Funkie Junkie 12 Tags - Bonus Tag#2 - Is this really it?

Hello Magpie friends and followers and welcome to the first Magpieheaven post of 2014! I finished the  twelve tags for Linda's Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas! Please click here for details of this great festive challenge. But not only did I finish those, I also managed to complete Linda's two Bonus Thank You tags. I have thoroughly enjoyed joining in this challenge sponsored by Linda's Funkie Junkie Boutique, which you can find here. It was such fun to see all Linda's inspiring tags and those of the other participants too and I set myself the extra challenge of trying to make a little story around each tag I made so that it had a special significance for me. I am happy that I completed, but sad too that this challenge is now over for another year. I plan to buy more materials to play with, as I've been quite stretched by having fairly limited supplies. If you click here, you will see Linda's beautiful final Bonus Tag, which inspired today's project.
Like Linda, I took a Jumbo tag. I was really inspired by Linda's Matchbook tag design, so like my last Bonus Tag, I turned my tag into a mini envelope by folding it. Linda's textured border, created using Wendy Vecchi embossing paste is gorgeous, and now embossing paste is well and truly up there on my post Christmas wish list, but I had to make do with some Versamark stamping embossed with Stampendous fine detail silver EP. Here is a picture of the elements I created to begin with.

I sponged my tag with Paper Artsy Fresco paint in Nougat and then misted with some Antarctic and Inky Pool mixed. I then used some Tim Holtz Broken China Distress ink through a Prima stencil to create subtle flourish patterns. I edged my tag with Vintage Photo blended with Frayed Burlap and Walnut DIs and then embossed border flourishes from a Paper Artsy HP plate HP1204. I went to another HP plate 1205, for my sentiment, which was 'Joie de Vivre'. By now there was a very flourishy theme going on! I have the Tim Holtz 'On the Edge' die which creates quite a flourish as an edge, but it seemed a little too much so I went for some dyed lace with Shabby Blue Frantage melted onto it.

My tag was beginning to take on the look of a  little billet-doux- the kind of tiny message an eighteenth century lady might receive on a silver tray in her boudoir, especially as it was going to become a mini envelope. My missive is to be a 'Thank You' rather than a secret assignation by a moonlit fountain! I added a mini label spray painted, distressed and edged with Frantage and finished it off with a Prima brad.

I used Peeled Paint Distress Ink through the Prima Stencil on my sentiment to create a little more contrast. Vintage Photo and Frayed Burlap with some Shabby Blue Frantage helped to define the edges. I loved the flourish on the lettering, which I stamped with Wendy Vecchi Potting Soil Archival.

For the reverse side of my tag, I used Vintage Photo through a Crafters' Workshop ledger stencil around the edges and stencilled some flourishes on the reverse of my mini-tag.

I covered the brad with a tiny waxed paper flower cut from the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die and coloured with Aquamarine Treasure Gold.

Just a hint of script from Paper Artsy Mini 75 adds the finishing touch.

I hope that whoever receives this note will truly experience the joy in living in 2014.

Thank you, Linda for a great and inspiring challenge, may your 2014 bring you creative joy and may everyone who drops by Magpieheaven have a happy, creative and fulfilled year too!