Mixed Media Tim Holtz Etcetera Tag with Graphic 45's Couture

Its always fun to pull out an old collection and see what happens, and so I did!  This is Graphic 45's Couture collection from 2013 and it's a favorite of mine.  I started out with a medium sized Tim Holtz Etcetera tag.  (They are great tags and at 6.5" x 12", there's lot of room for your art!)

I started out by stenciling on a background and then added color with Distress Oxide Inks and paints.  

Couture has plenty of great images for fussy cutting and I added some of them on the right side.

A large floral cluster at the botttom left and the top right give the tag just the right symmetry.

 I added extra sparkle to the flowers by edging them with Stickles.

 Flowers and a bow make the upper corner stand out.

 There's even a secret pocket on the tag that's made from a cut-apart.  I matted the cut-apart on a larger piece of design paper and popped it all up with dimensional foam, creating a pocket.

Now, I like to recycle, so I used a packaging tag from Graphic 45 to fit a secret tag inside the pocket.  I die-cut a tag cover using G45's new regular tag die and covered the recycled tag with Couture design paper.  The new G45 dies are fabulous, there's a die for each of their tag sizes, a clock, gears, and flowers!  Love them all!

As a finishing touch, I sprayed it all over with Therm-o-web Iridescent Glitter Dust, it makes the whole tag all sparkly and glamorous!

I often get asked, "what do you do with those tags?"  I have several thoughts on that and one of them being that it doesn't have to have a purpose, it's the act of creating that is important to me.  I've made something I like and it's pretty.  Maybe I'll hang it in my studio or I might gift it to someone special with a message on the hidden tag.  I might attach it to a present.  Wow, think how pretty this would look on a simply wrapped gift.  And, if someone looks at it and says they love it, well it might just go home with them!  It's all about the creation, it doesn't have to have a reason for being!

Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate it so much.  xxoxox

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Couture Collection

Graphic 45 Staples Regular Tag

Graphic 45 Staples Regular Tag and Gears Die

Crafters Workshop Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste

Tim Holtz Medium Etcetera Tag

Distress Oxide Ink