Texture, Layers and Frameworks for Tim's April 12 Tags of 2015

Just so you know and in case you haven't seen Tim Holtz's April 12 Tags of 2015, I didn't use the same techniques Tim did this month. But I did use his design for his April tag to complete one of the framework tags that I created earlier this week. In my last post I shared that I was having so much fun working on my entry for the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge #25 Frameworks that I made 3 backgrounds. I worked on all 3 simultaneously until I reached a point where I could decide which one to finish for the challenge.

The background for this tag is one I didn't use for the challenge because I really liked it so much I didn't want to cover it up. I was saving it for later. This weekend when I was thinking of Tim's April tag and wishing I had the Flower Garden Stamp (It's the next stamp on my wish list), I realized that even though I didn't have the stamp to use for the wonderful water coloring effects Tim had demonstrated, I could use my frameworks background and some of Tim's other products to create a different version of the April tag. The April design would let the background shine through instead of hiding it.

I started with a Kraft tag I embossed with one of Tim's embossing folders. Then I lined up a couple of the extra honeycomb frames I had die cut with the Frameworks diecut I was keeping on the tag, taped them down and used them as stencils. After applying some texture paste thinly over parts of the dry embossed tag, I removed the stencils. Once the paste was dry I then inked it up with Distress Ink. You can see the dry embossing peeking through the paste. Love the texture.

Keeping in the spirit of the CC3C Guidelines, I'm not going to go into the detailed instructions for the rest of the Frameworks technique because they are in Tim's book. He does an excellent job showing fun ways to use the die and has beautiful step by step photos. You'll find them on page 64 of his book, "Compendium of Curiosities Volume III". 
 

To create my Black-Eyed Susan flowers I used some techniques from "A Compendium of Curiosities" Volume II. I used Tim's Crumpled Kraft Suede Technique from pg 40 on Glassine paper to create the flower centers and then on watercolor paper to create the flower petals. The petals were die cut from Tim's Tattered Florals die and water colored with Distress Markers. The paper twine for the flower stems and for the top of the tag was colored with Cracked Pistachio Spray. The Grungeboard star is from a stash I created when first learning the Shattered Stains technique also explained in Volume II on page 48.

Since my background was already created on a No. 8 tag and I didn't want to trim it down, I used a larger Kraft tag and trimmed it down to leave a 1/4" border on the sides and bottom with a little more room at the top. Then I followed Tim's instructions to cut the 1" strip for my tag to weave through and for the word LIFE to be die cut out of, letting the tag underneath show through. Yes, I do have Tim's ruler and it makes this step so easy. I don't have the Adventure Words dies that Tim used so I die cut my letters out of cardstock with Tim's Alterations Chipped Block die strip, glued them down and carefully cut them out with a craft knife. I inked the backside of the tag where the letters are cut out to add definition. Love the effect of the negative space. The Adventure Words block dies would be fun to use and time saving dies to have.

To finish off my tag I added the machine stitching as shown on Tim's tag. I used the Chit Chat word "beautiful" and colored the edge with Cracked Pistachio and a waterbrush. I really like how my April tag turned out but when I get the Flower Garden Stamp I will revisit the Tim's April tag and try out these techniques. I really love the spritzed background.

Now I have another tag inspired by Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015. Tim has a way of showing us how to use his products in ways I haven't imagined yet. That's why I follow his blog, have his books, have taken his Creative Chemistry Classes and love his products. He encourages us to be curious, try new things and get our fingers inky. His tag is gorgeous this month and I really hope you visit his blog here and see it.