Sharla's question from the gallery

[SH_Pam]

Sharla asked (http://www.stamphaven.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-3261):

Do you look at all your vintage photo's and try to decide who looks like she belongs on the tag or do you start with the images and make backgrounds that fit the vintage photos?

And since I didn't think my initial answer of "Yes" would cut it, I thought I'd post more here. LOL

I do both. I created this particular tag for Louise's Tag Tuesday challenge (kardkrazy.blogspot.com) this week - the theme is to create a tag with a shamrock on it. I didn't really want to do a St Patrick's Day tag, so I used my shamrock stamp for the background, embossing it in clear and then inking over it for the resist. Then it took me a couple of days to figure out what to do with it. 

I had the image in my stash and thought I could build the rest of the tag around it, so I did. This time.

Other times, I take an image that I'm drawn to in some way and build everything around it. But now that I think about it, I do tend to do my backgrounds first most of the time, then I scramble to figure out how to use them. I love love love making backgrounds! That's where I play and use different techniques and stuff. If I never had to complete anything but my backgrounds, I'd be a happy camper! LOL

[TimeforT]

Great question and a great answer. Thanks for sharing!

[TimeforT]

second question about your tags. And this can be for anybody that makes tags.
What do you do with them after you  make them??

[Sharla]

Suspected that you (Pam) were more of a background gal. The cards and tags that you upload to the gallery often incorporate a number of techniques and supplies on the card bases and tags which I haven't even tried. Always enjoy seeing your latest creations because of their frequently "artsy" backgrounds.  Interesting to me how your mind goes from the layered backgrounds to the next step of layereing on elements. (Embelishments, photos, fibers)

I can tell from making cards that my brain usually works in the opposite direction. I mostly work from the forground to the background unless a certain background really peaks my interest and I know what I want to use with it. Maybe that's why I don't make many tags! (Actually the real reason I don't make tags is because the people I gave them to didn't appreciate all my effort and threw them away.      Need a more cultured, receptive and thoughtful audience for my creations.)

Okay, been thinking that maybe I could convince myself to make a few tags just for our immediate family for Christmas. Maybe out of thin wood or metal or chipboard that we could use over several years since I've been saving the cheap cardstock tags in a little metal tin from year to year. At least I would have more control over what happened to them and it might be kind of cool to have a tag collection. Wonder if I can get a couple made before Christmas?  HUmmmm.