Hello friends and happy Tuesday!
Things with the heating and with the kitty are getting better, but I am still not getting enough sleep – I think there is too much on my mind atm. Weather is quite mild for November and it’s a bit drier than it has been, so we can be grateful for these small things. Speaking of grateful I have a tag to share and something for tea…
today’s art . . .
Today’s offering is this tag I made as my DT inspiration for MTW Mini Challenge for November where the word inspiration is GRATEFUL. You can find the challenge details at the end of this post, do join in if you feel inspired. It also serves as my Day 16 project for Art Every Day Month.
I made a similar style tag a few weeks ago and I wanted to improve on the design so I thought I would experiment again.
This time I used another amazon box and the same tag die but cut it along the fold that was already on the box, instead of cutting two separate pieces so it opens like a book down the existing fold. This is something that usually works quite well for thinner card but wasn’t so happy cutting through two layers of this dense cardboard. However, I made it in the end, and then used the same Stacked Arch die to cut the window in the front. This is exactly the same style of tag I made before but in one piece instead of two pieces, utilising the fold on the amazon box.
I wanted my tag to be painted in Autumnal colours so I choose colours that are not normally my go-to colours, but colours that do go together and give that feel. The colours are as shown in the photo below but are also listed in the ingredients list at the end of the post – it always makes me hungry when I use these paints, just look at the names! I used my brayer to add all the different paints to both sides of my tag.
I added gold, black and white ink splatters to the outside, and then edged the tag with Ground Espresso Archival, and added more distressing with an activated brown stabilo.
On the inside I used the panel cut from the arched window, and and covered it with this purple gel print that has hearts printed on it. I know I said it was going to be Autumn colours but I couldn’t help adding the purple when I found it in the collage box! I edged it with gold ink, then wrote out my quote on some white card, stuck it down and outlined it with a gold pen. This quote is one of the prompts from the Gratitude Junk Journal class that I am (slowly) working my way through. This prompt is supposed to be added to a journal page so I need to get on that.
To finish off the tag, I took two different types of gold ribbon and threaded them through the hole at the top.
t stands for . . .
T stands for the masks that we all have to wear but in particular the one I sometimes have to wear inside the house! Last year when mask-wearing became a thing, I already had some masks because of a problem with smoky fumes that somehow get inside the house from an unknown source. It’s only been happening for a couple of years so I think someone has changed their heating system. I have a sensitivity to this kind of thing so my solution was to order some anti-pollution masks so I could breathe inside my house. They were very good, double lined, with a zipped pocket and a charcoal filter! They did the trick, and then when March came around, I was already prepared with my mask supply! What are these fumes and where are they coming from? Don’t know, we believe it is someone’s heating system, possibly something weird they are burning, but it doesn’t seem that bad to most people and some people don’t smell it at all but it gets to me after a while and so I need the mask. Anyhow, it seems to be worse at different times of the year, it’s started up now but it won’t be like that all winter, so it makes me think that maybe it happens when they turn their heating on after it’s been off for a while, who knows.
After many months of wearing the same black masks and feeling like a bank robber or a ninja, I decided to make some more colourful masks back in September. I made one that is lime green with a Brighton Pavilion motif and the reverse side of that mask is this print with all these fun tea cups on it. This is of course my ticket to the tea party over on Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s site today. The murky looking glass at the back of the photo is not for drinking, it’s my paint water!
Also remember the tea gifts I spotted in the supermarket last week? Well I went shopping on Friday with the intention of getting some and completely forgot, so they have probably all gone now! I hope you are all well and enjoying a lovely cup of tea or whatever you prefer, and that you don’t have to wear masks inside your house!
If you missed any November AEDM posts so far, check them out in the slider below.
Let me know what you think in the comments. As always, thanks for reading!Ingredients
amazon box, Paperartsy Fresco chalk paints: Limelight, Cherry Red, Teresa Green, Banana, Cheesecake, Pumpkin Soup, Nougat, gold acrylic ink, white acrylic ink, brown stabilo, ground espresso archival ink, purple hearts gel printed background, matte medium, glue, white card, blackliner pen, gold ribbons, Sizzix tag die, Sizzix Stacked Arch die, gold pen,
Challenges
More than Words – Mini Challenge – Grateful – challenge runs from today till the end of the month. Entry details on the blog.
Altered Book Lover – T Stands for – teacup mask fabric
Art Every Day Month – Day 16
Tag Tuesday – Anything Goes – 16th November Challenge
SSS Wednesday Challenge – Thanks/Thanksgiving – 10-17 November
You might also like these November posts days 1-15 . . .
Elle you are so talented! I am definitely going to hang on to some boxes and use in my journal pages!! Thanks for joining us at Tag Tuesday this week.
Pinky
That sounds pretty horrendous, having to wear a mask inside caused by someone else’s problem. I hope it gets fixed soon.
Your tag is very beautiful. I love the 3D effect.
And the colour of your newly sewed mask is bright and cheery. It has tea cups on it, so absolutely perfect for T-Day!
Belated happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
aw! I got lost again…! I’ve come to say happy WOYWW…and to say, my snowman is a hot chocolate mug and his hat is the cocoa shaker! and also. happy T for Tuesday, I LOVE your tags! ((Lyn))
Fabulous tag Elle. I love how you can flip it open. Hope you get lots of sleep!-smile. hugs-Erika
Ohhh this is so cleaver and really beautiful art. The mask is a good one for sure. I wish I had time to make some.
I sewed some colourful masks myself? happy Tuesday
Much?love
I enjoyed watching the process of your wonderful tag coming together. Our heater smells a bit oily when it first comes on after it hasn’t been used all Summer. Can your landlord or HOA do anything about the smell? Take care and Happy T Day
Your repurposed tag is beautiful! I love the colors you chose. I love when trash is turned into art!
Your fabric is so pretty. I do hope they figure out the source of the bad fumes. No fun having to wear a mask in the comfort of your own home.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
Lovely , like the idea of it opening. Thank you for joining us on Tag Tuesday.
This is a beautiful tag, Elle. I wouldn’t even know how to create a tag like that, much less have the dies to cut it.It sure turned out great and made a lovely addition to Valerie’s challenge.
Of course, I was intrigued by the mask you made with the gorgeous tea cups inside. It’s too bad that someone is burning something (perhaps) that smells so bad you have to wear one inside. This is much more colorful than a “ninja” mask. Thanks for sharing your tag and your lovely mask with us for T this Tuesday. Happy AEDM, too, dear.