I hope this EARLY posting doesn't cause any massive coronaries to any innocent readers: I'm surprising even myself being this early! I actually get my Tags done by mid-month, but it's a tossup between procrastination and being busy that keeps me from getting it posted. In fact, I find it hard to get to sleep on the night before Tim posts the new month's Tag. After viewing his new post, the ideas roll over so fast in my head that I am usually gathering together all I need and putting it into one pile on my desk right away. It's not hard for me to picture the end result in my head, so geting it onto the craftsheet from there, is pretty easy for me.
Unless, of course, it's one of those techniques that I have to keep trying over and over to get it anywhere near Tim's look. This month's Tag took me off guard. There were two things Tim stayed away from that he's done in the past 1tag/month years; both Patriotic or beach/water for July and August. So I was surprised to see a more muted tone for this Remix. Not that I didn't like it...I LOVED IT! But, this summer has been bittersweet for me. After a long winter watching my Dad literally melt away from cancer, it's given me somewhat a more heightened sense of LIFE. I've always tried not to take anything for granted because I know we are BLESSED to be alive in this day. The age of media technology to share talents and friendship in a way that I'd never have been able to do since I am deaf. Plus all the medicines and helps that are available to me in this age. I think we need to go further in helping the rest of everyone in the world to have access to it all. But that is a great arguement for another day. Right now, I'll get down to the how and then the why for my August Tag...
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| I knew I would be trying to incorporate two shapes into my Tag: 1- a sailboat, and 2- my new TH Alterations Thinlets Die Set; Gearhead. I hadn't had a good chance up til this to play with the Gearhead and it is really awesome! Now, the sailboat was a toughie. I looked at all my ocean craft items and came up empty. I've got both sets of the TH Sand&Sea, palm trees, lighthouses, etc...but no sailboat. Ok, fine. I got online and Googled "Sailboat" hoping to find one in the simple leaning (elegant) shape I wanted & I got lucky with several of the same shape turning up in quite as few of the pictures. I was able to change it to just a black/white scheme and save it to print out the size I wanted to fit to the Tag background. So there ya go, Tim and Mario: make up a simple sailboat to go with the new Beach/Sea items you have out this year (which I added to my WANT LIST)! |
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| The first time we did this technique, I wasn't very great at it. That's what I love most about this Remix; we get a chance to purposefully practice these techs all over again. I think I had more fun (AND did BETTER) this time around. You'll notice there are four sides. I made TWO TAGS; both having a front and back. |
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| Adding the shading was not just fun, but actually let me 'set up' the background for my sailboat. |
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| I went a little giddy with these. I just FINALLY found this TH Frameworks Die earlier this summer in a bargain! So noone had to urge me twice to have some fun with it. I chose lots of muted tones in different textures; burlap, cork, Tim-PaperStash, even some of Tim's yesteryear Kraft Glassine. The muted textures were the type you would find on a sailing vessel. |
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| Sewing was more fun this time around....esp the sailboat - shown below in closeups... |
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| I LOVED the way the new design of gears from the Gearhead Die Set allow you to stack as many as you want but still stay closer to the base layer of your Tag- lighter weight, too. There are alot more pullys, gears, and blocks/tackle on a boat than most people think. Instead of stitching on the Tag's background, I chose to stitch on the sail itself. This pic shows the JibSail. It's where you would actually find stitching on a sailboat, and I went a bit further... |
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| ... I stitched an upper case "L" on my pennant topsail! I also added a smallest IdeaOlogy Spinner- as there would normally be a similar pointer up on top to help you steer into the wind. Of course, I needed a compass ornament on my Tag. |
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| A neat find in my stash was an anchor charm I had leftover from another project made for the OlderSon's USNavy Fiance'. I decided to put it to good use here- complete with a slipknot and another squareknot from the paperstring with Hitches holding my Word Band. |
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| The BACKSIDE of my August Entry Tag (I only enter the main front and the rest is just up for grabs/gabs/&entertainment! The back also has similarly done technique, but this time I chose to use all Gearhead topper and used Glossy Accents to adhere it plus some Long Fasteners just for looks. The Compass Coin w Spinner & another Long Fastener completed the look. I did add a few random stitches, too. |
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Finished FRONTSIDES August Tag entry (left) and gift for OlderSon& Fiance' for use in memory of their trip to London, England this past week. (They got into O'Hare Intl, Chicago late and missed their IND flight. Next flight out was not till late Sunday, so this will be posted before they even get back home.)
Note: I coated the sailboat with Multi Medium Matte for a little strength since it was going to be stitched. |
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| Finished BACKSIDES to both Tags... You can see more of the 2nd Tag in closeups below... |
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| This saying was PERFECT! The color, the stitching, and all the little things just made this Tag way too fun for me! |
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| I'd ordered from The Funkie Junkie Boutique for another set of dies and got another TH Crinkle Ribbon already done in the perfect Red, White, & Blue as an 'extra' they always send out with their awesome packaging! The little trinkets were part of my order and you can see the compass matches the one on my own Tag. These trinkets were great looking next to the TH paper of Great Britain's Flag inset on the top hexagon. |
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| Again- use of the Gearhead since gears are also used in planes... I only set the Eiffel Tower piece on top, but didn't adhere it. I didin't know if they'd get any chance to make a quick run through the Chunnel to France or not. So it will be a JIC piece. |
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| Of course, I had to use Tim's paper here, as well as the smaller Crown from the IdeaOlogy. I laced it all up in tiny red & blue gems with fake diamond gems. I took a tiny key I had in my stach and broke off the bottom (the part that goes into the lock itself) and using some of the same gems. The end result became "the Queens Crown Jewels". A cute touch, or so I think, that can offset a small photograph - if they choose to add one in the space I made here. |
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| Here's the Older Son, Brian, and his USNavyGirl Fiance', Ashley- they're doing a selfie for me at a site I requested they visit... & if you're having trouble guessing where this was taken at; look closely into the far background on the streetwalk and think THE BEATLES! (PS: THANKS, my babies! We're so happy you got to see such a beautiful country!) While Ahsley spent 3 years of military service in Japan, this was Brian's first trip abroad. Our entire family of 6 is seeing some amazing places this year and we are very thankful!! |
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And now the reason why I did a sailboat...I've been brushing back up on my boating knowlefge since we used to have a couple of our own motorboats (Bayliner open bow & then a larger deckboat, and currently have an old pontoon) since the ChiefHubby grew up with his Parents and Grandparents- as well as most of his extended family-owning boats. One of our first dates was spent at his Grandparents' Lake Shafer Isle home to teach me water skiing. I fell in love with it and really miss the sport! Lately, I've longed for a shortboard to take up surfing from plain boogie hardboarding, but he is afraid I'd go too far out alone (aka: without him) since noone else shares my "sense of adventure". Ditto with the smaller 1&2 person sailboat I had my eye on for the past 2 years. Party pooper! So instead, he looked for something he can go with me on and we ended up with a Lifetime 3person Manta Kayak. It's usable on all waters- even the ocean- within reasonable limits.
Here we are- during the first Wabash River excursion just for practice. We've done kayaking before a few times both long ago and recently, but never on the Wabash. Shown in the background is Georgetown Bridge in western Cass County, IN. |
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| The first weekend of August, we took the kayak up to Red Wing, MN,to visit with the Ygr Purdue cpl kids. They'd gone out and got their own kayaks before we ordered ours! So we packed them up and took a trip out on Lake Byllsby near Cannon Falls,MN. It was during the weekend of the Red Wing River City Days Festival, and the live music was pretty cool that Friday Night. The kayaking trip was on Sunday afternoon, after the Chief and I attended worship at our usual place there: Cornerstone Christian Church, located right in the downtown store fronts. |
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My surprise at finding out that the particular 3Person Manta Kayak we have now... also can be fitted with a SAIL!!!
And BLESS my ChiefHubby's BIG WONDERFUL HEART: the sail has just been shipped as of last night!!!
Guess it does help to keep dreaming- who knows how it will turn out?!?
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Thanks for checking in and I hope you will join in on the 12 Tags of 2016 with us if you haven't yet! There are still FOUR more Tags for the year with TWICE that many techniques to (re)try your hand at. For those of you I see who've checked in to see my blog posts continually- THANK YOU!!! I may not leave comments or proof that I have been to everyone else's sites, but I try hard to get a peek as much as I can because there are so many AWESOME talented folks out there! I've probably seen most of them on Pinterest and have tons pinned under my "12 Tags" board.
I sincerely hope everyone has a smooth transition from the summer months to the school months- it's crazy how EARLY school starts now and feels like such a short summer life for kids. Makes me want to stay out in my pool 24/7 right now. But, alas; those fall months will bring more craft time. ;)
Till next time....
Be Safe and HAPPY BLOGGING!
I hope this EARLY posting doesn't cause any massive coronaries to any innocent readers: I'm surprising even myself being this early! I actually get my Tags done by mid-month, but it's a tossup between procrastination and being busy that keeps me from getting it posted. In fact, I find it hard to get to sleep on the night before Tim posts the new month's Tag. After viewing his new post, the ideas roll over so fast in my head that I am usually gathering together all I need and putting it into one pile on my desk right away. It's not hard for me to picture the end result in my head, so geting it onto the craftsheet from there, is pretty easy for me.
Unless, of course, it's one of those techniques that I have to keep trying over and over to get it anywhere near Tim's look. This month's Tag took me off guard. There were two things Tim stayed away from that he's done in the past 1tag/month years; both Patriotic or beach/water for July and August. So I was surprised to see a more muted tone for this Remix. Not that I didn't like it...I LOVED IT! But, this summer has been bittersweet for me. After a long winter watching my Dad literally melt away from cancer, it's given me somewhat a more heightened sense of LIFE. I've always tried not to take anything for granted because I know we are BLESSED to be alive in this day. The age of media technology to share talents and friendship in a way that I'd never have been able to do since I am deaf. Plus all the medicines and helps that are available to me in this age. I think we need to go further in helping the rest of everyone in the world to have access to it all. But that is a great arguement for another day. Right now, I'll get down to the how and then the why for my August Tag...
