challenges

Holiday Tags Reveal – pt 2

I really like this tag. The mistletoe cut is from a collection I found at Creative Fabrica. The embossing was done using an old border folder and the “merry Christmas” was done using the Foil Quill. Half pearls and some metallic thread and a glittered star round out the rest of the details for this tag. It would also work as a panel for a future card — maybe next year’s card… we’ll see.

Digital image from Creative Fabrica. The plaid is from an old Carta Bella Christmas/Winter collection. I did use an old background stamp for the base of the tag and added some cuts in the plaid for trim. The digital image is propped on a wobble and it’s fun to watch it shiver and shake!

Over the course of the years, I’ve tried to include one tag that has some interactive component – music, lights, wobble, motor, etc. This year, I opted to use a chibi light on a reed switch circuit. The last time I tried that particular circuit I couldn’t get it to work… this year, it worked on the first try! I’ve had some fun with it and the bar magnet was a perfect tool for the on/off switch! I’ll be using that circuit again for sure. The tag shape was created using shapes in the SCAL library. I used two layers of foam tape to allow for the depth of the switch and battery. Since the switch is generally in the off position, the battery lasts much longer than if I was using a regular circuit and a switch at the battery.

These tags are always fun to make. Hopefully, next year, we can bypass the pneumonia and other issues and just have time to play and create! I’m looking forward to it!

3 Fall Tags 2025 – Tag 3

I saw something similar a few weeks ago on Pinterest and thought I would try my hand at doing something like it for my final tag in this challenge.

I drew and colored the bat in Procreate. After saving it as a png, I was able to do a little final editing in Photopea (an online photo editing program-free) before importing into SCAL. I did hand cut the white portion of the eyes so I could put a small piece of vellum behind that now open space with the goal of adding lights* to the tag.


For the remaining pieces of this tag, I used basic shapes from the SCAL library and added some fun papers using the Pattern command option. It’s so much fun to play with. The papers are from Echo Park (I Love Halloween Mega Collection). Everything in this matting was set to print 2 cut and the easy step by step process works magically each and every time! I added some inking to add a little more interest and texture before putting the tag together.

*The light is from Pear Blossom Press. I used the EZ-Light version. It’s an all in one unit with 3 lights each and the packaging also includes the batteries. The word PRESS is a stamp from TLC Designs. They’re perfect for interactive cards as well as indicating where the ‘button’ is on a light up card or tag.

These tags and several others can be found on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eclipsecal
We have some amazing artists on the page and since I’m writing this a little early — my hopes are that we’ll have several of them participating again this year!

3 Fall Tags – Tag #2

This tag combines creating some shapes in SCAL, using some older tools and materials as well as some digital paper from Echo Park.


The crow and cup are made using and combining some basic shapes, detailing with a pen and some Wink of Stella. The cup is heat embossed using a long retired Stampin’ Up! stamp circa 2005 (Fun Filled). Then the color is added to the cup base and handle. Facial features are water colored and popped up with some foam tape – the piece behind the crow and cup is a print 2 cut element that is also splattered with a little bit of color and a water brush. It was fun using the line found in the SCAL library and duplicating it to fill in the row. Save as a group – then you can easily duplicate and center each of the groups as needed around the edge of the rectangle.
The back piece is a simple rectangle filled with some digital paper with some eyelets added in each of the four corners. That Silent Setter came in very handy again for the small eyelets!
As a final touch, a cute little sentiment strip to finish things off after placement on the kraft gift bag.

3 Fall Tags – Tag #1

It’s that time of the year again… the weather is changing, it’s football season and it’s finally getting cool again. I love Fall! Lots of good memories – leaves changing colors, bon fires, s’mores, hot chocolate and soup weather! And creating some fun tags of the season.

This year, I’m trying some new to me stuff including making sketches, using SCAL and some other software to design some elements as well as use tools and other stuff that haven’t seen the light of day for a while. This tag involves pulling a few things from the drawers and cupboards! I’ll bet you’ll be able to recognize a few of them!

Stamps (Stampin’ UP! retired), embossing powder (heat embossing), embossing folder (Cuttlebug, retired), inks and of course digital images from Sandra Createinspain. And to finish, some Mod Podge for a little shine and a bit of ribbon make up this tag.

a little more Halloween fun!

It's been a fun week in the studio.  I've enjoyed nearly every minute and even learned a new technique along the way that I've been able to incorporate into the projects I've been working on.  

Check out these cuties:  The original file is from Simply Crafty SVGs and is called the 3D Round Ornament Gift Box.  You'll find it here… all adaptations are mine and are not included with the original file.  when completed the boxes do not open.  

The pumpkin …

Punkin

has some additions after making as shown in the video on Sandy's site.  I inked the ornament heavily and then glued the two halves together. 

This box will not open and is for decorative purposes only.   
For the paper twist stem:  Untwist and "wrap" around the area where the hanger would be.   Glue in place.  I used Bearly Art Craft glue.  Hold in place until the glue dries a bit. 

The eyes are: 1/2 of a small styrofoam ball.  Just cut the ball in half and do a little rolling and molding to get them shaped as you'd like.  Wrap in crepe paper, glue and ink around the edges.  I chose hot glue to hold the eyes in place.  

The nose is a bead from my stash.  I made sure the hole was on the side and because of the solid  color of the bead, it is barely visible.  

The mouth is a piece of Paper Yarn that I made using some crepe paper and a drop spindle to "spin" the yarn and then dyed with ink.  I added some "stitching" lines after the "yarn" was glued in place with a thin line of hot glue.  

The green ornament is made the same way — halves glued together and lots of inking. 

Greenie

I did add some brown/grey moss to the neck of the ornament for a little more texture and interest.  The bugging out eyes are definitely fun and while I didn't ink around the edges, you definitely could if desired.  

Lastly for this post, I have used the Round Candy Box also from Simply Crafty SVGs and you can find it here.  I did alter the panel on the box and it was really easy to do so in SCAL 6 (you don't have to have the PRO version to do that either).  Ink the pieces of the box before assembly.  I added a strip of paper yard that I'd dyed black using ink and then filling in some areas with a black alcohol marker (Spectrum Noir).  The facial features are from a collection I found at Creative Fabrica.  You'll find it here but you'll need an all access subscription to get the best deal on this and thousands of other files you'll find you can't live without!  :)  Enabler Alert!

Frankie1
Lift the lid for more: 

Frankie2

I used permanent vinyl.  I did make an error when matting the white vinyl pieces, but decided not to mess with it and recut before layering and applying the vinyl — I kind of like the way it looks not being lined up perfectly.   I placed the eyes  of the facial details under the stitched paper yarn and the mouth on the box base – it's hidden until you open the box.  It was fun and something I've not seen done in a long while.  
Here's a quick video:  https://youtube.com/shorts/P8SxoSBgkEw?si=NbXJUyFqQePtQhLd

More coming soon….  Hoping you're enjoying some creative time!  Nurture your soul for a while today!

3 Summer Tags for 2025 – Tag 3

It's the final day of this year's reveal.  I've been impressed with all the tags that have been shared on our Facebook page for this challenge.  Looking forward to seeing today's grouping!  

Lemonade and some variations of lemonade are my favorite drink of the season.  I decided to create something that reflected that for my last tag this year.  The  mason jar file is from SVGCuts.  I've had it for ages and I'm really happy with how this one cuts and is so adaptable.  

IMG_1279

I think it's fun when you can use your stash to create something fun and playful.  I did use pattern fill for the straw (a simple narrow rectangle) and cut a second mason jar shape which was altered to add a layer of lemonade to the original base shape.  The cap is a scrap of some patterned paper that I've added some yellow ink to to have the background not be quite so stark.  The ice cubes are cut from vellum and I've added some lemon slices made of polymer clay to the bottom of the jar with a heavy body glue.  I'd originally planned on doing a shaker, but decided against that after the fuse tool wasn't doing a clean shape for me this go round.  I'll try again in the future to use the fuse tool as it's worked with previous projects with no problem.  I added a hanger of cotton twine to the back of the tag and there's sufficient space for some personalization on the back .