January 12 Tags of 2016

I going to try to keep up with Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2016 this year cuz I wasn't so good about it last year. This year Tim is taking a unique approach...he is revisiting two prior tags and merging the techniques in new and interesting ways.
For the January tag Tim revisited his Chalkboard Technique and Industrious Metal Technique.  You can read all about Tim's tag here.

From Tim Holtz

I am going to admit straight away that I have never been able to correctly do the Chalkboard Technique.  Tim uses a Ranger Embossing Powder called Frosted Crystal Antiquities and then lays chalk on top of it. I have tried so many times to get this to work...so....so....so many times.  The problem is that there is a sweet spot in heating the embossing powder.  There is a moment between still having powder and shiny melted plastic when Frosted Crystal is matte but melted enough to grab on to the chalk. This moment has eluded me every single time I have tried this technique...even when I am SURE it is matte and not over melted, I can't make it work.  It is frustrating because Tim has provided very detailed photos and instructions and he makes it look so easy time after time and yet I fail.

I've always end up using white embossing powder on my image and then going over the cardstock with chalk to fake the look.  This time I didn't even have any of the Frosted Crystal-my dog knocked over the jar last time I was using it- so I went straight to the white embossing powder.  Yes, it feels like I cheated... but then again I wasn't a stressed out frustrated mess at the end either.

I made 3 different versions of the tag. It is a really fun design and I enjoyed mixing and matching imagines and embossing folders to get totally different looks. 

For the Industrious Metal Technique I didn't have the embossing folder Tim used so I turned to my favorite ones from We R Memory Keepers. They have a new-ish line called 3D 

Gemstone 

ABC 123

I LOOVVEEE these embossing folders. They are spectacular with foiled cardstock as you can see below.

These are foiled using Heidi Swapp Minc foil/machine and the Gemstone Embossing Folder but I am sure that a pre-made foiled cardstock would look just as great.

The first design was the closest to Tim's tag. I used the gears from Tim's Industrial Blueprint stamp set. I added hardware, gold embroidery floss and seam binding.

The second one was also made from a stamp that came from the Industrial Blueprint...this time I chose the lightbulb.

Again I added hardware but on this one I decided the lightbulb filament needed to be wire. I used 2 different wires, one a thinner gauge and one a little thicker and simply bent the larger wire to fit the shape of the stamped filament and then essentially sewed it in place with the thinner wire.

My final tag turned out to be my favorite. Here I used butterfly stamps from Finnabair.  I took a class this summer from Finnabair and she is an incredible artist but also an incredible person.  She really takes a laid-back attitude toward art and is a very encouraging teacher who really wants her students to understand the products and enjoy the process.

Here I used the honeycomb folder from the Gemstone set. I again added the gold embroidery thread and also added gorgeous Moonstone sequins from Simon Says Stamp.  The butterflies are so fun and whimsical and even more so with Idea-ology Pen Nib bodies embellished with seam binding.

I have been posting my projects to my Instagram DaneeKaps.

Laters....