Well, Hello Again!

Yes, I know...I've been missing from the blog world for a bit. :)

What started as a planned one-week break turned out to be longer than I planned. I've needed to devote more of my time and efforts to help out a family member in the past few weeks, and because of that, had to put several non-essential tasks, that are normally on my schedule, to rest for a bit. Sadly for my creative mojo, crafting and blogging was one of those tasks that I had to put aside for other responsibilities.

But things are evening out a bit now, a new routine is coming into shape, and hopefully you'll be seeing some crafty creations here on a more regular basis again.

No better time to start than the present, right? So I'm going to give you a nice, long, picture-filled post today.

I was thrilled to be asked by my friend Linda Coughlin, who I first "met" through Etsy and Zibbet and who now owns the wonderful online shop The Funkie Junkie, to participate as a Guest Designer in the newest challenge over at the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog. The new challenge is gift tags and thank you notes for the upcoming holidays...and if you were around here last Christmas, you know how I love making holiday tags and cards! (I hope to again have the time to make as many as last year, but we'll take that as it comes this year.)

Making these tags took a bit of time, but it was a fun break here and there over the past few weeks. And to be honest, don't think all my gift tags are this "loaded." :)  I have one special gift each year for each person on my list, and that special gift gets a special gift tag, one that's a bit more involved and loaded with goodies...one I hope the recipient keeps as a remembrance of the gift itself. These two tags are for two of those special gifts.

The first is pink and feminine, with a bit of sparkle. The base of the tag uses the Tim Holtz Baroque die, so it's a nice, large tag. Layered on top with foam tape is the Mini Baroque die, and each of the pieces are accented using some Stampendous Frantage embossing powder (vintage white and vintage pink)...

...and then all the fun began! The little deer was die cut and covered with bronze glitter, then a couple teeny little bells were tied around his neck, with clear glitter over the string to make that sparkle, too...

Here's a close-up of the layers, and the touches of the vintage embossing powders, that are flecked with gold and dark glitter...

After adding a small piece of cream burlap and topping it with a tea-dyed piece of Venise lace, I added some lilies coated with Flower Soft and clear glitter, some punched leaves, and scattered a few pink pearls around as an accent...

Additional Supplies:

Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Pearls:   Recollections          Leaf Punch:  Punch Bunch Ash Leaf

Miscellaneous:   white string, mini bells, Hug Snug seam binding, Snow White Flower Soft, clear glitter

The second tag is in a traditional "tag" shape, made by covering a manila tag with some patterned paper, distressing and inking the edges, then accenting them with more of the Stampendous Vintage White Frantage embossing powder. After layering some narrower red burlap over a piece of cream burlap, then a strip of white crocheted lace, I began the layering of fun embellishments...

I used a sprig from a craft store Christmas pick, and covered it, and a red flower, with a mix of Flower Soft and clear glitter...

...and layered them atop a white resin frame accented here and there with some clear Rock Candy glitter. A little pearl flourish inside the frame and a row across the top of the lace and the center of the seam binding bows were the finishing touches...

Additional Supplies:

Flower:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Pearls:   Recollections and The Paper Studio          Punch:  Punch Bunch Ash Leaf

Miscellaneouos supplies:   pine branch, Hug Snug seam binding, Snow White Flower Soft

Next up is the first of the Christmas thank you cards. These are 3-1/2" x 5" cards...the same design, just a different color combo. 

I started by painting white acrylic craft paint in the center of the patterned paper pieces, then distressing and inking the edges of the pieces. I did this to make the embellishments in the centers of the cards stand out more against the background. 

The cute little packages are made using the Tim Holtz Packages & Bows die. The "wreaths" are made using white hemp cording and a loop of some Tinsel Twine...

To the side of the wreath, I put a bow of the hemp cording, added some deep red roses, a couple tiny gold bells, and some white flower stamens...

The timepieces and spinners were dry-brushed with white craft paint to shabby them up a bit, and the little snowflake punches have a coating of Rock Candy glitter for sparkle...

Additional Supplies:

  Journaling tickets:   Tim Holtz Idea-ology

Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com

Patterned papers:  Graphic45 Twelve Days of Christmas collection

Roses and white stamens:   Wild Orchid Crafts           Snowflake punch:   Martha Stewart

Pearls:  The Paper Studio

Miscellaneous:   cheesecloth, white acrylic paint, mini gold bells, white hemp cording

Thanks so very much for popping by for a visit today!