12 tags of christmas - day 10...

"day 10" -tim holtz(c) 2008
supplies: craft sheet, perfect pearls/heirloom gold, green patina, scissors (tonic),distress re-inker/vintage photo, distress ink/fired brick, aged mahogany, antique linen, walnut stain, glossy accents, ink blending tool, mini misters, jet black archival ink, heat tool, distress embossing ink, black embossing powder (ranger); plain grungeboard basics, flourish mask, snaps, trinket pins (tim holtz idea-ology); stamps/reindeer U2-1375, grunge alpha V3-1221, (stampers anonymous); holiday flowers (prima); cropadile (wermemory); tag, foam tape, paint brush, ribbon, sheet music, charms

step 1: prepare your own pearlized mist by starting with a mini mister.  add 1 DROPPER FULL of distress reinker. (*so here are some things to know: i prefer to use distress reinker for this because these inks are reactive with water and will maintain their color integrity when mixed with water.  in other words, one DROPPER full will give you the same intensity of color even though we are adding 3/4 water.  using regular dye reinkers will require lots more ink since they will just water down.)

step 2: add one stick scoop of perfect pearls to mini mister.  (*perfect pearls is a pigment powder with a built in binder.  unlike "others" it does not have to be sealed after use.  the binder in perfect pearls is activated with any type of moisture like water, perfect medium, etc.)

step 3: fill the rest of the mister with water and replace cap.  shake very well to emulsify the contents - this is very important! (*the coolest thing about creating your own pearlized mists is that you can store them in the mini misters too.  this mixture will not clog the mister ever.  how cool is this?)

step 4: remove mask from package and place on to tag - be sure to rub the mask on to tag with your hand. don't forget to work on your non-stick craft sheet so the mask doesn't stick to anything else. (*for more info on prepping your masks and other uses, check out my video below.)

step 5: shake mister and mist contents over masked tag.

step 6: repeat until entire tag is covered with ink.  (*notice how the inks bead up over the mask.)

step 7: while ink is wet, lightly blot the mask with a paper towel to remove excess ink from around the mask.  (*since paper is porous, the longer the ink sits on the paper, the more it will absorb into the paper and under your mask.  whatever you do - DO NOT heat the masks - they will melt!)

step 8: once ink is blotted off of mask carefully remove the mask by gently peeling it off of the tag. (*if you're trying this technique on other surfaces besides a tag, be careful with the surface you choose.  handmade papers and papers with a coating like glossy cardstock do not work as well with masks since the mask will sometimes stick to those coatings and surfaces.)

step 9: with mask removed, dry inked tag with heat tool.

step 10: i like to colorize my masked area.  ink entire tag with aged mahogany distress ink using ink blending tool.  (*this will not lift off the perfect pearls at all!)

step 11: repeat with fired brick distress ink using ink blending tool. (*i like to use multiple tones often.)

step 12: make a cup with your fingers and spritz water from mini mister into your hand.

step 13: flick water droplets on to tag and let set for at least 10 seconds. blot off with paper towel. (*the distress ink is reactive with water and will create a faux bleach look. remember this technique from tag #7?)

step 14: dry tag with heat tool.

step 15: stamp a plain sheet of grungeboard with reindeer stamp using distress embossing ink.

step 16: cover stamped image with black embossing powder and remove excess powder.

step 17: heat black embossing powder with heat tool.  (*notice that the grungeboard will curl when heated, do not worry as this is flexible and will flatten out again.)

step 18: cut out embossed image with sharp scissors.

step 19: continue to cut  with scissors around detailed areas. (*remember this is grungeboard and totally flexible so even the detailed areas are easy to cut.)

step 20: mist water on to craft sheet with mini mister.

step 21: dip a dry brush into green patina perfect pearls and scoop up some powder.

step 22: work brush into water on craft sheet mixing the perfect pearls with water - we want the consistency of paint. (*again, these perfect pearls are activated with moisture so by mixing them with water we are creating our own metallic paints!  cool or what?)

step 23: brush paint mixture over embossed stamped grungeboard reindeer.

step 24: blot off excess perfect pearls paint with a cloth - the embossing will resist the perfect pearls.

step 25: allow grungeboard to dry.

step 26: ink edges of grungeboard with walnut stain distress ink using ink blending tool.

step 27: tear strip of music paper and ink with antique linen distress ink using ink blending tool.

step 28: adhere to tag with glossy accents.

step 29: apply glossy accents to back of grungeboard reindeer and adhere to tag over music.

step 30: attach crown charm to reindeer with glossy accents. (*again this was just something i picked up in my travels.  just check your local craft or bead shop for charms.)

step 31: stamp grunge alpha on to tag with archival ink. (*i just stamped the letter rows i needed to use on a scrap tag.)

step 32: cut out the letters you need.  i cut out "WISH".

step 33: round the corners slightly with your scissors. (*this is another one of my favorite stamps because i can use it as a cool background, or stamp and cut out to create my own letter tiles!)

step 34: ink edges of letter tiles with antique linen distress ink using ink blending tool.

step 35: cut foam tape with scissors and adhere to back of letters to create dimensional letter tiles.

step 36: stack up prima flowers.

step 37: place the stack on the tag and punch a hole through them with a cropadile.

step 38: insert the back of the snap through the hole in the back of the tag.

step 39: place flower stack over nub that sticks out and press top piece of snap to "snap" together!  (*yes, these are snaps - use them to snap ribbon, photos, papers, etc. fun!)

step 40: attach star charm to trinket pin and secure through ribbon.

*in the details: i just like the look of the snap in the center of the flower - different, timeless, and unexpected.  i also love the shimmer the perfect pearls add to this tag with the pearl mist as well as the painted pearls.

Comments

[Linda van Vliet]

YAY! another day, another tag. It's great again Tim. Thanks for sharing :)

[Аnna M]

WOW
Love it....
You are the best!

[Liz Walters]

How can it be day #10? That means only 2 more tags after today!
There will be serious withdrawals nationwide I’m sure.
Tim, I must tell you, I really love the action shots you’re sharing. Everyday better!
Again, the comments are nearing 2500 and the addiction is spreading.
Congrats to all the winners over all these past days. Wonder who they are today?? It’s been fun watching the excitement build.
My list for TIM things wanted isn’t very long. I’ve been blessed to have everything needed or else a darn close second!
I’m off to bed now and will dream on how to use Tim’s Tag #10 for first thing in the morning.
Thank you Tim for all your hard work and for all your sharing. You are the KING of TAGS!!
Love, Liz
Liz Walters
Prescott, AZ

[Sherri P eh]

Wow Tim, once again, you make something spectacular, from nothing! NOthing short of amazing!! Thank you for your inspiration and generosity!

[Linda van Vliet]

HAHAHAHA! I was really the first to comment :) I won I won! LOL!

[Jennifer]

Another WONDERFUL way to not get my grading done!

Thanks, Tim!

[Kathryn]

Holly smokes! Once again, totally cool.

[L@urie Lacle]

well, tim...it's been a GREAT ride. ten fantastically created masterpieces and only two more to go. thanks for taking me down the creative trip down memory lane - it's been fun remembering christmas as a child who still believed in Santa. wait a minute. there STILL IS a Santa. yep! his name is Tim Holtz and he's been spreading joy to thousands of people, night after night, tirelessly giving his ALL to fans who visit his blog, anxiously awaiting his next creation; his labor of love. he never disappoints.

thanks for spreading the joy & magic of christmas and for sharing your (creative) gifts with us.

L@urie

[Penci Petty]

I love the crown on the reindeer! I love your techniques. Thanks for another great tag and inspiration.
Penci
Texas

[Alice Isenbart]

Yet another beauty! So rich in color, too! Those masks are calling to me, Tim. I've seen you use them a couple of times on tags and they really add a wonderful design element to the tags! Must get some masks!

Alice I.