Sunday, 16 August 2015

Romantic Memories Tag - by Alison

Hello all, Alison here from Words and Pictures, with a bit of nostalgic romance for you today on a tag.  I'd been wanting to use one of the fabulously elegant Calico Craft Parts lampposts for a while, and I finally set about creating a home for one of them.


I started with some torn book pages, one segment tea and coffee-stained, one not, and gesso'd lightly over them, stippling for texture.


After applying DecoArt crackle paint through a harlequin stencil, I did a bit of wrinkle free distress inking, first with browns...


... and then adding some blues for more of a lamplit night time ambience.  I also added some strips of torn book page, tiny clouds scudding across the sky, and layered the whole tag onto a pale background.


The lamppost itself I pressed into Versamark ink and then embossed with black embossing powder.  You get both shine and dimension, which I think gives it a lovely cast iron look.  This one is from the Mini Street Lights and Lamp Posts Style 3 plate, but there are several sets to choose from.


The song wandering through my head as I was making this was Lili Marlene - an old German love song about a girl waiting for a soldier under a lamppost.  It was made popular (with soldiers on both sides of the conflict) during World War II in a version sung by Marlene Dietrich (a favourite of mine).  It was also recorded by Vera Lynn.


So I needed a Lili Marlene to go "unter der Laterne" - under the lamp - even if there's only a snapshot left to remember her by.  And I think that's probably the number of the house at the street corner where she's waiting "vor dem grossen Tor" - in front of the large gate.


In the soldier's memory, cracked and partial now, she's like a moth or butterfly drawn to the light (yes, there's another Marlene song creeping in there for those in the know!).  The Mini Butterflies come from the Style 5 sheet, but there are many others to suit every project.


And I used some trimmings from some of the fabulous Borders, Flourishes and Ornaments available at Calico Craft Parts.  I gave them a light wash of black ink and water for extra depth.


There are so many beautiful styles and designs - I'd be hard put to identify which ones these pieces came from, but they were certainly from one of the Wood Flourish Designs, and I think probably from one or other of the Curled Vines.  They add just a touch of elegant decoration.


The topping is light and feminine to suit her lover's memory of Lili Marlene, and that's your bit of long lost romance for today!


If you'd like to go shopping you can click on any of the links in the text and you'll be taken straight to Calico Craft Parts.  For now, I'll love you and leave you (yes, you see, Lili Marlene and I are very alike!), and thank you so much for stopping by today.

Alison xx

24 comments:

  1. Gorgeous tag,Alison with a sweet story to go with it.. Love the harlequin stencilling and the other elements.

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  2. Gorgeous Alison!! Love the harlequin background and the metal effect on the lamp post is awesome! Those flourishes are definitely going on my wish list! hugs :)

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  3. So Gorgeous!

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  4. Loving this Alison, gorgeous texture, just scrummy. Happy crafting, Angela x

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  5. Absolutely gorgeous tag, Alison! I love the background and that DA crackle work! Hugs!

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  6. So beautiful Alison! I love the picture of the gal that is waiting- perfect choice for your tag! xx

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  7. How beautiful! Another wonderful story brilliantly encapsulated in a tag. I'll be humming that tune all day now... :o)

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  8. Beautiful tag with beautiful colours!!!

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  9. stunning make alison. i adore the colours and the crackle. just beautiful. and i love the lamp post. no wonder you had your eye on it! gorgeous x

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  10. Fabulous project Alison. Thank you for sharing !
    Hugs from Monica... Spain

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  11. Fabulous crackle through the stencil great effect, love the blue and neutrals
    Love
    Amanda x

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  12. The effect on the lamp post is superb and I just love the gorgeous harlequin crackled background and of course, the butterflies are just perfect! Anne xx

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  13. And it is a lovely as your sneak peek promised ! Wonderful Alison !
    Corrie x

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  14. I remember the Lili Marlene with Marlene DietriCH, oh what a love... So wonderfully expressed in your stunning tag, dear Alison, -your background and the lamp are amazing both, such a beautiful taG!!
    xoxo, Dorthe

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  15. Oh, now I have that wonderfully poignant song and that inimitable voice on my mind. How nostalgic and beautiful it is! And what a nostalgic and beautiful project! I love how you did the lamp - and the crackle is gorgeous! I have to keep going back for a second look! Two of my favourite things are harlequin shapes and crackle! I've been having a difficult time with DecoArt 2 Step Crackle! I am aware that you're using Crackle Paint here, but have you any experience of the 2 Step (sorry, it sounds like a dance - not suggesting you for Strictly here!!!) - I just can't get it to work and I've not used it before. I'm beginning to think that there is something wrong with what I bought and have ordered some from elsewhere; as I am following the directions to the letter and everyone I know who uses it says it is fail-safe! Anyway, that aside I love, love, love this project and I'm so tempted to buy some Calico embellies. xx

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  16. This really is fabulous. ..such atmosphere and all on a tag! My Dad would have sung along with you! Once again Alison you have me with an amazed look on my face! Chrisx

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  17. Gorgeous colours and textures Alison and I love your story, dank schon!

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  18. As always fantastic textures...I really wish to touch it! Alison I am always impressed with your creativity! Hugs

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  19. This is fabulous Alison, the colours and textures are wonderful xx

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  20. s always so beautiful!
    sandy xx

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  21. So many great craft parts at Calico, but this lamp post one of my faves. Love the background that you given it Alison. The colors are so perfect for the song that was weaving its way through your head. Wonderful emotion-evoking tag! -- Mary Elizabeth

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  22. Lovely tag, fab the cracked Harley-Queen and beautiful blue color. xx

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  23. Great tag Alison, love the colour choices and the wonderful crackle. Super use of the fabby Craft Parts too!

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