Tim Holtz inspired 12 Tags of Christmas

All over the world there are crafters who log on to the Tim Holtz blog for the first 12 days of December.  Each day Tim gives the instructions on how to make a tag.   Some people make exact copies, some just use the techniques as inspiration for their own tag.  I suppose mine are a mix of the two depending on whether I have the tools and art materials that Tim has used.  I have tried not to buy too many new things but I think Artist Trading Post and Scrap Revolution are probably fairly happy!!!

Tag 1

Tag 2

Tag 3

Tag 4

Tag 5

Tag 6

Tag 7

Tag 7!!!

This was supposed to be a poinsettia tag.  However I didn't read the instructions properly.  The tag was embossed the wrong way round so I put it to one side.  Then I made the tag above and really liked it.   When I realised it looked nothing like Tim's I read the instructions again.  Then tried again.   I didn't finish it because I don't like it.  I'll have to have another go when I feel less pressured.  (No idea when that will be :) )

Tag 8

Tag 9

Tag 10

The reason I've been able to catch up today and blog (without feeling guilty about other stuff I should be doing ~ like going to work!) is that I'm waiting for some parcels to be delivered for church.   They are supposed to here by noon today.  There's 4 minutes left!!!

More online courses

Yesterday I thought I ought to take stock of what I have committed myself to for the next few weeks.   And true to form, I have signed up for four online courses.  Marit's Mixed Emotions started last week and here is the first lesson completed.

Today Dina Wakley's 'Art Journaling 103' started as did Shimelle's 'True Stories'.   I'm already part way through a 'More Handbound Art Journals' course from My Creative Classroom ~ well, the course is part way through ~ I have only downloaded the instructions!

I'm also considering doing another art journaling course called 'Journal Your Dreams'.  Fortunately three of the first four are over by then and the fourth will only have a couple of days left.   That's assuming that I keep up to date with any or all of them!!!

So I'd better get on.  Need to read Shimelle's prompt and get writing!

Learn Something New Every Day

Where has the summer gone?   Not just the weather, but the time!    I can't believe it's been over 2 months since I was last on here.

Still I'm back.  Tomorrow brings the start of Learn Something New Every Day with Shimelle.  I first signed up to this in 2008 and finished the whole month.   In 2009 I did the title page and didn't get any further.

I love online classes and I sometimes finish them.   Over the summer I started 52 Card Pickup and @home with Claudine on Big Picture Scrapbooking.  The former has finished although I haven't!   Claudine's class is continuing for another 3 weeks and I'm already 2 weeks behind.

I have signed up for a few others as well.  But more about them as September continues.   I suspect that by the time we're half way through September one of my LSNED pages will be about taking on too much.

I have done some real life classes during the summer as well including an Altered Book workshop with Anneliese.  

 I'm really taken with the idea of altering books - once I got over the panic about tearing pages out of perfectly good books!   I am well on the way to finishing one altered book (not the one in the photos!) and I decided to do my Learn Something New pages in an altered book instead of scrapbooking like last time. 

I've torn the pages out, glued pages together, painted with gesso and inked.   I've even done the cover.   

So, roll on tomorrow.