12 Tags of 2014 – July

July’s 12 Tags of 2014 is inspired by summertime and vacations, (or holidays as we Brits like to call them). I decided to use my own summer holiday as the inspiration for my tag, whilst following Tim’s techniques.

I absolutely love the seasisde themed tag Tim made, but the closest I got to the beach this year was the French and English Ferry ports. My Husband and I took a road trip from Switzerland, through France to England to visit friends and family, (and shop)!

I replaced the sea themed elements with travel ones. The mini blending tool is perfect for applying distress paints to small areas with accuracy.

I am just nuts about the globe die. I used the movers and shapers one and I’m going to treat myself to the large one later this month.

I finished the background for my tag, but felt it still needed something to make the text on the overlay “pop”…

…so I used the map stamp from the warehouse stamp set. I noticed that the marker spritzer tool gives an aged look under the map stamp, which I liked.

Then of course I had to get back onto my sewing machine. It felt really good to be stitching after almost a month. I’m not sure how our downstairs neighbours felt about me sewing at 2am… I put the machine on a stack of towels to dampen any noise! Should have taken a photo.

I sprinkled some vintage photo distress embossing powder onto a road sign from the mini travel stamp set that I stamped onto grungeboard. It gives it a great worn look.

Instead of making that wonderful sand, (see Tim’s technique), I opted for alternative colours to try and make a type of gravel that reminded me of the road during our road trip. The black soot distress glitter gives it that rich black and sparkle that roads have, but the distress embossing powder takes the glitz of the glitter down to make it more gravelly. Admittedly, I just sat and gazed into the pot for a while before adding the glossy accents… it’s soooo sparkly. 🙂

Getting back to my desk this month has been a struggle. I got a little homesick when I got back from England and it kind of killed my creativity. Determined to complete all 12 tags got me inky again and I’m so glad, because it has cheered me up no end and I feel my creativity returning. It’s one of the many reasons I love this monthly tag challenge, it certainly helps me when I need a creative push.

Thanks for taking a look at my tag and take time to hop over to Tim’s blog to see this month’s, (and nearly next month’s), tag and techniques. If you would like to see the post in French, hop over to Scrapdeco’s blog.

(It’s funny to think that while I’m uploading July’s tag, Mario is posting BTS of Tim creating August’s tag! Not long to wait for me…) 😉

~

supplies: tim holtz; manilla tag/distress crackle paint (rock candy)/distress glitter (black soot, pumice stone)/distress embossing powder (black soot, vintage photo)/mini distress inks (gathered twigs, vintage photo, broken china, salty ocean,)/distress paint (walnut stain, stormy sky, salty ocean, tumbled glass, peeled paint, forest moss/evergreen bough)/distress marker (walnut stain)/distress stain (frayed burlap, weathered wood)/texture fades (travel signs)/dies (movers & shapers vintage globe, tag)/idea-ology (grungeboard, word bands, mini gears sprockets, type charm keys, jute string, linen ribbon)/cling stamps (warehouse, travel ways)/distress tool/blending tool/paper distresser/tiny attacher/sanding block/marker spritzer tool/grid blocks
other: archival ink (jet black)/UTEE (clear)/shrink plastic/glossy accents/mister bottle/heat tool/sewing machine