Wednesday, December 30, 2015

WOYWW 343 - It's almost a New Year!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Are you getting geared up for the New Year??  Do you have special plans for New Year's Eve?  I don't have plans for New Year's Eve, but I do have several things on the horizon for 2016.

My "Fab4" friends and I are starting a new monthly art journal challenge for 2016.  We're calling it Pick A Stick, and you'll see why when we launch!  This collaborative effort includes myself, Peg of Bits N Pieces, Shel of Paper Ocotillo Studio, and Beth of Lizzie's Workshop.  These are the same fabulously talented ladies that I had the pleasure of doing NaNoJouMo with in November.  We've even set up a fancy schmancy (ok, not so much) Facebook page where you can follow along and JOIN IN on the fun.  Just head over HERE to join the group.

What else is on the horizon?  Well, I'm going to take a stab at a weekly challenge with Colour Me Positive.  Maybe you'd like to do that as well.  I also have on my planner pages a new class with Joanne Sharpe that I'm really looking forward to.  And I'm continuing my monthly Tag It Tuesday feature right here on the blog.  Oh -- I'm also continuing with Stephanie Ackerman's Documented Faith project as well.  And then there's the monthly video hops I participate in also.  Whew!  I hope I can keep up with all the artsy fun I have planned!!

Ok, now onto why you're here....to sneak a peek at my crafty desk.  And why would you do that?  Because of Ms. Julia at Stamping Ground, of course!

Believe it or not, people are still ordering custom monogrammed ornaments after Christmas.  I had a couple to finish up last night so I could get them in the mail this morning.


I especially like the way the blue and silver one turned out!


So what's on your calendar for 2016?  Leave a comment and let me know.  And I sure hope you'll join me for Tag It Tuesday and Pick A Stick!


Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!

Sunday, December 27, 2015

A Colorful New Year Ahead

Happy Sunday Everyone!

I hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Christmas.  We had a nice day for sure and lots of left overs, since it's just my husband and I and now my mother, having moved her here to Texas in September.

I've been thinking about my Tag It Tuesday monthly feature and wondering if I wanted to continue with it into 2016.  At first I thought no, since participation is always so low.  But as I gave it more thought, I decided to continue anyway.  I enjoy making the tags and I'll keep my fingers crossed that more folks will discover my little monthly feature and decide to play along.

In 2015, I provided you monthly themes to keep everyone's tags focused in the same direction.  For 2016, I'm going to concentrate more on colors and "items" rather than (predictable) monthly themes.  You all are grown ups....you know what holidays fall where.  So if you chose to also incorporate that into your tag, it's going to be totally your choice to do so!

So in that vein, let's talk a little about color....specifically the Pantone colors that are announced yearly.  Below are the 2016 Spring colors and I'll be utilizing them throughout the year for our monthly tag projects.



We'll also be talking about color wheel theory and things like hue, tone, tint, saturation and more.  Many of us learned all that fun stuff in various art classes throughout the years, but do we really remember it and use it?  I know I don't.  So in addition to making our tags, we'll be getting our learning caps on each month as well.

In addition to Pantone, another wonderful resource for color combinations and inspiration is Design Seeds.  I just love all the different combinations they come up with, as well as their pictures that inspired those choices.  Of course, there are all kinds of color wheels out there to help you as well.


Our first tag challenge will be posted on January 5 and the link post will be on January 19.  Each month will be scheduled that way -- theme announcement on the first Tuesday of the month, and link post on the third Tuesday of the month.  Easy peasy!!  The link ups stay live indefinitely, so you can always backtrack if you need to catch up on previous months.

I've always been very inspired by color, so I'm looking forward to this colorful year of tags that lies ahead.  I hope you'll join me (and bring some friends).

Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Tag It Tuesday Linky Party

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

It's time for the December Tag It Tuesday linky party!


This month's theme was Winter/Christmas/Red & Green.  I went with a somewhat non-traditional color theme of blues and purples to create two snowflake tags.

As usual, I forgot to take process still shots!  Why can't I remember to do that?  Oh well!  There's always the video, which will be embedded below for you to watch.

Both tags started out with Dylusions Ink Sprays in Crushed Grape and London Blue.  I added some ghost stenciling by spraying water through my favorite bubbles stencil and blotting the water back up.  I also added some white splatters using watered down gesso.







For the lace snowflake tag, I mixed some Prima Finnabair Art Ingredients mica powder with gesso and applied it through my doily stencil.  This never turns out as pretty as I hope for, as the gesso really dulls down the shimmer in those amazing mica powders.  But I keep trying!







Both tags got jazzed up with a stamped embossed sentiment and some ribbon and twine.




For more details and to see my process on these tags, be sure to take a look at the video I did while making them.




Now it's your turn to link up your altered tag!  Be sure to visit the other participants and leave them some love as well.




Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

WOYWW 340 / Tales from the disaster zone

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

It's been quite a while since I linked up to WOYWW, which stands for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.  Curious?  Well, it's a fun link up party every Wednesday hosted by Julia over at Stamping Ground.  Be sure you pop over there and check out all the crafty goodness.

Today I was working on some tags for my Tag It Tuesday link up party next week.  What a novelty to not be doing them the day before they're due!
Smiley from Millan.Net

Here's what my desk looked like mid clean up mode after the tags were made.


You'll see more about those tags next week when I post my linky party and video.  I hope you'll come for a visit.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room.......


This is what happens when you're digging for a stamp set and pick up a box of card bases and envelopes upside down.  Yes, those are my slippers sitting there under the rubble.  I literally backed right out of my shoes, said several choice words, and went back to finish filming my tag video.  Fortunately, it doesn't look like this anymore.  Nothing like a small craft room disaster to force you into some quick short term cleaning and organizing.  I see MUCH MORE of that happening after the holidays.

Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Tag It Tuesday Theme for December

Happy Tuesday Everybody!

It's time to find out what our altered tag theme is for this month.



Well, I'm sure it's no surprise that the theme for December is going to be Winter/Christmas/Red & Green...you choose.  I just keep being predictable like that!!

As always, you can you use any size or type of tag.  Interpret the theme however you like in whatever medium you want.  You can draw, paint, stamp, collage....you know the drill.  The most important thing is to have FUN!

The linky party will be posted on December 15, so you have plenty of time to create!





Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!