Holiday Swap Tags 2010

I've been enjoying doing different swaps over on Scraps of Color website.  We've done different images, cards for all sorts of seasons and now the latest one.... a Holiday Tag Swap.
Earlier this year, someone had hosted an Over The Top tag swap, but I missed out on that and didn't know what was expected for this one.  Upon inquiry, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.   It was going to be complicated since we were going to be making at the maximum 20 tags.  And if you know me, I don't do anything half arsed.

I started searching the net for inspiration and nothing was really talking to me.  Then I remembered the 12 Days of Christmas tags that is done by Tim Holtz  , so I went there for inspiration.
I used one of his ideas from the 2008 tag series.  Its not exactly as his is done.... but I really like the job that I did in creating these.

I pulled out my Cricut Expression.... ok... its always out.... .lol ... and opened up Design Studio to see what kind of Christmas images that I could use for my tags.  I really wanted mine to be over the top and leave a lasting impression.  I used grungeboard to cut out the images and I think I'll be making more to share.  I embossed them and inked them with Glimmer mist for a bit of shine.  The first two that I did.... I used distress ink , but that was taking up too much time.  So out came the glimmer mist.  I really like the way they came out.  I cut a mask for my tags and glimmer misted and dried them.  Then I used distress inks to color them in.  Wow... they are so glimmery shiney.

Then to find the right paper.  I am a paper hoarder and even went as far as going to the craft stores for more paper to use, when I found the right piece in a DCWV Christmas stack.  I computer generated the letters used for the sentiment on the tags, painstakingly cutting them out and inking them.  The hardest thing to find was a flower to match .  Ok.... back to the stores... Michael's nor Joanne's had any Christmas flowers or anything that I wanted to use.  What now?  You would think with my in-house store, that I would have the perfect flower... but noooooooo.  Then I thought , use the glimmer mist.  LOL!  I just love that stuff.

So I sat out to start assembling the tags.  I'm putting them together and oh no... a tag has mysteriously disappeared.  We only had to make 14 tags... and I have 13 .  Now where did that tag go.  Ok... no problem.  Get another blank tag and mask and ink it up.  Easy Peasy.  Hmmmmm..... where did that come from. 

So tags are all assembled and ready to go in the mail tomorrow for the hostess to receive and then divide up to all the participants.  I hope they enjoy my tags as much as I enjoyed making them.

**I wrote earlier that the deer was cut from JOTS .... but after looking again,  I realized I made a mistake.  It was cut from Very Merry Tags and the tag part was 'Hide Contour'd".

Recipe:

Shipping Tags

Cricut Cartridge - Very Merry Tags (Deer)

DCWV Christmas Stack 2010 (Patterned Music Paper)

Computer Generated Letters

Zing Gold Embossing Powder

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen and Forest Moss

Glimmer Mist Colors - Walnut Gold (Tag), Candy Apple Red ( Deer)

Bazzill Flowers - Glimmer Misted with Walnut Gold

Studio 18 Rhinestones

Organdy Ribbon - Michaels