I wish I could slow the clock down some, when I think of how fast our Grandbabies are growing. If it all goes as fast for my kids as it did for me, another 35 years will be passed before we can blink our eyes. But as much as I'd love to have time slow down when I'm with my Grands, the opposite of them NOT growing up is simply unthinkable to me. So go ahead, babies, and keep growing, and this old lady will just do the best she can to make the most of the minutes we get.
While there's no doubt in my mind that our family has been fantastically blessed, the past few weeks since getting back home to Indiana has left me a bit depressed. The reason is easy to guess; whenever I see the older 2 of the 3 babies, my heart is saying I need ALL THREE of them with me. We have the first 2 babies 2x a week- most weeks- from Sunday morning until the afternoon, and on Thursday evenings. For awhile, we were keeping them overnight on Saturdays, but the plain truth is: we're just not that young anymore. GOD gives you what you need when you need it, and we're GRANDparents now, not raising ours any longer. Although we have a firm belief that parenting NEVER ends; your kids will always need their parents and parents will always need to make sure their kids are doing ok. At least, that's how it's supposed to be, and we say it is so in our family. It absolutely fills me with total joy to see how our Sons have turned out! And it's nothing short of truth to say that their Wives have each had a HUGE part in that. Just like making their own homes become 'theirs' in the way they decorate it, so they will also make parenting their own way as well. And they too, will learn from the ups and downs in the journey.
So this little depressed feeling has nothing to do with worry or concern for any of the babies. Nor is it a 'holiday let-down'. It stems purely from the fact that 2 Grandbabies are 45 minutes away and 1 Grandbaby is a whole 9 hours away... and it's killing this Granny not to see that youngest one. He's especially thought of the past week while Princess begins to take some first tentative steps while hanging onto things. When I was thinking "Holy cow, she's only 9 months old!", it hit me that these very things are what I was so blessed to have seen with Peanut when he came along first....that I am likely going to miss out on seeing face to face with this youngest baby so far away. I think what makes it harder is the fact that I'm deaf. Others think nothing of it to call on the phone or Scype together. But for me, it still doesn't help since reading lips on almost all digital is still lagging 2 or 3 seconds behind the sound. So this kind of sucks for me. It's still hard just to have had the younger kids so far away- now add their baby to that. Not that I would have them NOT be where they are, though: their success at doing such a difficult thing (moving that far from all friends and family) and THRIVING at it as well, is amazing to me. In fact, we're so proud, but humbly grateful that all FOUR of our kids (both couples) have established themselves in this world at a time when it's not such an easy thing to do at all. And they're all darned good parents, too boot! But as retirement looms in my ChiefHubby's nearer future... pushing it on ME *sigh*... life will get more complicated , and probably send me further away in the process.
And all those thoughts, and bummed feelings led me to this Tic Tac Toe Challenge entry...
As explained in my last post; we're instructed to choose one row (strike through it just as if you won the game- across, up/down, or diagonal) choosing the 3 elements your project will have in it. I assumed that you could have more than just those 3, of course, but we were to mention/show what our strike-through choices were and point them out on our makes.
And like my last post; I chose to go with the up/down middle row: Winter, Sentiment, and Silver. But this time around, I went larger...MUCH larger!
Disappointed that I couldn't get my hands on the Tim Holtz Etcetera Arches, I came up with
an idea to make my own type of 'thick board' in the meantime.
I started out with some Matboard, and Cardstock- both in all white.
I used Modpodge glue to put two sheets of Cardstock together, making it into one thicker layer.
I cut my "tag" from the Matboard to the size I felt would be enough to fit the image I had in mind.
In this case- nearly an 8x10 sheet of Matboard made the tag base itself with another 8x10
leftover piece, from scrap, cut into 1/2 inch wide pieces the full length of the Matboard.
The TH Alterations Tag and Bookplates Die came in handy for the hole circle edges for later.
Tools that I used to make the "wood" edges for the tag...
Tim's 3D Implresslits Folder Lumber.
Stacking up 3 of the lengths for each "board of wood";
FIRST: SCORING
the 2x layered Cardstock into the same lengths that would fit all the way
each stack- cocooning each stack into the Cardstock folded up...
...I ran each scored length of Cardstock through my Big Shot using
the 3D Impresslits Lumber, and then;
RESCORED each line so the length would fit each stack of Matboard snugly.
I used my Glider Tape Runner to stick each layer in the stack,
and then each side of the stacks to stick inside the Cardstock lengths.
Cutting the corners was a lesson from adding new wood trim during the
installation of new windows in our home back in 2005.
That... and several years of working with Carpenters For Christ
in almost all of the lower Eastern US States.
Repeating the process on each corner until I ended up with all four sides done...
...and fitting leftovers into the two top smaller spaces after the rest were cut to fit...
gave me a pretty cool edged base tag!
*None of the edges were secured to the base yet.
I wanted to distress the white after the rest of the embellies were on it.
I was FINALLY able to score some Etcetera Thickboards- the "shelves".
Along with the sentiments of TH Christmas Quote Chips, Distress Mica Flakes,
and ESPECIALLY the 2019 Christmas Paper Dolls!!
Thanks to Paula Cheny (again, lol!) for making me absolutely NEED
that one little boy in there with the big cheeks that represents my newest Grandbaby!
I fell in love with her make using this Paper Doll!
I chose some background from the TH French Industrial,
and cut it the same size as the tag base.
I used the Modpodge again to adhere foil (I always use heavy duty foil)
to a single sheet of Cardstock,
and while it dried; gave the Etcetera shelf pieces some sanding off the ends- to fit.
Then gave the shelving a wash over of TH Distress Picket Fence Paint.
Since this was all a new kind of experiment,
I chose to use a layer of Ranger Multi Medium Matte
to adhere the TH paper onto the Tag base.
In case my work on the paper got it somewhat soggy. Just in case.
First, was a very light layer of Gesso. Then some Ranger TH Texture Paste
put on the area that would be above the shelf.
After the foil sheet was dry, I cut it to fit the shelf top.
That 'mound' of paste is what the bottom of my tree was tucked into- added stability, added depth layering, and hiding the bottom of the tree wire all at the same time.
Then layered that foiled shelf top with a thick layer of Distress Crackle Paste- Clear Rock Candy.
(After the Crackle Paste dried to a nice thick crackle...I used a Blender Tool to
scrub in some Distress Regular Ink in Picket Fence into the cracks.)
This is the point where I went ahead and distressed the wood edges-
using TH Distress Crayons in Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap.
I used colors in Distress Oxide Antique Linen and Distress Regular Picket Fence Ink
all over the Tag's now-covered & altered paper to match in with the "wood" edging.
An oxymoron if there ever was one:
I chose to use a TH Flash Card word for part of my sentiment...
… and BEACH was on the BACKSIDE!
After everything was finished to my satisfaction on the base of the tag,
I finished it off with some TH Distress Marker in Black Soot by using the Spritzer.
Adding some "snow" to the ice shelf with some Flower Soft.
Also; if you're a bit heavy-handed with your Glossy Accents the way I usually am,
it can come in handy when doing any winter scene because it only adds to the 'ice' everywhere!
And this was the finished result...
WINTER: Even though it's my least favorite season,
hopefully, after the ChiefHubby retires, we'll still have a bit of Winter
fun with our Grandbabies...and that there'll be more of them to have fun with, as well! ;)
I'm a little late in getting the TH Mica Flakes, having gotten them the week of New Year's Day,
but the timing worked out perfectly for me and this project!
The build up work was worth all the effort to get this result!
SENTIMENT: It doesn't have to be Christmas for you to realize you have a wonderful life!
Papaw and Memaw with our (so far) 2 Grandsons...
...and the pretty-in-pink Princess (so far) lone Granddaughter!
SILVER: That yummy IdeaOlogy: TH Adornments Pinecone and Snowflake!
Oh, and there's also the TH Crinkle Ribbon in a blue shade
THANKS, LINDA!!),
some candy cane twine, and another after-Christmas find;
some silver and baby blue wired ribbon.
These things tied together with a TH IdeaOlogy Wire Pin- AWESOME!
Silver is also used in the next photo below: the TH IdeaOlogy Hex Fasteners.
Looking back, this would have gone over nicely in one of
2019's TFJB Challenges, "Is it real?"
You'll notice that my distress technique is 'on top' instead of ground into the cracks.
I was trying for the look of a white-painted wood that was kept carefully tucked away in between many other frames with photos. The white would have stayed inside the cracks and it
would have been the upper texture that rubbed against the frames stacked above and below.
Now, if the frame had set out in the open, then you might have had dirt gathering into the cracks
and it would have made sense to use the Distress Ink coated onto the Lumber 3D Impresslit, before running it through your machine. So while distressing anything, you need to think of HOW the item would have gotten the way you want it to look.
Then, of course, the dirt always gets into those cracks where the pieces of wood
meet together at the corners. And the frames can get loose- even in storage.
So you want that slightly-unperfect look.
Crafting is the best hobby- EVER. And making this helped me feel just a little bit better.
Not much, but a LITTLE. And it's like Princess- baby steps- taking one day at a time
and enjoying what I have each day. It also helps me to remember that these babies are not
MY babies. These new young babies belong to the ones I already raised. It's my kids' chance
now to have all that fun...
and ENJOY THE JOURNEY!
So I have to remember that I am here to spoil 'em, fill 'em up with sugar,,,
and SEND 'EM BACK HOME.
MmmWhaHahahahaha! (evil laughter)
Seriously, I miss them each ALL the time, but, just like the job I had of "Mom",
I wouldn't trade this new "Memaw" job for anything in the world!
THANKS!
for dropping by once again to see what's going on in my Craft Studio, and my life! lol
And...another SURPISE:
I am branching out for a once-a-month BOOK/ALBUM making challenge!
I'll explain more about that after I get my idea finished up.
Meanwhile...
BE SAFE &
HAPPY BLOGGING!!
I've procrastinated for about a week and a half until this post is almost overdue! At the start of this year, I decided I would take up Autumn (Design Team) on her invitation more than a year ago, and join in on the Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog and give a try on making one mini album/mini book per month. There's a catch for myself in this, though; I want to make a second book as a gift for each of my Besties throughout the year 2020. These second books will likely be simpler and small enough for them to tuck into their purse or keep handy around the house to actually use them. I actually got this first set done early but put off posting it, until I was caught up with some other things still hanging on from December around here. Then, there's always LIFE barging in on me in my Craft Studio. And LIFE always wins out. In any case, it's done and I'm finally posting on the last day of January! So let's see where this first book came from...
