12 tags of 2012 ~ july

i really loved the technique tim used for this month's inspiration...he dripped some alcohol ink onto glossy paper and, with a blast of air, made some beautiful splatter effects! my challenge was to figure out how i could make these same effects without alcohol inks because i do not have any nor do i have a store near that sells them. i also had to decide what theme i wanted my tag to be since tim's was 4th of july and it was well after the holiday when i got started on my re-creation.

i wanted to use my umbrella man stamp since i love it but had never used it. with this i thought a background of different blues would look best and to achieve the same splatter effect i went with watered down acrylic paint and homemade glimmer mist.

i matted the glossy paper on kraft paper and then some white paper with a blue core (which i sanded and distressed). i really wanted to find a quote that i thought would work well with this tag.....

.....this same day was when i found out that lennox, a dog in northern ireland, had been killed after his family battled for his release for 2 years. i wanted this tag to remind me of lennox. i wanted it to remind me that things are not always fair, life can be hard, but it is important to have hope. it is important to live life to the fullest, accept others for who they are, to be thankful for what you have, and help those who are in need. yes, rain will fall, but the sun will also shine!!! lennox was sunshine...he was kind and gentle until the day he died - regardless of the injustices done to him. this tag will hang in my craft room and forever remind me of him and all the other *lennox's* of the world.

project #15

i am finally getting caught up with posting my design team projects! we will be starting #17 soon so i am not too far behind :) hope you like!

made with love (and paper) design team
june 1, 2012
theme: independence day
requirements: red, white, blue, stars, stripes, glitter

i made a 2 page layout featuring our 4th of july get-together. we had it at my mom and stepdad's house with my sister and her family and my dad and stepmom. it was a really fun time!

for the bbq i made red, white, and blue devilied eggs and some yummy yellow cupcakes with strawberries, blueberries, and cool-whip! sooooo yummy! the pics below are of my bf and brother-in-law getting the grill started and everyone enjoying all the great food!

then i added pics from the fireworks show {which i attended even though i hate fireworks!} there is my stepdad, my brother-in-law and niece, and my bf and me. on the tag i wrote out the very beginning and ending of the declaration of independence. i also got to use my 4th of july stamp and embossed it with 2 different colors...that was fun!

i also had a really great time using my distress inks and distress tool as well as mixing some patterned papers. here's to hoping this summer is as fun as last year's!