A DIFFICULT TAG

Tag #10 was never going to be like Tim's. I've never seen the metal tape he used today. Is it just me or don't we get all these products in this country?

Come on Dawn, you seen to have the biggest supply of craft in the NW. Any chance of a bigger Ranger area in your store?

Anyway, I will not be beaten this year (you see David, I am taking you at your word and being positive!), so, in for a penny, in for a pound.

I actually have the grunge letters so that bit was ok, placing them on the card was a challenge, but I got there. Having none of this metal tape I could only think of using tin foil. Ok it's not strong enough nor is it sticky, but with a bit of patience, and a couple of small areas glued to the tag, I managed to make it go round most of the letters. I used alcohol inks and a few brushes to colour it all. I did think of using my copics, but then thought that would be a cop-out (nearly a pun, sorry). There was no way I could burnish any of the letters, so I used blending solution on a cotton bud to erase the ink. Black paint dabber on the tag would have calmed it all down, but again I thought it would be too delicate, so I've left it bright and cheery.

That was hard. 2 more days to go. I wonder what Tim has in store?

TAG #9

Oh my! that was a hard challenge today.

The only components I had were:

tag

ribbon

photo paper

hinge clip

safety pins

Had Tim not been generous and allowed us to download the small photos, I would not have even tried to make this tag. As it was, I spent ages drawing lines to look like his film strip as I certainly don't have any of that. My poinsettia is a new variety, yet to be discovered in Borneo!! I hope Tim doesn't use any more metal flowers on the last tags, because I've just about run out now.

DH came into his own again today by making me the 2 little discs at the top.

All in all, the tag has turned out ok and I am pleased that I made the effort.

ENGINEER FOR HIRE

Tag #8 now completed.

Looked easy didn't it? I suppose it was, again, if you had all the components. But really the challenge is to practice the techniques, then come up with something of your own. That's just what I have done on this tag.

I don't have the gorgeous flourish stamp - yet! but have noticed that it forms part of the packaging to items like grungeboard. Tim created the background to this tag using distress ink, water and his flourish tag. I made mine with the grungeboard packaging!!!!

I bought the lamp stamp last year so that bit was ok, except grunge is quite hard to cut out, especially with arthritic fingers, so I decided to use some Prima leaves for the holly rather than cut those out.

The best bit was to come. Have you seen the price of the hitch fasteners? Don't have those either but I do have an engineer in the house! My lovely hubby went into his workshop and turned one up for me on his lathe. Now that's a crafting partnership. xx

HERE'S THE NEXT ONE

I'm on a roll today.

When I saw tag #7 I didn't think I could make a clear mask. I have never seen any blank mask sheets in any of the craft stores around me, nor have I seen any on the web. However, I have 3 of Tim's large masks and low and behold, the flourish mask had just enough space at the bottom left hand corner to make the santa head mask. Yippee!

I decided therefore, to emulate #7 as near as possible. It's not bad me thinks.

NO. 6 IS FINISHED

I am so enjoying making these tags this year. I didn't have very much stock last year, and even less in 2007, so even though I still lack many of the Ranger products, I have a better understanding of how to use all the 'goodies' I have got.

Quite a lot of that is down to people like Lindsay Mason, who, being a trained Ranger demonstrator, imparts her knowledge to us less able crafters. Thanks Lindsay.

Anyway, here is #6. Took ages for the stickles to dry, but I got it together in the end.