#8 Calendar Tags...April Showers

I joined a swap on Creativeblock-Stampers Anonymous(a Yahoo group) this year to create calendars made from #8 manilla shipping tags.  The group is a restricted to using primarily Stampers Anonymous stamps on the projects and shares what we make.  While this can be a little restricting it promotes sales and use of the Stampers Anon stamps and products.  I own quite a few sets of stamps by SA in the Tim Holtz and Dylusions ranges and started buying them because they are so well cut and I like the subject matter of the stamps...  I have been in a good number of swaps on this group and love the work and interaction with many of the artists in the group.  Check it out...

This swap was for 12 like tags and you got to choose the month that you wanted to make.  I got to the game a little late in signing up and the month of April was the only month left but I think I did fairly well with what I came up with....

Now you probably don't need an enlarged view of one tag to get the gist of the project but if you have old eyes like mine you probably need it to see the sparkles in the hair, the buttons I covered with Glossy Accents, and the details of the little things I did to the tag...I used mainly Ranger inks and Dylusions to create these tags.   Dylusions (c) is an group of awesome products designed and created by Dyan Reaveley who owns a teaching studio and store in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK.  To say Dyan is eclectic would be missing the boat by a few minutes.  IMHO she is to funky art as Tim Holtz is to grunge.  Her products are bright and quirky and a lot of fun to use and create with.  Dyan has a mental illness that she brings out in most posts because she wants people to know that it is an illness not a limiter to arts.

The details...

I used a stamp set by Dylusions called Ruby Rainbow...don't you just love that name... to stamp the image on a white #8 shipping tag with Archival Black ink.  I used Distress Ink Markers Barn Red, Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw and Stormy Sky to color most of the girls clothing and umbrella.  The skin and eyes are done with Spectrum Noir alcohol makers,  Sharpie Fine Marker in black, Signo Uniball White pen for highlights.  The back ground was distressed in Stormy Sky and water spritzed to give image of rain.  The vine was then stamped on in Mowed Lawn and flowers are made using Liquid Pearls.  I used Stickles Red glitter glue to make the hair beads and Glossy accent to pop the buttons up.  Ribbon is Stampin Up!

I decided to name this tag April Showers...appropriate don't you think!