Sunday, 21 September 2014

Autumn tag

Hi everybody!

The weather here was mixed again, but mostly grey and a lot cooler. Autumn is on its way! I enjoyed walking around, picking up leaves and twigs, and thinking about what I could do with them.

Some of the leaves I used as masks to make some sprayed backgrounds, others were turned into 'heavy metal' leaves with Embossing powders. I had fun playing, and have some nice decorations to use in crafting.

Today I made an autumn tag. I used an 8" tag, which I distressed with vintage photo, spiced marmalade and rust DIs using the seamless distress method. I did this twice till it had the colour I wanted. When it was dry, I stamped the background with a swirl stamp using archival black. Then I sewed the scraps of coloured burlap onto the tag, and the tag onto some partly peeled corrugated cardboard, which I had inked with rusty screw or something and then embossed around the edges with copper and white EP.

The leaves were rubbed with embossing ink and dipped into Frantage old gold and vintage copper and embossed. It was fun watching them bubbling, and I do love using natural materials and not just bought ones as embellishments. I also embossed some seed pods as 'flowers', and love how they look. I used some fibres, two horn buttons, a few beads and a straw bow to finish it off.
I am linking to  A vintage Journey, colours of autumn, where the dear ladies want to see work inspired and influenced  by Tim Holtz. I have used many of his techniques and products here, but still tried to make an original tag in my style. I am also linking to the ePlay challenge at eclectic paperie - fall







Here are some of the leaves I embossed today, using metallic and hologram EPs.


My thumb nail has become fittingly glittered:


The leaves look good in a vintage glass bowl in leaf form until I use them on my projects.


We had massive towers of cloud yesterday evening:




Have a great day you all, take care, 
and thanks a lot for coming by!

47 comments:

  1. Wonderful Autumn make Valerie-strange I was messing with real autumn leaves today but used something quite different to cover them :) It's a secret at the moment lol.

    Definitely looks very Tim and the sewing add the little extra for me.

    What a beautiful bright sky for you today. Never got bright at all here even the little solar lights have given up the ghost lol

    Have a great evening

    Love Chrissie x

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  2. My solar lights are giving up, too - I think they need more hours of sunshine to light up properly! Glad you like the tag, looking forward to seeing your 'recipe' for the leaves

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  3. Hi Val, this is gorgeous, pure autumn feeling, LOVE it. Was a dull and damp day here too. Those altered leaves are wonderful what a lovely idea! Hugs, Sarah

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  4. Gorgeous layers and wonderful textures Valerie. I love the Autumn and the wonderful warm colours.....your leaves are fabulous. Thank you for hopping on board at A Vintage Journey this fortnight
    Hugs Annie x

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  5. WOW ,das Tag ist SENSATIONELL,genau mein Geschmack.Love it!!!
    habe gar nicht gewusst das sich echte blätter Embossen lassen,dachte die rollen sich zusammen,was hast du gemacht,das das geht??Ich werde es auch mal probieren,das ist spannend an zu sehen.
    Schöne farben auch,einfach eine wunderschöne komposition.
    ich geh jetzt cafe trinken,solche kleider findest du güntzig in kleinanzeigen,ich liebe es auch sehr :-)
    Schönen Abend Dir noch :-)

    GLG Jeannette

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  6. Fabulous tag Valerie, your embossed leaves and flower heads look wonderful and add such texture.
    Must give this a try.
    Gorgeous photos too.
    Avril xx

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  7. Beautiful Autumnal tag Valerie and your leaves look gorgeous.
    Love the photos too and here it's still hot and mostly sunny.
    Hugs, Fliss xx

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  8. Stunning tag! I love the red background and the great texture you've created on these amazing leaves... I adore your techniques. And beautiful sky!
    Hugs, Mar

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  9. Wow Valerie, you have made these leaves even more beautiful by embossing them. Your tag is stunning, I love the colours of autumn. I did smile at the thought of you returning from your walk laden down with leaves and twigs! xx

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  10. Oooooh the colors! The texture! The glitter! Brilliant - and even though I'm not ready for Fall, you make me want to create in those colors. Thanks for the inspiration! Is Tag Tuesday your baby / creation? It's such a cool idea! xoxo

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  11. LOVE what you have done. such fun too - collecting and turning them into fabulous decorations. The tag is gorgeous. I'm sure your crafty kitchen is very sparkly tonight with bits of stray glitter here and there. hugs, Donna

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  12. What a beautiful tag Valerie, I love all of the natural element, the seed pods and leaves look gorgeous. Your heavy metal leaves are brilliant, too nice to use lol xx

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  13. Love how you have been using the leaves, its a great idea, the tag looks fantastic.
    Yvonne xx

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  14. Oh my Autumn goodness! Valarie this tag is totally gorgeous. I love the autumn colors and those leaves are spectacular! Love it! Oh and I love those photos! Happy Sunday!

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  15. Oh Wowzer Valerie. Unbelievable how stunning your tag looks with all those natural colours and leaves. It's totally beautiful. Must have a go at embossing some too. We had a very warm and sunny day here, very unusual for this time of year. Hugs Rita xxx

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  16. Perfect Autumn tag, those brown oak leaves are perfect. Great cloud photos. xox

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  17. Beautiful tag! I like using natural things in my art, too. Gorgeous job on the leaves!

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  18. Hi Valerie, Oh this is just the prettiest fall tag ever. Love your leaves. Natural elements just add to an art piece and you do it so well. Beautiful clouds.
    Have a great day.
    Hugs

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  19. Great tag. I never thought of embossing leaves but man, they come out beautiful.

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  20. Beautiful colours Valerie, just love this and ha I can see you would be like me trying to make a CAS card...love the leaves glitter [and your fingernail polish!] gorgeous photos.The Journey is the Start


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  21. Ein wunder-wunderschönes Tag, Valerie.

    Ich wünsche Dir eine schöne Woche

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  22. OMG, those leave are FABULOUS, Valerie!

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  23. Wow- ein traumhafte Tag!!!! Die Idee, die Blätter zu Engpässen ist ja klasse! Das Sieg so genial aus und macht sich als Demo in der Schale ausgesprochen gut!!!!
    Dir eine schöne neue Woche- liebe Grüße, Dagmar

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  24. This is so pretty! Loved the crisp metallic look of your leaves, the layers and textures of your tag. It was so catchy, I had to drop in! Have a great week.

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  25. Das Tag sieht sensationell aus.. ich bin total begeistert was Du mit den Blättern gemacht hast ist extrem inspirierend Valerie! Fabelhaft! Die Wolkenstimmungen mag ich sehr.. ganz besonders spricht mich der zarte Lichteinfall beim unteresten Foto an! Schööön!
    Eine kurzweilige - gut bewetterte Woche für Dich ♥♥♥
    Ich habe für diese Woche mal wieder beschlossen ---GLÜCKLICH - zu sein!

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  26. Gabsmackingly gorgeous tag!!! All the leaves are so beautiful and the seed heads are amazing. You mmust have a very light touch that they didn't crumle apart. This is one of my most favourite tags of yours. And the leaf bowl with leaves is so pretty.
    Have a lovely week Valerie ((hugs)) xo

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  27. I love that you have used real stuff in your tag, it is beautiful. Autumn is perfect for sparkling metallics. We saw towering clouds at the weekend too. Also had a most spectacular storm on Saturday night to bring summer to an end with a bang! Have a good week.

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  28. Stunning! I love autumnal makes and this is such a beauty!

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  29. A fabulous Autumnal tag Valerie.
    xxx Hazel.

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  30. Valerie, this is just amazing!! I love everything about it! Your burlap, your leaves, your stunning colours! It's all brilliant! hugs :)

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  31. Magnificent tag. All leaves, embellishments and the autumn colours are perfect. Love it.

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  32. Gorgeous tag and the leaves look so beautiful in that bowl. Welcome fall, it is chilly outside today.

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  33. Valerie, your embossed leaves and seed pod are incredible. They made your tag even more special and I enjoyed every step of the process.

    Hugs,
    C

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  34. Excellent Tag Valerie. Very creative and perfect fall colors. - Jim

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  35. Wonderful spiced marmalade tag, Valerie, and this describes your colour of deep orange perfectly. I tried to visualise what was happening with your words first of all but gave up at "rusty screw" and had a sneak peek. Thanks for the close-ups which really show off the marvellous details.

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    Replies
    1. They are he names of the distress inks! The rusty one is really called rusty hinge, I called it screw by mistake. Must have sounded strange if you don't know the names!

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    2. That's really funny, I thought you had been drawing with the point of a rusty nail.

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  36. Stunning tag with all the beautiful textures and colors! Love your gorgeous leaves, they are amazing! Big hugs, ~Diane

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  37. Die Idee, Blätter zu embossen, ist einfach genial.....das Tag ist der Hammer - wenn ich darf, werde ich die Idee mit den Blättern bei Gelegenheit mal verarbeiten - abkupfern sozusagen!
    LG Carmen

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  38. Boah, da fehlen mir mal glatt die Worte. Alleine dein herbstliches Werk ist schon der Hit - aber die Blätter, die sind ja wohl der Knaller. Eine tolle Idee - auf so etwas muss frau erstmal kommen.

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  39. Hi Val, just stopping by to read more on your leaf embossing technique. Wow! Wow! Wow! I am hooked. Would you believe I've never tried embossing, just have no clue where to begin. Any tips?
    Okay, I am reading this post again. :)

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  40. Valerie, I saw your tag on Eclectic Paperie and I just had to visit your blog for a closer look. Those leaves and seed pods are fabulous! Love your background, too!

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  41. Wow what an amazing piece = love the leaves

    x Hilda

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  42. Your leaves are fabulous as is your make! Beautiful, beautiful!
    Sandy xx

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  43. Lovely tag lots of texture and autumn colours loving the leaves Valerie
    MaggieH

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