So without further ado here is Linda's tag #7 and below is mine, inspired by the embossed background and gorgeous flower.

I created an embossed background for my tag ( I am using #10 tags from the FunkieJunkieBoutique) and then added frayed burlap distress stain and lots of yummy creamy antique linen distress paint...yep still loving them ! 

I scuffed the edges and added some frayed burlap distress stain.

Well I loved the background and flower I made but the letters are not me :( and if time had been on my side I would have re made this without the letters like this but hey ho !

So the flower, was two die cut poinsettia die cuts , inked , wet and scrunched a little...un flattened and then a gorgeous flower from some ribbon found at Linda's boutique...and removed so I just had the flower...gorgeous colour, and fitted a treat...I added some pine frond die cuts and glittered with rock candy distress glitter.

the letters were covered with antique linen distress glitter was I felt it spoiled the soft feel of the tag...wish I had left them painty!

I added some dyed seam binding to the top..

I also added a couple of additional snowflakes..

So I will leave you with one last look at the flower and will be linking up to Linda's 12 tags here and also our creative corner are having a Vintage Christmas...using neutrals x

sometimes the beauty is in its simplicity

Well here I am back again with my take on Linda's tags of Christmas, number 6....I know still a teensy bit behind!? But here are all the details of this fab challenge and there are some generous prizes courtesy of Linda's fab boutique The FunkiejunkieBoutique. 

So there is till the 8th of Januray to play along yet...if I can make iit...so can you ;) .

So here is Linda's gorgeous tag #6 and below is mine...inspired by the plaid effect and the fir trees.

Well I wanted to mimic the plaid to a certain extent and used one of Tim's fab  stripes stencils and my much loved iced spruce to create that sort of effect in a softer manner..I was really pleased with how it turned out...great except I was scared stiff as to what to do next in case I messed it up!

So I added some stamped fir trees in iced spruce using stamps from reindeer flight, gosh I do love this stamp set..When dry I edged with iced spruce. to complete the background I stamped some snowflakes using perfect medium, embossed with sticky embossing powder and added ....yes you guessed some clear rock candy Distress glitter...

Now for the tree, for which I can take no credit as I totally copied Linda's.

I added a little canvas reindeer, edged in frayed burlap...

some cheesecloth dyed with distress stains...to create a snowy forest floor.

I know that these are all soft colours but i just love how you can still get the different layers and textures...

Finally at the top I added some idea-ology and some dyed seam binding..I really loved making this tag and love the simple calmness it seems to have to me anyway!

So I will be linking this up to Linda's 12 tags 

and use a rubber stamp for simon says stamp monday challenge blog

and anything goes for the Artistic Stamper 

keep those fingers inky!

and those hearts full

trace  x

Another star shines brightly.

Not often that personal things are on my blog but this post is for someone who I loved dearly xx and whose star now shines brightly ...love you xxx and keep shining bright xx

So here is my tag #2 for Linda's fab 12 tags of Christmas...sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique.......and yes I really am only on #2 ! All the details if you want to join in can be found here . Believe me you wont be short of inspiration from Linda's great tags.

Linda's gorgeous tag can be found here and here is mine :

I used similar colours to those that Linda chose and included similar elements with a few extras/ twist of my own. I created my background using brushed corduroy distress ink. and spritzed with perfect pearls in biscotti. 

I then over stamped the flourish stamp from reindeer flight set of stamps in brushed corduroy and covered with sticky embossing powder and then rock candy distress glitter.

I also added some music script stamped in coffee archival. I do love this flourish stamp.

For the reindeer I die cut from grey board, covered in antique linen Distress paint and then distress rock candy glitter. the cool thing is this glitter can be coloured with distress ink, so I added some shading around the edges.

When in place I added some wire and a small rusty bell round his neck.

I loved the way Linda had added the stars to dyed cheescloth and added some myself, 

also adding some under the reindeers feet

I added some linen ribbon, love how this frays and some dyed seam binding to the top of the tag, love all the textures this creates . I also added a couple of twirls of rusty wire.

I am linking this up for Linda's twelve tags no 2 . here .

keep shining xx 

love you x

trace x 

night on a riverbank for dragons dream TIO DT

well it is time for another dream from the dragons dream team and this time the lovely May has chosen our recipe. so as always you need to make a tag, use at least one real stamp and include the ingredients in the recipe. So the theme this fortnight is night on a riverbank, and the ingredients are:
driftwood, boats and insects..
So here is my make :

so I decided to create my driftwood...wood background using a great technique I learnt through doing the twelve tags of Christmas, hosted by lovely Linda at the funkie junkie.

So once the embossed and crackle painted background had been created, I then made my insects..by stamping a paper arstsy dragonfly in broken china and then covering in loose rock candy glitter ( still my first pot for those who are concerned i have another!!) . I love the shimmer this gives the moonlit dragonflies!

Then I dyed some seam binding and crochet lace to create the little ripples for my boats to sail on. I stapled them on a s I love the metal againstt the soft fabric and ribbon.. then added my little boats!

 

These boats were made using tiny half cotton reels from Creative Expressions, wire ( love love love wire, never tire of using it!) and some mini sails made from canvas, coloured with broken china distress stain.

Finally as it is night time I added some fab little wooden stars and some twirls of wire! And added some burlap string to the to of the tag.

make sure you pop across here and see what my fab team mates have been making and hopefully you will be inspired to dream with us and make a tag too!

 

have a fun and inky one!

dress to impress for dragons dream DT

Well time for us to get dreaming with the dragon again over at dragons dream TIO and today I am the lucky one to choose the recipe so hope you like it!
The challenge this time is dress to impress and the ingredients are : a dress/ dress form, embossed impressions and some bling... make sure you pop across here to see the fab DT makes..and also pop in an entry yourself..
The only other rules are make a tag and use at least one real stamp..
So here's mine:

 

I started by creating a background with evergreen bough
 and using the fab flick and spritz technique..
Then stamped my favourite Tim flourish in same
colour in corners, then dried and then stamped again
 and covered in sticky embossing powder and
 then loose rock candy distress.
I know some of you are concerned I may have run
 out still on first pot and have a spare!!

 

The dress form was embossed and then coloured using same colour distress ink! I then added a skirt , using crinoline (from funkie junkie boutique) cut into flowers using tattered floral die and layered to create a skirt effect .. I hope!

Then I added some swirls of wire..to create another texture, love the staples in contrast to the soft skirt. I have also added some dyed seam binding.
well hope you are inspired to play along with my recipe..

make sure you pop across here for more Dt inspiration

I just want to say thanks for the comments to help me put my pictures on the left/ right!not quite got it sussed but getting there!

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to stop by and also to leave a comment. I appreciate them all!

have a fun and inky day!

 

trace  x

simon says ...what are you known for?

well my style seems to ebb and flow depending on my mood, new crafty goodies, time and inspiration...but I guess there are some things that are always me..
I guess
and these are : tags, hearts and wings!, distress ink, using limited colours, seam binding and my love of all this Tim and idea-ology , textures,wire, all with a vintage feel ..so here is a piece that sort of sums up some of the things I love.. It is hard because I could easily have gone all rusty and steampunk too!? so here is my make:
for simon says stamp and show.. what are you known for!?

(wish I knew how to put my photos next to the text? anyone any ideas how to do that all help gratefully received!!)

I started with lots of inky layers and the brushed some snow cap paint dabber across, swiped with a baby wipe and dried then added some ink around the edges to hopefully give a soft and layered feel..I love taking one colour and using it to create layers!! very cool! I love the way the swiped paint gives it an almost chalky feel..very soft.. (it is a size 10 tag )

I stamped this fab Tim flourish in tea dye, dried and then stamped in clear, covered in sticky embossing powder and covered in loose rock candy...(bet you wondered how long it would be before I used it again!)

The heart cut using a new paperarstsy heart die , was painted, covered with ferro texture paste through antiquities stencil, then when dry painted with nougat fresco paint and lightly inked with tea dye.. a new found fave of mine! I then lightly stamped the music script across it.The wings...a real favourite of mine , were covered with sand texture paste, then painted and inked when dried. I then added some wire and a heart charm.

I added some letters cut from my new word play die..love it! they were painted with snow cap dabber, when dry stamped with music script form artistic outpost ephemera backgrounds....a truly fab set...and inked around edges.

Finally some idea-ology, dyed seam binding, twirl of wire , crochet ribbon and voila! hope you are still awake!!

hope those of you that stop by here feel this is me in a tag..well part of me anyways!?

stay safe, keep warm and have a fun and inky one!

it 's christmas tag time for dragons dream TIO dt

well it is time for the dragon to dream

 and this fortnight it is Christmas tag time,

so have fun and get inky with us!!

 

the only rules this time...make a tag

and use at least one real stamp!!!!

oh and have some inky fun!!!

 

so here is my make :

 

a simple inky background...

over stamped with a fab Tim flourish stamp..in

okay I succumbed to the glitter again......

so stamped and embossed with the fab sticky embossing powder

and sprinkled with loose rock candy glitter

 

did I say I love it!?

 

 

then I stamped the fab

snowflake blueprint stamp and embossed in true white embossing powder..

 

then added a snowflake die cut

and this fab centre

from the lovely Mel

 

 

some dyed seam binding and voila!

 

 

so get those festive crafty fingers going and join in the fun

and make sure you pop across here to see the teams fab makes!