Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2014-February

Time again for another 12 Tags of 2014! This month I had to wait a bit before making my version of Tim Holtz' tag as a few supplies were purchased online. Once everything arrived, I got all my goodies together and began.

I started by drawing out my own hearts (making two as I make a tag for The Scrapbook Cottage as well) and then cut them out of Grungeboard. I used Fired Brick Distress Ink to colour them and then as Tim instructed, laid down a coat of Glossy Accents and sprinkled with Distress Glitter (he used red, I had clear on hand).

After drying, we were shown to ink the edges of the hearts with Walnut Stain. What a difference it makes! Here is one heart done, the other not to see how much this little step improves the look:

Next I used Tim's Tag & Bookplates Bigz die in my Cuttlebug and created two blank tags. Then I added some Distress Stain to my craft sheet and swiped them through it.  I let them air dry so they wouldn't warp too much.

Once dry, I got out my new Hearts Layering Stencil and used three Distress Inks for the background: Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries and Fired Brick. Before the ink dried, I sprinkled on some fine clear embossing powder, tapped it to remove the excess and used my heat tool to melt it. Now the hearts had a cool glossy finish!

More Walnut Distress Ink was added to the edge, which was then distressed.

The next part I had to do about four times before I got it to work. Using stamps, an embossing pad and black cardstock, I stamped and chalked the sentiment - Tim used his new stamp that was an Elton John lyric; I used The Beatles. ;)

A layer of silver paper was added underneath and a strip of Tim's Industrious Stickers below it - making it look more like a chalkboard to me!

I added another Industrious Sticker - this time the arrow - but instead of leaving it whole and positioned straight across the tag as he had done, I cut mine in half and inserted it into a slot sliced into the glittered heart. A bit of Glossy Accents held it in place, as well as attaching it onto the tag itself.

I added a Walnut inked grommet to the top and wrapped a length of Tim's red and cream Trimmings to the opening.

This one looks easier than January's tag, but I found it more challenging; it was a good lesson using embossing, stenciling, inks and glitter... but I definitely need to practice with his cool chalkboard technique!

If you too are joining in on the fun, please let me know in the comments - I would love to see what you do as well!

I DID it!

I've crossed the Finish Line in the 2014 Ravellenic Games! My scarf was completed last night - 74" of bulky, soft charcoal cables!

I had such a great time learning new skills and meeting super-kind members on Ravelry. And so proud to be a member of Sara's Team My Favorite Sheep! Thank you so much Sara for letting a newbie on your team!

After a few mis-fires starting, I began in earnest last Sunday. By that night I had 20" done.

Tuesday saw progress to 33" as I could only knit in the evenings after work.

By Valentine's Day on Friday I had used three skeins (balls of wool) and my scarf was at an amazing (for me, that is) 50" long!

I sped through the final skein yesterday to complete my scarf at 8 pm last night!

Whoo hoo!

I had to wait until this morning to take a decent photo though. Then I went on Ravelry and officially crossed the Finish Line for the "Scarf Super-G" and "Cable Cross Country". Now I just need to wait for the "medals" to be handed out to all who successfully finish their projects.

It was so much fun! I am already itching to start another project. I learned so much and am drooling over all the beautiful yarns over at Ravelry...  something Dakotah has known for a long time:

Yarn is awesome!

Her favorite possession

Day 3 of the Ravellenic Games

Here we are at Day 3 of The Ravellenic Games.

Day 1 saw me cast on right when the Opening Ceremonies began. Anticipation was high... I was going to do this! Make a cable scarf by the end of the Winter Olympics. Woot!

As I worked my chosen pattern, I knew something was amiss after about a dozen rows... what the heck was that huge hole doing down there?

Crap!

Rip. Rip. Rip.

Fail

So I began again Friday night. As the rows began to emerge from beneath my needles, I realized the pattern was wrong. Very wrong.

Crap again!

Rip. Rip. Rip.

Fail again

I started once more Saturday morning... and began to curse as I thought I would NEVER get the hang of this thing!

I was having a heck of a time following the pattern; how do you have instructions for working Row 1, Row 2 "and all even rows", and Row 3... then nothing? Do I go back to Row 1 or is it considered Row 4, an even row???? Arrrghhh!!!!!!

I watched more You Tube videos to try to find out what the heck I was missing... and got more and more PO'd when each one would say "it's so EASY".

No. It's. Not!

I was bummed to say the least.

Oh and I have to deal with THIS too:

You're not helping, you know...

If one of three cats wasn't pulling on my yarn and trying to run away with it, another was attempting to chew into my brand new bamboo needles.

But I refused to give up. I WAS doing this!

After four failed attempts, I found a better pattern and FINALLY have the hang of this thing; here is Sunday morning's work so far:

Holy crap! I see three sets of cables in there!

Yeah. A long way from a scarf, but it's getting there.

Apparently "slow and steady wins the race".

We'll see...

Let The Games Begin!

As if I haven't enough crafts to keep me busy for like, forever.... I've jumped into yet another.

Knitting!

Well, to be honest, I HAVE knitted before. Way, way back in the early 80's I believe, when I made an rust and brown (well, I DID say it was early 80's didn't I?) afghan that took eons to complete. Perhaps that's why I haven't picked up needles since.

Anyway, it's all Sara's fault. She's the proprietor of Punkin's Patch, a blog I absolutely adore. She is an incredible sheep momma - and does it all. She can take wool from her very own uber-cute sheep and create a wonderful finished knitted piece including all the hard preparatory work in-between. When she posted about the Ravellenic Games, I just had to join up. I joined Ravelry (a huge online knitting/crocheting site), posted a project, linked it to their "Games" and Team My Favorite Sheep. We begin tomorrow at 10am Central Time (the actual time in Sochi when the Opening Ceremonies start... I guess I will have to just take my morning coffee break then). I have until the end of the Closing Ceremonies to finish my project. They will be handing out "medals" (blog badges) for anyone completing their own challenge. What a good way to get back into this hobby again!

So I went to Michael's and took advantage of their current sale on some beautiful yarn and used my 40% off coupon for a great pair of bamboo needles. Looks like I am all set.

I think I need a bigger basket...

Now all I need to do is

Learn. To. Knit. Again.

By tomorrow at 10 am. Oh yeah. I am just THAT crazy alright.

I'll keep you updated on how it goes...

Oh and whilst I knit, I can watch REAL athletes compete. 

GO CANADA GO!!!!

Big News and New Project!

First, the Big News. If you recall, last month I entered my very first tag in Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of 2014. His January tag was awesome and I had a wonderful time creating my own.

Well.... on Saturday, I was thrilled to discover that I was one of 12 winners (out of hundreds of entries, mind you)! Woo Hoo! How awesome is that? I received a gift certificate from Inspiration Emporium, something special is coming in the mail (which I will divulge when it arrives) and I also got this uber-cool badge to proudly display:

Thank you so much, Tim, Mario and Joy at Inspiration Emporium!

I can't wait to get going on his February tag. So much fun to play along. I have ordered a couple of supplies online, so I hope they get here soon. In the meantime, I thought I would share my latest altered piece using a whole bunch of Tim's wonderful products.

When I was at the thrift store weeks ago, I saw this item in the bathroom section:

I didn't know exactly what it was (um, yeah, that happens a lot it seems). Did it stand or was it to hang? And what the heck were the hooks for? Well, I decided they would now be for keys... but NOT for the bathroom thankyouverymuch.

I began by unscrewing the hooks and painting the entire thing black. It was going to be rustic with lots of texture, so I got out my burlap and rope. My "Snoopervisor" (thanks for that term, RedSetter!) Tawnee approved - only after I gave her a length of rope to play with, natch.

I used Tim's Distress stains to age the burlap before adhering onto the base and top of the frame with some Scotch Quick and Dry Adhesive.

Ditto for the rope, but this time I needed E6000 glue to attach it. I also removed the glass from the frame and spray painted the wooden mat with chalkboard paint.

I have two of Tim's 12 x 12 "Crowded Attic Paper Stash" pads and pulled out this old map page. After wrapping it around the frame, I cut out the center and stained the edges for an older look. A spritz of water made the stains run even more.

Distress Stain and Ink was also used on the silver hooks to turn them into Tarnished Brass.

Viola! An old-world style key holder. I got out four antique keys from my stash and added stained chain and jump rings to attach Tim's "Tag Labels". I also added a keyhole and key from his Ideology "Locket Keys" set on the lower right side, popping it up on double-thickness black foam dimensionals and using E6000 to set the key into the lock. Some crinkled and stained seam binding was added to the tiny key.

Lastly, I wanted to add a small notepad to the set. So I used more of the same paper and cut and distressed a front and back cover. Inside I made perforated pages which can be easily torn off. Butcher's twine and more crinkled, distressed seam binding were added with a "Collage Key" again by Tim Holtz. The vintage clip holds it in place as well as securing the string for the piece of chalk.

This set I am keeping; it fits in with my Studio decor so it won't be shipped off to the Scrapbook Cottage like my Couture pen stand and Bohemian book and box!

Oh, and the reason I wanted to use this paper? Not that it was perfect (it was). Not that it was uber-cool (it is). It's because there in the upper right hand corner.... was Winnipeg! Of course I had to make sure when placing this on the frame that my very own city was sure to be seen!

Here's a video for even more photos (as if these weren't way too many already....)