Tag Bag Tutorial

 Quite a few people, both at Port Sunlight show and at Card-io, asked me for details of how to make the tag bags that I had on display to showcase the Distress Ink techniques I used to decorate them. (Check out another example on my previous post with a dress form on the front.)

The Tag Bag evolved from a need to find a use for all those tags people are making.... for what purpose I asked, so I created a purpose. Let's make this bag as a vehicle for storing our collections of tags or as something useful that we can make from tags. 

The bags can be a way to give small gifts, vouchers, money etc., and,  for example, could contain a few packets of seeds for a gardener friend or chocky, hand wipes and postage stamps for someone in hospital. Pop another tag into the bag for your greeting.

The idea came to me when I was making a concertina niche card. I missed the workshop given by my fabby friend Paul of the Artsiders blog. Paul gave a link to the blog, where he in turn gained the idea, but I found it was a set size with accurate measurements. Good for some but I wanted different sizes so I just ignored all that and winged it to make a couple of niche cards like the seaside scene below and the vintage sewing one I posted recently.

Check out Paul's blog here to see his gorgeous shabby chic concertina box card he made and also for the link to his original inspiration. Paul has a beautiful soft and sensitive style, which I love and you will too, and he has posted several excellent tutorials for making many different, exquisite, styles of flowers. Be sure to check it out!

Front cover using one of my new Michael Powell stamps

The box concertina has a few more folds than the tag bag, but this can be varied depending on the size of the card or the tag. There is no set number of folds, just use your own judgement according to your needs.

I then realised that with one end left open it would work well with the tags to make a bag.

Here's my own way of making them and with four sides this method can also be used to make the concertina niche card. 

First decorate two tags, any size. I make my own tags but ready made ones will do too.

Cut and score 2 pieces of card long enough for the sides. For a large tag, I scored 7 lines at three quarters of an inch apart, giving 8 segments. I scored at half inch intervals for smaller tags.

Cut one piece of card ever so slightly narrower than the bottom width of the tags to allow space to fold in the pleats.

The sides and bottom pieces can be decorated by spraying colour, such as Glimmer Mists, or by applying Distress Inks to the edges of the folds. This helps it blend with the colour scheme of the tags.

Apply double sided adhesive or use an ATG gun to the stick the outer strips just within the edge of the tag.

Apply the bottom card similarly to the the lower edge of the tag.

Outer view...

Inner view...

Fold in the creased edges, first the bottom, then the sides, next the bottom and again the sides, alternating until all folds are within the perimeter space of the tag. 

Apply a spot of adhesive just to each corner on the final fold in.

This is now ready to apply adhesive around all three edges ready to fix on the front tag.

Line up the tag and press on to the three sides.

Ta dah! The bag is ready to finish off with ribbons and here are a couple of ways to finish the ends attractively.

Tiny tags on the left and punched discs on the right shaped into a tricorn.

Don't hesitate to shout out if you have any queries, I'll be only too pleased to help.
Lots of crafting completed over the last week or so and now I'm free to publish the results so.... more to come!!!

Faux Leather at Card-io's Open Dem Day

Yesterday I did a special open dem day for Wendy and Martin at their shop Card-io in Pemberton, Wigan and had a really fabulous day there. So many people stopped by, including a few familiar faces and friends and they were all so friendly and interested in everything I showed them throughout the day. Thanks to Monica, a lovely new recruit to crafting, for coming all the way from Preston on public transport.  

Wendy and I were somewhat adventurous and decided to cover a few techniques, changing through the day to keep the visitors interested. Luckily it worked very well, apart from my table becoming congested pretty quickly with so many samples and examples laid out to be handled and examined. Nobody seemed to mind as it gave them lots to see and a good mix of ideas too. It was a little like my work desk at home!

Thanks so much for the warm welcome from Wendy and Martin and to Martin for all the coffees, teas and chocky bars throughout the day. Their lovely young daughter was such a help too and she is such a credit to them.

First I demmed my "faux leather" technique and  used it on the die cut dress form for this tag bag.

This was the only photograph I took as, once people arrived, it was far too busy to even think of it!

Here's a quick rundown on how to create this great effect......

(Note; there is a full tutorial for this technique in a previous blog, just... click here )

Crumple tissue paper and stick it down on to strong card or mountboard (I use cereal and soap powder boxes) When it is completely dry, colour it with Distress Stains or Distress Inks, dry again then die cut shapes. You can of course die cut before colouring to save inks but it is easier to colour a piece of card than a fiddly shape. Be sure to use a permanent ink pad if you want to decorate the tissue with images, swirls, flowers etc.

 You can see the card with crumpled tissue before and after colouring and the shapes cut out ready.

Next swipe a Versamark pad over the surface just catching the creases of the tissue.

Sprinkle sparingly with embossing powder, gold, silver, clear to your preference. Heat to emboss and the results achieved can be seen below. It is certainly wiser to emboss after cutting the shapes to save expensive powder.

A close up to show the different results gained by using more or less powder, gold or silver, bigger crumples or finer creases. Just play around, have fun and you will get some beautiful results.

With the die cut bodyforms I made a few new items. The blue legless body has felt adhered to the back to which I added just a couple of drops of essential oils (1 of lavender and 1 of geranium) to make a little hanger to ward off moths in the wardrobe.

It could also hang in the car and could be made with the die cut vintage car shape. Don't go heavy on the oils as they could be too strong and they can easily be refreshed when necessary.

 The black lace one (on the right) has felt inside making a handy needle case. Both ideas would make great little gifts or fundraising sales items.

This one below is a double full dress form with a concertina book inside to join the two together as a special greeting card.

 The skirt is made by sticking the centre point of small squares of fabric on to a strip of redline tape. 

 To die cut the concertina for the inside, fold card slightly narrower than the sides of the die so there will still be uncut areas to form a hinge on each page.... as below.

 Here's another scented one with a beaded fringe to dangle nicely along the bottom.

 This dress form decorates the front of my tag bag and, as promised to quite a few people's requests, I'll be posting a tutorial for the tag bag as soon as I get time but hopefully over the next week.

The two die cut cotton reel shapes also have a tiny concertina inside to make a mini book and a space can be left on which to write a message or greeting.  

 Over the next few days I hope to show some of the other techniques, (including air blasted Alcohol Ink fun) from yesterday so, for now, I hope you've got some ideas from this post and thanks for visiting. Stay tuned....

Sunny Port Sunlight Show!

We had a great Sunny Port Sunny Show yesterday and all day it was busy, busy, busy! I always enjoy demming there as the people are so lovely and I see so many familiar faces, regular visitors, and friends at this venue but there was hardly any time this show to chat as I was inky fingered demming all day. 

Lots of people bought the new stamps to make shabby chic patriotic bunting, just like I made for my table. 

Carol busy with her dem and Stampattack's new stands in the background look really good and make setting up much easier as they just wheel in and out. Well done Fred!

Just before opening our DH's had a sit and a natter while they waited for the rush!

One of our first visitors, wearing her WOYWW badge, just like us, was Redanne. So lovely to see her even if it was so brief. 

Missed getting a pic of Judith from Poppy Cottage, Tracey Evans, and Ann B, but it was great to say a quick hello to them.

Managed to snap this great pic of another WOYWW badge wearer....got a few hints and tips too from Jenny of the Stamp Connection working here on her  fabulous altered book.

The show is always close to the wedding anniversary of DD & her DH and this wisteria is always in flower on the old hall where the show is held. It happily reminds me of the lovely day of their wedding in Germany where wisteria draped the entrance of the wedding hall.

A Very Happy Anniversary to them for this year and here's hoping for the many more happy years they  truly deserve. 

Here's the card I sent to them and it was coloured with my first play of my new Distress pens.

I'm entering it into the Artful Times challenge as the subject is "Birds".

WOYWW 153 Three Cheers!

WOYWW 153

Three cheers for the red, white and blue!

The bank holiday Monday utterly mixed me up as I ended up thinking today was Tuesday.... almost missed posting. 

I'm in the middle of preparation for the Port Sunlight Show on Saturday so it's organised chaos here with a burst of crafting.

If you are going to visit the show,we'll be wearing our WOYWW badges and there will be quite a few others there wearing them.

 Please do call by stampattack and say hello and who, knows, there may be something worth stopping for if you are a WOYWWer!! I know Redanne will be there and I look forward to meeting her!! 

Remember-it's an all ticket event.

Following the trend for Queen and Country, with the forthcoming Olympics and Jubilee celebrations, I made some bunting to decorate the stand and to showcase stampattack's new patriotic plate of stamps.

Instead of making ATC giveaways I've made mini flags 

I've put the finished items off my messy desk and on to the dining table ready to pack up.

Still going strong on my desk, having fun but the mess gets deeper as I finish off more samples.

You'll spot some of the new Distress Pens that Carol has given me to play with? There are two "Mouse's Tales", at the front, made from the new Alice in Wonderland related stamp of the Mouse's Tail-Tale! 

Being late today means that you can share my breakfast pancakes!  

Enjoy.... I did!

Call in on the 'Keeper of the Desks" at stamping-ground where our own dear Julia leads this grand blog hop, an expose of the world's craft desks every Wednesday.

WOYWW 152

I cleared my desk so there would be enough workspace for two as Carol of Stampattack intended to visit today for a workshop to plan and make samples for the forthcoming Port Sunlight Show. Carol will be exhibiting and I'll be demming for her on Saturday, May 12th. If you intend to go to this great stamping show I do hope you have your ticket or you won't get in! 

Sadly Carol was yucky after catching a tummy bug from her GD so had to cancel today. Get well soon Carol!

 The desk did not stay clear for long as I decided to press on alone with a few experiments and ideas and not waste the time or space! It soon got messy!

Busy week for me as Wednesday I'll be joining some WOYWWers in Manchester for a meet up, lunch, a mooch around the galleries of the Northern Quarter, a visit to Fred Aldous Craft Store and maybe even to Affleck's Palace. There'll be a couple of surprise WOYWW visitors to make the day fun but you'll have to wait to find out who turns up. It's exciting!

WOYWW?? Yes it's Wednesday so it's

 What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday 

when our headmistress Julia of stamping ground gets us to show and tell about our workspaces and crafters from all over the world join in and many more just pop in for a nosey. Join in or just take a snoop.... it's amazing!

Chester & Special Occasion Cards

DD has safely received these celebration cards I made and sent to her in Germany and has kindly emailed me some pics  as I forgot to take any. Thanks Fluffy!

Today they will attend the 80th Birthday of one of my SIL's uncles so I made a concertina tag book for the guests to sign as well as a vintage style card with some gorgeous antique mother of pearl buttons on the front.

 Tomorrow they will attend the "Konfirmation" of the daughter of one of their neighbours. It's a very special occasion over there. There are two embossed gold angels on the left easel but they are a bit unclear due to the flash and behind the right hand easel there's a little pocket to hold a money gift and a card for a personal message.

 This fourfold card is for their friend's forthcoming wedding and has lots of flaps and hidden messages.

Despite a dull day we went out to Chester and although we enjoyed ourselves as we haven't been there for quite some time, it was mega busy, much busier than usual for some unknown reason,  as you can see from the throngs of shoppers from The Cross along Eastgate. 

The ancient Cross, (looking just like a pole), can be seen in the centre front and it's here that the Town Crier rings his bell and bellows out his messages throughout the day.... the forerunner of newspapers and even the internet!!!!

We love to wander away from the crowds on the less busy Rows which is an upper gallery of shops, cafes and pubs. Just further along on Bridge Street Rows, from where I took this pic below, is a fabulous fabric and trimmings shop for quilters.

DH studied in Chester at "The College" many many moons ago so it is an old haunt we know very well.

The Clock at Eastgate which was added to this Roman Bridge in honour of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. After Big Ben in London, it is said to be the most photographed clock in England. 

Chester has a cathedral well worth a visit and has a good refectory for a rest, food and a cuppa.....

and there is so much Roman History to see. We have often walked around the Roman walls which encircle the city and once did this with a group of friends

at 2am after a night out.

Here's one of the watch towers along the wall.