Let's play tag in May!

Hello again to those who are following this series of tag tutorials. For the May tag you will need the two May Children's Hour papers, a 4" x 8" tag, some white card, foam pads, co-ordinating ribbon, a piece of floral wire and a thin skewer or similar stick to wind the wire round.

As usual I started by looking at the papers and cutting out the images I wanted to use on the tag - it should be noted that I didn't end up using all the bits I'd cut out and did cut out more butterflies and the boy looking out of the window (with the window) later on! The pic of the woman with all the children is the larger version in the frame from the May Collective sheet.

Taking my inspiration from the boy looking out of the window I then cut out a white window frame, 11cm x 14cm with a 1.5cm thick frame...

I cut two strips 13cm x 2cm to make the window sill and trimmed them as shown in the photos below...

Now to start adding things to the tag. I cut out some of the pink paper (leaving the strip on because I knew the frame would cover it)...

I checked the frame would fit over the top...

I then added the brown spotted paper as though this was the house wall...

Then I added the frame (with inked edges now) using foam pads...

I then added another sill on top... more foam pads...

Next I started to stick the cut out people into my window...(notice the boy looking out of the window in the background!) Have a play around with the placement before you start gluing down!

Now to decorate outside the window. I added the groups of cut out flowers and the birds nest (and bird!)...

Then I added the quote at the bottom and I decided I needed to make my window look more frame-like so I added thin strips of card vertically and horizontally like bars on the window - it would have been easier to do this earlier!!...

Next I wanted to add the butterflies and make it look like they were flying - so I used a florist wire...

Wrapped round a skewer to give it a curl...

Then bent the end over to give more surface to glue the butterfly to...

I added my butterflies to the tag and added some ribbons...

And that was my tag finished.

June's tag is almost done and ready to go - so I'll be back soon!

Jane

31st April??

Ok, ok! I know its 1st May, but if it had been 31st April my tag post wouldn't be late!! What with the ATDML retreat, my trip to India then being off at school camp I haven't been home much in April so I'm a bit behind. April this year (for me at least) has been a bizarre combination of bright sunshine and 40degree heat and then lately...snow! But April is best known for April showers so my April tag had to feature an umbrella. I call this tag 'showers and flowers'...the little boy and some flower fairies are taking shelter from the seasonal rain amongst the spring flowers...

As usual I started with a 4" x 8" plain card tag, and the two sheets of Graphic 45 Children's Hour papers for the current month. You'll also need a scrap of yellow card, a wooden skewer, 4" of lace and some co-ordinating ribbon.

The first stage for me was the fussy cutting. I cut out the little boy (getting rid of the bouquet he is holding), some daffodils and crocuses, the orangey coloured flower with the face in the centre and one of each of the flower fairies from the April Montage. Then I cut the 'April Showers' the 5" orange decorative piece and the green strip with the poem on from the 'April Collective' paper. Once that was done I could begin decorating the tag... 

1. Add blue striped paper to the top of the paper so that it looks like rain...

2. Make the umbrella - I found a glass that was almost as wide as the tag and drew round it on yellow card. Then I folded it to make 8 sections.

3.I cut the curve off each section to make it into an octagon. Next I cut out 3 whole sections or triangles and part of a section to leave 4 sections and a 'tab'...

4. I then folded over part of the triangle on the opposite side to where the tab was (you can see the crease in the top triangle on the picture below)...

5. I attached the half umbrella using this small triangle - DO NOT STICK DOWN THE OTHER TAB!...

(so the right hand side is not stuck down - this allows you to make this a tab that enables you to fold the umbrella flat)

6. I made a scrap paper template then used it to cut a piece of the green paper  to fill the tag below the umbrella (the rain has to stop at the umbrella!!)

7. When I glued it on I did not glue over the right hand tab but instead left it like a pocket so that the tab can slide in and out.

8. I used one of the discarded triangles from earlier to cut out some random triangles from the Montage paper - I trimmed them a little smaller then added them to the inside and outside of the umbrella - inking all my edges...

9. I stuck the little boy on with double thickness of foam pads - I positioned him so that his hand could be holding the umbrella...

10. I added the orange strip and the April showers strip on foam pads...

11. Next I added, the orange flower to look like a sun, and started to stick on flower fairies and cut out flowers...

12. I cut down a wooden skewer to make an umbrella handle and stuck it on with glossy accents...

13. I cut up and inked the poem strips and added them on foam pads...

14. I added some lace to the edges of the umbrella...

15. I finished off my tag by adding some ribbon...

You can see here how the tab pulls out in case you want to fold the umbrella flat (eg. if you are putting it in a book or sending it somewhere by post!)...

I hope you liked this tag - back soon with my offering for May.

Happy crafting!

Jane x