TAG .... YOU'RE IT!!!

Good Monday morning everybody!  Time for another Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge!  This week....Yippee....TAGS!  I love tags!!  Just wait 'til you see the tags that the Design Team has posted to get your creative juices flowing! As always....they're incredible!

Here is my tag for this week ... some quirky, steampunk-ish dimensional fun!  

I'd love to take credit for the "honeycomb" balloon but I can't.  I saw this technique on Shelly Hickox's blog and it blew me away!  Check it out!!  More about it in a minute....

Tag with just Wild Honey and Vintage Photo Distress Stains.

   The background for this tag and the hot air balloon are images from Tim Holtz' new Remnants stamp set.  The second I saw it, I knew I had to have it!  I spritzed a #8 Manila Tag with water and then I colored it with Wild Honey followed by Vintage Photo Distress Stain. 

Finished Background.

   Next I wiped over the large text image in the stamp set using Jet Black Archival Ink.  I didn't want a real bold, distinct image; rather a more muted one.  So, I applied a bit less ink to the stamp by swiping the ink pad on the surface rather than pouncing the ink pad on the stamp.  Then I added some Broken China Distress Ink around the exterior of the tag a bit of Black Soot Distress Ink around the edges.  I added the numbers running down the left side of the tag from Tim Holtz' Urban Chic stamp set.  That created my background.

Then I followed the directions on Shelly's blog to create the dimensional hot air balloon.  I stamped the balloon image onto white tissue paper using Jet Black Stazon Ink.  I colored the balloon red by using Festive Berries Distress Ink.  It's a great red!  I created the "honeycomb" effect (see Shelly's blog) and laid it to the side.  Next, I stamped the entire hot air balloon image onto a piece of manila cardstock using the Stazon black ink.  I distressed it just a bit with Vintage Photo and Broken China Distress Inks.  The little flag trailing from the balloon is colored using my new Barn Door Distress Marker.  The basket is colored using a Scattered Straw Distress Marker.  I LOVE MY DISTRESS MARKERS!!  (I cannot tell you enough how wonderful they are!)  

I glued a small Game Spinner to the top of the hot air balloon that had been stamped onto the manila cardstock.  I did that BEFORE I glued the honeycomb balloon in place so I had something sturdy to tie my Broken China distressed ribbon to.  Then I glued the dimensional balloon on top of the stamped one and added the little bee charm using wire wrapped around the Game Spinner.

"Admit One" was stamped on manila cardstock using Tim's stamp from his new Warehouse District stamp set.  I cut it out, leaving a long piece on one side that I could glue and stick down inside the honeycomb hot air balloon.  I distressed it with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and a black cats eye ink pad around the edges.  Then I glued the one side down into the honeycomb and allowed the other side to "fly" freely.  

My balloon needed a pilot, so I added one of the three steampunk guys we've come to know and love.  This time I used a smaller image from Tim Holtz' new Warehouse District stamp set.  I gave his face a fleshy tone using a Tattered Rose Distress Marker and a blue shirt with my Broken China Distress Marker.  I added a little light bulb wrapped with wire and attached to the backside of my "pilot".  I wanted it to look like it was floating above his head.  Next, I made a slit at the top of the basket of the balloon and slipped him into place.

The little sign on the left side of the tag is free to swing.  I used the top part of a Grungeboard handle cut from Tim Holtz' Hardware Die Cut.  I pounced it with a Gold followed by a Silver Paint Dabber.  When dry, I lightly distressed it with Black Soot Distress Ink.  I added a large jump ring to either side and a small piece of Lace Chain to each jump ring.  I stamped the sentiment onto a piece of manila cardstock and distressed it using Vintage Photo followed by Black Soot Distress Inks.  I tore the edges and curled them just a bit to add dimension.  Then I pierced two holes at the top, added two small jump rings to connect the chain and the sign.  I glued the hardware piece into place, added the silver brad and the Gear at the top with another little light bulb glued to it.

The Ideaology Flower Garden at the bottom of the tag is done using Tim Holtz' Foliage combined with Memo Pins.  I saw this type of flower on Wendy Vecchi's blog and thought it was so cute!  I stamped "FLY" on manila cardstock that was distressed with Broken China Distress Ink.  Then I placed a Memo Pin on top of each letter, filled the center with Glossy Accents and let them dry.  Then I cut out around them and hot glued them onto a foliage flower.  

Next I created some interest at the bottom of my tag by gathering pleating Tim's Nostalgic Tissue Tape and creating a ruffle.  I first distressed the tape with Broken China Distress Ink and then lightly spritzed it with my own concoction of Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls and Water in a Mini Mister.  I die cut an edging from Tim Holtz' Ornate On The Edge Die Cut out of Grungeboard and colored it with Broken China Distress Ink.  Then, using Tim Holtz' new On The Railroad stamp set, I used the tracks to create stripes.  I draped more of Tim's Lace Chain on top of the edging.  I placed the striped edging over the Tissue Tape and glued it into place using 1/4" Wonder Tape.  I hot glued the tips of the flowers in place underneath the edging and added some quirky wire coils I made.  Finally, I added my dimensional crown underneath the balloon for that perfect dimensional steampunk touch it needed.

Now it's YOUR turn to get your creative juices flowing and create a tag!!  C'mon...it's easy and fun!  Then post your tag to our blog.  You could be our lucky random winner of our most generous sponsor's ....

We have wonderful participation every week with some really AMAZING works or art!  If your creation is chosen as one of our TOP THREE, this is quite something to be proud of!  You will receive special recognition for that as well!!!

I can't wait to see what you've designed for our challenge!