Tags for Terri's Alice Swap, done!

My good friend Terri (Terri's Blooming Ideas) decided to have an "Alice in Wonderland Tag Swap" She was inspired by a tag swap started by Le-Vintage. She put the call out for ten players, oh boy did it filled up fast. She called me and asked "So what character would you like Deb?". Of course I said "The Red Queen". Thinking of course of the Queen of Hearts. It was only later after talking to Terri again I realize she had two people signed up for the Queen. How could this be? Well silly me, I just assumed there was only one "Red Queen" the Queen of Hearts, not so. As many know there is only one Red Queen, a Chess piece in "Through the Looking Glass". Well I had to shift gears in thinking. Terri was gracious enough to offer to let me pick another character, but I was determined to work it out. There aren't many good pictures of the Red Queen, most are of the Queen of Hearts. Tim Burton's Queen is a blend of the two characters. I looked, searched and then finally one day I stumbled on a drawing/painting by the Character Designer, Michael Kutsche. Unlike the Queen of Hearts in the first Alice which was a playing card who ran about saying "Off with her head", the Red Queen is more reserved, prudish and a bit of a snob. True, like the Queen of Hearts, she has a bit of a temper but she prefers to change the subject or make a more dismissive remark. She was trying to teach Alice how to be a Queen. So there it was my Red Queen. I had to photoshop her and then find a background. I used a computer wallpaper, altered it a bit and there it was. Since Terri had allowed another swapper to make her tag in the shape of a heart (It was to be Rebbecca, the Queen of Hearts Tag) I thought why not make one in the shape of a Chess piece? I researched the book and found the perfect quote for her too! It was from a conversation between Alice, The White Queen and The red Queen. The Red Queen asks Alice for the French translation for "Fiddle-dee-dee" When Alice tells her she does not know, since it is not English the Red Queen mocks her. She says to the Red Queen 'I'll make a bargain with you, if you can tell me what language it is I will translate it to French". To which the Red Queen Replies 'Queens Never Bargain!" Yes! Queens never bargain, that's going to be my new motto. I love the image of this Queen who looks clearly annoyed and very stern. It was fun but a challenge to make the tag work. Using red Velvet ribbon, sequins, gold papers, rhinestones, vintage red rose foil scrap, glitter and such I think they really reflect the Red Queen in all her magisterial authority. Here is a better picture of them, and a glimpse of the back. I plan to mail them out as soon I hear that others are doing so. A lot of work went into these tags and being a little gun-shy lately. I just want to know that I can expect a tag in return. I decorated the backs too! Nice red roses on paper. You can see her rhinestone earrings quite clearly in this photo. I was lucky enough to have stumbled on the gold tassels at the store in the clearance isle some time ago. They had a little gold bell and a pearl on them. Now that I have wet your appetite, I want you to know I worked on these tags with Terri yesterday and got to see her Cheshire Cat Tags, they are over-the-top crazy good! Of course Terri never does anything halfway. Her work is always lovely and so detailed. If the rest of the tags are even half as good this is going to one terrific swap! I think there will be a lot of people sorry they did not get in on this one!