This is a Christmas themed tag, so apologies if you are beginning to feel you've seen enough of Christmas already! I want to have an arrangement of tags this year in my favourite vase. On each tag I make I will try to include something that embodies Christmas for me and I am really excited that this - my first tag for my Advent vase - is going to be part of the Dragon's Dream TIO! Without further ado, then, I'll explain how I interpreted the recipe. First, the book!
As visitors to Magpieheaven will know, I love fairy-tales and my favourite, one that I will always associate with Christmas is Hans Christian Andersen's 'Snow Queen'. In the story Little Girda's quest to find her childhood friend, Kay takes her on many adventures. She is taken in by a kind Princess and given warm clothes and a carriage to ride in, but it isn't long before she is set upon by a Robber Queen. Her little robber daughter helps Girda escape and she is able to continue her journey riding a reindeer.
Now for Paint and Green! For my reindeer I used some Paper Artsy Smoothy Card painted with a blend of Fresco Greens. Green is one of my favourite colours and Frescos my favourite paints so I have lots! I used the Tim Holtz Alterations die, which I only bought a few days ago. I've been longing to use it; as I think it looks so graceful. I attached it to my tag with foam pads so that it would appear to be leaping into our world. For Girda I painted some card with Paper Artsy Fresco Finish in Tinned Peas and 'knocked back' with some Snowflake. I then clear embossed a Lynne Perrella stamp with some Olympia Green Versafine ink. I used some Stampendous, Shabby Blue Frantage on the image to look as if Girda's furs were snow-covered and thick frantage over Snowflake paint and Gesso around the top of the card with some curly white wire painted with Gesso. The leaf is actually a very pale green. Some of the paler shades do seem to have photographed as more blue than green.
The word 'Believe' was taken from the same Lynne Perrella plate. In all her years of painful searching for her friend, Girda never ceased to believe that they would some day be reunited.
I was pleased that the image from the LP plate included these roses, as Kay and Girda had a special rose tree that they tended together in the story. When Girda eventually finds her beloved Kay he is captive to the Snow Queen who has set him the task of making the word 'Eternity' from the ice crystals in her palace. The Tim Holtz 'On the Edge' die made a perfect symbol for these. I used Ranger Distress Glitter on them and on my reindeer.
I am so in love with this product for Christmas, as it glitters like frosty new snow, but it is difficult to photograph the effect. For my background on the tag, I used a Clearsnap stencil to create the impression of a forest: it is actually described as a Mascil, so I suppose that makes it both 'mask' and 'stencil' and I'm using it a lot at the moment because I love the misty effect that can be created with it. I painted with a blend of Sage, Guacamole and Hey Pesto Frescos and then sponged over them, through the stencil with the lovely wintry green of Evergreen Bough Distress Ink. I tinted my seam-binding and lace with this and a little Peeled Paint. Finally I accented with some pearls. The torn papers backed with Treasure Gold, Green Amber are distressed Bo Bunny papers from the Gold and Silver range. Many thanks to the Dragons for giving me the opportunity to dream with them as a Guest Designer this week and Thank You for taking a look at my wintry take on A Book, Paint, Stencil/Mask and Green.
It's great to have you as a GD over at Dragons Dream - your tag looks amazing. Love the icy winter feeling.
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty tag and I love your story behind it . The snowflakes coming off the edges are especially nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog earlier and for the nice comments.
Happy Woyww and Happy Thanksgiving,
Sandy #9
Really gorgeous, love what you have made. Valerie
ReplyDeleteEnchanting - I love your Snow Queen tag... the soft, muted colours are lovely, and the little reindeer looks so right dancing between the trees (gave in to that stencil the other day - entirely your fault!). Lovely use of that Snowflake die too - it's altogether wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAlison xx
A really lovely tag - the colours and all that sparkle is just beautiful. Well done on your guest designer spot too! Claire x
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful what you have designed with all those ingredients. Fabulous Julie Ann
ReplyDeleteWarm crafty hugs from Shirl x x
This is captivating. I could feel myself being drawn in my the details and the way you captured that glorious frosty feeling to your tag and how fabulous the addition of the woman. It surely does tell a story.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your GD spot, so well deserved.
Wishes
Lynne
It is so lovely to have you join us as a GD Julie Ann at Dragons Dream....your tag & post is so beautiful... Love the soft colours & wonderful design...the sparkle is perfect.... Hugs May x x x
ReplyDeleteHello my ever so talented Magpie friend, I am kind of sorry I'm late getting here, I got home with a headache and had to have a lay down, it was mean to happen, :)... I'm happy Miss Alison and Miss Lynne got here so I could read their lovely comments, they both say things so elegantly, always the right words :), enchanting and captivating, this describes this post and art work perfectly. I've been looking, reading, googling things for half and hour now before I could even comment, the last photo of the reindeer and the three little piece of magical worlds he can venture into, that had me mesmerized, how you created that was BRILLIANT. I only became introduced to fairy tales late in my life, so I haven't read the Snow Queen, now you have me enchanted again and will see if I can read it on line, back to you outstanding DT art work. The snow flakes look gorgeous behind the tag, the background is just freaking magical, the frosting of glitter oh boy my Magpie ares are crossed, hehe I can see 2 of them even better LOL, THE COLORS, STUNNING, might be a little partial, green is my favorite too, they are blended beautifully, looooove who you mixed the seam binding, the woods feel and the lace, perfect, the fantage, loooove that stuff does look like snow with the sparkle, sparkalicous... Well Miss Julie Ann congratulation on the DT post , you blew it out of the ball park.... I do so want to play with the dragon Team challenge, I;m hoping I can in the new year, the great thing about it is you don't have to certain stamps or products, just create with what you have.. Thanks for bringing so much JOY in my life with your art and stories, I'm blessed with a few lovely ladies who do that.. Hope it's warm and cozy in your nest, minus 4 and snow outside of mine... Have a great day... ((( BIG HUGS )))
ReplyDeleteI just reread my post, sorry about the mistakes, to bad google doesn't have grammar fixes too LOL...
ReplyDeleteLove the story - adore your gorgeous tag! Especially love that stencil and the way your snowflakes surround the tag. Perfect story setting! You are an asset to Dragon's Dream for sure! Hugs, Chrisx
ReplyDeleteThis is GORGEOUS Julie Ann. Brilliant telling of the story with fantastic artistry at play. Nicola x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous tag Julie and it's great to have over at the TIO. I remember painting the scenery for the Snow Queen when I was at school lol, I sparkled for months, nothing new there then!!!! Elizabeth xxx
ReplyDeleteOooh, so pretty!!
ReplyDeleteI love reading your posts Julie Ann, they are a story in themselves! Your tag and how you arrived at it's completion are wonderful. You've captured the crisp icy look beautifully!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Lesley Xx
Wow wow wow absolutely gorgeous amazing tag, you really do deserve it, your work is so awesome and inspirational. I love the greens and I love the reindeer, the frantage and glitter gives such a gorgeous subtle sparkle, just how I imagined it would be. Lots of hugs Kerry Ann :-) xxx xxx
ReplyDelete