Merry Christmas Vignette Tray

Hi friends!
If you have come here from Tim's Facebook Live, welcome!  I am going to show you how I created the Merry Christmas Vignette Tray with the Festive Repeat background which really makes this piece stand out.

I used a small Vignette Tray as my foundation.  You can see that there is an added wood base to the tray.  My husband cut that piece for me...super simple just one cut needed.
For the inside:
1.  Cut cardstock to fit the back of the tray (approximately 4 3/8" x 8 5/8").
2.  Choose a pattern from the Festive Repeat Thinlit to use as the background.  Since the die has to be used horizontal in this case, I choose the "plaid lines" for my pattern since it does not read specifically horizontal or vertical like the diamonds.

When you look any of Tim's "repeat" dies, one side is flat with no cutting blades.  Can you see the flat side on the right?

3.  Line up the die on one end of the cardstock. The side that has NO blade is on the left (notice there are no punch holes in the metal die on that end?)

4.  Run through your die cut machine.  I use a Vagabond 2 and a chrome plate with all my Thinlit dies.  

5.  Once you remove the die, pop out all the pieces with a Die Pick.  Match up the last holes on the right to the flat part of the die.  

This is what it looks like after three cut passes.  I still have two more to go till I get to the end.  All in all it took me about 10-15 minutes to do the entire piece and that was just because I had to stop to pop out all the little squares between passes.  Not too bad for a great background!

I painted my Vignette Tray black and added silver Metallic cardstock to the back.  It may look like gray cardstock here but in real life it is has a shine to it!  Now it's time to add the Festive Repeat to the background of the tray.  I used Collage Medium only around the edge of the red paper.

I created an ornament for the sentiment using a set of Sizzix nested circles.  I believe my set is retired but there are many companies that sell circle dies.  My largest circle is 3 3/8" (patterned paper) and the black circle is 2 7/8".  I also cut a piece of chipboard for largest circle to add stability.
The sentiment is one of my favorite dies from the release called Christmas Ribbon.  It's amazingly thin and cuts like a dream.  For the sentiment, I added a Deco Sheet to cardstock.  Then I added a Sizzix Adhesive Sheet to the cardstock.  Once I cut and remove the sentiment from the die, I can easily peel off the outside layer and stick the words to whatever I wish.  No extra glue needed.

I also created a small faux metal top for the bulb using chipboard and Metal Foil Tape.  I scored it with a bone folder to make the lines, then dripped Smolder Pearls Alcohol Ink over the top.  You will need to set it aside to dry for 10-15 mins since you are dripping the ink rather than pouncing it on with a tool.

To hang the Christmas Bulb, I inserted a Screw Eye from the Vignette Hardware pack to the top of the tray.  I find that it's best to start the hole with an awl or a push pin and then screw in the screw eye.

The metallic braid is vintage from Tinsel Trading in Berkley, CA.  I ran it through the Screw Eye, threaded it through a hole I punched in the bulb cap and tied a bow.  There are foam squares on the back of the bulb to keep it in position.

For the greenery, I cut a 5 x 6" piece of Distress Heavystock and colored it with layers of original Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and Forrest Moss, then sprayed a few colors of Distress Oxide over the top.
Using the colored Heavystock, I cut one Seasonal Scroll.  I also cut the three berries multiple times using Distress Watercolor paper so I could watercolor them later.

Additionally, I cut four pieces of pine using the Large Funky Festive: two in a medium green and  two in forest green. 

I used one of my favorite tools, the Distress Splatter Brush, and Picket Fence Distress Paint to splatter over the pine pieces.

A Detailer Water Brush was used to watercolor each berry with a combination of Festive Berries and Candied Apple.

Using 3D foam squares, I positioned the Festive Scroll into the tray.  Then I clipped each piece of pine in half to fill in around the scroll.  Some of the pine lies under the Festive Scroll and some lies on top of it to give dimension.

 

It might be hard to tell but some berries are mounted with 3D foam squares and some are glued directly to the Festive Repeat.

 I added an idea-ology jingle bell to the vintage braid.

 I had a small piece of pine left over so I added it to the bottom of the bulb.

Hope you like the Christmas Vignette Tray.  I love how the Seasonal Scroll and the pine worked over the Festive Repeat background.   The layers and colors of greens really added some great dimension to this piece, something that I am sure I will be repeating throughout the season!

If you missed Tim Facebook Live 

there are two videos to choose from,

Halloween and Christmas 

Click on either link to take you to Tim's blog for fabulous pictures of all the projects and links to the designers that will be sharing tutorials over the next few months.

now carry on,

paula

A Remembrance of Things

Hi everyone!  I know it has been a LONG time since I have blogged! Lots of behind the scenes stuff going on as we prepare for the summer release (which are meant for use in Fall).  So I'm hoping there are still some friends out there that might be interested in a great project for summer!  Can you believe 4th of July is on its way?  
I started with a Vignette Divided Drawer.  It is 3 1/2 x 10" with two wood shelves that are removable.  So you can use one, two or none to create the space you want.  You can use the box standing like I did... or lay it on its side to use horizontal.  You could even lay it down flat to create a library drawer/card catalog.  So many way to use it.

For this project I removed one of the shelves and glued the other into place with Collage Medium.  The shelves are not evenly spaced in the box (three distinct compartments) so you can decide if you want a small box at the bottom or a larger one.

I covered the Divided Drawer with paper from the Correspondence Paper Stash using Collage Medium - perfect paper for this season!  I painted on a final coat of Collage Medium to seal the paper (inside and outside).

Once dry, I scribbled Gathered Twigs Distress Crayon on my Glass Mat.  Then using a damp brush I painted over the paper to age it.  I love the look the crayon gives over the paper.

You can see in this photo the slot where I removed the shelf.  I assure you once the paper is dry and the Design Tape is on, it is very hard to detect where the slot is.

Design Tape for the lip edge of the box.  I chose a narrow tape from Design Tape Collector pack.  The tape starts on the top and wraps to the outside.  I sanded a bit, added more crayon, pounced some crayon away with a wet wipe...all to give it the aged look.

Setting the Divided Drawer aside, I gathered two Vignette Panels, glued them together then painted them out with Chipped Sapphire Distress Paint.  This will form a base for the Divided Drawer.
*just a note about Vignette Panels - these little babies are being retired in the near future so if you like them like I do, best be snapping some up before they are no more.  Sad but true.

 Once dry, sand away...

 Rub with a brown Distress Ink pad, any color brown will do so pick your favorite.

I glued the Divided Drawer to the base I created then brushed on Collage Medium over the base.  The wet medium will activate the Distress Ink and make it look more naturally aged.  Let dry for at least 10-15 minutes or until secure.

 

While the base was drying I worked on this tag that came in the Keepsakes Ephemera pack.  I added words that were the catalyst of the project: "101: Remembrance of Things - to be preserved, according to value.  It's a subject worth considering."  This phrase created from the Clippings Stickers lead to the words on the bottles (see below)...things that in my mind are being lost or forgotten in todays world.  Of course not by everyone, but just read a newspaper (do people still do that?) or comments on social media and you might think so...compassion, integrity, etc.  If you create this project or one like it you can choose words and phrases that have meaning to you!

 I added an eyelet to make it look more authentic.

Distress Ink is always the best way to color string.  Simple and effective.

I decided to wrap the tag around the center of the project since it's the main thought/words for the piece.

 As for the bottles - I used a variety of sizes from the Corked Vials pack.

I rubbed Distress Crackle - Clear Rock Candy over each bottle and let them dry.  I colored them with a variety of ink colors (Gathered Twigs, Tea Dye, and Iced Spruce).  Ink, small brush, water, heat tool being the key players in the mix.

Here is what they look like once the words were added (just printed on my computer on vintage typing paper).  The black bits on two of the bottles is Seth Apter Baked Texture (rocky road) - very cool effect.

For the top half of the Divided Drawer I used a photo from the new Found Relatives.  We found these ladies a few years ago and they finally made it into the new pack.  Aren't they fun?  and perfect for the project summer theme.
I colored them with crayons and a Detailed Water Brush so I could create the flowers on the dress.  Remember, not too much water or it will wash the color away.

I stitched a piece of duck cloth to the back and pinked the edges.  I added the photo to the top compartment with a small block placed behind the photo to push it out from the back.

I also created a flower pot using a Thimble, some Bouquet flowers sprayed with Antique Linen and Iced Spruce Distress Spray Stain.  One way to get the flowers to stand up is to rub Collage Medium on the backside and stem and let them dry.  I stuffed a small amount of moss into the Thimble and then added the flowers.  The pink berries are vintage.

I painted one of the Mini Hardware Pulls in Barn Door Distress Paint.  Once dry, I painted over it with Distress Crayon just like I did the paper in the beginning.  The two silver screws are from the Hardware Heads pack.  The small size fits right into the holes in the Mini Pull.  Looks screwed on but it's really just Collage Medium.

I used Milk Caps to create faux bunting.  The large Milk Caps fit perfectly around the top of the Divided Drawer.  The tiny metal Adornment Star in the center was added with Collage Medium.

 

So there you have it, my summer Divided Drawer project.  I hope you can see that there are so many ways to use this product as well as the Divided Box (a larger version of the Divided Drawer).  

Thanks everyone for stopping by!
Now carry on!
paula