Spooky Tag

Actually, I should say this is the spooky tag that never ends.  I remember when my kids were little they used to love singing that song that would drive every adult crazy, "The song that never ends"

This is the song that doesn't end.

Yes, it goes on and on my friend.

Some people started singing it not knowing what it was,

And they'll continue singing it forever just because...

This is the song that doesn't end.

Yes, it goes on and on my friend.

Some people started singing it not knowing what it was,

And they'll continue singing it forever just because, Etc.

Or the version I say is more fitting:

I know a song that gets on your nerves,

gets on your nerves, gets on your nerves.

I know a song that gets on your nerves

and this is how it goes.

I know a song that will get on your nerves,

get on your nerves, get on your nerves.

I know a song that will get on your nerves,

and this is how it goes.

Ahh, memories!  Anyways, back to my tag.  I kept thinking of that song when I was working on this tag, because I had an idea, and when I did the first step, it looked ugly.  There's something in me that doesn't like to give up, I'm determined to make it work.  I'm like that when I'm reading a book too.  Even if it's a terrible book, I'll finish it, always hoping it will get better.  Any of you like that? So, I added another medium to my tag, still ugly, added again, and so on.  I had so much stuff on there, that I had to leave it overnight to dry.

The next morning it had curled right up.  I was not giving up.  I know I'm sad, aren't I.  Sorry, I'm rambling today, but here is the end result:

It's not a very good photo, it's very gloomy again here and extremely windy out, so I couldn't take a photo outside.  I don't know if I can remember everything I used, but I did start out with my Sizzix Tag die and white double thick cardstock.  Next I cut out the Brick Wall decorative strip from cardstock, poked out all the bricks, and used the remaining strip as a template for my molding (or modeling) paste. I thought it was black molding paste I had, but it turned out it was black gesso, so I mixed the two together and applied it to the left side of my tag.  I put it on quite thick with a spatula and spilled it over on the inside.  Hey, it's all coming back to me!  I forgot, I added in some Rock Candy crackle paint as I was applying the paste, so it didn't quite mix into the paste.  My original thought, was to have some of the brick areas transparent.  Didn't quite work out how I wanted (this how it all started!).  I inked the white areas of the tag with Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge, Frayed Burlap, maybe some Twig, Seedless Preserves and Persimmon Distress ink.  I wasn't happy with the bricks, so I covered them with  Rock Candy crackle paint and after it dried, Frayed Burlap and Rusty Hinge stain.  Now you know my secret, I really have no plan when I'm creating, I just keep adding and playing until I'm either happy with it or I have nothing left to try.  I think that's the beauty of all these new products now, they all work together so well.  The last thing I added to my bricks was some copper perfect pearls(powder mixed with a tiny bit of water on my craft sheet).  The Tim Holtz Holiday Lamppost was cut out with black chipboard, embossed with the Tim Holtz Cracked Texture Fade embossing folder, covered with Rock Candy crackle paint and a bit of copper Perfect Pearls.  I cut out a small piece of paper from my Tim Holtz Seasonal Kraft Resist and a small piece of acrylic (colored with yellow alcohol ink) and adhered both of these to the back of the lamppost light.  The bats, small squares of paper, and the cat were also cut out from the Kraft Resist paper.  The cat was embossed with purple embossing powder (a few times) and while still hot, stamped with a Tim Holtz poison stamp.  I covered the bats with Rock Candy.  The "Spooky" word was a sticker from Tim Holtz's Seasonal Salvage Sticker book.  I inked the edges of the papers, bats, and spooky word with Seedless Preserves Distress ink.  After I finished my tag, it was matted with black cardstock and finally tulle and Autumn tinsel twine.

I told you this is the tag that never ends....

I don't know if any of you have bought the new Sizzix dies lately, but inside your package is a small square that says "The Talking Tag".  There's a free sample of one attached.  After downloading a free app on your phone, you can record anything, and when you scan your barcode tag it will play.  I stuck my barcode tag onto the back of my tag and recorded spooky halloween music, so when I scan it with my phone, it starts playing.  Isn't that cool?!   You could record your kids saying something and attach it to your layouts or record a message and attach it to a card, so the person receiving it will have a personal message from you.

                                                              

So, don't throw out that little slip of paper, there's a barcode attached for you to play with!

Hope you don't mind my rambling today, and hopefully that song doesn't stick in your head!

Have a great day,

Jan