Inspiration Francais

This week our challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show is 'Inspiration Francais', so anything you can think of inspired by France and French. Fun! I had no idea what to do first, but then I started thinking about the three or four nights my family spent camping in France long ago, on our way to Spain. One of my memories from that trip were lavender flowers and how my mom loved looking at the lavender fields, and this tag was born:

First, I stamped the Moulin Rouge stamp with Archival Ink Jet Black. The background was inked lightly with Antique Linen and Pumice Stone. Then I stamped the great French Script stamp from the Tim Holtz Stamper's Anonymous French Marketplace set with Versamark ink and clear embossed it. The tag was inked with Victorian Velvet, Festive Berries and Dusty Concord. After inking, I placed the tag between two printer papers and ironed off the embossing powder. The edges of the tag were inked a bit more and I stamped it with a Paris postage stamp in Jet Black ink and the Fabulous Flourish in Dusty Concord. The tag was misted with Biscotti Perfect Pearls mist.

I dyed a crinkle ribbon with Dusty Concord and Barn Door, alternating them. The little tag was die cut from grungeboard with the Tiny Tabs & Tags die, painted black and sanded. I found a small Eiffel tower stamp in a Hero Arts set, stamped with Archival Jet Black and inked with Dusty Concord. 'Lavender' was stamped with alphabet stamps on a tattered banner.

I had fun making the stars of the tag, the lavender flowers. I thought Flower Soft would work perfectly for this. I added a thick layer of glue at the top of florist wires and sprinkled Lavender Flower Soft on top, carefully pressing to make sure they got stuck, but without flattening the flowers. I stuck them into a piece of polystyrene and left them to dry. The wires were coated in white paper and I used a Frayed Burlap Distress Marker to colour them. When they were dry, I shaped them a bit and tied them together with a piece of twine.

I hope you will join us this week! As always, our generous sponsor, Simon Says Stamp, gives a $50 gift voucher to one random (and lucky!) participant.  

Thank you for visiting my blog today! Have a great week!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:
Dies: Sizzix Tiny Tabs & Tags, Tattered Banners, Tag & Bookplates
Stamps: Hero Arts: Untitled Heart AC002, Printer's Lowercase LL762; Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: French Marketplace, Moulin Rouge, Fabulous Flourishes
Ink: Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black; Distress Ink: Antique Linen, Pumice Stone, Victorian Velvet, Festive Berries, Dusty Concord, Barn Door, Black Soot; Versamark
Mist: Biscotti Perfect Pearls mist
Marker: Distress Marker Frayed Burlap
Paint: Adirondack Pitch Black dabber
Embossing powder: Ranger Clear
Surfaces: Ranger manila cardstock; Tim Holtz idea-ology grungeboard
Flower Soft: Floral Bouquet mixed, Coated Florist Wires
Embellishments: Tim Holtz Idea-ology Hanger Clips, Crinkle Ribbon, Symphony tissue tape
Twine: Hemptique Thick Natural Hemp Twine

Adhesive:  Aleen's PVA glue