12 Tags of 2014

Hello Everybody!  So sorry I've not been around the last few days, but I've been working very hard on another special project to link up to Brenda's theme at A Vintage Journey "Special Numbers".  Of course, I never expected it to be such a huge undertaking.

It all started out with this collage panel I found in my pile of junk in the Closet.  Well, it actually found me!  I was cleaning up a little, and as anyone who has ever done any organizing, it gets worse before it gets better. This actually fell on me from an overcrowded shelf in what my sister lovingly refers to as The Space Shuttle. To me it's sarascloset. So at first I thought I might be able to squeak in one more quick project with some numbers using this wooden collage frame--maybe put one number in each box to signify a calendar of sorts.  But NOOOO, I cannot do anything simply!  I got to thinkin' I haven't ever done a year of tags for Tim's 12 tags of 2014 (I did do Nov. and Dec.).  Being a HUGE fan of Mr. Holtz, I thought I owed him the honor. So here is my composite of Tim's 12 tags of 2014 for the entire year in ATC style (but not the correct size) pieces.  Whew!  And I thought it too difficult to do one tag in a month!  This took me 4 days of spare time! Ha!  (Not enough of that, with 3 jobs and 2 teenagers!)  I  came up with the idea on  Saturday, and got myself organized. I got up early on Sunday before going to work, to get started. I found I was "locked out" of Tim's website! Oh no!  By Monday afternoon, I still could not load Tim's website consistently.  I was really in a panic, but my son came to the rescue and knocked down the firewall--whatever that is!

I thought to take a photo after I started to paint, but this is not the completed paint job.

If you look closely, you can see that I took care to include numbers in each little frame. Nothing was pre-made, but every background, die cut etc. was made especially for this project, which made it that much more time consuming.

 I did, however, use a lot of my tiny bits and pieces of leftover paper/ card stock and grunge board, otherwise known as trash to some, (I even pulled a few pieces of trash out of the trash can to use on this.)     which makes this perfect to enter into Candice's theme this month at Our Creative Corner "Junk in Your Trunk".  Even the frame was someone else's junk I picked up at a yard sale.  Obviously, they never saw the vintage beauty it could be! I used some off-cuts from some foam board I used for a recent wall hanging (Countdown to Spring) to raise some of the "tags" to the front of the collage frame.

Some other "junk" I salvaged is as follows:
  * I used one manila folder for all my "tags".  I just cleaned out the file cabinet last week and rescued some for crafting.
  * March tag--"Grandma" metal word tag upgraded with a Chit Chat sticker.  I will never used "Grandma" for anything!
  * Various tissue tape pieces I stuck on the side of my cabinet.  These were all pieces I was able to rescue after trying to unroll several rolls that have been stuck together ever since I purchased them.  (Anyone else encounter that problem?) I ended up with a lot of shreds, but I find I do used them--I save everything!)
  *April tag--"25" metal tag from another incomplete project.
  * May tag--frame behind butterfly is one of those pieces between 2 "real" frames on Tim's Industrious stickers. Notice I stamped numbers on it!
  * July tag--Acetate waste packaging for embossed background piece.  Starfish and sandollar are from a piece of junk beach home decor I got at a yard sale.  I rescued the fish and threw the rest out.  Yes, I do throw SOME things out!
  * November tag--piece of corrugated cardboard from a store clerk's trash pile at Hobby Lobby when she was stocking shelves.  Don't worry, I ASKED before helping myself!
  * December tag--berries from a Christmas pick (purchased at a yard sale specifically for the berries).  Leftover tiny piece of tinsel twine leftover from a Christmas project.

A little tip for painting tedious things like this frame is to use Distress Paints. I paint on a little at the top of each frame opening and then give it a spritz or 5 of water from my spritzer to get the color to drip down the sides of the opening.  Then I take a paper towel and soak up any liquid at the bottom, and give it a good dry with the heat gun.  It also gives it a nice vintage look.  Perhaps you already do this, but thought for those that don't, it would be a helpful time and labor saver. I love how my finished frame has the look of old barn wood using just 2 colors and a few swipes and spritzes.

Here are some photos captioned with little tidbits, but otherwise I just followed Tim's instructions to the best that I was able given the supplies I had.  I did go out of my way to use some non-Tim products to show you can achieve a Tim Holtz look without all his products.  One of the many things I like about Tim is that he even says on his blog you can use what you have. While I did try to stay true to his important elements of each tag, I could not fit everything on each one (these are 2 and 3/4 inches by 3 and 3/4 inches). You can go to Tim's blog for full details on how these are made.

I used a toothbrush and Distress paint for the splatters.

I used a stencil from a recent Estate sale for the heart background.  I did my chalkboard look differently  from Tim--used white embossing powder and Distress paint smudged to give the look of a dusty chalkboard.

That's that "Grandma" tag in disguise.  

I used my new Motif paper stash for the top flower--see all the numbers?  I used Kraft Core stamped with a Tim stamp with lots of numbers.  I couldn't get a close-up of it.  My camera kept focusing on something else.

I've included 5 elements with numbers on this tag.

This is my favorite--can you guess why?

I didn't have the bubbles Texture Fade, but found this "wave" one.  Notice I tucked one of the sea grasses behind the acetate for more depth.  The seahorse is a stamp which I fussy cut then worked Tim's technique.  You can't see the flecks of gold on him here.   The beautiful background also can't be seen  Sadface.

Tim wants us to follow our creative muse on this month's tag.  I was inspired by my favorite subject--birds. Probably not too obvious, but I rusted the corners and the gear and pen nib. The stencil/texture pasted 3 is behind the top frame of the filmstrip. The 8 is obvious.  So little room to work with!

The "Faded layers" background.  27 is barely visible behind "No" and further down the 28.  The 6 is pretty obvious under her cheek.  I used 2 different stencils for this.  You might notice my numbers are backward on the butterflies!  I used a Reflections stamp and at first I used the "kissing" technique to get the correct orientation, but it was too light.

Instead of a spider, I masked Tim's bats to achieve the layers.  I high-lighted the 31 for my "number".  I don't have Tim's sprays, so I used Dylusions ink sprays. The Jack-o-lantern stamp is one of my unnamed ones.  He's very lumpy and textured in real life, with the Glossy Accents on the colored parts.

I had to use a Movers and Shapers Leaf because of the size of the tag. For my actual tag for Tim's challenge, I used a snowflake (and won!)  Nothing really worked on this so I "Embraced Imperfection".  Notice the 2 different colors of Tiny Attachers, the poor job I did fastening the word band and the lack of Distressing on the Picker tag--all done on purpose to reflect the theme. 

I worked very hard on the background for this--I used a gessoed alcohol ink technique to get some great little spots that look like snow, but when I added my vellum (I don't have the Frosted that Tim uses), it completely covered it up. But on the bright side, my Reflections number stamp is oriented properly by stamping it on the reverse side of the vellum. The glitter on the deer doesn't really show in this photo either.

 PLEASE take note of the 1-12 numbers and month rub-ons in each shot. These were nerve wracking to put on--so tiny!--so I want to be sure they are noticed!!!

Here are a few close-ups of the flowers--you can see the numbers very well on the top flower, but difficult to see on the bottom one.  You can see my phone camera in the reflection of the Mirrored piece and the cork piece in the top photo and the numbered card stock piece in the bottom photo.

I was trying to get a better shot of that yummy glittered heart! I had to use another glitter--I don't have Tim's Distress glitter in red.

In this close-up I was trying to show the numbers on the background but there is too much reflection off the acetate layer. I think this the only one of the tags that numbers are not obvious on.

Well, that's it for me today!  I think I'll go lay down!  I am frantically trying to get this published, because with only hours to the deadline and a windy day today, I'm afraid I might not get this linked up in time before we lose power again!  there's WAY too much work involved to miss getting this published in time!  

I hope you enjoyed my wall hanging--I'm thrilled to have completed it in such a short period of time! Thank you for stopping by and for hanging in there to the end of this post.  I will forgive you if you came to look at the photos!  It is a painfully long post! I appreciate, read and reply to every single comment! Hugs!

Sara Emily

I would like to enter this into the following inspirational challenges:

A Vintage Journey "Special Numbers" I have many special numbers here, but the most important ones are 1-12 which remind me I was able to complete Tim's 12 tags of 2014!

Our Creative Corner "Junk in Your Trunk"

Altered Eclectics "March Already-Anything Goes/ Mixed Media" I know my tags are ATC style, but they are not ATC's--the project is the wall hanging as a whole.

Country View Challenges "Anything Goes"

The Artistic Stamper March's Creative Challenge "Spring is Coming" I've done a few spring like frames within my wall hanging.  Lots of stamping on this!

The Artist Trading Post Exchange "Alphabet Soup"

Inspiration Journal "Spring Blooms" My April "tag" has spring blooms on it!

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #10 "Birds of A Feather" You can see I was inspired to make birds a part of my Tim Tags for March and August on my wall hanging.  I was particularly inspired in August when Tim gives us free reign on our tags to follow our muse.