I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Friday 13 May 2016

Encore - A Happy Garden

Encore Posts
Projects which made their first appearances elsewhere for Design Team duties or Guest Designer opportunities, but which only had a sneak peek here, are being gathered together in the pages of my virtual scrapbook.  I'm calling them "Encore" posts and they're formatted differently (all the way down the centre), so you can spot them easily.
Please don't feel that you have to comment all over again!

So that Words and Pictures doesn't become purely travel-blogging this week, I've decided to squeeze in another Encore for you today - not a very old one, but it has a definite breath of spring about it, so it seemed a good time to share it.  I'll be back with another instalment of China adventures in a couple of days (if you missed Part I of Beijing - The Forbidden City, just click the link), but for now here's what I wrote for the Artistic Stamper blog back in February 2015.
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Hello all!  I've been playing with some of the lovely new gardening stamps just released here at The Artistic Stamper to create a gentle tag.  There are some fantastic new releases.  If you haven't seen them yet, do check them out.  So here's my relaxing garden tag - a fairly simple affair, but it gives me lots of pleasure.


I started by putting Distress Ink onto a large acetate gridblock, spritzing it with water and stamping onto a watercolour paper tag.  I did some spritzing and flicking of water to create even more of a textured look.


The fork and spade are stamped in a combination of Coffee and Potting Soil Archival inks and clear embossed.


I stamped the very useful "extra bit of earth" next to the main image, so as to 'fade out' the earth rather than have it stop abruptly.


I added another layer by stamping the tiny bubbles from the Borders 2 plate in colours to coordinate with the background.


The sentiment is from a PaperArtsy set, and is stamped in graduated Archival inks - Cobalt, Leaf Green and Olive, I think, and then clear-embossed as usual.


I tried out a number of different embellishments, but each time I preferred the simplicity of the tag without any extras until I suddenly remembered these tiny wooden confetti circles, hiding in my stash.


I glued them in place and gave them a tiny swipe of Chalk Fresco paint from one angle.


The Distress-dyed ribbons at the top are tied with some Idea-ology paper string, and the whole thing is mounted on some distressed corrugated cardboard for that rustic look.


And that's your lot for today.  Thanks so much for stopping by - your comments and visits really mean so much.
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Well, my grateful thanks for your visits are as true today as they were when I wrote this post.  It's always lovely to hear from you, and I've been so happy to read your comments or just to see the continuing healthy visitor numbers during my enforced absence from Craftyblogland.  It's a pleasure to share the journey with you.  I'm afraid I'm about to set off journeying again, but not for quite so long this time.  I'll miss my craft desk - haven't managed to get there as much as I'd like in this brief visit home - but I wish you happy crafting all!

The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.
Gertrude Jekyll

24 comments:

SewPaperPaint said...

Oh Alison! If this were cake - I would eat it! Yummy, delicious background. The stamping of the dots over the watermark is so so so pretty! What a great way to start my Friday morning. :) You are a never ending source of inspiration, even if it's from a year ago! Thanks so much. Best wishes with your continued travels. I suppose you're in for an overdue break by summer??!!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful sentiment Alison. This is just stunning. Creativity is timeless - so glad to see this post! Autumn is right - YOU are SUCH a fabulous inspiration. Xj.

Tracey said...

Stunning tag Alison & I love that sentiment :o)
Have a great weekend.
Hugs
Tracey
xx

chrissie said...

Always great to see a happy encore. This tag is fantastic with a beautiful quote.

Looking forward to more photographs

Love Chrissie xx

sarascloset said...

Oh, Alison, I do remember this one! Which is amazing, because I don't remember anything! It was beautiful when I first saw it, and even more so today! Thank you for sharing, and I hope to catch up soon. Not much blogging time for me lately (or crafting!). Hugs!

Willy said...

What a beautiful tag, love all the details of it! And what a nice quote!!

Helen said...

good to see this one again, too! Hope you have another good trip; what an exciting time you're having!

Meggymay said...

A beautiful encore tag Alison, it was a lovely quote you used.
Yvonne xx

Vintagehandmade said...

Oh, Alison, you are such an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your stunning tag again! What a perfect quote and a brilliant creation! Love it! Enjoy your trip! Hugs! Branka xx

Astrid Maclean said...

I remember this one as well, just perfect for this time of year and the quote is perfection too!

Brenda Brown said...

Beautiful Alison, love the simplicity and detail of this gorgeous design xxx

maria's knutselplezier said...

Great tag, great words, I just love it!!!

Have fun!!
Maria

Redanne said...

I just remember those glorious bubbles... and the little circles were the perfect finishing touch. I am thoroughly enjoying your encores Alison. Do take care on your next travel adventures! Hugs, Anne xx

craftytrog said...

My favourite kind of background! Great to see this beauty again Alison!

hazel said...

This is such a beautiful tag Alison.
xxx Hazel.

Hazel Agnew said...

This is delightful Alison. Love the graduated colours on the sentiment and the fluffy ribbon topping. Gorgeous! Like Gertrude's sentiment...am hooked on my garden. Xx

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!
There is such a sense of freshness to this. In fact, I am sure I can smell freshly cut grass!
Wishes
Lynne

Sande said...

Clean, Simple and fresh. I love it! Those tiny circle and dot embellishments are sweet. Wonder if I can locate them somewhere.

brenda said...

Not sure how I missed this one Alison, the hues of green merging into blue make the perfect backdrop for the gardening tools.

B x

Sue said...

Ahh true 'Alison' colours! love this one xx

Cocofolies said...

Absolutely exquisite tag Alison.. Love love the colours and the theme. Thank you for this 'Encore' post, this is a true pleasure to visit you as much and as soon as I can, always! :-)
Hugs, Coco xx

Dorthe said...

Hello Alison, I have been with my family for Pentecost, but back home again.
I love the new garden stamps, and also the sentiment stamp, you so wonderfully used with different color tones. The tag rays of spring, with the bright colors, and the wooden confetties, and died seambinding just gives the last great details, to your art work, dear.
Dorthe, xoxo

Diana Taylor said...

Beautiful - such uplifting colours and I love the water effect - it conjures up that wonderful feeling of a light shower on a warm spring day, and working through it rather than trying to keep dry. LOVE it!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Oh! A Spring garden and watching my Dad turn the soil - I can almost smell the earth! Hugs, Chrisx