Pages widget

18 April 2012

Secret Garden

What an exciting day! Today is my first post for Dragons Dream Tag It On Design Team and the theme is Secret Garden.  I loved that story as a child and always wondered what it would be like to play in a garden that no one else knows about! So I indulged that idea by making a hidden garden behind a forest of trees. 
The trees and fence are Tim Holtz dies treated with various Distress Inks and Stains. The fence  was treated to a little Snowflake Fresco Finish Paint before I sanded it down and then added Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The hanging sign is a stamp from PaperArtsy's Hot Pick 1005 set. I stamped it on a little kraft card, distressed the edges, inked them with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and then added small eyelets and a little wire.
The tag itself was inked with blues and greens Distress Inks and then flicked with water to give the sky a more realistic feel! I then used a garden stamp from PaperArtsy's Hot Pick 1005 set - in the novel the garden starts off somewhat wild and so I wanted to reflect that. There are also some Studio 490 wild flowers stamped in the background with Old Paper Distress Ink to give the impression of depth.The birds are a Tim Holtz stamp (I think we all have that one!) and the sentiment is another Studio 490 stamp - it is slightly off centre so that it's not visible when the tag is closed. I added an ideaology bird and jump ring to some ribbon dyed with Tumbled Glass Distress Stain.Thank you for stopping by on this auspicious day! Thank you again to the DT for including me in their team - I think it will be good fun!
Signature
ps - It's my birthday tomorrow - I may have a little candy on offer...! Worth popping back to see!

16 comments:

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Ooh it's my husbands birthday tomorrow too, hope you have a fabulous day. Huge congratulations on your new DT position. Love your secret garden tag, lovely. Tracy x

Helen said...

What a wonderful secret garden you created to join us on the DT with, welcome (again!). This is gorgeous. Fancy you using Paperartsy stamps for it, LOL, many times!!

Kirsten Alicia said...

What a great idea & it looks wonderful!!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Gabrielle, that's a wonderful idea and a fabulous first dream as a DT. Your tag looks fantastic, love the secret behind the fence and the trees.

CraftygasheadZo said...

It's gorgeous - I love the whole reveal the garden thing going on. Sadly I don't own any TH stamps or dies :( I do had 12 x 12 paper pads including Destination! It's only been this last year or so that I'm moving into stamping, altering etc. Blog crafty friends have introduced me to many a new thing! Zo xx

ElizabethR said...

Another lovely secret garden, I sooo need that tree die! Welcome to the Dream Team. Elizabeth xxx

victoria h said...

Love your secret garden. The stamping of grasses and wild flowes is beautiful. I do have that Tim Holtz bird stamp! Love the interactive part your hinge creates to reveal the hidden surprise.

Belinda Basson said...

I must find that book somewhere to read to my son, it is one that took my imagination by storm!

How funny that you think my room looks sunny when I had to take those photos with a flash in the dark this morning! We are well into Autumn and the sun is taking its precious time to rise and then vanishes far too early at the end of the day! but I guess I am lucky that even though it is a watery one, it still throws a shadow at 5pm!

Love your two tags and well done on another DT position!

Monique's art said...

wow what a great idea, love it. it's so beautiful

Carol said...

Congratulations - and what a wonderful first project! Luv all those stamps - and yes I have got them!! Lol! I really like the hidden bit!
Carol x

May said...

Fabulous tag, love it, great idea the fact it opens... Gorgeous, Hugs May x x x

Siobhan Fyffe said...

This so lovely Gabrielle. What a clever girl you are!!
Hope you have a lovely birthday tomorrow.
Siobhan x

Marjie Kemper said...

Well, this is just fantastic, Missy! I am so loving the idea of the garden gate swinging open and the trees are fantastic as a hiding spot. LOVE it! And early b'day wishes to you....

Sara said...

This is lovely a such a lovely secret garden hiding behind the trees xxx.

kittychater said...

With your imagination the sky's the limit. Lovely.

Sue said...

This is fabulous, I love your inky background and your die cuts - why didn't I think of that lol I hope you've had a very happy birthday x