Alcohol Inks And Corrugated Card In The Garden. . . .

Morning everyone. It's a beautiful sunny day where I am but having already been outside - it's not as warm as it looks and the clouds are trying hard to spoil the Spring sunshine!

I've made a garden based tag with some alcohol ink mosaic pieces mounted on some corrugated card. I even used some twigs I've saved from the gorgeous flowers my daughter sent me for Mother's day!

I'm going to enter my tag at Artful Times for their Alcohol Inks challenge. I love this challenge blog and you really should pop over there if you've not been before. Everyone is so friendly and their challenges are always great fun.

There are two other challenges, one at Eclectic Paperie which is to use Corrugated Card/Cardboard. The other is the Craft-Room challenge who ask that we go 'Into the garden' and make anything but a card. Right up my street then! I've never entered either of these challenges before but have seen some of the inspirational DT work and thought I'd like to have a go.

Here's my tag - hope you like it:

The top layer of the tag is watercolour paper and the first thing  I did was to make a background using various shades of watercolour wax crayons.

Three tiles were made using Tim's Shrink Mosaic technique and alcohol inks. I don't have a melt polt so some scary heating of utee was done in a foil dish! (you can easily find this method in one of Tim's books or on his blog).

Close up to show the colouring on the shrink plastic tile done with acohol inks and the image stamped onto tape at the back.
You will also notice here that a piece of corrugated card has been usded as a backdrop for the tiles. This was treated to some Fresco paints and some distress inks to achieve the look desired. The tiles are then placed onto card which has a piece of chicken wire to stay in line with a 'garden' theme.
The twigs are real but rather delicate - I have no idea what plant they're from though. (Thanks Rebecca!!)

Some die cut lace (watercolour paper) was coloured with matching shades to the main tag. It was double embossed with clear EP. Whilst the second coat was still liquid, the lace was over stamped to add interest.

Various stamps and different kinds of inks were used in the background to achieve the desired look.

At the top of the tag, a bookplate die cut was used to add interest. This was coloured and stamped using some matching inks and images to the main tag. Finally, two layers of clear EP were added.
Some chunky and fine jute twine were used at the top of the tag to finish the look - this also stays with the garden/natural theme.

Close up to show background layering with colours, different inks and stamps. I did notice the little bird is much tinier than the bee but decided it's ok in a make believe garden shot!

Another shot to show detail and how the tag changes colour from dark green to brilliant blue as it goes up the tag. This is the central area and therefore distance is indicated by the lighter colours.

That's me for today! I had a great deal of fun making this tag and do please let me know what you think, if you have time. Oh yes, the sun has disappeared since I started writing this post and we are back to dull grey skies - no change there then!