Welcome Home

Hello friends,

Today is exciting as it is the start of the Christmas making season! idea-ology Christmas Live was so inspiring - I love hearing Tim talk about all the makes and the inspiration behind them!  He just makes everything seem so amazing.

I'm sharing my Welcome Home Tray today.  Follow along and I'll show you how I created it!

I started with a large size Vignette Tray and lined up Collage Tiles on the back. They fit the 6 x 12" tray perfectly with tiles four across and eight down.

I also used the tiles on the sides of the tray.  You can pre-cut these to fit the sides and then glue them on.

For the front of the tray I use the red marble Backdrop on the sides and the bottom.  I filled in the center top with a different Backdrop paper.  All the Christmas Backdrop papers are good, so there are plenty to choose from to cover the tray.

The Christmas Tape comes with 4 skinny tapes (+ 2 wide) to use on the edges of any Vignette Tray. I am using the black one with Christmas words.  I think that one looks best against the red marble paper.

To make the bottom display shelf, I used a Vignette Box I covered in more Baseboard paper. 

Then I created a "sandwich" of: a card from the Layers Christmas Pack, a piece of acetate and a Baseboard Frame.  Once I had these three pieces together, I adhered it to the Vignette Box I had already put paper on.  This particular frame has the words 'Merry Christmas' at the bottom (its really a vertical frame) and I needed to cover that up (since the words are running on their side).  I decided to shave off the back of a small tree and adhere it to the frame with hot glue.  I also chopped a wood slice in half and added it to the tree to finish it off.

I added Collage Medium to the back of the Vignette Box and placed it into the Vignette Tray.  Then left it to dry overnight and came back to it the next day.

TIP 1: Something that I use whenever I make Vignettes is a rubber phone holder. I had it on my desk for my phone, but found I was using it to prop up my projects more than using it for the phone.  

For most Vignettes, they fit right in the space to work in a standing position (shown below). It also works if you are working with the Vignette laying down (testing things before gluing for example), it can be used to prop up the Vignette at two different levels depending on how much you want to lift it. I usually go for the higher position and if stuff keep sliding down, then I drop to the lower level.  The rubber helps to keep it from sliding away.  

I bought this one back in 2020 called Phoneprop  but I am sure there are many that could be used.

Okay, now back to the task at hand...

I hot glued a Woodland Tree in the idea-ology Barrel. I decided where I wanted to place the tree and then made a hole in the Tray with a hammer and awl.  It would be best to make the hole just up from where the Barrel and tree meet.

I ran the lights from the back of the tray to the front, then did my secret wire bend.  TIP 2: By bending the lights this way, it's easier to hide the wire in the tree.  So I bend, then start to wrap the tree.

I wanted to add a lantern which needs just one light so I made sure I wound the lights around the tree until I had one left for the lantern (it took me two tries to get it right). 

TIP 3: use putty (like you might use to put up posters with - this one comes from Hobby Lobby, they always have it by the check stand).  I like to use it to keep the Tiny Light in position till I can get it glued securely into place.

Use Hot Glue to glue the tree into place.

Then adhere the Lantern with Collage Medium.

While the lantern is drying, color various sized of Baubles with Alcohol Ink and push them into the tree, using hot glue to secure.  I like the largest Baubles at the bottom and work my way upward using progressively smaller Baubles.

Brush tree with Collage Medium and shower it with Mica Flakes.

Do not press the Mica into the glue, just let them fall where the may.  It makes it much more organic looking!

Lets talk about the roof.  

I created the roof using a piece of heavy chipboard + 3 of the wider 6" Etcetera Trims - Scallop. There are 5 pieces in the package so you only need 1 package to have all the pieces you will need.

Punch out the three wide 6" scalloped trims.  

Cut ONE scallop off the end of each strip so the entire piece fits into the large Vignette Tray.  The Tonic scissors cut easily through the Etcetera material.  Then stack them on top of the heavy chipboard piece.  You can see the chipboard sticking out just a bit at the top.

Use Collage Medium to glue the three trims pieces to the thick chipboard.  Only the bottom trim is glued directly to the chipboard.  The rest are just layered on and cantilever out from the bottom.  Once secure, I trimmed the excess chipboard away. You might think you need to add something under the top trim to hold it up, but you don't. The piece is so sturdy after the Collage Medium dries that there was no need.

I painted the trims with Ground Espresso Distress Paint and let that dry.

I also used a small amount a white paint and dry brushed it over the brown and let that dry.

Then I used my finger to wipe Grit-Paste Snowfall over the trims.

It's thicker in some places and thinner in others (I like the more organic look).  Set aside to dry before adhering the roof into the tray.

This photo shows how the roof fits into the Tray at an angle (totally up to you how much of an angle you want).  I added a decent amount of Collage Medium to the top edge of the chipboard trim and pushed the whole piece up and into the tray.  I let it sit for at least 30 minutes before I moved the tray to a standing position to continue.

Create a wreath with wired Pine Twine (I love this stuff). I actually made two wreaths, one slightly smaller than the other, and hot glued them together at the top to get a bulkier wreath. I added the bell from the Tiny Bells pack, red and white twine and a bit of Stickles, rubbed on with my finger. Just darling!

Adhere the wreath to the red door.  Baubles are optional of course but I figured, what the heck! It's Christmas!

The house number was made with a Label Frame (I love these because they come with the "rivets" already in the side holes...no need to add something extra).

The numbers are from the Numeric pack and have been colored with Foundry Wax - Gilded.

I added a painted red handle to the top of the tray and once secure, Tinsel and a tag from the ephemera pack.

Added snowballs made from Baubles and Snowfall Grit-Paste.

Stickles on the tiny tree and a Word Plaque painted with white paint.

This was a fun project.  I loved figuring out how to build the roof out of trims.  It looks way harder than it is! And the Snowfall Grit-paste was perfect to add the snowy charm!

Now carry on,
paula

Media Team - Halloween Assemblage Clock

Hi Everyone!  I'm here today with my post for the Tim Holtz Media Team.

I decided I wanted to use the Idea-ology Assemblage Clock to create a new Halloween Decoration (since it IS almost October!).  I've created many clocks in the past year or so, but I've never made one without the glass.  So I'm going to give it a go!  Follow along and I'll show you how it went....

Take apart the Assemblage Clock. You may need needle nose pliers to help the process. 

I like to keep the pieces together just as they are used in the clock so I remember how to put the clock back together.   I also have set of pictures of the inside and outside of the clock on my computer thus giving me a permanent reference in case I need it.  Trust me, I have used them a few times.

 Paint all the pieces with Black Soot Distress Paint.  Let dry for at least 30 minutes.

When the paint is tacky, go back and wipe away some of the paint with a paper towel so the metal shows through.  Set aside to complete the drying process.

I want a really old rusty clock so I'm going to use Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo over the black and silver surface.  To do this, pounce Distress Embossing Ink over the metal surface.
NOTE: I did the clock in two phases, using the holes as markers since the Embossing Ink is clear.

 Pour Distress Embossing Powder over the clock piece.  Slide the excess powder back into the jar.

I want some of the black and silver to show through, so I brushed away some of the powder before drying.  I don't know why, but the entire time I was working on the outside of the clock I kept thinking how much it looked like a graham cracker crust once the butter has soaked in.  The funny things we think about while waiting for Embossing Powder to melt.

Please be very careful with this process, as the metal gets very hot. 

After melting the embossing powder with a heat tool, cool completely. 
Run your fingers over the embossed surface to the loosen the release crystals (that's why it's called Distress Embossing Powder).
NOTE: Because these are release crystals they should go into the trash not back in the jar.

Once all the pieces are done, the clock can be put back together.  I like the way the embossing Powder looks, nice and grungy, perfect for a Halloween clock!
NOTE: Again, I am choosing not to use the glass in this project so I will not be adding it back in.

I need something for the background of the clock.  I decided to use Black Cardstock from Ranger.  Nice and heavyweight like the Manila cardstock I love so much.  I used the back of the clock to trace a circle for the background and cut it out.

Distress Paint works well over paper, so I'm using Dusty Concord, Ripe Persimmon and Chipped Sapphire.  I sprayed water into the paint and then swiped the black cardstock circle through the mix.

 That looks like a nice Halloween sky to me.

Once dry, I sprayed it with one of the new Distress Spray Stain in Brushed Pewter.  Nice and glittery... like a stars.

 Adhere the cardstock to the clock back and trim away the excess.

 Always good to test the fit before moving on.

I'm going to add a Mini Lantern to the background.  I decided to paint the Mini Lantern Brushed Pewter with a black top.  When the Mini Lantern is put into the clock, the top will fade away into the background and the Mini Lantern will not appear as large. 

 You can use Multi Medium or thin Foam Tape to add the Lantern to the clock back.

The wire comes right out the top and connects to the battery pack.  Eventually the battery pack will be secured to the clock with Velcro.

Again, keeping with the spooky Halloween theme, I decided to use cheesecloth to cover the walls of the clock.  I used Multi Medium to adhere the cheesecloth, pulling parts of it forward and over the edge of the clock face.  This part can get a little sticky so have the wet wipes nearby!

While the Multi Medium was drying, I stamped and embossed the cool owl from the Mini Halloween 4 set on the same black cardstock.  Once the image was cooled, I cut away part of the stamped image, leaving just the owl on the branch.

I gave him just a little color using some Alcohol Ink (eventually I added some Mushroom Alcohol Ink to the branch).

 A little Multi Medium on the back and he sticks quite nicely to the back of the clock.

Okay, just a couple more layers...
I adhered 1/2 of a Foil Tape Sheet to a piece of paper.   Then flipped it over, onto the Ironwork Gate Decorative Strip and ran it through the Vagabond machine to create a fence for the background.

A bit of Alcohol Ink so it's not so shiny!

So how do you get a flimsy fence to stand up?  Plastic.
Again, I used the back of the clock as a template.
It might be hard to see in the picture, but the bottom follows the curve of the clock and the top is straight.  I adhered the fence to the plastic with Multi Medium, running it along the straight edge.

I also created a Label Pull for the front of the clock using the Apothecary Remnant Rubs.

 

All right, almost there!  Fence is in and Label Pull is in place.

We need the main characters!  Love these new Occasions Found Relatives!  "Occasions" means there are cards for Halloween, Christmas, 4th of July, Birthdays, Summer and Easter, just to name a few.

I chose these four guys with the pumpkins.

Once they were cut out, I cut the little guy off the left side and moved him to the middle with a little bit of foam tape.  I think he looks like he belongs there!  I also curved the bottom so it fits down into the curve of the clock.

A little bit of Distress Marker color for the pumpkins and the stripe on the beanie and they really come alive.

I cut a small piece of cardstock for support.  The cardstock slipped in perfectly under the fence plastic.

Notice the lantern in this shot?...because the top is painted black it's more like a porch light than a hanging lantern.  Just what I was going for.

CLOCK TOP:
I used the Distress Spray Stain for the ribbon which is something new for me.  I sprayed the Stain directly onto the Crinkle Ribbon using NO WATER at all, which caused some very unique patterns as the stain bled through the weave of the ribbon, almost like Ikat fabric. 

Love the look of this.  It does feel different, a little crunchier or stiffer than if you used water in the coloring process, but I don't mind the feeling and in some projects, having the stiffer ribbon could have an advantage.

I also created some faux cracked glass bottles using Multi Medium, Distress Crackle Paint - rock candy and Alcohol Ink.  Tim explains this technique on page 54 of Compendium of Curiosities Vol III. (seriously, could I have any more Multi Medium dried on my fingertips?)

I added a few colors of Alcohol Ink to some Fragment Charms.

As well as Remnant Rubs from the Apothecary Sheet.  All bits were added to a Swivel Clasp and Wire Pin.

Then into the bow on the clock.

Yep, lots of steps to make the clock, but it came out really cool.  I love the grungy exterior and the Found Relative kids.  The Mini Lantern is easy to add to the background plus it added a lot of interest, almost like the boys are standing on someones doorstep for trick or treating!

Hope you enjoyed today's Media Team tutorial.  I know I had a great time making it!  I also hope that if you have never made an Assemblage Clock that this tutorial might give you some ideas for a fun piece to share with your family in October.

Now carry on,
paula

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