Celebrating 100

In March 2012, I bought Tim's wood-grain and wallpaper stamp set.

I had been looking at Tim’s wood-grain and wallpaper stamp set on-line, trying to decide how much I may really want to buy it.  I had no project on the go that would utilize it (March is the only month that I don’t have someone or something to make cards for) I just liked (really, really liked) it.  I decided that, if, I could buy it today...I would, if not, I didn’t need it.  Hedging my bets, I drove to The Scrap Yard, to scour the great wall of Tim.

Lori Wilson-Bunda has this...(hard to describe full force super-high-five) energy and enthusiasm that is extremely contagious.  Whatever she is making, working on, or teaching you are immediately drawn to want be a part of.  She is always encouraging; wanting people to push themselves creatively, to try new things, get out there, do it, show-off your stuff.  She’s the one who convinced me to start blogging.

The Scarp Yard is an overwhelming curated collection of awesome that also sells scrapbooking, card making, and creative must-haves.  I never leave without snooping the little pails and the tiny drawers.  Lori’s secret stash has saved me from more than one paper-craft/card making crisis (yes, I have those...I assume everyone does...please don’t tell me if it’s “just me”).

I have had many amazing (sometimes unusual) conversations with Lori over the years.  We often talk about the latest posts on the various blogs we’ve been reading many of them by people she has met and I aspire to meet (Lori, I live vicariously through you), articles from magazines, things she has found on Pinterest (I’m still not overly invested in my Pinterest boards so these are more ‘she talks-and-shows, I mostly ooh and ahh’ conversations).  We talk about new and up-coming product releases, trade shows and crafty events – as one might expect given the nature of her business.  We have also talked about art school, family, small business, mega-corporations, travel, food, health the economy (both American and Canadian), stuffed toys and tea towels with recipes on them.  I’ve left, on more than one occasion, wondering during my drive home how we got on these topics in the first place.

photo courtesy of timholtz.com

On this particular day we started talking about enameled metal; more vividly than the topic, I remember the sample of Tim’s Faux Enamel she quickly pulled out from a binder ring full of swatches.  Looking at and touching the surface of the tag, I proceeded to tell her how this finish had been achieved (I had remembered everything but the clear embossed top coat – so close).  She flipped through and selected another, then another and another all the while me figuring out (sometimes knowing) how each was produced and Lori filling in the missed bits of specialty surfaces, primers and scientifically constructed craft chemicals; and when I had to confess, “I don’t know, how this…” her smile would grow big and her eyes would twinkle - she couldn’t wait to tell (teach) me.  This show-and-tell naturally flowed into her sharing with me the "making of" her rings of samples, her experiences at Ranger University (I never wanted to go to back school so badly in my life) and becoming a Ranger Certified Educator, the facility, the classes and the instructors (she modeled – à la Vanna White- a colourfully decorated photo of herself and Tim).  We talked Tim, tags and techniques for two hours (maybe less? but I like a little alliteration). 

I almost forgot what I had come in for, I was after all, on a mission to buy Tim’s wood-grain and wall paper stamp set.

As she is ringing my lone stamp set purchase through, she asks me if I’m making Tim’s 12 Tags for March.  Pausing, confused as to why she would think I was about to make something Christmas-y from December, I replied no, but questioned why she would be asking…in March?.  She starts explaining that for 2012 that Tim is making 12 tags, one for each month (but not January).  Eager to share the tag she already knew she quickly got on the internet and pulls up timholtz.typepad.com, we looked at his then she showed me hers ~I should really reword this prior to posting~ and I stood speechless.  I was trying to keep up with a creatively charged mind that was now racing. I thanked Lori as I left (but not nearly enough in hindsight*). It raced the whole drive home, Yes, I wanted to make this tag now, I needed to. I wanted to compete play-along compete (challenge myself) compete.  I made the decision that day, I was going to  start making a (Tim) tag  every month, for me. 

In March 2012, I never made a tag.

In April 2012, I never made a tag. I made a card inspired by Tim’s tag - not a tag, not for me - for my Grandmother.

In May 2012, I never made a tag.  I made a card  inspired by Tim’s tag – not a tag, not for me – for my Mother.

In June 2012, I made a tag inspired by Tim’s tag, for the pure pleasure of doing so, for me.  This is the first tag I ever made.

In June 2015, I made a tag inspired by Tim’s March 2012 tag. This is my 100^th blog post; three years and three months late, this is the first tag I never made.

Celebrating 100! 

(or the first tag I never made…until now)

Time:  >2 Hour

Yield:  1 # 8 Tag

Wet Ingredients:

• Ink –  Archival Aquamarine, Fern Green, Potting Soil; Distress Walnut Stain, Weathered Wood
• Other – Distress  Embossing

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 #8 Kraft Tags
• Cardstock – Kraft Core Metallic (Copper & Gold)
• Embossing Powder – Distress Vintage Photo
• Hardware – Foliage, Index Labels, Jump Rings, Label Pulls, Long Fasteners
• Other – Adhesive Sheets, Chip Board
• Ribbon – Crinkle Ribbon

Tools/Equipment:

• Dies – Butterfly Duo
• Stamps – Correspondence, Way with Words

I am excited to have been invited back to a Vintage Journey as a guest creative guide for this challenge.  When I learned the June challenge was Celebrations (and how close I was to post #100), and I was already planning to celebrate this milestone post, it was a perfect fit.  The hardest part has been not posting anything else(extra)since May that I have been working on, as to mess up my count.

  

Please take some time to go and check-out all the other inspirational pieces from the design team and contributors to the current Vintage Journey challenge “Celebrations”.

“Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.” - Kurt Vonnegut

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

*Thank-you Lori, I wouldn’t be here (at this milestone and steppingstone) if not for you, just being you.

some of my scrap yard collection