I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Monday 29 December 2014

Winter Singers

Hello all... it's pretty noisy round here at the moment.  In the last post we were ringing, and now we're singing!

I'm here with the second of my inspiration pieces for this month's Nostalgic Christmas theme at Country View Challenges.  You haven't got long left to play, but maybe you've got a little more time to play with now the big day is over.

My Christmas keeps going until 6th December (which is just as well, having had to put lots of it on hold after being struck with the Norovirus - less said, the better!) - but this is the lovely gentle part, with all the planning and preparations over, and the chance to hibernate with a good book, some music and plenty of candlelight - and some time at the craft table too I hope.


Music is so central to my Christmas that it would be hard to manage without it (that's true of life generally, as far as I'm concerned) - and nothing can transport me back in time or to another place more quickly than a particular tune or carol arrangement.  So for a Nostalgic Christmas, these lovely Victorian Carollers were an obvious choice.





I created a soft and snowy forest background (if you want the how-to, it's pretty much the same as the inside of the wallet on my Vintage Journey Secret Santa gift).













The Carollers themselves are cut from some of the Bazzill Antique papers, edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.












I stuck the music paper onto black card initially, so you get a really clear, sharp outline.  It could be done with inking, of course, but this cut out one task, leaving me just with the Vintage Photo ageing to do.













I needed to make sure they were standing on something, so I used some snowflake tissue tape and created some shadows with my Stampers Big Brush Pens.













And I kept the embellishing pretty simple to keep the look delicately rustic.  There are some of my favourite tiny wooden stars up in the sky...












... and some twine around the foot of the tag, tied in the bow and topped with one of the larger stars.











The Chitchat stickers pretty much say it all...










... hidden amidst the shadows of the snowy trees as they are.


















Of course there's a topping to match - seam binding and twine and pale hessian ribbon.











I hope you're all enjoying your 12 Days of Christmas as much as he is clearly enjoying the music.  For a hilarious version of that particular carol - shared with me by the ever-musically-curious Andrea of eclectic meandering - just click here and enjoy the fun!






And of course they can sing facing one another as they were at the start of the post, or join forces to sing out to the world...


I hope that's given you some last minute inspiration to play along with us.  There are lots of fabulous entries already, but we'd still love to see your version of Nostalgic Christmas over at Country View Challenges - you have until New Year's Eve to join in!! 

I'd like to enter this over at the Inspiration Journal blog where the theme for December is Sing, Sing It Loud

I don't sing because I'm happy; I'm happy because I sing.
William James

46 comments:

Sue Marrazzo Fine Art said...

LOVELY colors and so COOL!

Nikki said...

These are really pretty :)

Nikki Acton said...

Lovely Alison, adore the softness off your tag. Gosh hope you are feeling better and enjoy some time for you! Nikki xx

Jane said...

I saw these over at CVC Alison, such gorgeous work. I have enjoyed looking at your other projects too and have joined your happy followers to be inspired by your creativity. Many thanks and all the best for 2015 x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Sorry to hear that you had the dreaded bug! You quite clearly haven't lost any of your crafty magic though- these are wonderful-Joy to the World!! Chrisx

Helen said...

Beautiful tags - quite stunning. So sorry you were ill with that nasty sickness bug, how horrid especially for Christmas! Great to see you back though.

chrissie said...

Such wonderful tags Alison with a very happy feeling about them. They made me want to sing.

Sorry to hear you had a dreaded virus and I hope you will be quite well again soon.

Love Chrissie x

Jenny Marples said...

What a lovely way to use those carolers and I love the wintery scene behind them. I hope you are feeling much better very soon - not a good virus to get at any time of year, especially this one though! Jenny xxx

SiódmyAnioł said...

I love your tags! Great idea and wonderful colors!

barbarayaya62 said...

OMG!! Another masterpiece!!!!! Love love love!!!Barbarayaya

Claire said...

Beautiful tags, love the soft background effect. Hope you are feeling better, Claire x

Marci said...

I love this tag! It made me smile as soon as I saw it. So sorry about the flu, hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Marci said...

Should have said, these tags! :-))

massofhair said...

Bad bad bug, how very dare it attack you Alison, hope someone had a strong word with it & it has now left the building. We had it is 2006, terrible...


Anyway, la la la la la... Stunning Tag beautiful Carollers and the most beautiful colours, as always a masterclass in Tag wonderfulness (not a word really lol).

Stay well and enjoy your 12 days:-) xxx

craftytrog said...

Beautiful tags Alison. I really like the music paper figures.
Alison xx

Deborah said...

Sorry to hear you've been ill, Alison. No wonder you're extending Christmas! I love these tags, they are so soft and gentle and filled with joy. Beautiful!

Gitte said...

Hope you are felling better. Beautiful Tags.

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Beautiful tags Alison,very vintage looking
Hope you are feeling better now too,that's a horrible bug to get :(

Big hugs
Donna xxx

cathylynn said...

As always spectacular! I love your tags and hope you get well soon! Happy New Year to you too!!!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Jennie Atkinson said...

Two wonderful tags Alison and such a fabulous way to use those wonderful dies. As usual gorgeous colours - beautifully soft and dreamy. I hope you are feeling better and able to enjoy some crafting time. Jennie x

Kirsten said...

Such beautiful tags! I love the soft tones of the colours. I'm sorry you were ill over Christmas & I hope you're feeling much better now. Happy New Year!

Sandy said...

So sorry that you have been sick sugar - hope you are well now. As always, your tags are wonderful! You are such a joy to follow Alison.
Happy New Year! !
Sandy xx

Asia King (aka Joanna K) said...

Beautiful 'singing' tags, Alison! :) I hope you had a peaceful & blessed Christmas and that you are enjoying the last few days of 2014. Have a wonderful and fruitful New Year, full of kindness and creative flair! Big hugs xxx

Chrissy said...

Fabulous tags Alison..Love the images done with the music papers and the little stars and wonderful background in the soft blues...gorgeous. Hope you feeling better now..take care and wishing you a very Happy New Year 2015.

luv CHRISSYxx

sally said...

Love the misty musical tags!

Sally

Jackie PN said...

Alison, I am really loving that tree stamp you use!! These tags are very nostalgic indeed! Love those singers!! xoxo

Julie Lee said...

I love the winter colours on these lovely nostalgic tags! The musical notes on the carol singers are perfect and those trees make such a beautiful background. I love music while I create and one of my favourite pieces of music to listen to while I make things at this time of year is Britten's Ceremony of Carols. There is always such mystery about the lovely medieval tunes and the perfect and pure voices of the choir boys - not forgetting the harp accompaniment, which always says frost to me! I can imagine this as a musical background to these exquisitely beautiful tags. xx

Corrie Herriman said...

Beautiful as usual !
Corrie x

Willy said...

Great tags, love all the beautiful details!!

Evelyn Walter said...

very beautiful and so wonderful nostalgic tags! I hope you are healthy again and can enjoy your free time. Now I want to wish you a happy New Year 2015, may all your dreams come true (:o)....... and of course please go on creating your gorgeous art!
xxx Evelyn

Meggymay said...

Two beautiful tags, the soft colours and scene in the background make them look magical.
Very best wishes to you for the coming year.
Yvonne x

rachel said...

these are stunning Alison - just beautiful - another two dies I need - lol!!! Hugs rachel xx

Redanne said...

So sorry that you have been feeling poorly Alison, hope you feel much better soon! Your tags are beautiful, I do love those carol singers and the music paper looks wonderful on them and I love those beautiful stars too... Take care! Anne xx

Hettie said...

These are gorgeous Alison. I used one of these on Hubster's card which I still need to share. Yours are just gorgeous.
Sorry to hear you have been poorly over Christmas. Hope you are feeling better now.
Hugs and Happy New Year! or Šťastný nový rok!
xx

Lisa H said...

oh, these are beautiful too!! Thanks for sharing more wonderful art with us at Inspiration Journal. =)

Mona Pendleton said...

Gorgeous tags Alison! Love the inky background! Happy New Year!

Ana K. said...

This cutting die is in my wish list forever and every time I see some project with it, I want it even more...Your tags are stunning! Hugs

Mervi said...

Fabulous pair of tags, beautiful background scene, gorgeous details.
Wishing you Happy New Year and thanks for your comment at Craft-Room Challenge))m

scrappymo! said...

Love these Winter Singer tags. The tags themselves are gorgeous and love the way you have done the ribbon/hessian and string ties!

We celebrate until Epiphany too. Not much here decoration wise this year..just the sea of neverending boxes instead but really enjoying my girls festive houses instead! I will make up for it next year!

Pamellia said...

Wow Alison, these are stunning! I just added that die to my wish list, oh boy! Wonderful frosty colours and I love the music note pattern! So festive! until next time, big new years hugs :)

Dorthe said...

Dear Alison,
I`m sorry to read you have been sick, and hope you will be able celebrating New Year all well, again.
Your carolers tags are so beautiful, love how the trees reaches "far" into the tag , lovely, lovely colours, as well ,and just gorgoues !
Hugs to you, and thank you !! Dorthe, xx

Paper Profusion said...

Hope you are all recovered Alison. Your version of hibernation sounds delectable! Anyway, I LOVE these! I think this is my favourite version ever of these characters - I like them best facing out to the gorgeous, frosty, natural world. Brilliant as always. Nicola x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

GORGEOUS!!! LOVE the carolers on music sheets! Fab backgrounds too! Happy New Year!

Sue said...

This is beautiful Alison, from the colours to the carolers I love it all! Have a very Happy New Year, Sue xx

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow such beautiful tags, I love the softness of the winter background and the die cut carollers are stunning. EEK Noravirus, my sister had that about a week before Christmas it was nasty. I have been struck by the cold/flu virus, I couldn't get off the sofa for 3 days, but at least it happened after Christmas. Glad to see you feeling better and it sounds really busy and happy where you are. Kezzy :-) xxx

Margaret said...

Wonderful tags! I love the little wood stars and the carolers are perfect in their sheet music attire!
Hope you are feeling much better now!