Friday 31 March 2017

watercolour tag with oxides

It's Friday #5 for March and when that happens over at AVJ we have a Tag Friday post (there are usually about 5 of them a year so are something that's just a little bit special).
Of course we get to create whatever we like so I had to have a vintage playtime. 
Don't you think the background looks a bit like an old very distressed wall paper?


I cut my own tag from a piece of heavy watercolour paper and stamped it using picket fence distress paint.


I dipped it several times in iced spruce and walnut stain oxides, drying inbetween dips, until I was happy with the background and then just blended a little of each colour around the edges. I also wiped over with a damp baby wipe which helped bring the pattern back to life.


To create the collage I gathered some ephemera from the new Tim Holtz collector layers set and from previous collections of his as well as some small paper offcuts and also I took one of Tim's paper dolls (kindly sent by a lovely friend I caught up with in Birmingham last month). I bought some of the gorgeous quote chips with the ephemera and chose one of them too.


Here you can see more of that background poking through around the girls' feet and the fabulous dimensional word chip.


I wanted that shabby vintage feel to this project so I added a  dyed seam binding bow and just glued it to the top.


I have to say I was really quite please with the effects.


I had dyed a piece of lace and gathered a couple of other bits to use but in the end I opted to keep it less cluttered as I really wanted that background to show through.


I'm so happy to have had this vintage playtime and use the oxides again, they really do have a wonderful chalky finish to them. For more amazing inspiration do pop over to the AVJ challenge blog to see what all the other amazing Creative Guides have made - you are sure to find something you like.

Have a great weekend.

hugs Brenda xxx



30 comments:

Juls said...

Gorgeous xx

Julia Aston said...

Wonderful soft muted colors on this Brenda! Your background is beautiful, love the layers of papers and the sweet girls, the big brown bow on top is the perfect finisher! Julia xx

Gina said...

Love the effect you got on this tag...*says the women who takes photos of the torn stained paper in old houses* :D XXX

Dortesjs said...

This is fabulous, beautiful colours and great texture

Words and Pictures said...

Stunning, subtle background work (always forget about that lovely stamp!), and the collaging is perfection as always. I absolutely love this tag.
Alison x

froebelsternchen said...

I am in love with the background and the whole tag makes me just HAPPY! Gorgeous!
Happy weekend Brenda!

Jane said...

I love your stunning background and yes I can transport myself back to old wall paper on my dear old granddad's walls. Your tag is just gorgeos, I love those paper dolls....I must get some. Have a wonderful weekend my friend xxx

Redanne said...

Just like Alison, I always forget this lovely stamp too! The background really does look like vintage wallpaper and I love your colour choices, they go so well together and the dolls look beautiful on top! Love this! Hugs, Anne xx

S@ndy Diller said...

Great tag Brenda, yes - the background does look like old wallpaper. So nicely done and the paper dolls are so sweet. Hugs, Sandy

Jennie Atkinson said...

Absolutely stunning Brenda! The background is just wonderful - the pattern showing through the gorgeous blended Oxides. I think those colours are on my list now! And then .... gorgeous embellishing. It really is beautiful and no wonder you loved it! Have a great weekend x

Susan said...

Oh, how I love this piece, Brenda! Love that the beautiful background shows up so well! Those little girls are perfect!

A Pink said...

Your vintage playtime resulted in a stunning result! Brenda . Adore the background and your collaged ephemera embellish it just perfectly.
LOVE!
Hugs x

Scrapintheattic.com said...

That background is genius, love the colours and resist. Beautiful x

Lisa said...

Wow, this is so gorgeous!! The background does look like vintage wall paper!! The colors are amazing!! Those two girls are so cute!! The layering is perfect as always!! What a beautiful tag this is!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

Lisa
A Mermaid's Crafts

Marci said...

Lovely, soft, antique looking tag.

Meggymay said...

Its a gorgeous vintage tag Brenda, a super background with the new inks.
Yvonne xx

Littlelamb said...

This is a gorgeous tag. Love the background and really everything on it. Thank you for sharing.

Patty O'Malley said...

Fabulous tag, Brenda! Love the background!

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Great tag Brenda and that is one of my all time favourite stamps. Happy crafty weekend, Angela xXx

Jackie PN said...

OMGosh Brenda! this is gorgeous and absolutely does look like old wallpaper! How clever!!
May I ask if you prefer working with watercolor paper and these Oxides or tag material? Still haven't opened mine yet, been too busy with yard work, so excited to give them a go!
Thanks so much for sharing your art and inspiration!
hugs,Jackie

Hazel Agnew said...

I love how you have built this up but managed to maintain a gorgeous simplicity Brenda. It's beautiful! Xx

sarascloset said...

Yum! loving that Distress paint resist background with the Oxides blended on top. Yup, vintage wall paper for sure and I LOVE it! Your collage is just perfect as always! I wish I could get this collage thing! Fabulous work of art, Brenda!

Astrid Maclean said...

LOVE that Oxide combo on top of the resist, such a yummy background, and of course you finished all just brilliantly, love this gorgeous tag!!

Nikki Acton said...

Oh wow - that background is gorgeous! A technique to bookmark for when I actually get hold of Distress Oxides! LOL xx

SewPaperPaint said...

Brenda, this resist really amazes me! I have that stamp and want to try this right away. STUNNING!!! <3 Hugs, Autumn

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow ! That background is wonderful on its own! Love this tag! Chrisx

Mrs.B said...

Beautiful tag, the distressed background looks fabulous. Love it.
Avril xx

Deb said...

What a stunning tag Brenda, adore the paint stamped background surmounted by those delicious vintage Oxide colours, it really does look like aged vintage wallpaper, love it! The layers of collage and your adorable Paper Dolls finish it to perfection, don't you just love those Quote Chips? I am quite addicted to them! Can't wait till I can get my hands on the Oxides and Paper Dolls to have a play too, thank you so much for the fabulous inspiration! Deb xo

Jenny Marples said...

I'm not often at a loss for words but there don't seem to be many adequate enough to describe the beauty of this tag. You've chosen the perfect stamp combo to play with the oxides and layered it so sympathetically - LOVE it xx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Completely gorgeous. I love the wallpaper look background with these girls!