STT Team Tag Swap Blog Hop -- It's Christmas!

It is my pleasure this month to host the Scraps To Treasures Team's blog hop, and today, it's a Tag Swap. Our sub-theme is Christmas!  Can you believe Christmas is coming and it's right around the corner?


Christmas tags always come in handy, that's for sure!  You can use them on gifts, or even as a gift ... as a card or on a card.  I enjoy making tags to allow me to try out new techniques without wasting a lot of paper. I also enjoy them because they're quick to do -- and in this busy season, there's a lot to be said about instant gratification of a project DONE!

I cut the tags from a single sheet of Brilliant White #130
cardstock -- thick enough so the coloring won't show through.

I used a Sizzix tag die I purchased on eBay for dirt cheap ($6).

Next, I used a scrap of Square 1 adhesive, repositionable fabric
and used it over and over for each one -- and was able to save
the mask for future use, too.  I stamped the snowman image
(from Jane's Doodles) onto the Square 1 and fussy-cut it to make
the mask.

I applied the mask to the tag I was working on, and then sprayed the
background using my Copic Air Brush System. Since it's
alcohol-based ink (markers) it dries quickly and I could move
my mask to the next tag right away.

With all the tags airbrushed, I then stamped the snowman onto
the white opening left by the mask. I also stamped just the scarf
portion onto a SCRAP of holiday paper, and was able to fit 12
scarves on the 5x5" scrap. I fussy-cut all of the scarves and will
save the leftover scarves with the stamp to use them at another date. 

Then I set about coloring the image using my Copic markers -- just
three shades of gray, two shades of orange and a splash of pink
mixed with a blender pen, and voila!

I stamped the snowflake in white (you can barely see it) and
embossed it. Fail! So I just stamped over it with a smidge of
black Memento ink, and tied a snip of ribbon at the top.

The ribbon comes from the "Really Reasonable Ribbon Club"
to which I belong -- they send 8 or so 2 yard pieces of adorable
seasonable ribbon automatically (auto-pay, too) each month. 

Here is my tag:

For my collection of 8 tags to swap, I used several techniques that are new for me:

1. Die cutting with a new Sizzix die

2. Masking, using adhesive fabric media from Square 1

3. Copic Air Brushing

4. Embossing (snowflake)

5. Paper piecing

6. Rubber stamping 

7. Copic coloring and shading

8. Ribbon from a monthly ribbon club 

When you read my description (caption) of how I made these, it will sound like it took forever to make 8 of these tags for the swap -- but not so! Once I figured out what stamp I wanted to use, the whole process was done in less than 40 minutes. 

Alrighty, then ...

Now I'm going to send you off to the rest of our Scraps to Treasures Team to show you what tags they have made ...

BUT WAIT!  I have to tell you about BLOG CANDY!  First, the HOP special: Two randomly chosen commenters who have left posts on ALL of the Christmas Tag Swap Blog Stops will each receive a set of tags (one of each tag seen on the hop) ...in other words, you'll get our swap, without having to kick in a tag of your own. What a deal! 

ALSO, I have my OWN blog candy!  Leave a comment on THIS blog, be a CardMonkey follower, AND leave me a way to reach you when you win, and you'll be eligible to win a set of THREE new Copic Sketch markers that I've purchased!  That's right -- set of THREE!  :) 

READY to MOVE ON?  Here is your next stop: It's LISSA MARIE at So Many Crafts!

Here are all of the stops in case you get lost. If you find broken links, please e-mail me at cardmonkey@comcast.net so I can fix them ASAP.  THANK YOU again for visiting us today at the monthly Scraps To Treasures Blog Hop!

1. Ellen - http://cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com/
2. Lissa Marie - www.somanycrafts.com
3. Pam - http://mzlavr2.blogspot.com/

4. Robin Lane - http://create-a-latte.blogspot.com/
5. Tahi - http://tahisscrapcorner.blogspot.com/
6. Paula - http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com/
7. Robin C. - http://cutonedesignsbyrobin.blogspot.com
8. Liz Cline - http://tryin2craft.blogspot.com/
9. Lucy Kelleher - http://love2createitall.com/
10.Robin Scott - http://scrapandchat.blogspot.com/
11.Camille Short - http://shortonideasaz.blogspot.com/
12. Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/

    


DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,