...Aug '09 release Day 2. Christmas!!

Ed - I should have mentioned, for anyone who's new here - I will be showing samples on my blog for the next few days relating to the four new Clear Stamp sets that I will be releasing at the end of the week! Check back often to join the fun - tomorrow is a competition day!! The stampsets will be available to US, Canada, Australia, Europe and UK/Ireland too! If you are from somewhere else, pop me an email!

So, who likes to colour in?

Me.

I've been looking for a set like this since I started stamping. Couldn't find it. I love a nostalgic Christmas and all of the comfort and fuss of vintage ephemera. I wanted to be able to build Old-Fashioned tags, in a decent size and now I can!

The tag you see above uses the large tag frame stamp, which co-ordinates with a spellbinders die.( Largest die in small labels set) But you don't need one to make a tag. The rectangular shape makes cutting out easy and corners can be snipped off or left on. The tag above measures 2 and 5/8 inches by 3 and 3/8 inches.

I used the 'HO HO HO' sentiment and stamped some single holly leaves, which were then cut out and fixed in position with glue. Holly berries cover the ends.

The tag is colored with copics except for the centre oval and the edges which are sponged in Antique and Tea dye distress Inks. TIP - the centre oval is exactly the same size as a spellbinders classic oval (3rd from smallest on the larger set.) I cut a mask from a post it note using this die and used it to protect the copic coloured area while I sponged the centre. This is also going to be very handy if I want to make a layered tag!!

I stamped and colored two tags - cut them out with the die and then stuck them back to back before punching a little hole for ribbon in the space provided by the design. A little gold ribbon to finish. I hear Gina K sells heavy cardstock that doesn't show bleed through from copics should you need to make a tag from a single layer of card.

I think these tags would make excellent cards/scrap embellishments, possibilities are endless!

This might just be my favourite stamp set so far.

The Very Vintage Christmas stampset features a customizable tag design, with multiple sentiments set in antique fonts. But that's not all.

There is also a complete tag design, ready to stamp and a nifty little collection of stamps designed to allow you to create some beautiful antique style snowflakes, plus a preformed snowflake for when you just don't have time. Plus Holly (antique version and a plain version) and a few little mini flourish accents, Oh! and a couple of borders too!. Phew - the hoops I jumped through getting this all to fit in one set.

I am very pleased with this set and I think it represents fantastic value, given all of the potential - the tags can also be used on christmas cards/scrap pages and since all the sentiments are separate stamps - they are ideal for cards/scrapbooking aswell.


This card uses the 3 different sizes of snowflake 'legs' and the snowflake 'centre' that come in The Very Vintage Christmas stampset. (Thanks to Beverly of Precious Scraps for the page pebbles!!!) From the pictures below you can see how you start with the snowflake centre (could also be used as a mini snowflake) and stamp it in the postion of where you want the snowflake to be. This example shows it places above the word Christmas. What I especially like about this method is that you can build half a snowflake, or any portion of a snowflake, anywhere you like, in multiple sizes.

In the example below I made half a snowflake (with the smallest 'leg') to fit the space above the sentiment.


Above, joining a leg to the snowflake centre is surprisingly easy - the bobble ends on the snowflake centre give a larger target for the end of the snowflake leg and you really have to be way off before it becomes noticable.



Hope it tickles!!