Poppy Tag

I have spent about 20 hours creating this tag - over a number of days - and it's ready to go to it's new home. 

I made several attempts at image transfers before I finally perfected this.

The seed beads were so tiny that the thinnest needle I could get was still too thick to sew them on.

So I had to resort to gluing them on - one by one to create the centres.

I used one of those crafty all purpose glues that (are supposed to just) squirt out of the top once you pull the cap.  Well I followed the instructions and the top shot off like a bullet and sure made a mess for me to clear up!

 I did use some of the glue to add this image transfer quote - well waste not want not!

It inspired me to make this tag especially the 'flushed print' bit - I was getting pretty flushed trying to perfect the image transfers  on to fabric I can tell you!

The swap criteria was 'Make a tag to include at least three buttons - and it included a link to show you how to make them out of printed paper/card which were lovely - but I don't have a circle punch so I used polymer clay.  I used a circle cutter to cut out the polymer clay, then stamped the images, and made the holes, baked them, and painted and glazed them once cooked.  It took ages, I have to confess!

I even stamped the reverse - so I have quite a lot of these naked ones!

I bought some transparent 'thread' to sew the buttons on, so as not to spoil the look of the poppies - there was no way that I was going to use that glue again!

I was flummoxed how to attached the poppy fabric to the tag - my sewing is not very good even with a sewing machine - so I had a brainwave!

I used thread that I had teased out of the material and used four strands (one for each corner) and sewed a stitch and tied it in a bow - and added two pale green seed beads to make 'eyes' and if you have a good imagination - you might see the four dragonflys that I do!

 It's been really dark here all day - we had torrential rain - and especially dark in my garden studio so I can't get a good photo.

The tag measures 10.5 inches x 6.5 inches.  

It ended up that large because of the size of the buttons!

Having emailed my swap partner who went for the wooden rustic stick (as opposed to the punched metal eyelets.  Phew glad about that) I was able to finish it off.

It's horrible getting old - to add to all the physical things - the memory goes short term!!!
Last night I brought this in from the garden studio and put it somewhere 'safe' until I heard back from Annie which she would prefer.   And yes - you've guessed it - I couldn't find it today!   At times like that I thank my lucky stars that we downsized to a small bungalow - but there are still lots of places to 'lose' things - especially when you have lots of plastic storage drawers for arty crafty stuff indoors and in the garden studio.  I was almost in tears and neither my patient husband nor me could find it!

It took half an hour to locate it - it was in a drawer in my arty crafty little box room - but you wouldn't expect it to be in one labled 'PAINTS' would you?

I had emptied that drawer - but had forgotten I had and hadn't removed the label, so didn't look there!

So here it is, hanging on my cork board, so I can't miss it, ready to be packed and posted on Monday!

I'll get the packaging ready, labelled and pin it up next to it - I'll not lose it again.

Have a lovely laugh at my absent mindedness - in a kind way I'm sure.

There was one thing that I did not forget  

Our Wedding Anniversary today!

P.S.  Now that I have seen it hanging up, I have just realised that dragonfly's bodies are not two dangly bits like a bow.  Do you think that I should leave well alone - or glue the two bits of thread together to make a proper body?