KSS Release/Challenge Monday!

 Happy Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday . . . Crew Challenge #20 . . . Release Day!  That's right folks, today is a big day!   First, the release  . . . today A Year of Thanks II is being released.  If you've purchased from KSS you know that Maria sends wonderful little "thank you" stamps with orders.  Last year she compiled them all in a set, Year of Thanks which had a special multi-step Hummingbird stamp included.  This year's A Year of Thanks II set includes a fabulous multi-step Lily of the Valley set which I cannot wait to try out - it's one of my mom's (and my) favorite flowers!

Next, we have a new KSS Crew Challenge and this one comes from our fabulous "boss" Maria:

With the gift giving season, barreling down upon us us... I thought this challenge would be helpful. :)

KS Crew Challenge #20:  Wrap it, Bag it or Tag it.

How ever you choose to decorate you gift. :)

So I chose to "Tag It"!  Have any of you been reading Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas?  Even though his style is completely different from mine (in truth it scares me - lol!), I have been reading and have been inspired lots!  He is a great teacher and I've gotten some fun ideas that I thought I'd try today.

For my tag I used several KSS sets:  A Year of Thanks II, Plaid Plus, Multi-Step Pine Trees and Multi-Step Gift (for the sentiment).  Tim made plaid using alchohol inks . . . I used Plaid Plus and I love how it turned out!  I started by using New Leaf (PTI) cardstock and the double line stamp, stamping it with Landscape Palette ink leaving a bit of a wider space in between stamping.  I then went back with the thin line stamp and stamped it using Fresh Snow (PTI) ink in those wider spaces.  Finally, I took that same thin line stamp and stamped it using L'Amour Red Palette ink in between every other double line stamp. . . phew!! I should have take step-by-step photos, would you like that, would it be helpful?  I added a bit of distress ink to the edges and also distressed them before adding my plaid to the tag (which was also distressed and inked).  I added some antique brass brads to the corners of the plaid which I roughed up by pounding them with a hammer (very cool think Tim does!).

I then made my little tag by using the beautiful deer tag stamp from A Year of Thanks II (I inked only the deer, not the "thank you").  I added the sentiment and then distressed the tag with quite a bit of ink!  Finally, I stamped the largest pine tree from Multi-Step Pine Trees as follows:  Step 3 - Landscape (Palette), Step 2 - Bamboo Leaves (Memento), Step 1 - New Sprout (Memento), Step 4 - New Leaf  (Papertrey Ink).  I inked the bottom of the trunk with Dark Chocolate after I cut out the tree.  Then, just for fun and because it looked so cool on Tim's tree, I added some "snow" to my tree.  I don't have the white Sparkly Fluff but so I used white Fun Flock which I mixed with glitter.  Of course I added some distress ink here as well (trying to be as grungy as possible - lol!).  I just put everything together and added some ribbon and a fun little antique brass clip I found.

So, want to play along for a chance to win some fabulous KSS prizes?!  Just take the challenge and leave a link on the KSS blog to your project (Wrap It, Bag It or Tag It).  You have until December 31st which gives you TONS of time!! See the KSS blog for all the rules.

If you're still reading, thanks for hanging in with me!! :)  Be sure to visit the rest of the KSS Crew:

Maria, Lynn, Angela, Makiko, Connie, Lisa

Cardstock:  New Leaf, Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink), Ivory (Gina K Designs), Stamps: A Year of Thanks II, Plaid Plus, Multi-Step Pine Trees, Multi-Step Gift (Kitchen Sink Stamps), Ink:  Landscape, L'Amour Red (Palette), Fresh Snow (Papertrey Ink), Accessories: New Leaf Grosgrain Ribbon, Vintage Cream Satin Ribbon, Twine (Papertrey Ink), green organdy ribbon (SU! retired), clip, Fun Flock (Stampendous), brads