Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year everyone! It has been an absolutely fabulous day for me since the moment I was woken up at 9 am! Yes, I stayed up way to late last night, so sleeping in from my usual 6:30 am was wonderful in itself! I was being read to by my 11 year old, who is enthralled by The Hunger Games, when I heard the chime on my cell phone, cluing me in that there was a new twitter message. I checked it and saw that Tim posted something on his blog. When I clicked on over, I read that 12 bloggers out of hundreds, had been drawn to receive gift certificates because we  finished all 12 tags, and I was one of them. You would have thought that I was either in massive pain or had gotten the worst news, because I screamed out and proceeded to cry like a baby for about 30 minutes...no joke! My husband and children were deeply concerned until I passed the phone over for them to read the news...they were relieved and joined in the joy!  Since then, it's been a nonstop emailing of thank you's between trying to finish up the following tag and getting those black-eyed peas finished for tonight's special dinner. My new friend Anna from across the pond, gave me an idea though, so before I continue on with my tag I have to give a shout out to somebody special.

You totally never seize to amaze me! Not only are you awe inspiring but your generosity is beyond belief! Happy New Year Tim! May it be the best one yet!

This gaudy little tag gave me some fits today, but I'm love with it. The pictures really do it no justice as there is too much detail that just can't be photographed with my currant camera. I used a new product I have, called Sophisticated Finishes in Patina Green,  to see just what it can do when you don't use it correctly in the first place!

First, I sprayed Perfect Pearls Mist in Blue Patina and let it dry. Then brushed on a coat of Sophisticated Finishes. When it dried I noticed that some of the streaks were darker and the paper underneath looked sanded. I don't know if it sort of eats the paper some, but it looked so cool. I inked over it with Iced Spruce and Broken China, then splattered on some water droplets.

I love the look of this background. I really hated covered it up.

I heat embossed Tim's clock stamp image with CTMH  white embossing powder.

I printed the music for Auld Lang Syne on transparency and adhered it to the tag with the tiny attacher. I used metal sheet and die cut lace using my new Vintage Lace die (loving that) and adhered that as well. I added some tulle and ribbon at the top and now my tag was ready for some gaudiness!

I die cut foliage and flourishes from Tim's Festive Greenery die and adhered a Rock Candy crackled and UTEE heat embossed sentiment from Pink Paislee House of Three Daily Junque, with 2 brads.

Here's where things get tricky. I die cut the birdcage and bird using grunge paper. I crackled and heat embossed the cage after adding a few extra pieces of grunge to make a door. It's difficult to see the open door but it's there. I added some more Sophisticated Finishes to the cage but it didn't do much here, so I inked it with Gathered Twigs. I stained the bird with White Picket Stain, inked with Broken China, and highlighted a few key parts with a sharpie. Rock Candy Stickles was added for extra shine. I made a banner with number stickers and twine and tied it to the cage. A mini clock, hands, and brad where added to indicate that this is the cage of yearly time. I had this great Prima bedazzled bird cage outline and added it to the tag, glued the bird on, and doubled up on the foam tape to adhere the cage. A chain and charms attached the cage to the ribbons above.

Last, I added a heat embossed Dresden bird, who is flying away with the old year, giving way to the new and fresh year.

I send out heart felt thanks to all my followers, subscribers, and commentors! I really have no words to express how wonderful it makes me feel and how I am inspired everyday from all of you. I have met new friends cyberly that I would never have had the chance to otherwise, and I so love that. Blogging has opened my eyes to a whole new world. I wish you all, as well as those who drop by, a wonderful and immensely blessed new year!!!

 

My Top 10 Favorite Craft Products of 2011

As crafters we buy a lot of stuff...well at least I do (zip it hubby)! Stuff that we either love and can't live without. Stuff that we like, look at, and think we will use someday (zip). Stuff we don't like (in some cases "yet") and horde or give away (ZIP IT PLEASE!). And, sometimes we buy stuff we already had...just did that a few weeks ago...oops! I don't know why I don't use up every single bit of everything before I buy more, or at least stick with a certain genre of art for awhile before moving on with another.  I think I have a craft product sickness...or as some (hubby) would call it crap product sickness, i.e. "crap-booking". I probably need a 12 step program, but it would have to involve inking, painting, gluing, and cutting homework before I would even sign up. I have brilliantly managed to fit most of it in a 7 x 7 foot space...until somebody (hubby) builds me an awesome studio. Anyway, here is my list of all my favorite products from this year, and even though some have been around longer, I only started using them this year. 

 In No Particular Order:

1.  Core'dinations Paper - TH Kraft-Core; Core Impressions for Graphic 45, Jenni Bowlin, and Cosmo Cricket; Color Core Cardstock for TH and Ranger, and Black Magic (Yummo...I love paper! I totally understand why goats eat it!)

2. More Paper (Sorry!) - Graphic 45's Communique Collection; TH Idea-ology Kraft Resist

3. TH Idea-ology Tissue Wrap (Both designs...need more please Tim!)

4. Cosmo Crickett Glubbers...those really large glue dots great for flowers and rosette dies (I'm told you can make your own. Someone give me the tutorial.)

5. Dies & Fades - All TH Alterations Mini's (Hello!..The big ones are grand and now little ones...love them!); TH Alterations Texture Fades in the Jack, Queen, King (How cool are those? I need stamps too please Tim!); and you guessed it...TH Alterations...duh!...Mini Rosettes and Vintage Lace (Just got the latter, and have already been playing.)

6. Prima's Shabby Chic Treasure Pieces - Chandelier, Candelabra, Bicycle, and Birdcages (I love everything metal! These rock!)

7. TH Distress Stain - Every single color, but especially White Picket Fence and Black Soot. (This is probably the most genius of all projects this year!)

8. Stamps - (Oh no...get ready!) Hero Arts (All the vintage lady ones.); Graphic 45 for Hampton Art Vintage Ladies (Who knew they even made stamps?); Pink Persimmon Antiquated Collection by Lisa M. Pace (All of them are fantastic!); Artistic Outpost (The Paris and SteamPunk ones.)

9. TH Distress Ink in Festive Berries, Iced Spruce, and Gathered Twigs (The latter is my new favorite. Vintage Photo is now gathering dust.)

10. Wendy Vecchi Studion 490 Art Parts "Clearly for Art Blackout" Modeling Film (Phew...that is a mouthful!) (This stuff is amazing when heated. The possibilities are endless!)

I really do have issues! Please tell me I'm not the only one! Leave a comment and let me know your favs for this year as well! And, before anyone asks, no, I did not get paid to advertise for any of this. They are just my favorites and my opinion. Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!