Wow, that went fast, huh? January 2020 is already half gone before I'm ready to catch my breath over 2019. There are times when I wish I had the power to slow time down. But then, I'd be temped to make it speed back up for other times. Since manipulation of time itself is not quite in my job description as a mere human, it's gonna hafta be left as one of those things GOD handles. I'll just keep sticking with paper manipulation.(lol)
Seriously; my hopes are that all my readers have had the chance to recover from all the gatherings, travel, and food, and especially that each of you have had the chance to make a difference in reaching out to others in sharing the blessings of abundance. We truly are blessed to be able to freely travel, gather, and break bread together- especially here in the USA! I not only got to spend time with our older set of kids and the 2 older Grandbabies, but we were able to get a (way too short) visit up to the younger set and the newest Grandbaby. A chance to hold that BIG Little Man, and touch those adorably awesome huge cheeks that get bigger whenever he smiles! I even got to babysit him while the kids got a chance to have a date (they went to the movies to see the new Star Wars). My youngest Grandbaby was just the bestest behaved Pecan, and spending his first Christmas with him was such a great blessing! He's the little Miracle Man!
As soon as we got back to Indiana, I started working on a small winter project. I guess I wanted to make the best of the time I had after we got "pushed" home a day early because of an ice storm front. If we had stayed as planned, the ice storm would have made it rough to get back, since we took the car up instead of the 4x4 truck. And, we'd probably have been late for the ChiefHubby to get back to work on the 2nd. I was angry the entire way back home...at the weather. And, since the industry says he'll be working most Saturdays, a trip back up to Minnesota before April is going to take some serious HOPE. I guess that anger is what lit a fire under me, and I put this little make together in a few hours. It came to my mind on the drive home: the year 2020 looks "merry and bright" for this Grandma of three beautiful, happy Grandbabies. But, I need to remember to take some time out and spend some time with my BESTIES, too. This past year of 2019, we had almost no time together. Sure, we did the camping trips as usual. But during each trip, only part of us could be there, or most of us had to run errands, or had 'home work' to do on the trip, etc. So our time was pretty interrupted. Maybe we're all just getting old....ER. But really; life itself just kind of "butts in" and we have to try harder to carve some time out for EVERYONE.
Oh, don't worry; I'm going to bust my fingers to keep new crafted makes posted. My CraftMuse would explode otherwise! But, like anything that is worth having; it's worth the EFFORT. With that in mind, let's get to the first of two makes for this Tic Tac Toe Challenge ! 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.
So, while I did craft this first project on New Year's Day, I was happy to find that my choices lined right up-and-down in the middle of the puzzle: Winter, Sentiment, and Silver! (Squeal!)
I started out with wanting to try out the new (to me) Tim Holtz Alterations Die Trinket Frames.
Not ready to put away the décor in the house yet, I got out the Mind's Eye Yuletide paper
that was a bargain find during my last trip to Tuesday Morning.
Toss in a few green pines and leftover fence piece from my stash,
some TH IdeaOlogy; Frozen and Paper Dolls, and I was ready to make my head plan a "reality"
inside a TH (Christmas edition) Trinket Tin!
Cutting some strips that would fit into the sides around the inside of the TH Trinket Tin,
I cut a full scene from the paper of the Mind's Eye stack with the die:
(it cuts the middle of the paper out, so you'll need to cut a "pattern" and use that to
pencil around and then cut out with scissors for your full bottom or full top piece),
then put my TH Distress Oxide Antique Linen to use for some depth.
Cutting a frame for both the top and bottom - as well as another pattern to pencil around
for cutting another full piece for the top.
I chose Distress Oxides in Iced Spruce and Vintage Photo for some depth on these.
I also took the time to sand the TH IdeaOlogy pieces: Typeography numbers and Frozen.
After the numbers were adhered, was when it struck me to use a TH Adornment: Star...
and then use my index finger to rub a bit of TH Distress Pain in Picket Fence
to the point only of the star.
TH IdeaOlogy (phillps screw headed) Mini Fasteners pierced into the
8 rounded corners, and I layered the top set with popdots.
A bit of cheesecloth for some snow...
...and a couple of Besties to join me;
it doesn't matter which ones these two are who are joining me (I'm in pink- in the middle),
the point is the same: MAKE THE TIME FOR SOME FUN!
As for distressing with TH Distress Crayons: you'll notice that in the 2 projects I have
for this Challenge, both use the Crayons in a "dot and smear" type of technique.
I love how Paula Cheny colors her Paper Dolls with the Crayon/water brush technique,
and I hope to try that soon, but in this set of makes, I was trying for a 'yarn' or 'wool' look.
When I look at my puffy hats and gloves, they look uneven in shade because some
fuzzies stand out lighter-looking. And other parts look darker as the yarn is doubled up in the stitch.
I just kept dotting the Crayon onto the spot and smudge it down onto the surface,
and repeat till it looked 'built up'. The look works for me, anyway.
I decided the girls and I were going to do something we probably WOULDN'T do: go sledding.
Now, I would. Definitely with my Grandbabies. But actually getting out there NOW when the
deep-deep freeze-freeze yyyyour bbbbuns off is going on...
Myehhhhh… *blowing raspberries*
Actually, I found this little sled in my stash while looking for the TH IdeaOlogy Deer.
And I decided sitting the girls down onto the sled was a good way to show more of the background!
The deer was a fun play on my ChiefHubby (my DEAR DEER) who is always checking
in to make sure Chiefy's Wifey is ok. So he's back there doing his "bomb thing" in our frame.
I actually had painted this deer a couple weeks before- for the smaller of the faux book.
The finished project...
SILVER: The TH Trinket Tin itself is a rough silver metal. I added a few pinches of
TH Distress Glitter in Rock Candy- which also has some silver in it.
SENTIMENT: "Merry & Bright" for 2020 seems to fit the hope I have for this new year!
WINTER: Umm....pretty obviously; the season here is a given. ;)
Tim's Trinket Tins are just too much fun!
I've always been a big fan of miniatures, and I've got this idea of having 'the perfect' dollhouse
setup for my Grandbabies as they get older. We added a simpler dollhouse under the tree
for Christmas 2019, and it's given me a ton of new ideas. If I get the time...
to see what others have posted onto the page for this Challenge.
Better yet; join us! You still have until 11:55pm, Tuesday, January 20th.
Who knows...maybe you'll hit the jackpot for a Gift Certificate from
THANKS for checking in,
and
HAPPY BLOGGING...
for just a bit until I get
my SECOND project posted next!!
