Magic Numbers

I have to say a BIG thank you to PaperArtsy and Gillian for their inspired play along tutorials.  The simple pleasure of thinking; gosh I haven't played with xxx for ages or ummm, what would be my take on that idea?

So Helen's playtime with Portfolio Pastels and sandpaper has been one of those gosh I haven't played with that product moments. 

In the week I made the tag. Painting the tag white first really does help to give a neutral starting point.  I used all the browns and just scribbled them on with some dark red and them rubbed with my finger to blend them.  Gave it a bit of heat to sort of sink it into the tag but because it had been painted first it didn't sink all the way (you know what I mean don't you?).  I then used a sanding block to lay into it, it just immediately lightened it, scratched it back to the white and really gave it a worn distressed look. Heated it again just to set it.

Added some harlequin stamping from Letters 5 plate with Archival Magenta Hue (I was patient and let it dry and I think because I'd heated it it set).  I did rub some of the ink of at the edges with a baby wipe.  I then stencilled over the top with Claret and French Roast Fresco, let it dry and gave a light rub with a sanding block. Finally added some alphabet stamping from Words 3 in Archival Blue Violet.

Taking advice from Twitter I decided not to add anything else to the tag, it really did / does look great on its own and I didn't want to hide any of it with further stamping or embellishment.  So it could have just ended up pinned to my noticeboard in my craft room (there are a lot of tags pinned up on that board), but I wanted to make SOMETHING with it.

So today (Saturday morning) as we are covered in a good blanket of snow and there was no way I was going to venture out in it, I decided to think about finishing of various projects including this large tag.  

I had a root around trying to find a background big enough to take the tag. Decided against a fabric background (another idea for another tag!) I found a large IKEA frame - perfect.

On some Kraft card I brayered Nougat over it, not too heavy and not all over I still wanted to see some of the Kraft at the edges. Scrubbed over some Claret with both a stencil brush and some foam.  I didn't want a heavy layer so made sure I took off most of the paint on a baby wipe before adding. I then stencilled Claret through the bingo stencil and French Roast through the dots stencil.  I kept sanding with a sanding block between layers to soften everything. Scuffed the edge of the card and added Walnut Stain to frame it and then adding a further frame by stitching round the edge in brown thread.  Added some pink and claret sari silk and then added the tag over the top.

The frame was painted in Nougat with bits of Claret and French Roast dry brushed on and some stamping in Claret (basically spritzed the semi dried blob on my craft sheet with water and used that) using the numbers mini stamp 22.

I really had fun playing with Portfolio Pastels again and I'm glad I followed my instincts (and the lovely advice I got) and didn't add anything else on top.  Instead I added it all underneath!  There is another Pan Pastels tag or two waiting to have SOMETHING done to them as well.  This time I will stamp on them!

Hugs
jo
xx