Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #23 ; My Westward, HO! Folio...

      I am racing the clock on this CC3Challenge simply because I didn't have all I needed and had to order a few things online (which took the first week), and then I got hit by the big, mean, nasty Flu Bug this past week. Unfortunately for me, whenever I get sick with anything, it brings on an even nastier flare-up of Rheumatoid Arthritis. So as soon as the flu hit, I was pretty much stuck in bed and unable to move because the joints swell and bring on terrible pain. It's as if thousands of tiny people wrap each and every joint of your body in duct tape, then proceed to pound on the joints with the heaviest sledgehammer they can find on planet Earth. That was three days lost. So I really literally burned the midnight oil to finish (I'd had the plan scetched out and the project base-papered before getting sick. That means I am posting this in the 'nick of time', so there's just photos this time, and I'll try to get up a video of it at a later date- if I can.

     Please join the Challenge if you can- it's been alot of FUN! The crafters involved all do tremendously beautiful work!!! And there are prizes from Tim Holtz- the author/designer of CoC, and his BTS helper, Mario Rossi. Not to mention prizes from Inspiration Emporium http://www.inspirationemporium.com/ , and the Funkie Junkie Boutique http://www.thefunkiejunkie.com/ (where I won my choice prizes for Challenge #20 random drawing). You'll need to have your own copy of Tim's Book, and we're not allowed to share any 'how to's on any of the techniques taught for each particular Challenge. So without any further ado, here's my entry for CC3 Challenge #23 which I named in honor of my hopes for a trip out west for the ChiefHubby and I: The "Westward, HO!" Folio.



The front shows alot of the things that are involved in not only the TIME to take to see it all and get away from home, but the things Ireally want to see or visit, as well.




One of my very fave dies- the M&S clock key !! I had some fun with bits of trim.




Very SPACIOUS pocket folders for CAST (the travelers), PROPS (the stuff we buy or bring home), EXTRAS (made from newspaper cardstock hehe for the ppl we meet or anyone going along), and SCENES (photos of action or happenings). Larger photos are in the middle called "ON LOCATION" for that reason. SCRIPTS (intentionally misspelled as we always end up REVISING our plans no matter what).




A REAL pen in it's look-at, fixed-on holder.



I hope to be able to add my own photos to this section, but for now....this is what it looks like for filling purposes.

I printed TWO large pages...one is cardstock and the top is see-through printable vellum. A nighttime over the daytime.

One of the places we MUST see is the Hollywood sign. I hope we can spend a full day hiking that. Here's someone else's photo for now- daytime on bottom cardstock and top is vellum nighttime over it.

The bottom is a world map of TH resist stash- distress painted and swiped down. I also made another folder that is free to move out of the folio. Music will be playing all along the trip.
GETTING OUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66!



The inside of a few of my large tags give me plenty of space for whatever I am doing- writing a full story, miliage tabs, reciepts or what have you, that I always seem to come back home with.





The backside is left plain so I can have a flat surface to write on while riding shotgun with the ChiefHubby...
Westward, HOOOOOooooooooooo!

         Thanks so much for checking in again! I am hoping to get some relax time in so I can read up on some blogs of others for a bit this weekend. And hopefully be rid of the flu bug totally. So much for those shots, eh? lol
                                 Be Safe and Happy Blogging !

"To Sir, With Love"

This was a project I didn't think I'd have time for, but have been wanting to do since getting that Tim Holtz Alterations Die "Writing Desk" last summer! So as soon as I logged off after posting a note onto the Compendium of Curiosities Volume III Challenge #21 page on Linda Ledbetter's blog (called L3 as in 'L to the Third Power' which is really cute since my own name is also 3 Ls...to find the Challenges, look for "CC3C" ), my mind began doing the *clickety-clickety-click* of what I could make with that technique. Of course. Go figure, fellow CraftGurls ! lol  And... since Valentines Day is the day after the deadline,.. and I was hoping to send a couple of cards to my no-longer-living-nearby kids; it seemed TERRIBLE to let this opportunity pass me by. :D  Anyone can join in on this, but you have to have your OWN copy of the book as there is no sharing of the details that are needed to complete each project as it is taught. COOL prizes are sponsored by  The Inspiration Emporium ; Tim Holtz and his (BTS) helper, Mario Rossi; and The Funkie Junkie Boutique .

In fact, I just found out earlier this morning, that I won the Random Drawing Prize from my project entry for CC3C #20 !! YAY!!! So I have a $25 Shopping Spree from The Funkie Junkie Boutique coming !!! More cash for this CraftGurl's stash! That sure made my day after being pretty beat up by all the Dr appts when I only have 15 more to go this month out of 18 total. Yay. *sigh*

So, getting on with this... My studio desk as been as messy as my computer desk this month. I wanted to make two of whatever I ended up with- one for me to keep and one for the ChiefHubby. I've made a kind of tradition out of making him a tag for Valentine's Day the last few years. Back when I did The 12 Tags of 2013, my February Tag was chosen as one of the 12 winners, and I'd given the ChiefHubby his own copy of it that time, but this year, I only made three (two to send to the kid-couples) and kept the third for my own collection. So this was a chance to make something only he and I would have. As always- I did the both sides to these, having some fun with the backsides, which poke a wee bit of fun at each of us in our "Morning Person" and "Night Owl" modes. (Do you really need to guess which one I am??)

 It gave me a little leeway to do something not-so-normal for this very UNsparkly girl. I cut a couple of hearts out with the TH Movers&Shapers die set, used some Spun Sugar Distress Paint, and.....got some Rock Candy Distress Glitter.....all over my studio. And THAT'S why I am NOT such a glittery girl. I think the Chief will be surprised to see me use glitter at all since I am always turning my nose at it. I am a horsey, love-bein-outside, shorts&T, gimme-the-ocean,sand&sun kinda girl. So using glitter was going well outside of my comfort zone. WAY well outside.



BACKSIDES: On the left- my "Night Owl" shows the time I am at my best- at least alive and moving well. And on the right, is the ChiefHubby's usual- he's the "Morning Person" as he leaves for work at 5am every weekday morning for 25 years at SIA. His morning best time usually also holds over for the weekends as well. When it's Sunday, I tend to try to grab for the COFFEE at Church. ;)

 

 

 The photos above show a bit of detailing on the frontsides. It's really hard to get the right lighting for the technique to show up and I was hard put to see it on some of the other projects as well when I checked in last night for the Winners of CC3C #20. There are some AWSOME entries for this Challenge #21 !!! I still need to finish looking back to the Challenges I missed. I am a late finder/starter in this, but have been VERY warmly welcomed by everyone! :D

                 I am also sending this same project in for the Monthly Contest for February on The Inspiration Emporium 's blog, 'Inspiration Journal'. Again, there are some AWESOME prizes for the winners! And, even if you don't choose to enter anything....you'll get a ton of inspiration if you're looking for something to craft, but not sure how to do it. You'll love the tiny stoves made by Lisa Hoel just for an idea-starter! The project photos can lead you to the crafter's blog where you'll find more than enough talent to help you along. 

         Thanks for checking back in, and I hope to see YOUR project on IE, if you want to give it a try!

                                                             Happy Blogging!