12 Tags of 2015... August tag

Lots of fun techniques in Tim Holtz’s August 2015 tag! Check out how he used the thinlit word dies for a cool layering effect.  This tag is being used on a photo album page as a pocket.

 

supplies:

o   surfaces: #12 manila tag, cardstock
o   dies: journey movers & shapers 657203, Globe 660214, alphanumeric 660056, celebrate 660211
o   embellishments: game spinners, pen nib, compass charm, idea-ology paper string, fussy cut pictures
o   distress ink: mermaid lagoon, hickory smoke, evergreen bough, peeled paint, crushed olive, vintage photo, walnut stain
o   distress markers: broken china, black soot
o   distress paint: picket fence, tarnished brass, broken china
o   distress spray stain: brushed pewter
o   tools: waterbrush/flat, mini ink blending tool, hole punch, scoreboard, bone folder, paint brush, tonic shears, ruler, heat tool, magnetic platform, movers & shapers base tray, big shot machine
o   adhesives: multi-medium/matte, scotch quick-dry adhesive, double sided tap
o   mediums: gesso
o   misc: distress micro-glaze, removable tape

·        Die cut the journey movers & shapers die from your tag. Place the globe die on the edge of your tag and hold the die in place with removable tape (make sure it doesn’t overlap the die cut word journey). Place the magnetic platform and cutting pad as far left as it will go. Place the tag with the globe die as far to the right as you can and die cut the tag. This will leave about ¼” tag/die over hang that does not get cut (the globe will still be attached to the tag).

 

·        Arrange any additional thinlet dies you would like to use on the manila tag making sure they do not overlap or hang off the edge of the tag. Use removable tape (I used washi tape) to hold the dies in place and die cut the tag.

·        Adhere a piece of paper to a second tag leaving about ½” or more on one side and the bottom. This paper will show through your die cut tag and I wanted to have blue behind the globe so I created my background.

o      I placed the tag on the cardstock, carefully lifted the globe and made marks with broken china distress marker to get an idea where the globe would be. Then I traced around the globe die, filled it in using mermaid lagoon distress pad, picket fence paint, broken china paint, and spritzed it with brushed pewter distress spray stain. Use a heat tool to dry it or let it thoroughly air dry. Once it is dry, apply a small amount of distress micro-glaze to seal and protect the paint.

o      The remaining background was made using mermaid lagoon, hickory smoke, evergreen bough, peeled paint and crushed olive distress ink. I finished the background by spritzing it with brushed pewter distress spray stain.

 

·        After your paper is adhered to a second tag, draw a line 1/2 inch past the edge of the tag on the side you would like to attach to the project and on the bottom of the tag. Cut on the drawn lines and along the other 2 edges of the tag. Score along the edge of the tag and 1/8” from the tag edge. Fold and burnish to create hinges.

·       Cut the bottom/side hinge diagonally close to the corner so you can fold the hinges back. When you fold the side and bottom hinge they should not overlap.

 

·       Using multi-medium, adhere the die cut tag to the background tag and let it dry. I find it easier to line up the tags if I fold the hinges back.

·       Apply another thin layer of multi-medium over the whole tag and let it dry to seal everything.

·       Get a paper towel or rag. Apply a layer of white gesso over the entire tag and while the gesso is still wet, wipe away excess gesso to reveal the background through the letters/die cuts. Work fast as the gesso dries opaque. You can also add additional gesso on the die cut tag to add texture.

·       Using distress ink pads, swipe the ink directly over the tag using as many colors as you like. (I used mermaid lagoon, hickory smoke, peeled paint and walnut stain distress ink).

·        Apply a layer of multi-medium over the entire tag to blend the colors. Use a paper towel and lightly dab away excess ink. (After this, I swiped distress ink pads directly over the word journey so it would stand out more).

·       Adhere cut out photos, images and/or words to the tag in layers with glue or multi-medium. I backed some of my photos/images with the remaining background paper and/or inked the edges before adhering them. I connected the spinner with a brad to the images before adhering them to the tag.

o      Note: You may want to test printed images before applying multi-medium to the front of the images on your project. My ink-jet printed images smeared when applying multi-medium. I found that if I applied distress micro-glaze over the image first and let it dry there was minimal smearing.

 

·       Highlight some or all of your images by drawing a line around the images with a distress marker and smearing the marker with your finger.

·        Finish attaching your embellishments. I used Tim Holtz’s idea-ology paper string to attach my charm to the pen nib.

·        Finish the edges of your tag using a blending tool and distress ink or your finger and distress paint to create a shadow.

·       Cover all items you do not want to get paint on and splatter metallic paint over your tag. I splattered everything but the tag…I think I will stick with sprays J.

·       I wanted a nautical look so I used Tim Holtz idea-ology paper string (love it!). Take three different color strings and tied a knot in the middle. Braid both ends part way (you don’t have to braid them but you do need a knot or bead to cover the hole). Hold the knot on the front of the tag below the hole. Bring both braided ends over the top of the tag and thread them through the hole from the back to the front of the tag. Take one of the braided ends, wrap it around the knot and thread it back through the hole to secure the knot in place (you have one braid in the front and one braid in the back). Position the knot and braids where you want them (you can glue paper sting) and tie a knot at the top of the tag to secure the strings. You have six strings at the top of the tag.

·       I am using my tag as a pocket on an album page and did not want strings loose at the top. I braided the six strings together, glue the braid to the front of my tag and let the ends below the braid hang loose.

 

·       Apply double side tape to the side and bottom hinge. Attach the tag/pocket to your photo album page, scrapbook page or project.