Saturday, February 18, 2012

Something a little different for me!

God-moves-tag

Hello my friends!  Today I have something a little different than my usual.  I wanted to make a tag using The Mighty Sea and The Sea from Our Daily Bread designs, but I wanted to explore some different techniques and mediums, and this is what I came up with.  I'm not even sure there is a name for this technique, but it's more of a combination of black magic and faux wood (mine would be without the wood grain but instead it's faux clouds???) LOL

Anyhow..... I'll try to explain what I did.  I began by cutting SU! Kraft card stock into a tag shape.  I stamped the image from The Mighty Sea with Memento Ink.  I used various tear drop inks from Brilliance, mainly white and applied directly to the paper in various places on the sky to give a lighter base to work on later.  I added tans and blues to the other parts of the scene, not covering it, just laying down areas of color.  When that dried I began applying chalks to the scene, layering them on until I got the depth of color I wanted.  The Brilliance ink gives a sheen that shows through even the chalks and adds some drama that I kind of like!  After coloring most of the scene with chalks I spritzed with water and dried.  I stamped the sentiment and added details with Prisma Pencils, then topped some of the white capped waves with a Sharpie Poster Paint pen.  I also have a very old Galaxy white pen that I used to add some lighter shades here and there.  Finally, I mixed two shades of T Holtz Distress embossing powders and heat embossed that on to the sandy shore and the grasses.  This gave lots of texture.  The shell punched border is Martha Stewart, and the little shells are shell beads.  The twine is just plain old twine from the hardware store.

I wanted to create a stormy scene and use this sentiment on a tag for my husband as he is going over seas soon with his new job.  I wanted to give him a reminder of how God DOES work in mysterious ways.  As most of you know, he was laid off last year and we had several long months of praying and seeking His will for the next stage of our lives.  Then, the end of January,  he was offered a job which quite honestly is much better than the one he had in many ways!  During the time he was laid off, we did feel like we were in a storm... one of life's big storms, yet we always had peace that God knew what His plans for us were, and waited for Him to move.... and He did!  Sometimes when we are IN the storm, we might be temped to ask God "why" or even get angry with Him or doubt His goodness, but we must always remember that He has plans for us and they are plans for our good, and not to harm us (Jer. 29:11).  Sometimes as Laura Story's song "Blessings" states... life's greatest disappointments can be our greatest blessings in disguise!  That is because God DOES work in mysterious ways.... but always in His PERFECT ways!

I am entering this in the following challenges:

48 comments:

Anneke klerks said...

beauty label
hugs
Anneke

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! Love the little shells. Good luck to your hubby at his new job.

Unknown said...

Oh Grace, this is absolutely stunning! Love the techniques and the shells just complete the scene!
Blessings,
Cheryl

JD/ Jill said...

This is so beautiful! I really like how you added the sea shells to the bottome nice touch

Patti J said...

Grace, that is so pretty! The shells are such a clever finishing touch! So happy about DH's job - hope it works our well for him! Have a great weekend, dear friend - thanks for sharing!

Linda Wescott said...

This is really beautiful. Inspiring to a tagoholic like me lol. Hugs lin

Siobhan Fyffe said...

What a gorgeous tag Grace!! I love your background sky - just beautiful!!
Thank you for joining us at The Stamp Man challenge.
Siobhan

Carla S. said...

Gorgeous tag, Grace! The techniques you used gave a wonderful effect! The scene is very dramatic! Have a good weekend! Hugs!

Karen W said...

Well what ever it is it's awesome. Just gorgeous!!

Unknown said...

Hello Grace, love this tag, is is just gorgeous. Hugs, Frea

Georgie Horn said...

Stopping by from Frosted Design blog--lovely tag!

Tenia Nelson said...

This is awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

Clare said...

I'm glad you stepped out of your comfort zone! The techniques worked and it looks fabulous! The depth is amazing, and you've done a stellar job on the white caps!

I'm so happy for you both that this job is in some ways better than the last. I hope Alan won't be gone too long! I'll pray for his safe travel.

Hugs,
Clare

lorrayneingram said...

Wow incredible

Ann said...

I love this Grace. The depth of color, embossing and white accents really make it come alive!

Nan G said...

Oh Grace, you've out done yourself! This is fabulous!

Chrisd said...

What a stunning tag and thanks for including the steps you made to create it. Best wishes to you and your husband with his "new direction". I'm on a trip right now helping my husband move from Michigan to the Denver area until Sept.for a job. GREETINGS FROM IOwa.

My name is Erika. said...

Wow-this is amazing and beautiful. Like a painting. I love it.

Kim Kelley said...

This is a beautiful tag! What you did what create a stunning project..no matter how you got there! LOL Thank you for joining us at DTBST HUGS

Kim
SSD DT

Mary Ann said...

just soo beautiful!

Sherry P said...

This is a work of art! Gorgeous! You did such an outstanding job!

marsha said...

Grace, how gorgeous! I just love this work of art!
Hugs,
Marsha

Lenoria said...

This is such a beautiful card and your testimony as to God's blessings riding the waves of life's storms is so true and probably the hardest thing for most of us to understand! Thank you for your gorgeous reminder to be strong and always trust in Him!

Anonymous said...

ho! une merveille, magnifique
patounine

Cards By Jan said...

Wow Grace, GORGEOUS tag, I love it!! so beautifuly coloured too!! hugs

Traci M said...

Grace, this tag is a true work of art!! I am not familiar with all the products you mentioned, are the chalks like the SU! chalks or something different? You achieved so much light and depth to your scene. And really a beautiful keepsake for your husband as he travels!! Wishing you a blessed week!

Anonymous said...

Grace, Once again you have created a piece of art! Maybe someday I will find a place to teach me the techniques that are slightly different . . . sigh! Thank you for sharing your creativity and many blessings to you and your family! Hugs, Magi

Marlena M. said...

Incredible work of art, Grace. I love your testimony too. Praise be to God!

Linda Carson said...

WOW Grace this is stunning, gorgeous and amazing!! You also need to enter it at Simon Says Stamp where the challenge is making a tag!! Prize is $50!!

Lovely Linda said...

Wow Grace - this is seriously stunning! I adore your technique and the finished tag - you are a talented artist my freind and have definitely outdone yourself! Thank you for sharing - you inspire me so much! I am sure Alan loves this! {{{hugs}}}

kiwimeskreations said...

Oh Grace - what a beautiful work of art - and what fabulous news that your husband now has a job again - truly God is good!!!
Blessings
Maxine

Elizabeth said...

This is a beautiful tag, Grace! And what a wonderful encouragement to your DH of God's wondrous ways. Blessings to both of you as this part of your life's journey unfolds!

Wendy M said...

Grace, this is so beautiful... I just love anything to do with the sea.

Wendy M said...

Meant to say... it is wonderful re: hubby's new job. God does indeed work in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. I hope you received my email but I have a feeling not... I don't know what is going on with my email account these days but I wanted you to know that it is wonderful news re: the door the Lord has opened.

irishgreensue said...

Hi Grace,
How appropriate the scene on the tag and the story of your lives these past months - you have done a magnificent job of showing the 'storm' and the tumultuous time you have been through together! Love the techniques you have used and the end result is gorgeous - the song, is so perfectly matched!! Hugs!!bovirs insincere),

Julie said...

Wow this is just gorgeous! I love that you used shells. Thanks for joining us at Sassy Studio Designs
Hugs,
Julie

Roberta; mother of 4, GiGi to 1 said...

Cute project! I love your use of the eyelet and the real shells! I hope you'll join us again at Frosted Designs!

knitmachinequeen (KMQ) said...

Beautiful tag. Thanks for joining us at Sassy Studio Design for Dare To Be Sassy Thursday. Hope to see you again soon.

Lisa Somerville said...

Beautiful tag Grace! Love all the depth to your colors and the wonderful shell embellies! Thanks for playing along with the Bloggers Challenge!

Unknown said...

Okay even though you explained it, I am not getting it, I think I need a personal tutorial. :) LOL! Come on up to Michigan, you need to see some snow nad bring those chalks with you! This is drop dead beautiful.

craftymum said...

A great "one for the boys project". Thanks for joining us at HSC for our challenge

Hugs Sarah x

p.s. We have the new Tim Holtz Distress Markers on Pre Order.

Erin Reed said...

Such a wonderful project, I love the use of embellishments on it.

Thank you for playing along with us at Frosted Designs this week with our challenge of brads/eyelets, I hope you come back and play again!!

Erin Reed

Chris Olsen, Glowbug said...

You know how I love this tag Grace!!! The colors and all your added details are exquisite!! Thanks for supporting the Shining the Light challenge dear friend!!!
Hugs!!
Chris

E. Marie said...

Grace, your tag is so amazing and lovely. At first I thought you used some designer paper and added the sentiment and embellishments because of your use of all the different techniques and fantastic coloring. Love the addition of the punched border and shells.

Traci S. said...

Hi Grace!

This was beautifully said, and beautifully designed! I love the white caps and splashes in the water. It really looks quite real. I love the ocean...it is the physical area where I see Him most...in it's vastness.

I am so excited to hear that Hubby is starting the job. I haven't heard anything about him, so I was wondering. God is Great, isn't He!?

Love you, Grace,
Traci

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Traci S. said...

Grace, forgive me please! I was so taken with the sea on your tag...I didn't even comment on the rest of the card. The shells are a lovely touch, and I love the deep colors you worked into the sand. It is just like our beaches on the Gulf here in FL. It may be light on the top of the sand, a different color underneath. I love the grain on this...it looks so real! When you add the quote on all of this, and it is amazing! I love it!

While I am here...I know you bought the blue paper from the place listed...but I couldn't match it up to the color chart. I thought I did, but I ended up with "Blue Raspberry." Would you please tell me what color it is called? Thanks, Sweetie! God Bless!

He IS Able!
Traci Starkweather

You May Win 1-5 Cards Weekly!
http://He-IS-Able.blogspot.com

Dawn B. said...

This is such a sweet gift for him. He will treasure it. I know this past year was stormy and scary for you. I am so happy to know that those days are behind you both. God really does answer our prayers. Hugs.

Ellie Knol said...

It's so gorgeous!

God bless!