This is a unique challenge blog where we are inspired by and focus on the Vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn and steampunk genres and encompass the talent, flair, expertise and ideas of many artists that we are inspired by. We welcome all types of projects - cards, journaling, assemblage, layouts, albums, atcs, altered art in fact whatever you want to share (as long as it is in good taste).

Friday, 18 May 2018

A little extra musical inspiration...

Hello all!  It's Alison here, your tuneful host of this month's Words and Music challenge.  Our new itinerary means that in the third week of our challenge month we stop off for a while with the host for some extra inspiration.  It might be a tutorial for their challenge project, or a whole new creation.

I pretty much shot the bolt with my step-by-step for Under the Greenwood Tree over at Words and Pictures, so I'm here with a fresh bit of musical inspiration for you... a quick tag full of melodies and musical thoughts.


For my main project - Under the Greenwood Tree - I went for some song lyrics as the inspiration, so this time I've taken the other approach to the theme and used both music paper and some words about music on my tag.


I started by gluing down some vintage music paper onto a standard #8 tag.


I applied Versamark ink through the Tim Holtz Harlequin stencil and then a couple of coats of Seth Apter's fabulous Vintage Beeswax powder.  Just look at that glossy dimension, and the warm honey-coloured tone.  It's lovely.


I spritzed some Pumice Stone Distress Spray, followed by Broken China, and then flicked water droplets over the top, and sanded the edges for a more distressed look.


I added a wash of white paint, wiped back, and then splattered tiny droplets, and used a lid to add some circle shapes in a couple of places.


These Sizzix Coffee Marks die-cuts had been hanging around on the table for a while after being rejected from some other project, but I decided their time had come.


I stamped the quote from my PaperArtsy EAB03 Music and Silence stamp set, cut it into sections, and doodled around the edges with a fine black pen.


The wonderful Paper Doll dancer was also asking to come and dance amidst the music.


And just down by her feet, you find out who wrote those words.


I mounted the tag on some white card, just to echo all the white accents going on, and doodled some more fine black lines around the edges of the tag.


The whole thing is topped off with some Distress Ink-dyed crinkle ribbon and curly paper string.


I don't use black very much, but it was already there in the printed music, so I went with it - but to me this doesn't look very "me"... what do you think?  It's always good to experiment though, right?


I hope this has given you an extra nudge to come and get musical with us this month at A Vintage Journey.  Check out the details of the Words and Music challenge as well as the fabulous inspiration from my fellow Creative Guides and then come and join us on the journey.  We'd love to see you there.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Alison xx

26 comments:

  1. Alison, I think your tag is fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. I adore this one!! the white shiny die cuts are fantastic on that background.

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  3. What a brilliant idea to use the clear gloss to reveal the music sheet...stunning! XXX

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  4. Wonderful tag and great to see your steps. Like all great music the elements comes together in a perfect composition! Xx

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  5. fab tag with a super clear step by step! That little dancer aways makes me happy and she looks wonderful here in her musical surroundings!

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  6. Wonderful tag! Thanks for sharing how you made it!
    Very inspiring!

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  7. This tag is just so beautiful and your step by step makes it a wonderful tutoriol in addition! Magical art dear Alison! You never cease to amaze us !
    HUgs, Susi

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  8. Broken China is one of my favourite colours of DI's/Oxides so no wonder I was drawn to this gorgeous tag. So many things work for me. I just love the glossy finish on the diamonds (again a favourite stencil of mine) and I love the use of Seth's die (another favourite). Love doing a white wash to knock back some of the colour, adding splashes of white - so you se Alison, it works on all combinations for me. The words and the little girl are charming and I love script and manuscript - this certainly has it all for me.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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  9. Fabulous techniques and color on this musical tag, Alison! Great tutorial! Hugs!

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  10. Fabulous tag !!!! I absolutely love the background you have created Alison and then your careful design on the top so it shines through. Great tutorial for some wonderful techniques. Jennie x

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  11. This is fantastic, I love it! Creative Blessings, Tracy x

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  12. I think this tag is beautiful, Alison! Love it!

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  13. Dear Alison, no wonder this little girl smiles happy, dancing there, on your gorgeous tag. Love your harlequin pattern, with the glorious embossing from Seth, and the die-cut coffee rings are just wonderful, with that extra texture it gives . Of course you know, your colors are some favorite of mine too, I love your tag !!
    Hugs, Dorthe

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  14. The blue with the Vintage Beeswax is like a marriage made in heaven, they look so wonderful together and the coffee rings and other circles really do bring the musical background to life. The dancing girl is delightful, and no, maybe the black is not you but it really does suit your tag. It is good sometimes to step outside our comfort zone. This is a truly beautiful tag. xx

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  15. An absolutely stunning tag Alison. So much gorgeous texture and detail and the effect with the beeswax ep looks amazing. The little dancer looks so at home on here too.
    Fliss xx

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  16. A marvelous music themed tag Alison! love that beeswax stenciling over the music sheet and all the white splatter - a beautiful design and inspiration! Julia xx

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  17. Love how you have used the music score as the backdrop, it starts the process of happiness continuing right through to the end. Your focal is a delightful image, she also makes me very happy when ever I see her. Everything is just perfect Alison.
    Creative Hugs Tracey xx

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  18. Your musical, dancing girl tag is a so beautifully charming, Alison that holds so much heartwarming appeal. The design and execution fabulous and a great step by step , tfs.
    x

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  19. This tag is beautiful, thanks for sharing how you've made it, it's a great tutorial. Hugs.

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  20. What an exquisite tag, Alison... I love the initial texture (I've just bought and received myself some Seth Apter Baked Texture, really must have a try with these EB :D), and the way you had built the whole thing and little story, as usual.. Loving also the addition of these beautiful Sizzix Coffee marks die-cuts. A wonderful tag.
    Hugs, Corinne xox

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  21. Alison, I ADORE this!! Absolutely beautiful. Of course, I love the colors!! Love the paper doll, love the beeswax stenciled harlequin. Love the white accent pieces. Love the music in the background. Just a fabulous design.

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  22. Alison, your bees wax resist is so incredibly beautiful against the blue background and the transparency is divine! I'm so in love with this beautiful tag and your tiny, perfect details. Big hugs, Autumn

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  23. Oh I need to get musical and this is the perfect inspiration! Chrisx

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  24. This is such a fabulous tag Alison xx I love all the details you have incorporated, especially the beeswax resist...very inspiring xx The background colours are great too and I love the coffee rings xx

    TFS and huge hugs
    Annie xx

    ps I left a message last week but don't know whats happened to it ???

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  25. I am so sad that I did not get a chance to play along with this challenge. What a fantastic inspiration tag! -- Mary Elizabeth

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