Hi there!  I didn't make a tag today, I made a card because my beautiful baby turns 18!  I can't believe it!  It seems like only yesterday she was so tiny in my arms.  She has grown into a strong, intelligent and beautiful woman.  Sometimes it's hard for me to accept that she has grown up.  She finds this frustrating, but I know one day she will understand completely.  What I hope she understands today, is how proud I am of her.  No matter how old she is, she will always be my baby, and she will always be the sunshine in my life.

Happy Birthday, Taylor!  I love you so much and I am so happy you happened to me!!!

More fun with foam #onelittletag

Hi there!  My blog today is a continuation of yesterdays post. After getting such a good result with the textured fun foam, I wondered how well my own textured foam would work.  I have several embossing folders with great patterns and thought I could make some interesting textured foam.  I wanted to share my results.  I noticed that the foam I used yesterday was a little thicker than usual, so I adhered 2 sheets together and cut them down to sample sizes.  I chose some of my folders by a few different companies.  I ran them through my Cuttlebug, passing it back and forth a couple of times to make sure there was a good impression.  I used my distress ink and ran it over the foam and put my card on top and rubbed.  One of the bonuses to this method is that you also have the negative image on the other side of the foam, so I tested both sides.

I have to say, I think the textured foam I purchased worked a little better and gave a cleaner image.  But, I do think that the foam I made with the embossing folders gave some very interesting and distressed effects, too.  What do you think?

I'm dying to share my little arty find with you! #onelittletag

How did I get all those yummy textural impressions?  Glad you asked, because I am dying to share my little arty find with you!

I was in the dollar store to get a couple of neck cushions for our flight, and I always have a peek in the craft section.  I was rushing through, but there I spotted it, textured fun foam!  I though it would be great, if it worked, and tossed it in the cart.

Today I pulled it out to give it a try.  I lightly ran my distress ink across the foam and placed my tag on top and rubbed.  I was really pleased with the results!  So. I thought I would share.  I am going to give it a try with my Gelli plate, too, when I get a chance.  I'm not sure if the pattern is deep enough to work with the plate and the paint, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

The sheets are 20 cm x 15 cn (7.8" x 5.9") and there are 2 of each per package.  I may try cutting out different shapes and using them as stamps.  I will let you see how that looks when I do it.
I got my textured foam sheets at Dollarama.  I think they may only be in Canada, but I'm sure this foam must be available in other stores.  So if you like the look of this texture, keep your eyes open in the craft or kids section of your local store.

Tag 3-24 "If Music be the Food of Love" #onelittletag

Tag 3-24 #onelittletag

Okay, back in the saddle.  I missed the acrylic challenge with One Little Tag Craft Challenge, but I am going to do a few at some point, just because I like acrylics.  This weeks challenge is MONOCHROMATIC.

so, for the monochromatic challenge. I used "Picked Raspberry" distress ink for all the sponging, stamping and stenciling. I had to add my white splatters, though. I used my new Graphic 45 Enchanted Forest stamps that just arrived today!

Holiday Haul!

I had to do a little shopping while I was away, and I thought I would post a couple of pictures to share my haul.  That Minc foil in the top photo was my best find, $5 a roll!  I don't even know where to get it here and it's $25 each on Amazon.ca.

Art supplies and craft supplies are my addiction.  It doesn't take much to make me happy or keep me entertained.  Give me a new set of stamps and it makes me very happy, add matching dies and I am in heaven! A tube of paint or a new jar of medium and I am totally inspired!

Drop me off at Michaels and I am entertained for a good couple of hours,.  I am like a kid in a candy store when in Curry's or DeSerres.  I tell myself that since I don't drink or smoke, and I only shop for a good deal, it's okay, but the truth is, it's getting pretty crowded downstairs.  I know many of you will never understand how a new set of mini distress inks can bring such joy, but I know there are also many of you who will get it.  I will never understand why someone would want to spend 4 hours walking around a golf course when they could be painting or making a new tag, so I guess it's all perspective.

As soon as they open up an Art supply Anonymous in my area, I promise I will  attend. 

We are back! #onelittletag

Well, we are back!  We stayed in a resort in Kissimmee, just outside of Orlando. We had some great weather.  One day was a little rainy in the morning (good day for shopping!) and Monday was a little cool, but that was perfect because that was the day we went to Universal Studios.  Universal Studios was very crowded and the line-ups were very long, most of them about 1 1/2 hours.  We thought we would be just missing March break, but, the Florida spring break actually started on Monday!  I was fine with  it, though.  I was there for the kids and I expected it to be crowded and I expected long waits for the rides.

 I did manage to make a few tags while I was away.  My friend said "You don't have to make tags, you're on vacation!" And she was right, I didn't have to, but I wanted to. This is something I am doing because I enjoy it, not because it's a job.  It was a bit of a challenge though, because I didn't take any supplies with me (I knew I would be doing some shopping while I was there!)  I picked up a few things in Michaels in Buffalo before we went to the airport. I got some stamps, but no ink.  I thought I would be able to grab something close to the resort, but Kissimmee is a lot bigger than I thought and we didn't get over to any craft stores until later in the week.  I bought some little tags and some kids water based markers at Target and used those as my ink.

 I lucked out the week I was away. Michaels had it lowest price of the year sale and the original prices were already cheaper than the same products here. So even with the dollar being as bad as it is right now, I still got a good haul!  I also got to check out Hobby Lobby, for the first time.  It was just a quick visit there, but I'd like to go again, sometime.

I picked up this Tim Holtz set before we got on the plane in Buffalo. It came with the stamps, an embossing folder and coordinating dies. I had bought some mini distress inks when I did this tag. I did not have my die cutting machine, so I fussy cut (which I am not very good at!) I had picked up some index cards to use as tags at the dollar store. I put the card in the embossing folder and stood on it and danced around a little bit and Voila!  Coincidentally, these two tags work for the monochromatic challenge of this week at One Little Tag Craft Challenge on FB.

So, I am a little bit behind, but it won't take much to catch up.  It was interesting doing these tags without all my supplies that I have at home.  "Roughing  it" for the week, lol.  You need to be a little innovative.  That would be a good challenge, to limit yourself to a minimal amount of supplies for the week and doing the most you can with what you have.

NOW FOR THE RANT!

This has nothing to do with art or tags.  I am merely venting and totally understand if you are not interested in reading the rest of my post  for today.

We drove down to Buffalo and flew with South West.  We were taking a night flight that was supposed to depart ant around 9:30 pm.  Our plane arrived on time to take us to Orlando, BUT, there was a flight to Fort Myers that had been delayed 4 hours and then was delayed again, so they gave them our plane and delayed us 3 1/2 hours!  I understand that those people had been waiting quite a while and felt bad for them, but I don't understand how the brilliant powers that be, thought it would be better to inconvenience two planeloads of people.  I really wouldn't have minded if it was a lot earlier, but this was a night flight and a 3 1/2 hour delay had a lot more impact. We had checked a few times to make sure we were on schedule before we went o the airport.  They made this decision at the very last minute and we were stuck there until 12:45am.  But the worst part was that we didn't end up arriving at our resort until

5:00 in the morning, so we pretty much lost a whole day.  I will NEVER fly with SouthWest again!  I would have understood if the delay was due to bad weather, or technical issues with our plane, but everything was fine and they just gave our plane away!  So that is my rant, I got it off my chest.  I know this was only one experience, but it left a bad taste in my mouth along with the attitudes of the staff that I spoke with at South West, who basically didn't really seem to care.  Even if they didn't, good customer service would dictate that they at least pretend to!  So, to anyone else using South West, I hope you have better luck than we did.

Which way to the Beach? #onelittletag

Hello, my friends!  I am heading off to Florida tomorrow with my daughter, Taylor.  We are leaving Papa and the boys to take care of things while we are gone. We are hoping for some nice weather. Every time I check, the prediction changes!  Chances are,  I won't be blogging for the next 8 or 9 days.  So I just wanted to let you know that if you don't see me, I haven't abandoned my challenge or my blog.  I'm betting I will come back filled with new inspiration and anxious to get back to both!
I will leave you with some tags that I was working on during the stenciling challenge

. I will consider these tags 15, 16 and 17 and catch up the rest when I get back. I did these while I was playing with stencils, but they actually meet this weeks challenge which is acrylics.  I used interference blue acrylic paint on 15 & 16, and I used gold acrylic paint to paint tag 17 before I added the coarse molding paste that I added red paint (acrylic!) to.
I am going to do a serious acrylic challenge when I get back. I love acrylics and already have some ideas in mind. You will all be onto a new challenge by then, but I don't want to miss this one! See you soon!

Tag 3-14 #onelittletag

Tag 3-14

I heat embossed a few of this image, so I thought I would do another tag with a distress ink background, masking an area for a sun and sponging over torn paper to add some landscape. I did a card similar to this before and liked the effect. I could have spent more time on the background but it's getting late!

Tag 3-13 #onelittletag

Tag 3-13

  I I first painted the tag with gold acrylic paint, then I stenciled over it using coarse molding paste that I added red paint to.  I had this stencil in mind for this stamp, but I didn't want to cover up the black and gold that I did on my last tag. .  I heat embossed my image (which I love) onto vellum and coloured from the back with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.  I adhered the vellum to my stenciled background, added a ribbon and mounted to black card

Tag 3-12 "Gold on Black"

Tag 3-12  "Gold on Black"

Welcome to my blog!  If you are new hre, I am doing a tag challenge on Facebook (One Little Tag Craft Challenge) Hosted by Jenny Barnett Rohrs of Craft Test Dummies.  The challenge is to make a tag a day (or  every few days, or a week, or whatever works for the individual), and the idea behind the challenge is to do something creative every day and keep that creative mojo charged!  I have been doing pretty well, I have a tag for every day (actually more than that), although I haven't done a tag every day.  If I fall behind a day or two, I do catch up.  This challenge, the first I've ever participated in, actually worked very well with my own personal challenge this year.  I had decided that I wanted to complete seven tags and or cards a week.  Not necessarily one a day, and not even necessarily different, just seven, even if they were all the same done on the same day.  Frankly, I didn't think I would do something every day.  Well, I have surprised myself.  For some reason, this tag challenge has been so motivating!  On the days that I don't do a tag, I may get one started, and on the days I don't physically do anything, I am thinking about what I will do.  So, for me, the goal of being creative every day is working out well, so far.  So, I usually post every day or two.  If I am behind, I may do a couple of posts in one day, but I am sharing all my tags.  It is so inspiring to see that people from all over the world are having a look.  This is my first time blogging, as well.  So there may not be hundreds or thousands of views every day, but every one is exciting for me.  So hopefully, you will have a look and if you like what I've been doing, share my artistic journey .

This is one of those tags that I just didn't want to add anything else to. I may at some point down the road, but for now I am going to enjoy it as it is. It is not perfect, it has a few little blemishes, but I am absolutely fine with that. I used gold embossing paste on black card stock using a

Recollections (I think) stencil. My intention was to use it as a background, but I didn't want to cover it up, so I changed my mind and mounted it as it was to another black card.

Tag 3-11 "Fall Day" #onelittletag"

Tag 3-11 "Fall Day" #onelittletag"

Hi there, thanks for stopping by.

Continuing with our stencil challenge this week.  I used my distress ink to sponge in the background, I used burnt umber gesso through the tree trunk stencil, I mixed red acrylic paint in with some coarse modeling paste and ran it through the leaves section of the stencil. I used that same part of the stencil to scatter some leaves on the ground. I used a Penny Black stamp to stamp the birds. I used the stencil and flipped it over to add the shadow, then mounted the tag to black card

Tag 3-10 "Find Your Way" ‪#‎onelittletag‬


Simple tag tonight. Sponged the background with picked raspberry distress ink. I made my own stencil using a punch I have and sponged with wilted violet and blue sketchprint distress inks. Splattered a little water and also splattered some white Dylusions spray. Printed out my words, assembled and mounted to black card.

Tag 3-9 "Bonjour" #onelittletag

Hi there!

This tag was made using one of the backgrounds I created last week using sprays and stencils. I used a Tim Holtz die for the tower and Fleur de lis.  I also die cut them from black card to create a drop shadow.    I used a Spellbinders die for the bee and a Prima stamp. The other tag I made using the spray that was left on the stencil. Instead of cleaning it off, I pressed it on to another tag. It gave a really good reverse impression. I edged it with some distress ink. I think it's really pretty, but not sure how to finish it off, any suggestions?

Tag 3-8 "Seahorse" #onelittletag

Tag 3-8 "Seahorse" #onelittletag

This week is going to be fun, I love stencils! Not only that, but I am going to be able to use a lot of what I did last week, playing with sprays and stencils. But this tag is using one of the watercolour backgrounds I made with Dr PH Martin's Hydrus watercolours, that I have had forever and barely used. I used the crystal gel that I got out for the sparkly shiny week and ran it through my circles stencil and mixed it with some green and yellow embossing paste I had and ran it through the viney stencil.  I die cut the seahorse and sand dollar from a TH die and die some sponging with distress inks. I embossed the seahorse as well to give it some texture. I punched my "coral" from a TH pine branch punch. Some splatter (of coarse) and a bit of gauzy shimmery fabric. Assembled and mounted to black card.  A tag I saw on Pinterest reminded me that I had this die and inspired this tag

Tag 3-7 "Believe in Something Absurd" #onelittletag

Tag 3-7 "Believe in Something Absurd" #onelittletag

Hello! Well this has been a challenging week! Watercolour is a challenge for me, but it has inspired me. I am determined to learn more about it and make it a medium that works for me!

I used distress inks in the background, smooshing them on my craft mat, spraying with water and dragging my tag through it. The circles wre traced from a stencil with portfolio water soluable oil pastels which I moved with a waterbrush. I used my new Dina Wakley stamp. Added my quote, some splatters, markers and gel pen and mounted to black card

Tag 3-6 "Tweet" #onelittletag

Tag 3-6 "Tweet" #onelittletag

This was actually a tag I started a couple of weeks ago, wanting to try out my Koi watercolours. I didn't like it and put t aside. I thought I would try and rescue it, since watercolourr is our challenge this week. I pulled this around a bit and liked it a little more, but then went overboard with the flowers and when into another "I don't like" phase. I did a bit of sponging and added my words. Not my fave, but I guess it's okay. If I did it again, I would skip some, or all of the flowers except for the one the bird was sitting on.  Live and learn. I seem to have a bit of a bird theme going on this week, but it is not by design! Just kind of worked out that way.

Tag 3-5 "Break Out" ‪#‎onelittletag

Tag 3-5   "Break Out"   ‪#‎onelittletag‬
This is another tag I started on Monday while playing with spray and stencils. I cut away some bricks and printed out my words. I trimmed them out and sponged them with distress ink. I sponged around the edges of the tag with distress ink and also sponged in the areas that the stencil didn't cover. I could have trimmed it downbut I thought it just added a bit of interest. I punched the corners and mounted to black card.

Tag 3-4 "Relax" #onelittletag

Tag 3-4 "Relax" #onelittletag

I was running a little short on time tonight, so I used this tag that I started the other night. I embossed in black as a resist and wet the background and dropped watercolour into it. The birds on the wires were from ny stash, as was the word. I did some sponging with distress inks, punched the corners and assembled my tag.

momentwithmimi.blogspot.com

Tag 3-3 :Reflect" #onelittletag

Tag 3-3 "Reflect" ‪#onelittletag

As I mentioned yesterday, after I watercoloured the tag I was working on, I moved on to playing with my sprays and stencils. This is one of those tags. I LOVE how the background turned out on this, I don't know if the photo does it justice. And it was one of those happy accidents. I sprayed using Dylusions, Recolections, Heidi Swapp and Distress Bronze. The stencil lifted and I got a pool of spray on my tag and I tried to sop some of it u...p. You can't really see the original stencil amymore, but I love the effect it created. Then, I sprayed another tag with my TH Brick stencil with the bronze and I used the ink that was left on the stencil , flipped it over and added it to this tag. I added a bit of gold stamping and edging. I have had this fairy i my stash that I coloured and fussy cut eons ago, and she just seemed to suit the background even thogh the colours were similar. I had a quote in mind that suited tis image really well, but I will save it for anither time because I didn't want to cover up any more of the background. "Reflect" is the word that came to mind, so I printed it out, sponged with blueprint sketch distress ink and assembled my tag. I outlined the fairy with my PITT pen and I'm happy

Tag 3-2 "Freedom is a State of Mind" #onelittletag

Tag 3-2 "Freedom is a State of Mind" #onelittletag

Today I was at my art club, so I had a lot of time to play around with watercolours. I have to tell you, I was getting a little discouraged, at first, nothing was working out. I think maybe I should take a watercolour class just to get more familiar with it. After several FAILS, I created this tag using my Prima stamp. I didn't have a reference photo for how to paint the bird but I did the best I could. I added splatters because I love splatters and I added some music notes with my gold ink (i don't know if you can really see that) and edged with gold and distress ink blueprint sketch. When I got home, I added my sentiment (Prima) and the slightest bit of white detail on the feathers with my gel pen. I was so afraid that after all that, I would ruin it with the gel pen, but it worked out okay.  Those little things are actually the most difficult for me with my vision impairment.

  After I finished what I could of this tag at the club, I moved on to y sprays and stencils and had a lot of fun...

Tag 3-1 Lonesome Tree #onelittletag

Tag 3-1 Lonesome Tree   #onelittletag

Wow, it's March already!  Yay!, almost spring!  A new month, a new week and a new challenge. Our challenge this week is to use watercolours, so this is my attempt at some watercolouring. I was playing around with the them, just some inexpensive ones, trying to be nice and loose and not really knowing what I was doing. This is the result.   I added a couple of Penny Black stamps. I don't mind how it turned out. Watercolour is not generally my medium, but that's the great thing about this challenge, it's the perfect venue to reach outside our comfort zones.

Another Month Finished #onelittletag

Another month of tags finished.  I can't believe that I have kept up!  I haven't done a tag every single day (although most days!)  and I often play catch up, but it is definitely keeping me in the creative frame of mind.  That is the whole point.  I have gotten things out from the back of the shelves and given them a little love, have done some experimenting and all-in-all, have been having a good time.

My own personal goal was to do at least seven cards or tags a week.  Not necessarily one a day, and not even necessarily seven different ones, just seven.  This challenge ( One Little Tag Craft Challenge on FB, for anyone new to my blog) has really kept me on track.  Actually, including the bonus tags and the duplicates, I have created 69 tags so far this year!  Wow!

So I would like to thank those of you who have been following along, and invite those of you who have recently viewed my blog to join me on my little tag journey of creativity.  AND my journey into blogging, something I have never done before (being as technically challenged as I am, lol)

Thank you and hope to see you here again soon!  If you like what I have been doing, please share! And if you enjoy making tags or looking at tags, you should check out and join One Little Tag Craft Challenge on FB hosted by Jenny Barnett Rohrs of CraftTestDummies.  It is a great group of talented and supportive and super nice people, and you are welcome to join at any time through the year.  I am enjoying it so much!

Tag 2-29 "Joy" #onelittletag

Tag 2-29 Joy ‪#‎onelittletag‬
Okay, One last Christmas tag to end the month, and no more until the 25th of next month, I promise! Everything from my stash and finishing off the shiny challenge. I used a couple of layered printed Christmas papers for the background. Some die cut elements from my stash. A foiled sentiment that I did the other night. Did some edging with distress ink and gold ink. Assembled and mounted to black card.

Tag 2-28 Christmas Wishes ‪#‎onelittletag

Tag 2-28 Christmas Wishes ‪#‎onelittletag‬
Still have all my Christmas stuff out, so the last couple of tags for February will be added to my Christmas collection. This was another quick one. I used some Recollections holiday shimmer card from a couple of years ago for my background. The deer, cut from black glitter paper were from my stash. The sentiment was foiled on white card and punched out. I added a snowflake punched from glitter paper with a black rhinestone and a few little sparkly embellishments. I punched the corners, mounted to gold foil paper and mounted to black card.