Christmas Tags -- full disclosure

I think I'll start off with the full disclosure... I had a really great class this last November with the local group of girls based on 12 tags of Christmas using my Yuletide collection through 7 Dots Studio. I had really great intentions of offering the class online via video access and optional kit purchase. I had filmed all the videos and was ready to edit when my tablet decided to stop working. EEK. 

I tried a few different things to get it back up and going and it still might happen... but now the time has run out and we're four days PAST Christmas. So... instead of offering a class I will put up all the info in this post about the tags! YAY! :) 

I will be offering another set of tags via class in a Valentine's LOVE theme. I DID get a new tablet and should be able to move forward easily from here. I apologize to those of you who were waiting for the Christmas tags, but here's to other stuff soon! 

Now ---- onto the tags!

The base for all 12 tags (as mentioned before) is Yuletide -- my fun Christmas collection for 7 Dots Studio. I also used three white tags of watercolor paper. All tags have been cut using the #8 tag die by Tim Holtz / Sizzix. I will link all products that I can via each tag below, but I've also used Ranger's Stickles, May Arts Ribbons, UmWowStudio chipboard, flair and stencil, Viva Las VegaStamps! rubber stamps, threads, inks, fabric, doilies, watercolor, cheesecloth... and more. <3 Some of the products from UmWowStudio were new... and as the year sort of got away from me, they'll be available next year.

The first tag (and my favorite!) was cut from Gingerbread and layered with strips of muslin. Hint : I tear my muslin for the great vintagey raggedy edge it gives. There's also a layer of cheesecloth that has been distressed by pulling the fibers apart. The chipboard rocking horse is the same shape as UmWowStudio's Rocking Horse, but has been scaled down. They'll be available next year in a multi-pack. It's been stamped with the Sheet Music BG from VLVS! and distressed with Ranger's Walnut Stain distress ink. I tied the whole tag with some May Arts Burlap twine and a vintage shell button.

The second tag was cut from Figgy Pudding. It's been stamped with the Skyline Silhouette and Sky of Stars Background stamps, both from VLVS!. I do the majority of my stamping in Archival Ink BLACK by Ranger. The tag has been outlined with a permanent black pen and tied with May Arts Burlap Twine. Hint : When drawing a border, draw one line from top to bottom... and then again from bottom to top. It will keep your line purposely playful without much work. As a final bit o' goodness I used a sentiment sticker from Yuletide.

The third tag was cut from watercolor paper. I loved the stark white contrast against the distressed bits of the other tags. It made a great compliment! I also incorporated a bit of vintage text paper and a paper doily. The chipboard zigzag shape is from the Floral Collection chipboard set by UmWowStudio. The flair is also from UmWowStudio... from the matching Yuletide products : Yuletide Flair. I stamped the Large Bird Flying Left from VLVS! to tie up the whole bit.

The fourth tag was also cut from Figgy Pudding.. this time the green side. The tree was cut from vintage sheet music by hand. Hint : Don't be afraid of doing things by hand... it makes them feel more personal. The tree was glued with UHU and topped with some distressed May Arts Crochet ribbon and some baker's twine. I used a black pen to draw the border using the same tip as before.

#5 was cut from Mistletoe. It's been layered with a paper doily, a strip of wood from the Chestnuts paper, and a chipboard word. UmWowStudio will be doing LOTS of words from here on out! Hint : Your tags don't have to be FULL of product, leave a few a little bit more sparse. The contrast will make the whole set read wonderfully.

#6 is back to watercolor paper.... and I used watercolor paints on it this time, too! I used a really great pan set from Grumbacher. First I stamped in watercolor using the Numbers Set from VLVS!. Hint : when stamping in thinner things like watercolor paint, mists, etc... dip your stamp into the liquid, then blot once on a scrap of paper. From there your stamp should produce a more clear image instead of little blobs. Then, using the same watercolor, I swiped it across the middle of the tag. There's a bit of layering with some more distressed cheesecloth and a piece of flair from the same Yuletide set as before.

Tag #7 was cut from the backside of Chestnuts.. a nice deep red. The background has been stamped with the Music Sheet Background in various places. I created a hill using some white cardstock and gesso. While the gesso was still wet I dipped it in some nice chunky glitter. The trees are from the Yuletide MASH set by UmWowStudio. The star is also from UmWowStudio, but the Sketchy Stars set. The trees were treated the same as the hill. I also trimmed up the bottom of the tag with some handmade scallops and vintage book text. Hint : scatter in pieces from the other tags to make the whole set coordinated. The J O Y are alphas from Tim Holtz, and the tie at the top of the tag is another piece of torn muslin.

Whew - making pretty good headway here. The 8th tag was cut from Chestnuts. The pretty pattern in the background comes from the Flurries stencil by UmWowStudio. I used a nice heavy gesso through the stencil. After it was dried I tied a huge bow out of May Arts ribbons and wrapped it around the bottom. I also glued some Jingle Bells to the end of the big bow. 

Tag #9 is clean and simple in the most perfect way. It was cut from the Warm Cider sheet. Because it has the big thick stripes I felt it didn't need that much more. I started by drawing the border again. Then I watered down some gesso and splattered it across the background. Hint : Use a smaller brush to splatter.. it's easier to load up and drop from without wasting product. Sweater Weather is a fun stamp I designed fro VLVS! last year. The chipboard snowflakes come from the Yuletide Mash by UmWowStudio and the tag has been tied with a fun t-shirt type yarn.

Tag #10 was also cut from Warm Cider, but this time the back. This chipboard piece is a brand new one that will debut next year from UmWowStudio : a miniature Holly Vine. The vine has been covered in gesso and glitter... and the berries covered in Ranger Stickles. Then it was layered with distressed cheesecloth another piece of the Yuletide Flair set. Hint : Move your embellishment clusters around the tag. You don't always have to work in the middle or the bottom. I worked the top of this tag and the result is awesome.

Tag #11 is cut from Figgy Pudding. The top has been embellished with a paper doily and a Junque bow made from scraps of May Arts ribbons. I learned about Junque bows from the talented Margie Romney-Aslett! The giant chipboard star is from the Yuletide Mash and has been covered in gesso. Hint : create depth with dimensional adhesive. I layered up the two parts of the snowflake and the adhesive with a piece of Tissue tape and paper scrap. The paper has been punched with a Martha Stewart border punch.

The final tag, cut from watercolor paper, has also been punched with the border punch. Then it was backed with a scrap of red paper. I wrapped some red twine around the center of the tag and layered up a scallop circle cut from sheet music. There's a ring of May Arts Burlap twine and the chipboard Elk Head from UmWowStudio's Yuletide Mash. The tag was finished with Ranger's Stickles and May Arts ribbon.

WHEW >>> Did I miss anything? Let me know if you have any questions! I look forward to the next set of tags... and them working out for a class! ♥