Small but Bright

Hello friends,

Looking back to last month when I created this small File Folder book. I had seen how Susie Heinz and many others were using our Linen Tape to bind books and I decided to try it with the Linen Christmas tape (love the plaid).  I also used Christmas Collage Paper to make a regular inline product, like File Folders, look a bit more Christmasy. So lets get started...

Here is the fished book with the belly band - I made that by sewing two pieces of green striped Wallpaper together to create a band long enough to wrap around the little book.  I added red stitching, eyelets, and some red ribbon to finish it off.

Once you slide the belly band off the book, you can see that there are file folders stacked up. 

In the next few photos, I'll show you how I created the structure, followed by photos of the finished book.

Cut pieces of Linen Tape and use to connect two 6" File Folders.

Repeat... so you end up with two sets with two File Folders each.

I worked with the File Folders like this till the very end, then connected them with a piece of Layers ephemera (I'll show you that part later).

The File Folders were too clean for the vintage look I was going for, so I began pressing each page into Gathered Twigs Distress Ink/water mix and drying with a heat tool.  You might not think the ink would stick to a coated surface but it will (you just need to be patient in the drying process).

Next, rip pieces of Christmas Collage Paper and add randomly over the pages of the book with Collage Medium.  Remember, Collage Medium needs to be under the paper and a coat over the top to smooth it out. Once dry, it's very easy to remove the excess paper, with a sanding block.

I set the pages aside to dry while I worked on choosing Paper Dolls and Snapshots (they come in the same bag #TH94290) to use on my pages.  I colored all but one of the images with Distress Watercolor Pencils.  If you would like to learn more about working with Watercolor Pencils on Paper Dolls, you can read my blog post HERE.

Before I show the pages, I'll let you in on a little secret.  I used Clippings stickers (found in the Christmas Sticker book) to create a poem that you can read as you turn the pages.  It is one of my favorite things, to add poetry to something I make. Since I'm not very articulate, I know I can depend on the stickers to give me the words.  Here is the poem I put together for this book.

Glowing red and Christmas green

Visions of delight

Our Hearts are now algow

Grace and light

Stand fixed in steadfast gaze,

Hear the carols sweet

With glad hearts, to you we say

of peace, good will towards men.

Pages 1 and 2

Watercolor Pencils on Page 1

Aged Mahogany Distress Crayon on Page 2. This was used because there is not (currently) an Aged Mahogany Watercolor Pencil. 

Page 1

Here is where the poem starts.

This Snapshot from the Paper Doll Pack was colored with Watercolor Pencils giving it a nostalgic feel.

Page 2

Here is the Aged Mahogany Distress Crayon in use.  The Crayon gives such a rich color of red and I needed their suits to be this color!

Other pieces from the Ephemera Pack and Layers Botanical pack + Label Stickers on the tabs.

Pages 3 and 4

Page 3

The card was sewn, then attached to the page with 1/4" Scor-tape.

Items in pocket are from Christmas Ephemera pack.

Round seal from the Christmas Sticker Book.

Page 4

Polka dots on the girls dress made with a POSCA paint pen.

The round label circle behind her head is from the Classic Labels Sticker sheets.

LOVE how the Collage Paper typography looks on the background of this page!

Pages 5 and 6

Stars from the Christmas Layers pack.

Page 6

Pages 7 and 8

This is the center - 2 file folders on the left, 2 file folders on the right.

The card with the wreath on it is holding the two side together.  

Because this is a small book, it is surprisingly stable with just the Layers Ephemera piece in the center. If the book was any taller it would need two pieces.

Page 7

Added holly from the Layers Christmas Botanical pack with added green Droplets.

Page 8

Poinsettias from Layers Botanical pack.

Pages 9 and 10

Page 9

Page 10

The Linen Tape at the top is holding a card that flips up once you turn the page.

Pages 11 and 12

Now you can see the card from the Layers Christmas pack.

Page 11 

Open to reveal a surprise.

Page 12

Dresses colored with Watercolor Distress Crayons

Page 13 and 14

Page 13

Again, another Snapshot from the Paper Dolls Christmas pack.

Page 14

Back

And there you have it, one Christmas book complete.  I love the ease of using the File Folders since they are printed.  Only the added Collage Paper was needed to move them from everyday to Christmas.  I like that kind of flexibility!

Now carry on,

paula

Festive Christmas Tin

Hello Friends,

Happy to be here to share another Christmas make, the Festive Tin.  This is an easy project to create so follow along and I'll show you the steps.

Start by punching hole through the tin with an awl.  

*This photo shows the tin on my glass mat.  In reality, I punched the hole over a cork trivet on my craft table so the awl would not damage my glass mat.

I added Backdrop paper to the back side of the tin top and punched a hole through the paper where I previously made the hole with the awl.

Run a string of Christmas Tiny Lights through the hole.  

Add foam pads to secure the battery pack to the lid.

I secured the wire (the thick part) to the tin with hot glue.  Hold the wire in place until the glue is stable.  

Hide the battery pack (except for the light switch) with a poinsettia from the Layers Botanical pack. The words are from the Baseboard pack - I just cut the flags at each end with sharp tipped scissors.

Moving back to the top of the tin, I did my special "wire wave thing" (that's a technical term) that I like to use when feeding tiny lights around large Woodland Trees.

Now for the trees.

I used wire cutters, to cut off the base of each tree so the branches would be right on the snow.  I used hot glue to add a chipboard square to the bottom of the trees (for stability). 

You may want to hot glue the trees to the tin top, but I think they would just pop off the metal at some point in time.  So I used Collage Medium to glue the trees and let them dry in place for a few hours.

Notice how close the trees are together.  I did that so the lights could go seamlessly between the trees (no hanging wires). 

Once stable, I wound the lights around the larger tree, then over to the small tree.

At first I was going to wrap the Tinsel but when I was trimming it, the tiny pieces kept piling up and I thought, I could use it on the tree like the old fashion tinsel.  

So that is just what I did.  

I used a brush to add Collage Medium on the tips of the branches and then sprinkled the cut Tinsel over the trees.

As for the other details, I added cotton batting around the trees for snow - that helped ground the trees to the tin top.

I used a damp brush and Distress Crayon Walnut Stain to color the Salvaged Deer. It is amazing the transformation of the deer with just a little bit of crayon.  Once the crayon dries, it will not come off on your hands.

Cut the Wood Slice in half and sprinkle with Rock Candy glitter.  Once dry, add to the tin with Collage Medium.  Glue the deer as close to the Wood Slice as possible.

Add old fashion Jingle Bells to the scene.

The 1/4" ribbon has been sprayed with Aged Mahogany Distress Spray Stain.  I made a double bow and hot glued it to the snow, tucking it into the tree.

Peppermints were added to the right of the bow.  You could add as many as you wish!

Add the Remnant Rub 25 to a label from the Sticker Book, then add it to the tin.

I used Label Stickers to decorate the black handle.  You will need to use Scor-tape underneath on the strips that go around the two corners.

Now just fill with candy and you are good to go.  What a fun gift for a friend or family member.  It would be a fun project for a"girls night" party, especially if you had all the holes punched, trees and ribbon pre-dyed, and deer colored with crayon!

Now carry on,

paula