Monday 29 June 2009

Tuesday Taggers - Something Old

Those lovely people at The Craft Barn are sponsoring Tuesday Taggers Challenge again with a fantastic £15 internet voucher as candy for the winner of our challenge, and all you have to do is produce something aged and enter it on the challenge blog. Easy eh?? well to make it easier we've asked Tim Holtz if we could use his tutorial to inspire us to great things. We were lucky enough to meet him not too long ago (That's me on his right) and there is no one who can distress quite like him. Check out Tuesday Taggers to see the master at work! It just so happens that the Craft Barn have a lot of the Tim Holtz range in stock so if you need (notice it's a need, not a want!) to update your stash, they are a good place to start!

So my effort for this week - well a couple of weeks ago me and my OH went for a run out to take some photo's and despite driving past this place every day for about 8 years, this was the first time I'd ever been and had a look at Barden Tower.

I can remember as a kid getting stuck here in the snow on the way to school and all 20ish pupils getting off the bus to try and push it up the hill so we could make it home - great days!

You would think that the tower being built in the 1600s, would be the thing that inspired my work, but no, it was an old shed at the back of the great tower that took my fancy


I just loved it's ramshackle glory and the distinct smell of hay coming from within. (There's a memory or two being stirred there as well but definately not for public consumption!!)


This door particularly appealed as many moons ago someone had take the time to write 'private' in lovely lettering on this decrepit piece of timber which looks no more private than fly!


And isn't this paintwork just wonderful! The whole thing just reminded me of a poem Miss Smith taught us at school called The Listener by Walter De La Mare, and this then was the inspiration for my tag. I know it's been a long winded build up but read the poem here and you'll get the amazing picture!


The tag then was painted with crackle paint, coloured and stamped with distress inks, The lamp was stamped onto paper made from distress ink shimmer mist and embossed and yes I did stamp all those leaves and cut them out. The metal bits and bobs I made from wire and jewellery findings. What a lovely way to spend the weekend, with such wonderful memories and pictures from the poem too!

We do get our inspiration from the strangest of places don't we? Hope this has inspired you to have a go at TT Challenge, can't wait to see what you come up with!

x Michelle

14 comments:

jo-in-oz said...

Amazingly fantastic tag Michelle, just beautiful and the poem 'the listener', I have just recited from memory! I vividly remember studying this at school and am amazed I can remember cos I can't remember where I've put the car keys that I had 2 hours ago!! Hope you're ok Michelle. Hugs Jo x

Yvonne said...

OMG what a wonderful poem .. and i think you have captured the whole poem in this beautiful tag.
It is so perfect, the colours , they distressed you have done to it, the lamp ( how cute) the hinges and metal how clever are you?
and to top it off the wonderful leaves... feels as tho you can open it and walk right in.
I am missing the challenges so much ...

Unknown said...

Gorgeous - funny how poetry can be so evocative - in the primary school where I work I walked through the hall the other day and the Yr 5's were doing some drama to represent the poem 'The Highwayman' - it took me right back to my days as a 9yr old at Addingham school and the Head reading it to us - a real journey back to childhood

Unknown said...

Wow Michelle I had seen the tag before but am just wowed by the poem and the inspiration for it. You are sooo creative! See you soon x Janet

debby4000 said...

WOW stunning tag, now this is what I call art,it so beautiful and I love how you were inspired to make it.
luv
Debby

PatR said...

Oh Michelle this is such a gorgoeus tag and the poem that gave you the inspiration is beautiful. Thanks for sharing your inspiration with us. Your ideas and creations are just amazing. Don't know how I'll get anywhere near as good as that with my creation, I'll just have to try and hope for the best!!

Debbie Dolphin said...

hi michelle-got the grungepaper from work(the stampman)had it in a few weeks now
debbiexx

Artyjen said...

Fantastic tag...love the inspiration...don't remember having read that poem before thanks for the link to it....the leaves were worth the effort.
xoxo

PatR said...

Me again! just wanted to thank you for visiting Jessica and for your words of encouragement.

melody said...

oh..i love those pics!
and that tag chickie ~ it ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!
i'm in awe!

K said...

Michelle, I found your blog by looking through the samples on 'Dare U 2 DigiStamp'. I so enjoyed your trip down memory lane, with the beautiful tower and barn! And your tag is just wonderful! 'Tagging' is something new to me--Do you use them for decorating, gifts, or what? How big are they? Are they made from different materials? (Yours looks like wood, but is it paper?)

As you can tell, I am very curious! Thanks for sharing your time, your talent, and your inspiration!

Kelly
from Texas, USA

Michelle said...

Hi Kelly
Just been to your blog but couldn't leave a comment as you have not posted on your blog yet so I hope you come back to check. We set up tuesday taggers because myself and my friends like producing tags. They are all mostly made from paper although they can be made out of anything really. They are really just an alternative way of expressing ourselves, and slightly more challenging than cards. We do make cards out of the tags or give them as gifts, something like a wall hanging or are part of a gift wrapping and although most tags are parcel tag size 51/2" x 21/2" they can be any size. They appeal to both card makers and to people who like producing works of art from strange bits and pieces. On the whole people who make tags like to use different techniques to produce them but that isn't always the case. Click on the tuesday taggers and the dragon tag it on button on the left of the blog. If you email me through the tuesday taggers address I'll post a tag out to you. Thanks for visiting.
x Michelle

Spyder said...

Love the 'door Tag' great idea, lovely!
((Lyn))

lisa said...

Hi Michelle

Sorry I'm a bit late with my comments. I read your lovely post the other day but got sidetracked before I left my comments and then forgot to come back!!!! Like you I know Barden Tower very well but have not visited for many many years. Will have to go and have a photo stop now too.

Your tag is totally amazing. It looks like something out of the Faraway Tree (Enid Blyton) and fits with that wonderful poem perfectly. The crackle looks just like wood and the little metal attachments are amazing. You are sooo talented.

Lisax