Tag Archives: Tags

The final say in altered tags

The final say in altered tags

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How do you finish off the perfect Halloween gift? With a toe tag of course! Today, my tutorial featuring these macabre altered tags is at Altered Pages.

The tutorial shows you how to create the kind of hair-raising tags hung on bodies at the morgue (or at least a spooked up version of them). In addition to a skeletal foot, each tag features a picture of the deceased, as well as hints about the creepy cause of death–whether it be zombie, werewolf, vampire or…you get the picture. Read the rest of this entry

Because I never want to forget the stupidest game ever

Because I never want to forget the stupidest game ever

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So one thing I learned from the Quintessential American Road Trip I took with my family this summer is that road trips are full of snapshot memories. Some are breathtaking, some too many are frustrating and a few are knee-slapping funny.

For example, it was amusing how for the first 20 hours of our trip, all four adult and near-adult human passengers got obsessed with the STUPIDEST GAME EVER (the dogs could care less). Here’s the objective: to count the most cows.

Yep, that’s it. Read the rest of this entry

Who knew? I should use my Playstation to craft altered tags?

Who knew? I should use my Playstation to craft altered tags?

Question: How do crafters solve problems?

Answer: Just Like everyone else. They Google it!

The problem I need to solve is that I think I must be the slowest crafter in the world. A visit to Facebook leaves me frothing enviously at the astounding rate that many of you produce your art. DO YOU PEOPLE NEVER SLEEP?

Wait, a minute. I never sleep (well, just about, anyway). So I have been trying to figure out how I can be so stinkin’ slow? In desperation I turned to Google for wisdom.

Oh Google, how could you fail me so?.

 

slow-crafting

 

Pretty, pretty Prima—with sprinkles on top

Pretty, pretty Prima—with sprinkles on top
Pretty, pretty Prima—with sprinkles on top

 

 

Prima Marketing is having a design team call. A long-time fan of theirs, I simply could not resist giving it a try. But the best part???? The best part is how much fun I had creating these projects with Prima products!

 

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  Read the rest of this entry

Never too late for Tim Holtz tags

Never too late for Tim Holtz tags

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Even thought its March, I wanted to join in the fun of the 2015 Tim Holtz tags. Never one to just follow the rules, I decided to make two tags for each month–one a traditional Tim tag and one with a circus theme.

To be honest, i planned to actually provide you with a tutorial and supply list, but the world’s worst and longest lasting plague has kept me from accomplishing many of my plans.

So without further delay, here are my tags for March.

March 2015 Traditional Tim Holtz Tag

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Making an altered art circus mini album

Making an altered art circus mini album

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As I wrap up my month as the guest blogger for the amazing company Whisker Graphics, I took advantage of all the stripes, dots and zig zags that their products offer to create a fun mini circus album.

Anyone who visits my blog regularly knows that I love anything with a vintage circus theme, and this mini album is chock full of circusy fun. I made the album for a friend of mine who has been especially kind this last year. She is the mom of a talented youth circus performer and I thought she could add ticket stubs, photos and other mementos of her daughter’s performaces to the mini album.

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Escape to Paris–mixed-media Paris

Escape to Paris–mixed-media Paris
Escape to Paris–mixed-media Paris

Ahhh Paris…the City of Love. Or so they say. I have to take people’s word on this since my love, The Husband™, has never wooed me with a romantic get-away to France. To be fair, I haven’t wooed him there either, but this is my blog, so it’s all about moi*.

My fifth and final tag of the Valentine series focuses on the City of Love. All of the elements of this tag are either a deep red, purple or silver color. I don’t think this is particularly Parisian, but of course I have no way of verifying that since someone has not taken me there. Just sayin’. Read the rest of this entry

Valentine’s Day is the 14th

Valentine’s Day is the 14th
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Valentine’s Day is the 14th

Although the techniques I used for this tag were similar to the Heart aMazing Tag, I was much happier with the results. To continue the chocolate box metaphor, I guess this one had the caramel filling.  Nom Nom.

When all else fails, Coke is it.

When all else fails, Coke is it.

To most closely replicate this tag, you will need some sort of red ring. I am lucky that my vintage stash contains a plethora of red, white and green plastic translucent rings. I have no idea what they were used for or where I got them. I suspect they came from a game, but that’s just a guess. In any case, scrounge around your supplies and see what you discover. If you come up empty, you can always use the plastic top from a Coca-Cola bottle.

Measure the width of the interior of the circle and using a computer and a sans serif font, print out the number 14 onto to tan or ivory paper. Choose a font size that will mostly fill your circle. If you wish, you can print several different sizes to see which one you like best.  You can always use the leftover 14s in some other Valentine collage. Center the ring over your chosen number 14 and use a pencil to lightly trace the ring. Then cut out the circle and glue the number to the back or inside of the ring. Read the rest of this entry

Valentine’s tags are like a box of chocolates—sometimes you wrinkle your nose and just keep chewing

Valentine’s tags are like a box of chocolates—sometimes you wrinkle your nose and just keep chewing
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You Heart aMazing

I’ll be honest, this tag is my least favorite of the five. I like each of the elements on their own, but somehow they just didn’t mesh together well. I guess it is kind of like that big ol’ box of Valentine chocolates. You always end up biting into one that you don’t like. By the time you realize it, you are half way through and then you are left with the quandary of deciding whether to go ahead and finish it or stick it back in the box to disgust some other member of your family.

I’m speaking from experience, as my daughter has been known to do that with just about anything. The other day I found a solitary doughnut left in the box with the topping completely gnawed away. Now that’s an enticing breakfast. Read the rest of this entry

Enter mixed media heaven with this Valentine

Enter mixed media heaven with this Valentine

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Valentine’s Day is exactly one month away. So today I bring you the second tag in this series. I should mention that all of them use a basic alteration of a technique I learned from Tim Holtz’s 12 tags of Christmas sometimes around 2007 or 2008. Read the rest of this entry