The month of LOVE has arrived! February means the ChiefHubby and I are halfway through our winter "snowbirding" and while Punxsutawney Phil says there's 6 more weeks of winter yet to come, I've been enjoying more warm days at my favorite place. I'll agree that I can have fun and be happy at Walt Disney World -especially if I had my Grandbabies with me- but my happiest place of all is a warm, sunny beach. I can skip the crowds, though. Just give me a deserted island, my family, friends, and supplies for life. I'd miss crafting with paper, but there's always banana and palm leaves. ;)
It goes without saying: when it comes to my first love, it has to be The LORD. JESUS comes first in everything, and once a person puts Him as the priority; all else falls easily into its rightful place. After Him, comes my ChiefHubby, and then our kids.
But when I became a Memaw, my kids kind of took the place behind my Grandbabies. It's a natural order that happens whenever it comes down to "parents-verses-the-children": a couple has to be "one" in order to make sure the kids come first. It sounds strange, but if you're a parent... you understand. When it comes to GRANDparenting it's the same kind of strangeness; Grandparents and Parents both put one another first in order to make sure the babies all come first. As for our FurryKids in the family, it goes without aying that GOD created everything and set Adam and Eve down here to keep care of it all: we are to take care of the creatures and creation. So there you have my awe in what LOVE is all asbout, and it's pretty simple where it began: GOD is Love itself. I am always humbled when I look around and see all HE has given us out of Love!
"All About Love" is the theme for The Funkie Junkie Boutique's Design Team.
and I'm kicking the 2 week period off with an easy make that pairs up my favorite crafting designers, Eileen Hull and Tim Holtz. I got out my Skinny Mini Book Box die (Eileen's) and started out with
a sweet surprise gift from a Bestie last fall- a retired stash of 12x12 Tim Holtz Paperie!
I know, right...goosebumps of excitement!
(THANK YOU, DEBB!! Safe travels, my Dear Bestie!!)
The Skinny Mini Book Die is really easy-peasy to put together.
The great thing about this die is how versatile it is!
Now, I know you've heard me say that about several of these XL Dies, but it's true.
This die can be either a book box, a book, or- as you'll see here: a gift box!
To understand my project better, it's best to see Eileen's video first.
(FYI: Closed Captions are available on Eileen's videos as well as Tim's!)
The first thing I did was to use the die to cut matboard, making a shell cover the size I wanted.
In this case, I trimmed off everything past the first fold on the spine creases.
(If you're into measurements, it's probably 1/4 inch.)
Then assembled the two "book cover" pieces as usual to make a book shell.
I'm using Score Tape here- it sticks VERY well without warping your project.
This photo shows the inside of the book cover shell.
The matboard gives me a firm material for my gift box.
Then set this aside for the next step.
There were 3 sheets in the 12x12 stack for Valentine's Day, in black, red, and pink.
I set aside the black for now and took both the red and pink,
cutting a full set of each to form both front and back covers,
as well as three sides of a box.
I cut each piece according to what the design had on the sheets.
Each sheet was exactly the same design and wording,
so it was easy to simply match the top and bottom of the front cover,
and then do the same matching on the top and bottom of the back cover.
As for the sides of the box, and the spine (which actually is the 4th side of the box),
I used the edges of the sheets as they had a cute curly design all around.
By dividing up the sheets this way, I ended up with a bit extra left over. ;)
I did use Score Tape here as well- even being picky to cover every area
of each cut sheet so the (planned) sanding would be even.
Here's the inside - note later on that you will see the exact same thing on
that outside top cover that you see at the top of this photo
(which is really the inside of the front cover- photo is turned).
Now it's time to move on to those box sides.
The instructions Eileen gives for making the regular Book Box
means using the full sides (about an inch high).
All I did here, was score these pieces TWICE for three sided folds.
Instead of having one flat wall, I simply folded the wall into itself
to form a shorter, squared wall.
I repeated the same folds on the pink pieces
putting them wrong sides facing together,
and ended up with a nice little strong wall.
The spine forms the 4th wall.
Glossy Accents used in this step because it's just easier.
I then sanded the entire thing lightly- just enough to let some of the
wording and design show through. I chose not to color any of the edges
and the overall look came fully together after I added some elements....
My first chance to play around with the all new
Tailored Thinlits Set from Tim Holtz's Everyday Collection
was a bit of an adventure.
It took me a few tries until I figured out exactly how I wanted
my ChiefHubby's heart to look.
Good thing I had that leftover paperie!
My stash of IdeaOlogy came with me to Florida,
and I did fill my dividers with some old and more recent Valentine items.
The heart-shaped ring at the top is leftover from one of our Grandbabies.
It'd been scuffed up, loved, and used well before it found its way into the couch cushions
where I rescued it and tossed it into my stash.
It seemed to be the perfect reminder of LOVE and I decided to use it.
Tim Holtz's Paper Doll Portraits come with lots of choices
to match oneself up with...
... and some color added by those new Distress Watercolor Pencils
matching the swatch of Kitch Flamingo in the ribbon freebie
from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.
She's edged with some Distress Crayon in Walnut Stain rubbed on with my fingers.
Here's some links to help you find your way to some of the things used:
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils (12 Pack) Set 1Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils (12 Pack) Set 3Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - Set #2
Now, let's see what came out of all this...
FRONT
I made a closure using hemp twine secured to the front cover
using 2 IdeOlogy Long Fasteners.
When looking at the twine as it lies underneath the hat and collar;
it gives me the memory of all those made-with-love hanging mobiles
my kids brought home... and now my Grandbabies make!
BACK
The box is the perfect size to hold just enough:
Valentine chocolates for 2 at the beach.
(Pardon the sun shining on her.)
Last of all: the inside (retired TH) Gummy Heart belongs to me.
The point is not to listen to your own heart,
but to listen to one another's.
and you're sure to get more Inspiration Ave
in the next 2 weeks from the rest of the Design Team from
so check back often!
I'm looking forward to more crafting and (less coughing!)
as I work back up to getting my energy back.
It's been a long "sick season" down our way, and I'm hoping the warm air
is turning northward- no matter what the groundhog says!
Until next time...
Stay safe &
HAPPY BLOGGING!!
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