Made this tag for my nephew, Leif, who just graduated from high school (blue and gold are his school's colors), and is beginning a new journey.  I thought I would enter the challenge, too. I used Tim Holtz' July tag for inspiration, and tried to incorporate several of his techniques.

My photography does not do this justice.  I used 2 shades each of the yellows and blues Distress Stains for the background and stamped with various Tim Holtz stamps and one unknown stamp.  I used the Distresser to distress the edges and inked them with Vintage Photo Distress ink. I used generic tissue tape since these went with the theme better than any of Tim's tapes that I have.  I stamped Congratulations Graduate on the crinkle ribbon (Time Holtz) with Archival Ink, dried with a heat gun and applied the same color family of Distress Stains used on the background, rolled in a ball and dried again with the heat gun.  Tied this on the tag along with a Philosophy Tag which I dabbed with a paint dabber and wiped off excess to highlight the message.  I cut out grunge board with the mini clock Movers and Shapers and used the silver and Expresso  Paint Dabber to color it.

 I was in a rush to finish (leaving to bring this to him in D.C. soon), and I forgot to "crackle" first!  I had already glued it on before I remembered this step!  Embrace imperfection!  I hope he enjoys his tag!  Thanks for the inspiration, Tim, and everyone else who submitted tags to this challenge!