Twelve Tags of Christmas Day Twelve

This is the last tag for our Twelve Tags project, and it's been so much fun!  

I love this sentiment from Magenta.  It looks good on a card or a tag and if snowflakes and blizzards can be warm, this sentiment is very warm indeed!  

The tag shapes were cut out of Stardream paper in different colors; and the sentiment was stamped in Versamark ink.   The embossing was done with White Diamond embossing powder (which is my favorite ep this time of year).  The snowflake was cut out with a die from Impression Obsession.  This die is unique in that it just cuts out a snowflake opening, instead of cutting out a snowflake to glue down.  This due is seeing lots of use on my tags this year.

If you are local to Art 'n Soul in Lacey, Washington, please come in and make this tag.  The cost is just a non-perishable food item, or a $1 cash donation for the local food bank.

We have a few people who came in every day to "collect" every tag!  Thanks to everyone who participated, and for all of the generous donations to the food bank.  Also thanks to everyone who has visited the blog to check out our tags each day; and special thanks to Pam Nelson of Art 'n Soul for her truly amazing tag creations.

Materials Used:

Magenta stamp:  07.888.G  If Kisses Were Snowflakes

Impression Obsession Die:  DIE241-Z  Snowflakes Cutout

Bigz Tag die from Sizzix - 658526

Versamark Ink

White Diamond embossing powder from JudiKins

Stardream paper

Twelve Tags of Christmas Day Eleven

Today is another tag by Pam, and I have to say I have loved every one of her tags so much.  This one is certainly no exception.

This is a double tag, and Pam is using gold embossing, gold washi tape, and flecks of gold watercolor from Artquest mica watercolors.  

This stunning tag also showcases stamps from Rosie's Roadshow, which is a stamp company that Art 'n Soul is planning to bring into the store after the first of the year. Watch for us to let you know when, because you are going to love these stamps!

Please come into the shop today and make this tag, and support our local food bank!

Twelve Tags of Christmas Day Ten

Day ten is back to me, and I had to do one with my favorite technique, acrylic block stamping.

This tag started with a Sizzix tag die cut out of watercolor paper.  Three colors of Distress Ink (mini pads) were applied directly to a Tim Holtz acrylic grid block.  I really like the mini inks for this technique, because it's easier to apply them to the block.  

The block was spritzed with water mixed with Perfect Pearls, and then I stamped it onto the watercolor paper.  The "Peace" sentiment and the doves were die cut from So Silk White paper, and applied with glue.  

You can see a tutorial on acrylic block stamping, using the Tim Holtz grid blocks on my blog here.

Materials used:

Tim Holtz watercolor paper

So Silk White paper

Distress Ink:  Peacock Feathers; Mustard Seed; Picked Raspberry

Perfect Pearls Pearl

Dies:

Sizzix Super Scallop Tag Die 38-0946

Impression Obsession Peace DIE226-A

Memory Box Doves 99012 & 99015

If you are local, please come in and make this tag!  The cost is just some non-perishable food items for the local Food Bank, or a $1 cash donation for the food bank.  Come in and have some fun and benefit a worthy cause!!

Twelve Tags of Christmas Day Nine

Day Nine is Pam's turn, and OH!  This is definitely, hands down, the best tag yet in the series.

by Pam Nelson

Pam took a piece of patterned paper and applied a piece of Be Creative Tape sheet to the front.  She peeled off the release paper and covered the adhesive with Elizabeth Craft Microfine Highlights glitter.  A dove peel off was placed on top of the glitter, and parts of it were colored with Copic markers.  The bird was cut out and popped up with foam tape onto a beautiful piece of Hanko Tsumugi Silk paper.  Art 'n Soul carries this paper in a variety of colors.  Gorgeous!  The swirls are also from the Dove peel off sheet, and the dots are from another Elizabeth Craft peel off - a whole sheet of glitter dots!  I love this tag so much, I may have to go in and make one also!

This all benefits our local Thurston County Food Bank, so if you are local to Art 'n Soul in Lacey, Washington, please come in and make a tag and a donation to the Food Bank.  You can either bring a non-perishable food item, or make a $1 cash donation.  See you there!

Twelve Tags of Christmas Day Eight

Another tag from me, this time in the shape of an ornament.

The tag is cut out of white card stock with the Spellbinders 2010 Heirloom Ornament die.  I stamped the Magenta Doodle Poinsettia 1 with Versamark ink and embossed with White Diamond embossing powder.  The sentiment is also from Magenta.  The tag was inked with Distress ink and spritzed with water mixed with Perfect Pearls powder.  A hole was punched in the top, and a silver cord added.  This tag is very pretty and glittery in real life.

Please come in to Art 'n Soul in Lacey Washington and make this tag!  The cost is just some non-perishable food for the local food bank, or a $1 donation for the food bank.  It's lots of fun, and we'd love to see you!

Magenta stamps:

Doodle Poinsettia 1  0687.I

Merry Christmas 07.885.F

Spellbinders 2010 Heirloom Ornament Die #S4-283

Versamark Ink

White Diamond embossing powder from JudiKins

Festive Berries Distress Ink

Perfect Pearls Pearl powder

Twelve Tags of Christmas Day Seven

Day Seven is my turn, and I created a tag using Hasty Lace from Some Assembly Required.  I love doing Hasty Lace, and it was bound to end up on one of my tags.  This technique uses templates from Some Assembly Required.

You just place a piece of very transparent vellum over the template and press a small embossing tool into each opening.

This process goes very quickly and is really satisfying and fun to do.  I chose the smallest snowflake template to create this tag.

I stamped a couple of snowflakes from the Penny Black "Most Wonderful" clear set that I used earlier in the week, and embossed it white White Diamond embossing powder.  

Some adhesive under the 4 corners of the vellum was covered up with silver peel off corners.  Just a little Stickles were added to the vellum snowflake.  It's very sparkly and pretty in real life.

If you are local, please come in to Art 'n Soul in Olympia Washington and make this tag.  The cost is just some non-perishable food for the food bank, or a $1 cash donation to the food bank.

Sizzix Tag Die 658526

So Silk Fair Blue paper

Some Assembly Required Template S5

Pergamano Embossing Tool #1 Extra Small Ball

Penny Black "Most Wonderful" Clear Stamp Set 30-255

Starform Peel Off Stickers 1034 S

Versamark Ink

White Diamond Embossing Powder from JudiKins

Waterfall Stickles

Twelve Tags of Christmas 2014 Day Six

Continuing the Twelve Tags of Christmas for Day 6, it's Pam's turn again, and she has really knocked it out of the park with this one!

by Pam Nelson

This gorgeous tag doubles as a gift card holder.  Pam layered 3 Magenta stamps:  Doodle Poinsettia 1 0687.I, Doodle Poinsettia 2 0688.L, and Mistletoe 0689.L for the front of this beautiful tag.  She embossed the stamps in white on red and green paper, and cut them out.  The sleeve of the tag/gift card holder is decorated using an embossing folder and ribbon.  Just beautiful!!

If you are local, you can come in to Art 'n Soul and make this tag on Monday, December 8th, any time between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.  Pam will be at the shop to help you.  The cost is just a non perishable food item, or $1 in cash for the Thurston County Food Bank.  Thanks for helping us support this worthy cause!

Twelve Tags of Christmas 2014 Day Five

It's Pam's turn again, and she has come up with a beautiful white on white tag.  The stamp is Wildberry from Memory Box, stamped on white card stock and embossed with white opaque embossing powder.  The Peace sentiment is an Impression Obsession die, cut out of white card stock.  I love the little touch of color, using a red Tombow.   Come in and see Pam tomorrow, Friday December 5th and make this very elegant tag for just a $1 cash donation, or non-perishable food items for the Food Bank.

by Pam Nelson

Twelve Tags of Christmas 2014 Day Four

Day Four is all about Magenta and some of my favorite Magenta things!  

I stamped the Magenta Cuddly Winter Birds 42.217.N using Onyx Black Versafine ink, onto a tag cut from watercolor card stock, and embossed with clear embossing powder.  The birds were colored with Tombow markers 856, 837, 993, 451, and N75.  Using a brush dipped in water mixed with Perfect Pearls powder, I moved the color around until the shading was to my liking.  The Merry Christmas sentiment 07.885.F was stamped with Versafine Satin Red ink, and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I stamped the birds onto masking paper, cut them out and applied the mask over the image on the tag.  I had previously mixed up a pearly water spray in a small spritzer bottle, using 1 dropper full of Peacock Feathers Distress reinker, water, and some small scoops of Perfect Pearls Pearl.  I took the Magenta Blossom mask, MC01, and sprayed Easy Tak on the back of it.  Easy Tak is a spray repositionable adhesive that is perfect for keeping detailed stencils in place.  I placed the stencil over the tag and sprayed liberally with the Peacock Feathers spritzer.

I mopped up the excess spray with a paper towel and removed the mask from the birds to find them sitting happily in a nest of pretty blue Christmas flowers.

If you're local, please come in to Art 'n Soul and make this tag and support the local Food Bank!  I already cut out some extra masks, and I'll bring my buckets of Tombows so that you can color your birds differently, in case you don't want pink birds.  But really, aren't they sweet?

Magenta products used:

42.217.N  Cuddly Winter Birds

07.885.F Merry Christmas

MC01 Blossom Mask

Other products used:

Tombow Markers 856, 837, 993, 451, N75

Versafine Onyx Black and Satin Red

Detail Clear embossing powder from Judikins

Easy Tak adhesive

Inkadinkado Masking Paper

Peacock Feathers Distress reinker

Perfect Pearls powder

small spritzer bottle

Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock

Sizzix Super Scallop Tag Die 38-0946

Twelve Tags of Christmas 2014 Day Three

We're on our third day of the Twelve Tags of Christmas, and it's Pam's turn again.  I love this cute stocking that she came up with, and there are two things about it that I especially love.

by Pam Nelson

The tops of the stockings are velvet paper that she has embossed with an embossing folder.  This is one of my favorite looks, since velvet paper embosses so beautifully.

My favorite thing though - hands down - is that she is providing the opportunity to Zentangle on it if people want to!  People don't have to, because it's really cute without, but oh yeah, I would be tangling on mine!  You can see Pam's tangle on the stocking on the left.  Very cool!

Something that's hard to see in the picture is that the holly has sparkle on it, and I THINK she might have used a Pico embellisher on the berries.

Come in and see Pam tomorrow, Wednesday December 3rd and make this great tag.  It will be fun, and you can also support our local food bank in the process.

Twelve Tags of Christmas 2014 Day Two

At Art 'n Soul we are having Make and Takes for Christmas tags, every weekday for 12 days.  We started on December 1st, and Tuesday, December 2nd is my turn!  Please come in and see me and make a tag.  I'm using this stamp set from Penny Black for my tag.

Most Wonderful - 30-255 by Penny Black

Here's the tag you can make for a donation of non-perishable food for the Food Bank or a $1 cash donation for the Food Bank

I stamped the ornament image and the Seasons Greetings sentiment with Versafine ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.  The ornaments were colored with Tombow markers and I used a wet brush dipped in water mixed with Perfect Pearls powder to shade the colors.  The ornament tops were colored with a silver Signo Broad pen, and I flicked Artquest palette mica watercolor all over.  Pretty quick and easy.  The base tag die is unfortunately no longer available from the manufacturer, but I have cut out lots of them!

Materials Used:

Penny Black Most Wonderful clear stamp set 30-255

Srathmore 140# watercolor paper

Versafine Onyx Black Ink

Detail Clear embossing powder from JudiKins

Tombows #847, #676, #493

Uniball Signo Broad Silver pen

Perfect Pearls Pearl powder

Artquest Pallette white watercolor

Sizix Tags die, Scallop combo #2  654991

I also made two more tags from this same great stamp set.  These are not make and takes, but they can give you an idea of other tags you can make using this set

This one was made with So Silk Fair Blue paper, and the image was stamped with Versamark Ink and embossed with White Diamond embossing powder from JudiKins.  It has a beautiful sparkle and shine in real life.

On this last tag, the deer image and the sentiment were stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink onto Strathmore 140# watercolor paper.  The snowflakes were stamped with Versafine Blue Lagoon ink and all were embossed with Detail Clear embossing powder from JudiKins.

The Deer was colored with Tombow #867, and I moved the color around with a wet brush dipped in water mixed with Perfect Pearls powder.  The speckles were made with Artquest Palette mica watercolor that was flicked onto the tag with a wet brush.  At the end I also added some Waterfall Stickles to the snowflakes.

Magenta December Challenge

December 2014 - Magenta Challenge: Christmas

Create a Card, a Layout or even an altered object, if you feel like it,

follow the theme and use at least one Magenta product :

papers, stamps, embellishment, Peel Off's, chipboard and more...

You have until December 29th to enter!

You could win this Magenta Prize :

Here's my card

It's a Merry Christmas shaker card!

I cut a piece of Jupiter Stardream paper to 4" x 5.25" and stamped the Doodle Poinsettia 1 all over it with Versamark ink.  The image was then embossed with White Diamond embossing powder.  I placed the second largest ornament die from the Spellbinders 2010 Heirloom Ornament set in the middle of the panel and cut it out.  A piece of acetate was attached to the reverse side of the panel.  I then cut a piece of white card stock to a size just smaller than the red panel (3.75" x 5"), and using a stamp positioner I stamped the Merry Christmas sentiment in just the right place to show through the ornament cut out.  I then embossed the sentiment with clear embossing powder.

Here's a trick to use if you don't have the right color of pigment ink and you want to emboss your image:  ink your image first with Versamark ink, then your dye based ink of choice, then stamp and apply embossing powder.  Your powder will stick to the image because you used Versamark first. The Versamark, which is a clear, sticky ink won't damage your dye pad.  In this case I used Memento Love Letter ink for the sentiment.

On the back of the red panel, I applied foam tape all around the ornament cut out.  It's important to have a solid line of the foam tape around the opening, since this is what will keep your shaker pieces in.  I also applied some foam tape around the edges of the card.

On the white piece with the sentiment, a few sequins were glued down so that they would stay in place and the card would look good even when standing up.  I also sprinkled on more sequins and some chunky glitter.  The red panel was added on top, trapping the sequins and chunky glitter behind the acetate.  The entire piece was adhered to a white base card.

This card is beautiful and sparkly in real life, and I hope you will give making a shaker card a try.  They are also fun to make for birthday cards, and you can use a variety of die cut openings for this technique.

Magenta stamps used:

Doodle Poinsettia 1  0687.I

Merry Christmas 07.462.I

Other materials used:

Jupiter Stardream paper

Acetate

Versamark Ink

Memento Love Letter ink

White Diamond embossing powder by Judikins

Detail clear embossing powder by Judikins

Various sequins and coarse glitter

foam tape

Now it's your turn!

You just need to use the theme of Christmas and use at least one Magenta product.  You can enter the Challenge at the Magenta Blog here

Please use In linkz to submit your page

One entry per person only!

Twelve Tags of Christmas 2014 Day One

Just a quick post to remind all of our Art 'n Soul customers that we are starting our Twelve Tags of Christmas program on Monday, December 1st.  This is a fun event that we will have at Art 'n Soul, each weekday for 12 days.  This is a Make and Take tag, and the price is a non-perishable donation to the food bank, or a $1 cash donation for the food bank.  You can come in each day,  perhaps learn a new technique, and add a beautiful handmade tag to your stash for wrapping up your presents.

This first tag is by Pam Nelson, who will be at Art 'n Soul from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 1st.  You can make Pam's beautiful tag any time between 10:00 and 5:00 p.m., so please be sure to go in and see her!

by Pam Nelson

Thanks so much to all of our wonderful customers who came out and supported us for Small Business Saturday!  You are the best!

Distress Ink Blending

In conjunction with the Art 'n Soul Newsletter the week, I am posting a tutorial on blending with Distress Inks.  I am using a card that is similar to one I have posted here before, but this will have a picture tutorial to go with it.

Although I know that many of you love your Distress Inks as much as I do, I have had SO many questions about shading and layering colors that I thought I would share with you the techniques on the Christmas cards I am making this year.  



Here's my card, and those of you getting a card from me this, year, I hope it won't be too anticlimactic to see it early!

I love using Distress Inks for layering and shading because they blend so well.  I also really love the new round mini blending tools.  I find that they don't make a hard edge like the rectangular tools sometimes do.  I still like the larger blending tools for large areas, but the smaller ones really make shading and blending effortless.





I started by inking my stamp with Versamark clear sticky ink, and I stamped the Magenta Multilingual Merry Christmas (07.883.K) in the top center of my card.  I then stamped the Snowy Evergreens (0690.L) on either side of the sentiment.  Since I am making A2 size cards, the trees stamped off the card on either side, but I think it's a good look.  I embossed the stamping with Judikins White Diamond embossing powder.

  For this card I chose 3 colors of blue Distress ink to color my background.  They are from light to dark:  Broken China, Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire.  

Using the lightest ink first, and with the mini blending tool, I rubbed Broken China ink over both of the Snowy Evergreens.  Don't be afraid to press hard when applying your ink.  The embossing powder will resist the ink and the images will pop when the ink is applied. 



Second, I rubbed Faded Jeans over the sentiment, and then blended it in with the Broken China at the tops and bottoms of the trees, and covered the card to all of the edges with ink.



At this point, I wanted to do some shading under the trees, so I got a template from the Magenta Masks set (TM-40), and using a sponge dauber, I carefully applied Faded Jeans ink under the trees, and in a line between the trees, connecting the shadows.



Last, I used the Chipped Sapphire ink and the mini blending tool all around the edges of the card, blending with the other two colors. This last step makes the white of the sentiment and trees really pop, and gives an overall richness to the card.



To simulate snowfall, I sprinkled Stampendous White Embossing Enamel over the card, and heated it from underneath the card.  Just when the flakes of enamel start to melt, move on to another area of the card and so on until all of the flakes of enamel have melted.


I mounted the finished panel to blue mirricard for matting, and then to a white folded card.  This card will not take extra postage to mail, and I'm happy with the sparkle and shine it has, even without my usual sprinkle of bling.

Magenta Products used

Multilingual Merry Christmas 07.883.K

Snowy Evergreens 0690.L

Masks TM-40

Other Materials used:

Distress Ink: Broken China; Faded Jeans; Chipped Sapphire

Versamark Ink

Judikins White Diamond Emobssing Powder

Stampendous White Embossing Enamel

Ranger Round Mini blending tool

Finger dauber

Blue Mirricard

Blog Hop Winners!

Winners!!

Winners were randomly chosen from all of the comments on all of the blogs participating in the hop.

The 1st winner is :

Miranda

Miranda wins this wonderful Magenta prize:

a sampling of some products from our newest catalog!

The 2nd winner is :

Liz

Liz wins this wonderful Magenta prize:

a sampling of some products from our newest catalog!

Congratulations!!! Send an email to info@magentastyle.com

to claim your prize!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Keep following Magenta for more inspiration Magenta Style!

And be with us for the next MAGENTA CHALLENGE,

there are more beautiful prizes to be won!

Magenta Blog Hop Day 5

Welcome to a week of inspiration and creativity with the Magenta Design Team! We are excited to share with you our latest collection and of course our artists are here to share their techniques with you, just hop to their blogs to learn more about their creations!

Today I chose the Doodle Ornament stamp again, because I wanted to show how beautiful it can be when you use the whole stamp.  During this hop a couple of the other Design Team members have also used it to beautiful effect.  Here's the stamp, Doodle Ornament (44.013.Q).

Magenta Doodle Ornament (44.013.Q)

To make my card, I stamped the entire stamp onto watercolor card stock with Versamark Ink, and embossed with White Diamond embossing powder from Judikins.  I also stamped the sentiment (Merry Christmas 07.779.G) with Versamark and embossed with White Diamond.

Second step was to apply Distress Ink to the entire piece, using Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans and Seedless Preserves.  I used Magenta template TM40 (Masks) to give subtle shading so that it would look like an outdoor scene of snowy hills.  I sprinkled Ranger White Embossing Enamel over the top and heated from underneath to add to the snowy scene.  Some purple fuzzy twine was added at the top, and the panel was matted with purple, and then mounted onto a white base card.  Last, some purple gems were added to the holly at the top.

Stamps and Templates used:  

44.013.Q  Doodle Ornaments

07.779.G  Merry Christmas

Magenta TM40 Masks

Other Materials used:

Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, Seedless Preserves

Versamark Ink

Judikins White Diamond Embossing Powder

Ranger White Embossing Enamel

Purple Silk cardstock

Strathmore Watercolor cold press card stock 140#

Purple fuzzy twine

Purple gems

I have a bonus card today.  I was playing with the Doodle Heart stamp that I designed for Magenta (44.014.N), and strangely, I used a very similar color scheme and technique to the above card.  I must love this color combination!

.  

Magenta Doodle Heart (44.014.N)

On this card I also stamped with Versamark Ink, onto watercolor card stock, and embossed with White Diamond.  I used the same Distress Ink colors, applied with a mini blending tool.  I love how the white pops when you add the color.  This time instead of adding snow, I spritzed the entire piece heavily with water mixed with Perfect Pearls Pearl.  This gave the whole piece the most wonderful shine.  I mounted the heart panel onto a white card base and added a sentiment that I just love, stamped in Memento Danube Blue ink.  I added a bit of purple fuzzy twine and sprinkles with some blue gems.

Stamps Used:

44.014.N  Doodle Heart

07.731.I  Thanks for Touching My Heart

Other Materials Used:

Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, Seedless Preserves

Judikins White Diamond Embossing Powder

Memento Blue Danube ink

Versamark Ink

Perfect Pearls Pearl mica powder

Strathmore Watercolor cold press card stock 140#

Purple fuzzy twine

Purple gems

Please be sure to click on the links below to visit all of the Design Team's blogs.  

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT HERE AND ON EACH BLOG IN THE HOP FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A GREAT PRIZE!!

Two prizes will be given, so you have a good chance to win.

Here are the prizes you could win:

Magenta Prize Package #1

Magenta Prize Package #2

Each day we will feature projects created by our design team – simply visit their blogs and leave a comment on each post by midnight EST (GMT-5) November 9th.  We will randomly select two different blogs from the five days, then randomly draw one commenter from each blog as the winner.

Here are today’s featured projects from the rest of the Design Team:

Mariette van Leeuwen

http://www.stampingmariette.blogspot.ca/

Jolande van Oosterhout

www.justjolande.blogspot.com

Edith Racine

http://www.edithos.blogspot.ca/

Ellie Knol

http://elliecreahoekje.blogspot.com/

Bianca van Noort 4

http://biancavannoort.blogspot.nl

Carole Dion

http://creationsalestresors.blogspot.ca