My first tutorial!

I love to find inspiration in the work of others, and I have to say I am a HUGE fan of Tim Holtz, as an artist, and as a person. Now, I've never met the man, but I stalk his blog a few times a day hoping for some insight into his latest, greatest stuff, and to see if he has a new tutorial up. Today, I watched his Cosmo Cricket tag tutorial, and wanted to give it a try. Also, over at Club Scrap they are having a stencil challenge this week, so I thought I would combine the two, and give you a glimpse into just how I make stuff. Ready??

I grabbed a big tag and used it as a template to make a tag out of patterned paper and regular cardboard. *notice how clean my workspace starts out, that'll change quickly!


Tear the patterned paper on an angle, not too much, but enough for the cardboard to show through.


Tear the top layer of the corrogated cardboard open, exposing the wavy bumpy stuff underneath. I like to use my scissors (closed) to start the distruction.


Hold the patterned paper against the cardboard to see if you've destroyed enough of the top layer. Once you're happy, it's time to get our fingers messy!


Place your stencil over the paper and apply clear embossing ink, covering the stencil too. Don't try to get it in the little spaces, you can wipe it down when you're done pouncing.
I have yet to find an embossing ink I like, so I use the Palatte glue pad, not that I'm thrilled with that either, but it has worked the best for me. I pounce it over the stencil, and don't bother heating it, since it's wet already.

Cover the wet areas with CLEAR embossing powder. I use this so often, I was sick of sticking it back in the jar, so I dumped it into a plastic container with a lid (and secure with a rubber band) Works soooooooo much easier!
Gently tap off the excess.


Using your heat gun, moving it slowly, but constantly, heat the powder until it melts and begins to shine. Not too much or you'll burn it up. You want it to remain raised.
If you're new to heat embossing, notice how it changes from white to clear...oooooohhhhhh.
Give it a minute to cool before you touch it or you'll burn yourelf.


Done embossing for now, and it's all pretty and clear.


You've done all that work, and now you're gonna paint over ALL OF IT!
Find a paint you like and cover the whole thing.
*Please trust me on this


Now, some people wait until it's totally dry, but I get so nervous I can't wait. Use a towel to rub the paint off the surface of the tag. The embossed areas act as a RESIST, and literally resist the paint. the paper is dry and soaks it up 1-2-3, so the color stays on the paper, but not where you used your stencil...oooohh#2! I used a damp cloth, because I wanted some of the paper to show where it wasn't embossed.


Paint: With a dry brush
In one direction
Not overlapping
with black.


Buff again, to get the effect you want.


Take your handy-dandy distressing tool and roughen up the edges. I run it a few times over the blades, but keep an eye on it. You can go from distress to destroyed in no time. Oh, please make sure the tag is dry when you do this, or big big problems and tares and bad stuff ...


Hurray!!! Finally time for some ink. Since I used black paint, I grab some Black Soot distress ink, and apply it to the distressed edges of my tag. I try to make the edges the darkest part of the tag, to indicate shadow. Since I used black as a shadow on the tag, I need to stick with black for the edges.


Ok, go put that aside for awhile, it's time to give some attention to the cardboard. Cardboard is an awesome, practically free medium to work with, and so often we overlook it. 3 cheers for the cardboard!!!! Hip hip hurray, Hip hip.... ok ok. On my craft sheet I drop some brown paint next to the black. Dab your brush into both, but don't mix them. You want the randomness. Paint your cardboard tag where you tore it.


Paint the edges as well, and when that dries, paint the back. I often spritz the paint when it starts to get low with water, to stretch it for the back of the tag. Gives it more of a wash than a paint. Whatever you like, it's your tag.


When the paint is dry, lightly sand the tops of the ridges with a fine grit sandpaper.


Adhere both tags together.

I know you don't need to see me apply adhesive to the tag, but I love the little skully's with their rhinestone eyes, I had to show off my ATG gun, and the camera was right there. Staz-on will keep them there indefinately.


Grab the manilla tag you used as a template way back in step 1, and use it again as a guide where to punch your hole. *The pink thing is a crop-a-dial *Look at the desk now, messy messy.


I painted a bit of the torn cardboard that came off when I was destroying it, and placed it over the hole. I like to use the end of a paintbrush to widen the hole, and roughen it, so it doesn't look lik a clean punch.


I set my tag next to the background paper it's going to go on for my layout. Turns out, it's way too bright, so I have to tone it down a bit with some pale yellow.


I want to add an image to the front, as a focal point, and decided on a stamped, heat embossed image which matches the 12x12 background paper. I stamp with clear, because it's right there, &this time I sprinkle gold embossing powder, shake off the excess, and put it back in the jar. Grab the heat gun and melt away until it's very bright and raised. I gotta say, I love the way gold embossing powder smells when it melts..mmmm


Just like before with the blue, cover the entire image with black paint.


Buff as before, and the gold will come out of hiding. I love this part because I convince myself every time I've messed it up, then I realize it's fine, and so cool.


I set the tag against my 12x12 and decide the colors are great, but we need a little bit more.


I add wooden beads with glossy accents, and paper rolls tied with beading thread. A few strands of ribbon and fiber from the stash, and Voilla! Now if you've stuck with me this long...leave me a comment, and in honor of Tim, I'll pick a name at random and send you the tag!