On the flip side of things... Who knew that in August, 2023:
1) I kept finding little decoration red pip berries on the floor of my Guest Room because getting bumped by cleaning, Grandbabies picking them for fun, and general use of the trundle day bed they've been on for years now. You know me: I save everything, and these got dropped into the "everything drawer" of my Craft Room. They looked like tiny apples and that stuck in my mind all summer long while I collected Mini Fashion purses.
2) Several of our dear friends are going through some tough times, physically. If you'd told me 30 years ago that you knew someone with brain cancer, I'd have been awed by that- it was surreal then. But now, ask me how many people I know who have brain cancer and I can count them off and run out of fingers on my hand. One dear, GODly man who welcomed us right away on our first visit to our church years ago, lays in the last stages now. He was only diagnosed from a sudden fall in May, earlier this year. And a couple of weeks ago, one of our Besties had surgery to remove cancer (found almost on happenstance) and suffered a stroke in the middle of the night after being released home. The ChiefHubby went to help and get both our Besties to the Emergency Room.
3) August has been the busiest month of a very busy summer. Between Dr visits for each of us having a few little issues (I'll let that lie there for now), we've been trying to keep up with our own family as well as help out everyone else wherever we can. While we've been able to enjoy seeing some spectacular places, be with our four beautiful Grandbabies and spend some quality time with our grown Kids, we keep our focus on GOD's Plan- for our good and His great glory!
Ohmygosh!! HAPPY MAIL!!
As soon as I opened up that Happy Mail from TFJB, I got out a list of things
that had already been in my mind (and on my desk!) since I ordered EDISON!
I'm starting- as usual- with a handy list of LINKS to find what you need (at best prices!):
Sizzix Tim Holtz Halloween 2023 Thinlits Die Set 7PK - Edison, Colorize
Sizzix Tim Holtz Halloween 2023 3-D Texture Fades - Cracked
Sizzix Tim Holtz Halloween 2023 3-D Texture Fades - Cracked
Tim Holtz IdeaOlogy Clippings Sticker Book
Tim Holtx Idea-ology Ephemera Pack- Curator
This particular TH Bucket was in a "toss out" box in some shopping I'd found while in Florida.
It wasn't one of those I'd put into the same catagory as "new" but it wasn't bad, either.
I picked it up for a princely sum of 25 cents and tucked it into my craft travel bag.
It would be the perfect carry for the red pip berries from my Guest Room.
I took it out to the barn and got out some of our favorite old tools to gently saw it in half...
... being careful to saw it right where the biggest chuck was missing on the lip of the barrel,
and then back into my Craft Room to finish it up with my TH Sanding Grip
(which is now retired by being replaced with some Sanding Discs listed in my links above),
added some TH Distressed Crayon in Vintage Photo rubbed all over the painted areas,
then heat-dried until the Distressed Crayon was set.
Here, you can see why I wanted to keep this little damaged bucket;
I've got TWO halves that will each fit perfectly onto a TH Etcetera Bracket Shelf
and no one will be the wiser!
I go through the CLEARANCE at The Funkie Junkie Boutique looking for bargains like this!
It was time to have some fun with the brand new TH 3D Texture Fade, Cracked.
I took out 2 sheet of the perfect start for this: TH Backdrops Vol 4.
First, I sprayed my papers liberally with water, so it wouldn't tear during the embossing process.
Then I used my Ground Espresso Distress Oxide Pad right onto the RAISED LINES side
of the Folder, to make the ink go deep into the lines of the embossed areas.
If you have a normal 6in wide Big Shot, you may need to cut your paper to fit that width.
I have a Big Shot Plus, which means I have more than 6 inches of space to go through.
I began at the top corner, then just kept matching up the 3D Folder all around the edges.
You can see the difference in color only because it's 2 different sheet of the Vol 4 Backdrops,
but the same Distress Oxide color. I couldn't choose between the 2, so I used both!
I adhered one full page to the Etcetera Mini Tag with Glossy Accents
and trimmed away the edges- saving them for the Etcetera Shelf pieces,
as well as the included Etcetera Tag's Enforcer.
And I did the same with the backside of the Etcetera Mini Tag with the second Vol 4 sheet.
You can see here that I traced a copy of the Etcetera Tag's Enforcer for this backside.
While I didn't do my fave technique this time (burnishing the sides of the paper),
just leaving it as it was, I did pinch the embossed paperie flat to the Etc thickboard's edge
for a good fit and then went over the entire areas' edgings of all the pieces.
I pushed deep onto the lines of the Tag's face and rubbed both Crayons all over with my fingers.
This was the finished FRONT - sans any other embellishment.
Now, it's time for the main feature of this project: Edison !!!
I got out some older TH Classic Kraft Stock for this, but you'll remember my list above,
where I've included links to NEWER Tim Kraft Stock stacks that are even better.
While the newer stock paperie isn't textured like the older stock, it is tougher to last
through more embossing, cutting, and general work with tougher technique wear.
In other words; the newer stock falls apart waaaay less than the older does.
But being one not to let waste my precious $$... I'm using up the older here.
If you haven't tried any of the TH Colorized Thinlits Dies line...
raise your hand if you were like me: afraid of all those tiny pieces
-c'mon, you know who you are...
This is a GREAT DIE SET to start with!!!
Not only is it a low number of die pieces in this set, but each piece (like ALL the sets)
is neatly and clearly marked for you to keep all your colors in order for assembling correctly.
And Tim always includes You Tube instructions that are just as easy to follow;
in case you're still needing a bit of help to organize your colors to each die piece.
Edison is my choice of EASY-PEASY-top-of-the-heap-favorite in versatility, too!
(Keep that in mind because you're going to see more of Edison from me in my next projects!)
After getting the main pieces I wanted; just one full set is all I needed for this project,
but in one of my coming-up projects, I'll show you how to use more cuts for
a different use of Edison.
*The clouds were cut from WHITE FOAM SHEET out of a last-minute stash grab.
I had an idea explosion when I used my heat tool to dry the inking on my die cuts.
I chose to used some bright Squeezed Lemonade into the middle of Edison's bottom-most layer
because I wanted the reason for his name to pop out a bit.
Thomas Alva Edison was an inventor of earlier versions of the electric light bulb.
So, I'm making a play on Edison glowing like a light bulb.
This gives me ideas for matching up "The Professor" CMS373.... Oh! Where were we?
Those puffy-cute clouds!!!
There are TWO sizes and with Halloween coming up; the sky's the limit, folks!
After cutting them out of single-layer foam sheet, I inked them up with Reg & Distress Inks
for some depth and then heated them to set the inks.
This was truly a mistake that turned out HAPPY: the clouds shrank but got perfectly stronger!
The last layer was sanded and inked with Carved Pumpkin Oxide.
This gave him a bit brighter but aged look, too.
The two upper layers of Edison were secured together and then
Sizzix double-sided foam was cut to add between those and the bottom cut
to form a puffed-out mouth in which I used Glossy Accents to secure an apple between his teeth.
I made a tiny 'prescription' for Edison to follow.
With all the physical things going on with so many of our dearest friends,
the apples and crabapples of our New York travels,
trying to fit in my own Dr appointments,
and the collection of the tiny pip berries all over the floor,,,
apples were definitely on my mind- jumbled all toghether.
Indeed: an apple a day won't keep you from getting old and sick,
but they sure do taste good and Edison agrees!
Introducing: Edison!
(Courtesy of Tim Holtz... and The Funkie Junkie Boutique!)
FRONT with Closeups below...
BACK
Isn't that 3D Cracked Embossing Folder just awesome?!
Thanks so very much for joining me on my crafting adventures this time around!
I've been having a few physical issues of my own to deal with and life has been
getting in the way of timing for me. Crafting has been an awesome outlet for telling
my stories as I live them out. I'm doing my best to keep up with everyone else,
despite life's little- and sometimes big- problems in the way.
But that's all we can do: the best we can do! I appreciate Linda, owner of TFJB
and how she understands this, and the over-the-top Design Team she leads
in such great ideas for us to bring you more Inspiration Ave!
Join us back here, every couple of days, for more fabulous ideas and tutorials
as we introduce more of Tim Holtz's Halloween Chapter 3 NEW PRODUCTS.
And remember to visit The Funkie Junkie Boutique, so you can get yours asap!
Until next time...
Stay Safe &
HAPPY BLOGGING!!
