The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge #4; For The Love of Mixed Media...Little Travelers' Valentine Boxes

   Valentine's Day is always one of my favorite holidays, and I always loved giving special Valentine packages to my ChiefHubby and our kids. I think it's even more special now that we are married 38 years this July- making this our 40th Valentines Day together! While I've pretty much stopped the packages with our kids (and the ChiefHubby and I don't need more reasons to have chocolate, lol), I'm tickled pink to be able to carry on the tradition with our Grandbabies!

   This year, our 2nd as Florida Snowbirds, we hoped to have one set - or both sets- of our kids to fly down for a week. The younger set are just now getting settled into their new house (finally closed last week) in Upstate New York, and it will be awhile before they are able to head anywhere for an extended vacation. And with the new baby coming this Fall, we'll be doing the most travel up to them instead. The older set had the opportunity to get away and bring our oldest 2 Grandbabies for Peanut's 2nd flight to Florida, and Princess's 1st. The ocean has always been my dream place. I was obsessed with water and swimming and dreamed of walking for miles along tropical sandy beaches. I saw it for the first time when I was 21. While I never really got to go anywhere (except to Missouri to my Great Grandpa Raymer's farm) until I was 18 and married, it's worth the wait to see things for the first time through your own kids' eyes. That made my first visit to Florida's Pacific side as a new Mommy at age 25 truly magical. It's even more special to share your Happy Place with your GRANDCHILDREN!  As of now, that's 2 done and 2 more to share it with yet. Since the 2 older babies adore- and have plenty of experience with- chickens, they were excited to play with the seagulls. Memaw showed them how to hold up the Dorito chip and wait for the birds to swoop it away. The weather finally made the turn for Spring and their last day here was beautiful and full of fun. Baby Pecan will really love the ocean as much as his older cousins did over Valentine's Day, and I am looking forward to that time!  

     Which brings me to this new Challenge on The Funkie Junkie Boutique's For the Love of Mixed Media. Laura's got this one and she's challenging us to "create a mixed media project about/for someone or something you love". It was easy-peasy for me since I was already in planning mode to make some kind of package to put the kids' Valentine candy in. So I came up with a neat idea after realizing that between our 4 Grandbabies (including the one in-utero!), they have traveled a combined 11 States and 1 other country in just the past month! Last summer, I was bummed out that our Grandbabies were just seeing "wavy water" for the first time because of Covid19. This year; they start off BIG with traveling! Jamie is up on Lake Ontario, with his Aunt just across the water in Canada. The way there is around Niagra Falls, so he got to go to another country already to visit his older Cousins on his Mommy's side. Like the rest of the world, I am so over Covid19 already! The thought of kids getting back to having LIFE again makes me feel like there's hope out there yet! 

      Mixed Media is the creation of an item using 2 or more different types of materials. I chose paper, ribbon/string/ and Distress Inks to make simple gift boxes for holding Valentine candy treats.

                                           So let's dig in and see how it's done!

These are the items I needed to divide up and have a box to fit it all inside.

Don't be fooled: those PEZ holders can be pretty large when it's in that plastic!

I wanted to capitalize on how many places they each traveled to/through, and

a mode of transportation that made me think of each child.

I picked up a clearance item on an odd trip (can't even remember where) and

already had in mind to use Tim Holtz's Destinations 12 x 12 pad.

The Funkie Junkie Boutique has TONS of paper packs, pads, and matching sets

of papers to choose from, including Tim Holtz's most recent items.

I started out by measuring the items as they were gathered together in a bag.

Each child would need a box measuring 

10 inches long x 3 inches wide x 4 inches deep

that translated to folding and cutting in the following manner:

one 12 x12 cardstock: Score fully up and down on 1-inch, 5-inch, and 8-inch marks

turn the paper one turn to left and 

Score on 1-inch and 11-inch marks

Cut to the crease only on 1-inch and 11-onch marks.

one 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock: Cut one inch from entire edge to make 8 1/2 x 10

turn and cut on 5 1/2-inches

Score on 2 1/2-inch mark

Clip corners to desired edge, or leave as square

two 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock : cut out 2 squares measuring 4-inches x 3-inches

Any leftover scraps can be used to decorate- especially double sided stock/paper.

After making one cut corner using a ruler and cutting blade, I then just used that 

corner as a pattern for all the rest of the corners.

Here is where the box is all in the correctly cut peices, ready for assembly.

ADHESIVES: I used Pink Glider Tape Runner and Glossy Accents on all.

The tape sets it and the GA makes it stay.

The main part of the box is the 12 x 12 cardstock sheet.

The lid and squares help round out the shell of the box where the 12 x 12 is too small.

This is why you want to coordinate the colors you're using.

The squares also help add some stability- kids are going to handle these boxes!

The inside of one finished box.

You can see down in the bottom right corner- I folded over an edge piece that

normally would have just been cut away. It added stability to the lid piece.

Aaaaaand....if you're like me, and you score too deeply on the ONE and ONLY 

sheet of cardstock like that in your entire stash...just add some scrap over the

top and refold. I used my Pink Glider Tape Runner for this.

What's a Memaw to do when she needs 3 Indianas and 2 Floridas and

Tim only made ONE page of these?!?!

She goes to her trusty pc, programs, and Canon Pixma....

...and she fills the order!

I also did leave it in my files for future needs.

Then come the DECORATIONS!!

In this case; Faceted Hearts in colors for each Grandbaby.

Peanut and Princess are more particular (ALWAYS Blue, and ALWAYS Pink),

whereas Baby Pecan loves Blue, Pink, Purple, Neons and bright colors.

I've seen him pick out other people's fave colors and hand it to them-

 Memaw does Pink a lotand it's been my fave my entire life.  

All 3 Grandbabies have picked up on this; they've all got a sense of color.

And here come the ties and the Distress Inks.

Here are the simple, but very pleasing Gift Boxes...

BACKSIDES

LEFT SIDES

RIGHT SIDES

BOTTOMS

Closeups:

Personalized with their names cut from Tim's license plate page.

Peanut Cole's

Princess Chloe's

Baby Jamie's

One more to get his.... when we get to New York!

I'm sending a huge "THANK YOU!! for all the LOVING comments on my makes,

especially because everyone knows my makes tell a 'story' that is usually about LOVE!

May you all take back as much as you freely give all the time:

Crafters are just the BESTEST PEOPLE EVER!!

This For the Love of Mixed Media Challenge is open until 11:55pm March 8th.

It's easy: make it, share it, enter it (following the rules on the Challenge's link),

and be included in a chance for a $25 Gift Certificate from

(Where you'll find tons of materials at great prices!)

Join in and make SOMEONE ELSE smile!

Until next time...

Stay Safe &

HAPPY BLOGGING!!

The Design Team does "Funkie and Frilly Valentines" at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge #3... The Queen of Hearts with Love Potion #9

 

   February really blew in, didn't it? While most northern Americans were getting buried under snow, we down south simply just chilled out...with a couple more upward notches on heater. Brrr! Getting used to the extreme extremes of the Gulf Coast, but it's crazy; temp differences of 40* in one day. I spent a nice Thursday driving down to the beach and spending a few hours walking and sunning and the next day had me bundling up in a blanket, refusing to go out at all. A couple of our Besties came through our Tri State Christian Camp & Retreat Center on their way to Louisiana for another friend's 90th Birthday, then came back through with another set of Besties from Indiana who met up with them at the birthday party. So we 4 couples got together- old Besties and older Besties (not speaking age-wise). What a fun evening we had and it was good to see another couple come down from Indiana's Church of Christ at Logansport to work camp. The Aurora camp near Orlando is also a "Remove the Barriers" for disabled campers. We've been so busy, and yet have had a ton of help to get the building nearly finished now!

   With the older set of kids flying down in just a couple of days, I've been getting ready for the older 2 Grandbabies to stay here with us while Mommy and Daddy get their own room across the way. That way, they can get some rest and let Memaw and Papaw have some fun spoiling. I've been seeing Baby Pecan on the Facetime- he loves chatting away in his 2-year-old-talk and walks around pointing out all the things in his rental house. Hopefully, they will take possession of their new house this week. Pecan and Mommy are going to her Sisters to visit his four Cousins; that will keep him busy- and his Cousins, too! We noted from the Indiana kids that they got at least 12 inches of snow, and later that same night; the younger kids' Upstate New York was shown on the news (see photo below). Too much white stuff, in MOHO, and having the new Challenge, Funkie and Frilly Valentines gives us a chance to add some cheery hearts- in any color! Make it "funkie and frilly" and let the hearts share the love! I decided to do my last piece of Tim Holtz structures- the Shrine- with some more minis. I got my inspiration from Paula Cheney's "Miss Havisham" make , which I fell in love with at first glance! I took mine in a different direction and am calling her "Queen of Hearts". So get settled in and take a run through the photos...another loooong post of photos... but helpful.

   I completely forgot to take my usual "materials used" photos, so I'll make a list at the end of this post, but you can see several of the items in the following "how to" pics. 

                                     The Mini Books...

I mix and match what I want in some instances, but you can type in "printable miniature books"

and get a lot of good choices to print out- without having to resize them.

I usually do resize all of mine to match my project exactly as I want it to look.

I set my printer to "standard" and use plain paper. but you can choose whatever you like.

After you've trimmed all the pages (with or without edges) using your paper trimmer,

or just fussy cut like I do, you're ready to fold along the page lines.

You can use a score board/bone folder, or just fold with your fingers-

plain paper is easy to fold along the page lines if they are there.

Once you have the accordion folds, and you have the cover folded on the edges and glued

(I use a regular cardstock cut to size and folded on the bind for a hardcover book,

and for a paperback- just the plain paper)

you're ready to glue the pages together and then in between.

You can easily just glue back to back putting all the pages together, and then...

...glue in between each of the folds on the backside of all the pages.

This keeps the book from un folding out of the binding cover.

Be sure both cover and inside pages are right side up, before gluing together.

I usually adhere the middle section first, then open one cover and glue, then repeat the other side.

I clip mine together and then lay something heavy (other regular sized books are good)

on top just for one overnight- even with fast drying Glossy Accents.

The next day (or next crafting time) gently use a bone folder or pick to go between

all the pages and gently pull apart any stuck together.

The Tim Holtz Shrine Structure is very easy to do!

I've wanted to do one for such a long time and after seeing Paula's take on it,

I ordered one and saved it for exactly a project like this.

I wanted to build 2 shelves that would be the same depth as the Shrine itself,

so I got out my Etcetera Bracket Shelf set. As in the last projects I've recently done,

the Etcetera can be cut to your own choice of sizes- which I did here.

(The Shrine is sideways- which was easier for me to see if it was straight across,)

For my chosen paper- Tim Holt'z 12x12 Paperie, French Industrial... very romantic!

To get the right depth, I inverted the shelves and faced them opposite each other,

and filled the spaces with leftover bits. Messy glue won't matter.

Then cut out, flip over and do the same glue job on the other side-

you now have a shelf covered on both sides.

I like to "fit" my paper to my boxes by eye only.

Since I was making my own shelving, I simply traced the shape of the Shrine

on top of the paper and then cut to fit.

If you're not sure, then by all means; measure 2x and cut 1x.

I inked up all the papers with TH Distress Oxide Ground Espresso before I adhered it all together.

I also decided to use TH Distress Paint in Antique Linen on all the edges even 

though I planned to cover those edges. I didn't want the wood to still be seen under the 

chosen TH Design Tape (Postal set).

I did choose an older TH Tissue Tape from one of his original rolls

for the bottom 2 steps of the Shrine. I used Glossy Accents to make sure it stayed.

The Postal Design set had this very cool pink that could pass for pinkish-red over Christmas.

But, I saved it for Valentine's Day and I think it hit spot on for this

current Challenge; Funkie and Frilly Valentines

I chose lots of IdeaOlogy, and finally got my hands on the long-awaited

TH IdeaOlogy Alchemy glass bottles!!

I filled each with ideas of Valentine's Day...

candy, bells/sheet music, bottle of ink/pen nibs/love letters, pearls and diamonds, candlelight, Sand in a bottle and wishes (TH Wish Bones) in another.

The best was the Alchemy glasses: the larger got blue (regular clear Elmers- to stay movable

liquid) and the same glue in pink for the smaller. I used TH Alcohol Inks in Pool and Pink Sherbet

to make the "Man" and "Woman" DNA.

From those two colors would come the Love Potion #9 which was made from clear Elmers 

colored with TH Amethyst Alcohol Ink .

Who says TH Halloween Baseboards have to be used only for Halloween?!

The Queen of Hearts...

These are the things I used to decorate the Queen.

I wanted to do something different other than coloring with Distress Crayons this time.

I cut lace ribbon into pieces that fit with the shape of the flowers.

Then used Glossy Accents to stick them down first as the bouquet's background.

I used the TH Alterations Thinlits Falling Hearts to cut a pile of hearts from each of the reddish paper

and the greenish, then used the same TH Design Tape adhered to a scrap of the green

(to give it some stiffness) to make more of the same hearts.

Then dipped the hearts and began layering them in a bouquet shape.

Since she's a Queen...I thought she ought to have a really NICE bouquet,

and since I went to school for floral arranging and bouquets..... well, you know.

Next was to make sure the outer parts had their places.

Here is where you can see the pink and the blue inside the Alchemy glasses.

They sort of get hidden in the end of it all.

I ended up with only 1 drippy candle fitting into the Shrine, so I made it fit onto the longer

TH IdeaOlogy Candlestick. I used a bit of black string for the wick instead of thread.

The Results:

And some closeups...

It would seem that the Queen is somewhat bored with all the Valentine commercialism.

All she wants is THE MAN himself!

I see that I actually do get covered in that Glossy Accents: it's all over my fingernails!

with the books out of the shelf, you can peek behind the Love Potion #9

and see 2 couples enjoying the Valentine's Day just getting out and having fun together.

If you're looking to building a Tim Holtz Structure like this,

the The Funkie Junkie Boutique

has many available choices, along with lots of in-stock Tim Holtz IdeaOlogy used in this make.

TFJB also sponsors prizes for their Challenges.

You can't win if you don't enter, so check out the simple rules and join in on the fun

with this current Challenge:

 Funkie and Frilly Valentines

Thank you! to everyone for the kind comments.

I'll be getting back to some creative paper items as I miss getting my hands on inks!

And getting inks on my hands, lol!

I hope you've enjoyed all the "littles" I've posted lately.

they are so FUN and EASY to do!

Check out all the cool IdeaOlogy:

Until next time...

Stay Safe & Warm!

HAPPY BLOGGING!!