Izbzee

2020 - 12 Tags of Christmas Tag 4

I've been having fun making these tags... though several of the "planned" ones haven't turned out as I'd expected, so they haven't made the cut... but the next few did.
This tag was done using basic shapes and a few other commands found in the software.  I love the look and the layers.

The photo doesn't do it justice -- but the studio lighting hasn't been cooperating the last few days... so my apologies.  

I love adding a stitching line using the contour cut feature, inset shadow and then changing the line to a dashed line.  The white stock for the front cover was watercolored using an antique colorway.  All of the trees are washed in a little bit of light gray and some Wink of stella.  I used some stacked foam tape strips along the edge after the insert was created and placed on the back piece.  I wrapped a length of gold cording around the edge to cover the foam.  

 

2020 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 3

Tag three was a blast to make.  I'm in love with shaker cards and thought I would adapt a design to create a shaker tag.  

I used the rounded square from the basic shapes library and the half circle with a cutout.  Union command in eCal3.  Copy and paste a 2nd shape on the mat. HIghlight one of shapes, choose contour cut from the Effects menu.  Create an inset shadow, that would leave about 1/4 inch of an edging on the basic shape of the frame. Click okay.  When you get back to the mat, move the shadow to the top of the layer palette.  choose Path > back minus front.  This piece will become your shaker front.*  Open the library again, choose the rounded square.  Make it a little bit larger than the opening of the shaker front.  This will be the cut for the transparent window of your shaker front.  

Add a snowflake to the mat.  Size as needed.  

Create the sentiment using a favorite font**, place on the shaker back.  Set the letters to draw.  Using the foil quill, foil the lettering.  If you're not using a single line font, you'll need to use line fill (effects tab) to fill the lettering.  

Cut the shapes.  Place the transparency on the back of the front and secure in place.  To create the shaker:  Add some narrow foam tape to the right side of the back shape of the shaker card.  Add the shaker bits -- in this case, I used some holly and berries mix from Kat Scrappiness.  Place the shaker top in place.  

 

*I used a digital print from and old Echo Park Christmas collection to fill the shape with the holly and berry paper.  And print 2 cut.  You could also set the sentiment to print to cut if desired. I also set all strokes on the shapes to none.  

** Font, Hello Blushberry Sans Serif is from CreativeFabrica

2020 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 2

Day 2 - Simple 2 layer tag.  

A bit of watercolor and Wink of Stella add the touch needed to finish this tag.  

Create the word you want as a focal image... Font is American Typewriter from Use the weld command - Make 2 copies of the word. 

Using the desired tag shape, size as needed.  Add a circle and center on the tag.  Use the back minus front command.  Next add the word and center on the tag in the circle.  Adjust size and space as needed.  Union to the tag.  

All pieces are cut on the eclips using eCal 3 to mat.  All pieces for this tag were made of white cardstock.  Color as desired.  I used watercolors and some wink of stella and a rose colored gel pen to define the letters a little bit more.  

2020 - 12 Tags of Christmas

It's that time of the year again... and we're celebrating the holidays on the eclips/eCal FB page with our annual 12 Tags of Christmas reveal.  

Tag 1:  Playing with basic shapes in the eCal 3 library - place a circle and half circle on the  mat - using the union command, create a single shape for the ornament base. Fill using a buffalo plaid* using the pattern fill command.   The smaller circle has a foil quilled sentiment. 

Fonts (Charming and Charlotte) from CreativeFabrica.  
Buffalo plaid from CreativeFabrica.  

birdhouse progress #1

Stress relief -- played with the clay for a couple of hours and it was so much fun.  I'd forgotten how much good it does!  :)

I conditioned the clay (warming it up a bit and making it more pliable. I used a pasta machine setting of 5 for the sides, roof and stones. 

I covered all but the base of the birdhouse with the clay. TIP:  Use Bake and Bond on the wood to secure the clay.  Lay the clay gently to make sure you don't get any bubbles.  Trim as needed with your clay blade or an exacto knife for those tight spots.  

Texture the clay here and there as desired and then following the manufacturer's directions the project was baked at 275 for about 20 minutes since I did have some spots that were slightly thicker than 1/4 inch.  

 

house front

thatched roof view

Next up is adding color.  I still haven't quite decided on the medium yet... acrylic paint with a brush, eBrush with markers or paint or the airbrush.  Might need to play a little and see which one I like best.  I see a little more clay play today to test the best color application.