Hello everyone and happy December! I've been over the top busy with Christmas stuff and crafts, but haven't blogged a lick...sorry. Today, I have a project I've worked on and off of for weeks, and am just getting around to showing it to you. If Barbie and Ken had a cabin in the woods that they celebrate Christmas in, this would be their tree! Can you believe you see no red here??? I can't, and it was hard to do. Grab a large snack and cup of tea...lots to share. Enjoy!
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| This actually started off as an Idea-ology Large Configurations Book from Tim Holtz, but I needed it to go another way, so I cut off the book front, trimmed it down, and added it back to the bottom with added cardboard and Ranger Multi Medium. |
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| I used Design Tape to cover up the edges and sides, and a little Black Soot Distress Paint. |
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| I covered the back and bottom with paper from an older Tim Christmas stash, and inked the edges with Gathered Twigs. |
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| I mixed up some of Wendy Vecchi's Tree Branch Archival ReInker and Rubbing Alcohol in a bottle, as per Wendy's instructions, and misted it over Tim's Tissue Wrap. Then I stamped various Christmas images from Tim and Stamper's Anonymous using Black Soot Archival Ink. |
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| I tore the Tissue Wrap and collage it over the background wall with Multi Matte Medium. I so wish I had a life sized wall that looked like this. |
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| I took the wood planks image from the Materialize Stash, glued it onto cardboard, and then cut the planks apart. I inked the edges and then started applying them in place with help from Ranger's Adhesive Strips. The floor is wonderful, and I felt like a master carpenter making it. I forgot to take a picture of this, but I drilled a hole into the lower center of the back wall, and pushed battery operated lights through it. The battery pack is attached with velcro to the bottom of of the floor. |
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| To make the tree skirt, I used several pieces of Tim's Eclectic Elements Fabric, and his new thread...love it! I just winged it...no pattern...and created the triangle pieces and an octagon base piece. |
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| Once all the pieces were stitched around the edges, I stitched them together. |
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| I pulled off the brad backs on the Jingle Brads, and used the new Craft Thread...LOVE this stuff...to stitch the bells onto the ends of the triangles. |
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| Here is the finished tree skirt...I want it life size too...maybe next year. |
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| I painted over the Foundations Feet with Paint Dabbers, and then dabbed over Mushroom Alcohol Ink. |
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| I cut a small dowel about 9 inches tall, and painted it and a wooded knob with Gathered Twigs Distress Paint. This will be the trunk and anchor for the tree. I glued the dowel into the knob. |
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| I removed the bases of all the Bottle Brush Woodlands Trees that I knew I would use, so that the wires were poking out. I poked holes with a Craft Pick into the dowel, and pushed the tree wires into the holes with a little glue, staggering each row, and working biggest to smallest. I did not do the back as I wanted the tree to be pretty flush with the wall. I glued the tree in place, and strung the lights on from behind the tree so that less of the wires would be seen, and used lots of hot glue to help me...I still have the burns to prove it. I HATE using hot glue...ugh! |
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| To create the angel, I die cut Tim's Angelic from Sizzix with Shrink Plastic, painted and stamped over it to make it look crackled, and then baked it in the over for about 2 minutes....it worked fast! I added a spring on the back to make it easy to attach to the tree top. Shrink Plastic ROCKS! |
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| I painted the Baroque Frames the same as I did the Foundations Feet. I covered the deer heads first with Multi Medium, let that dry, and then colored them with Mushroom Alcohol Ink and Gold Mixative, several times...they have an awesome bronze look. I covered the antlers with Glossy Accents then dipped them into the Platinum Distress Dry Glitter. I covered the backs of the frames with paper and then glued on the Trophy Antlers, as well as added Tinsel and a bell around the deer. |
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| I inked over the edges of the blocks with Ground Espresso Archival, and then glued them together. I colored the pinecones with Mushroom Alcohol Ink, and then rubbed Glossy Accents over the pinecones and dipped them into Rock Candy Distress Glitter. |
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| I pounced on more Mushroom over the tinsel to give it a more vintage look. Then I assembled everything onto the wall and base with lots of Multi Medium and hot glue, and all the ornaments onto the tree. I found a miniature toy train at a craft store, painted it, added a teddy bear, and glued it around the tree...it might be my favorite part. |
I'll be back soonish...lots more Christmas goodness to share! Until then, enjoy the beauty and goodness of the season!
Supplies:
I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!
