Does the bell still ring for you?

Hi Everyone,
Jess here today.
One of my favorite Christmas stories is The Polar Express.  Today's project is a little nod to the book.

When I started this project I didn't think I wanted a tag as long as the Extra Large Tag (it's 8 inches long and 4 inches wide), so I cut off a big chunk.  Thankfully I saved the piece I cut off because as my project evolved I knew I needed it!
Start by painting the entire tag white and then stamping a line of music notes all over the back using Distress Oxide ink in Hickory Smoke.  Then seal the ink using Distress Micro Glaze.  Once the micro glaze is on add Vintage Distress Collage Medium to the entire piece.  The thicker the glaze, the darker the color.

Next paint a piece of Distress Collage tissue. The collage tissue is black and white, but it can be colored.  Pick the area you want to show and on the backside apply your paint.  The paint doesn't have to be perfect, but it shouldn't go too far outside the lines(unless that's the look you're going for). 

Once the paint is dry adhere it to the bottom of the tag.  The tissue blends in so well it looks like it was part of the background all along.  

Add a bit of Charred Gold embossing powder around the edge of the entire piece.  

Paint the Frame in Tarnished Brass Distress Paint.  Once it is dry add Deco Art's Crackle Glaze.  The glaze makes teeny cracks, like you see on old china.  When the glaze is dry rub Distress Crayon in the cracks to make them pop.  Glue the frame to the tag. Using a bit of foam tape, add a piece of patterned paper inside the frame.  Color your paper doll and adhere her to the patterned paper(she's popped up with a bit of foam tape too). Add a teeny bell to her hand.    

The paper doll had a little paper tassel on her hat, but mine ripped off.  So to give her hat a makeover color a baubble using Spun Sugar Distress Paint.  Once the paint is dry add a bit of mushroom alcohol ink to age it a bit.  You can see the tiny cracks in the frame a bit better here too.  

Using the Tim Holtz festive foliage die make a bunch of flowers to adhere to the corner of the frame. 

Now here is the part when I decided I wanted to add more to my tag.  My sentiment wasn't working the way I thought it would and it just needed more.  I took the part I had cut off earlier and glued it to the base creating a little shelf.  Color the fringe using spray ink and alcohol ink and glue it to the base.  

Paint a salvaged santa using Distress Paint and Alcohol inks.  Once the paint is dry rub Distress Crayon to pick up the nooks and crannies. Paint the deer using gold alcohol ink.  Glue them all to the base.

On the opposite side glue a bottle brush tree decorated with vintage mercury glass. 

After that it's just finishing touches! 

I hope the bell always rings for you. 

Have you started your Christmas crafting?

Jess

Creepy Critter

Hi Everyone,
 Jess here today.

 I promise next month I will get back to doing step by step photos for you.  Work has been a bear lately and I have hardly had any time to create.  I wanted to get a bit spooky though.  It's cooling off around here-it's been under 100 degrees at least twice!

To begin cover your Reliquary- Arch Top with a thin layer of gesso.  Then layer on your inks.  It is key to allow time for each layer to dry naturally to achieve the faux marble look. Using your blending foam, apply a layer of Pumice Stone Distress Ink and then add a bit of Espresso Distress Ink.  Spritz these layers with water.  Once they are dry add Distress Oxides in Iced Spruce, Hickory Smoke, and Black Soot.  These are applied one at a time and spritzed with water.  I switched back and forth between using the blending foam and just stamping the pad directly onto the arch.  Using the pad I was able to get some veins in the marble.
Add your paperdoll and bunny head charm.  Set the piece aside to dry.

Cover the Extra Large Tag with a piece of patterned paper.  Use Distress Oxides in Hickory Smoke and Forest Moss to get the mottled effect.  Edge the tag using Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  Socre the bottom of the tag to create a bend. 

Use the large piece from the Layered Flourish Aria.  Paint the back piece using Tarnished Brass Distress Paint.  Paint the front piece using Sterling Distress Paint.  When the paint is dry pounce on Alcohol ink in Patina, Mushroom, and Latte.  Glue the two pieces together and adhere to the top of the tag.  

Using the same colors of Alcohol INk color your gravemaker and attach to the arch using brads.  Glue the arch to the bottom of the tag.  

Cover the base of the tag with moss and add some skulls and bones.  Paint the Meadow Flowers using Forest Moss DIstress Paint.  Stipple on the same alcohol ink color you used before.  Cut the flowers in half and adhere them to the back of the Reliquary- Arch Top.  

Your creepy masterpiece is complete!

I hope you enjoyed this creepy tutorial.

Jess

Drinks with my girls

Hi Guys,

Jess here today with a fun tropical tag for you.  I used one of the tags from the  Extra Large Tag set for the background here.  I created this tag to share as part of a new stamp release for Blank Page Muse Stamps.  One of the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Design Team Alumni drew all of these stamps.  Pam Bray is a woman that wears many hats!

Cover your Extra Large Tag with cardstock and stamp with Distress Ink in various shades of green.  I used stamps from the Blank Page Muses Tropical Dreams set.  Once your leaves are stamped cover the entire tag with Antique Linen Distress Ink and spritz with water. 

Stamp the hibiscus flower using Stampin Up ink in tip top taupe. This completes the background of your piece.

Paint the Flowers using Folk Art paint in color shift Green Flash and the flower centers in Distress Paint in Abandoned Coral and Picked Raspberry.  

I doubled up the small flower and one of the large flowers on the top of the tag.  The top flower was stamped with the Pineapple stamp to add some texture.  

The other large flower helps ground the girls.  

The big hats and flowers called for big drinks too! I think most of you know by now that I am pretty snarky and this sentiment was perfect for this tag.  I did a bit of scribbling using gel pens and paint on the tag to complete it.  

I think this would be a really fun gift for your best friend! I hope you're inspired to create a tag too.

Jess

I'm a bad girl...

Hi Everyone,
Jess here today.

Well, I didn't plan to do two reading themed items this month, but it happened.  I'm a huge reader.  It's not often that I am not in the middle of a book.  Any reader will tell you that they always need bookmarks.  Yes, I've used napkins, receipts, post it notes, and other random bits of paper to mark my pages.  I wanted to make a little something nice to actually mark my page.

I covered one of the Extra Large Chipboard Tags using vintage card catalog cards.  The edges were embossed just to add a little bit extra.

I painted my Medium Circle Border using Distress Paints and glued it on my tag.  

I added the vintage image and verbiage using foam tape.  Since the circles make the background uneven I used different layers of tape to make the image flush.  

Easy and now I can mark my book nicely! 

Jess