Wiry 3D Christmas Tree Tag

I've been away from my crafty desk this week, with everyday life getting in the way of my crafty mojo-ness!

I'm practically rocking back and forth, going crazy not being able to use my distress inks and stamping.

Well I'm back I tell you, back where I want to be, with dirty inky hands, long may it last!

I've got a new camera too, so I'm just feeling my way around that. I could do with a lesson in using my digital SLR, I've forgotten everything I learned at college about photography. 

I'm really enjoying using these new stamps for the Creative Expressions design team. The ones below are the Let It Snow stamp set. I just love that Christmas tree and the reindeer. 

I started off with a tag I had inked up with blue distress stains and Cosmic Shimmer mists, hence the lovely blue drippage, then I splatted it all with white gesso. It really looked Christmassy at this point. But I wanted more colour!

Then I stamped it with TH crackle stamp using a green metallic acrylic paint, distressed the edges with Rusty Hinge DI,  and darkened the edges more with Black Soot DI. I used a stiff dry paint brush with a bit of white gesso on it to run streaks up and down the tag, which gave it a weathered beach kind of effect. 

Loved this with the blue and the rusty hinge colours.

I used the Let it Snow stamp with Picket Fence Distress Stain and stamped that around the tag, then stamped some flourishes here and there too. I pleated some music Tissue Tape along the bottom of the tag, for a nice little frill not thrill!. 

I've added some sparkly gold texture from the Cosmic Shimmer mica flakes too, they are gorgeous, love them!

I used blue and green alcohol ink on the numbers, the pin and the Christmas token to match the green wire on the tree and the baubles.

I made the tree using Cosmic Shimmer Bronze lustre embossing powder. Stamp both sides of a tree shape 3 times then cut it out. Then do another one without one on the other side (this is your base). Fold the other 3 in half. Cut one  in half, this is your centre one. Use the other 2 folded trees to glue (down the centre only!) to your base and glue the centre one in and leave to dry. Once dry you can bend all the layers into the right position. I used a poky tool to make holes to thread the wire through the layers of the tree. Don't forget to add some beads while your threading to make little baubles.

I am well and truly into the Christmas spirit now, especially as the Coke Cola Christmas truck advert was on the TV on Saturday, now I know Holidays are coming!.

Michelle x