Happy Spring! Tim's 12 tags of 2015 - April

 

Here is my interpretation of Tim's Tag for April 2015.  As typical, lots of improvising (which I find SO much fun!), and I really think the little "band" on the tag is cool - I am going to make some cards using that technique.

What I Used to Make my Tag:
Wendy Vecchi Stamp it Stencil it, Marigold, WVSTST013
#8 Kraft Tag (homemade)
Distress Markers in Evergreen Bough, Riper Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold, Squeezed Lemon, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Soot Frayed Burlap and Pumice Stone.
Watercolor Paper
Watercolor Brush - Detail
Distress Ink in Frayed Burlap
Sizzix Tim Holtz Alphanumeric #660056
Silhouette Machine
Piece of Light Brown cardstock
Wink of Stella, Clear
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Distress Marker Spritzer

Stamped flowers

First, as I don't have any Kraft tags, I made my own.  I folded a piece of Kraft paper in half, glued it together and trimmed it down to tag size.  I put the tag aside and concentrated on finding a good flower to use as the focal point. I have some flower stamps, but none of the ones I looked at had an open enough space in the petals - until I remembered I have some Wendy Vecchi SiSi stamps - SiSi stands for Stamp and Stencil (there are some really cute sets!).  I finally chose the Marigold stamp and stamped it 3 times on my watercolor paper, that I had cut down to size as instructed, in the Jet Black ink.  I used my ink spritzer (for the very first time! I need a bit more practice) to spritz the background of the tag in Evergreen Bough, dried it with my heat gun and let it sit aside to fully dry.

Once the tag was fully dry, I water colored my flowers; I can remember coloring

like that with watercolor pencils, back when the water brushes first came out.  I used more color on my flowers than Tim did on his.  I finished the water colored portion by edging it in Frayed Burlap.  Set that aside and began to figure out how I was going to go on to the next step.

I was hoping I had a word I could use in the Holiday Words Script die set, but, none of them really worked. I knew I was going to make my second word, Spring, out of the Alphanumeric Die Set, but I struggled with how I was going to make my first word.  As usual, when I don't have the products to make something the way I want, my Silhouette machine steps in.  I designed and cut several "happy" cuts, using different fonts, and chose the one I liked best.  Then came cutting the strip into the tag.

I am not gifted with measurement gene (or the driving directions gene), but I tried to measure the way Tim tells it on his blog - I finally just measured from each side of the tag, and then the strip part itself.  I spelled out Spring with my Alphanumeric dies, then attached them all together with temporary tape (I use regular clear temporary tape, so I can see the placement).  Held my breath, and

cut the word out.  That's one of those moments if you mess up the entire project goes in the garbage.  But I did it (whew!) and it was while testing the water colored insert that I realized I stamped too many flowers on the paper.  If I hadn't of put the little piece of light brown card there, the flower made it difficult to read. So I glued that piece in place and added some sparkle with Wink of Stella in Clear.  Thought I was done with the tag, took a bunch of pictures and realized I had forgotten the star! I found a star that I had already punched out of silver paper and attached that.  I debated hand drawing the stitches, but. . .I don't trust myself. So I took more pictures, added the little piece of ribbon and took even more pictures.  That's it! I had forgotten how much fun water coloring is and have added that set Tim used in his tag to my Need ASAP list (which grows longer and longer and longer. . . ).

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And one last look ~

I'd like to enter my Happy Spring Tag in the following challenges:
Tim's 12 Tags Challenge - April 2015
Artistic Inspirations - #129,  Anything Goes with a twist of Spring 
Not Just Cards Challenge - #17, Always Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Anything But a Card
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Week 173
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - #137, Springtime Flowers
Frilly and Funkie -  Springtime Die Cuts