Year 2013 & Year 2014 2

Year 2013 & Year 2014 2

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Handcrafted Organization Needs: The Tim Holtz Faded Cover & My Own Version of a Folio!

I'm getting somewhat 'caught up' on alot of things- and I'd like to say I've won the Leaf War of 2014 (current Battle Score being 3-2 with the Leaves ahead of me...simply because I conceded that 2nd battle when I slipped and fell flat on my....gludius maximus), I only have a little more touches of using the blower and being the confident, victoriously celebrant person I am; I think I can safely say I came out Tops.
So while the usual WET Halloween came and went, I did some serious cutting in my Studio with the Birthday Picks the ChiefHubby let me order from JoAnne Fabrics' great sale. I chose carefully over the stock because, while I am always on the lookout for Tim Holtz's new items, I am still currently filling a few of the discontinued items that just never seemed to make their way into Indiana. I've not been let down and was HAPPY to find a new one AND an old one....WEEEEEEE!!!! :D

Very HAPPY to find ALOT of these items now in stock in both JoAnn Fabrics and Hobby Lobby of Lafayette, IN ! I certainly complained to them enough on every visit with a huge *sigh* of "WHY can't I find anything NEW that Tim Holtz has out since it's all so POPULAR, but your store doesn't carry much." said with a lost puppy dog look. ;) And, thanksSOmuch! they have brought in TONS of it finally!  But there are still alot of the dies that they only sell online because of shipping costs. So I try not to waste any money on shipping myself and wait for that to be "FREE w yaddayadda Purchases" or special sales. Why waste money on S&H when you can get one more item for that same amount??
There was only one problem...in my searches to find the TH Folio, I finally came upon one. Not to dis' ya, Tim, but I was really disappointed with the SIZE of that Folio. I expected it to be larger, even though I did see the dimentions online. I thought surely it comes in a larger folder size so you can fit letter-sized items into the pocket?? But it was not to be. So while I set out to do the Faded Cover, I got to thinking "Why not make my OWN version of a Folio but just use all my TH cardstocks? So that is what I set out to do. Firstly, let's go to the Faded Cover pics, then the Folio.



Before we show the finished- I noticed that my inside papers seemed to be UPSIDE DOWN. Is this normal?? 

This is the finished front- the frame was made with Sizzix Die #656185 Bigz which I got on Clearance from the Sizzix.com site. My Besties all join together now and then to purchase dies in one shipment when we see alot of them go clearance that we all want. Saves alot of S&H fees while getting us all needed items to share.



I wanted the FC to stay in it's original form for the most part. I chose the "JOURNAL" Cover and decided to just embelish it. I got out my TH die Hardware Findings, and made some 'iron gate posts' to wrap over the edges and you can see from the pic above this one, how they secure UNDERNEATH the binder hinge clasp. I put a Hitch Post on the top for the key (made from Grunge Paper x5 layers of Hardware Findings Key using Glossy Accents to put together then 'rust' them with Vintage Photo Distress and emboss powder). The tiny tag is simply the 'try me out' tag that is on the outside of every Grunge Paper pkg! I carefully cut all the pkging away and keep the tag for use in a project. LOVE those little bonus tags !!!!


The inside covers were made from TH French Industrial papers. I chose to emboss the 'letter' and 'ledger' with similar TH emboss folders- just to stick out more. Then I used a few of the Found Relatives from the same papers, and made my own usual Cabinet Cards (on an earlier posting) to match with them. You can definitely tell which photo is of 'poor workers' while the others have a 'gold gilt' (TH Distress Paint) around the edges to make them look "wealthier".



I call this my "Cover Page Tag" or just an example tag of some I make with my very fave stuff! Actually, this tag was supposed to be the one that fit into the sliding under the plastic front frame. But guess what- yep, I started it and it 'went too far' so to speak. I just kept going and going. My original plan: to use up any leftover stash items that were 'oddball' like....leftover stars made from September Tag. Leftover top post light from last year's...whatever I made with those!! Leftover topparts of the Hardware Findings Gateposts from the Faded Cover's outside binder. You get the idea here. I started it with the intention of the "lock" fitting in with the "key" for the outside. Eventually, I put a ChitChat Sticker inside the lock that says "artful" and THEN I did the BACKSIDE to this tag....



...And by the time I got done after I'd originally only intended to use up the leftover number 8s I had....I went on to make it into a real year so to speak of 1888 making extra 1 and 8 with odd other items of TH papers, Ideaology items leftover and you can see the leftover top of the second HFgatepost....which I added LongFasteners like I did on the front to make it look like the tag was 'hinged together' even though the hinges do NOT match up the same place. But It took on EXACTLY what I wanted.....THEN IT DID NOT FIT INTO THE PLASTIC !!! ARGH!!!!! *sigh* That's whatchagit for being artistic and havin' lotsa fun!


Here's the backside of the Cover Page Tag out of the plastic so you can appreciate the details I did to each number. The odd items just make the third 8 look like it was 'working' into an 8. ;)  Sorta the way my MIND works in that sudio....??




And here's the front of the CoverPage Tag wo the plastic. I have to say: THIS is THE MOST FAVE TAG I'VE DONE- EVER!!!! Your eye can follow all the way around and it looks almost as if the man's cane is turning the blue star- turning the wheel; which is turning the red star, which unlocks the lock, which turns on the light, which turns the clock hands, which makes the photo reel, which makes the image of the MAN.....COOL !!!! I LOVE IT!!!!


And to add a cut of my new TH Die "Big Ticket" which the ChiefHubby GENEROUSLY paid for my Birthday Pkg...
Here' the catch with the dates; notice the First is missing? I used a heart-shaped handpunch to take it out. WHY??? Well, the entire reason behind this Faded Cover book is to carry Tags which I end up making as gifts for others. I often found them somewhat crushed or bent when I tucked them into my backpack to take with me to give to the intended recipients. So my thought was to use this book to tuck them into the pages and THEN give them in the plastic protection bags I normally use to 'wrap' them for giving. Problem SOLVED- no more crushies or bendies!!  :)
So the punchout of the FIRST DAY stands for the dates that TIM puts out his 12 Tags for that month. I always look VERY FORWARD to his newest challenge and creations on that day!!!  Notice the ChitChat Sticker I put under it?? It says "us"...stands for ALL of us who are looking forward to that Tag that day!



THEN, *breath* I ended up making ANOTHER Tag to slide into the top of the outside frame- and this time, I kept it SIMPLE. Just a cutdown of the Found Relatives from the 12x12 TH paperstash and a cabinet card made larger on my computer than the smaller ones shown on the inside of the covers. SWEET! :)


    And here is the "Folio" I crafted....



I basically just stuck to the same main idea of a folder
with an extra-long outer cover. Using 12x12 TH cardstock paperstash for all of this, I also put a little fold-over edge with some paper string to close up the main folder, and you can see how much thicker I made the entire thing just by adding more room in between the normal creased edges. I got the idea of using the one page of letterpress into the spaced places to tape little do-dads (tickets to "Yesterday- The BEATLES Tribute Band" Concert that was also for my birthday from the Chiefhubby, and Bday cards from some special fave ppl that were sent in the snailmail to me. (Like my namesake Grma Raymer- I enjoy getting paper cards still!) and I'll have plenty of extra space to keep all those little things that pile up on my desk because I can't bear to just toss them, but they just gather dust or trash the drawers.

These two crafted items are not really NEEDS, but they will help UNclutter those little things that seem to gather on my Studio table each month. And every little bit of organization helps.

THANKS for checking in on this WINDY post, & HAPPY BLOGGING!  





2 comments:

Larimore2 said...

Go figure....The very day I posted this, I made a trip for dr appt & usual blood draws.....& Joann Fab happened to have ONE of the LARGE TH Folios. My kinda 'luck'. Always my kind. :/ Oh well. The Folio I made is still parger than that one, & the TH stash papers would have the same look anyway. :D

Anonymous said...

Wow Lyla what a beautiful worn cover! I love the frame you have added to the front. The inside is just amazing too. Beautifully vintage and I love the tags you have added. Fantastic! Karen.x