The Funkie Junkie Boutique's Inspiration Ave; Tim Holtz Christmas IdeaOlogy... A Christmas Accordion Folio!

    November brings a lot of different things to our family, Veteran's Day, our younger Grandson's birthday, Thanksgiving, snow, and Christmas music. Those last 2 items just happened on our way up here to New York for Little Man Pecan's birthday celebration. I've always complained that Christmas comes earlier and earlier, but I've not seen it come this early... till now. It actually snowed on our way up here, and "Jingle Bells' came blasting out of the ChiefHubby's lips. I turned to him in disbelief, and he pointed to the radio saying, "It's THEIR fault," while we drove past homes that already had Christmas lights up and blazing. I'm not that crazy about Christmas, but I could be if all my kids and Grands were altogether under one roof over those holidays, once again. The Sons' work schedules are not likely to allow that since both their jobs are pretty essential to their respective companies. I do get that wonderful feeling about JESUS' birth and HIS being the entire reason for the season. The worship and awe are what it's all about, and the rest is just whatever folks enjoy as fun during that time- be it decorating, food, gatherings, and sharing gifts (especially toys for all the kids). But summer is my kind of thing, and the wet, cold snow of my youth is no longer welcome to the RA-riddled bones of my aged body. No matter how I try to keep up physically, I usually get sick with cold, flu, or flareup. Wouldn't you know it: I ended up with the mouth sores that spread from the PreSchool kids, and a bad cough that took my voice away last week. (You'll hear that in the final project video below.) Now, it's feeling like Bronchitis- even after 2 weeks of antibiotics. I'm doing my best not to let the littles get it back from Memaw. A gift once given should stay given, lol! I did stop by my Dad's gravesite to pull weeds and tidy it up for Veteran's Day, making sure he had a US Flag, I miss him every day and told him all about his most recent Great GrandDaughter... and another Great Great Grandchild on the way!

    While I had the toughest week trying to get well enough to get back up here to New York, our Besties (family) from our Florida home made their way up here on a whim, and stayed at our house, It was very nice to reciprocate finally hosting them (even though we left) as they always have done for us! Their Daughter and her Hubby just had their first Grandbaby less than two weeks after our youngest and both have the middle name Rose (theirs, Reese Rose and ours, Judith Rose), so that's a special thing to share together, and the updating of each - with photos/videos on iPhones- was enjoyed!  We got to share the time with another set of mutual Besties, all the while I was still packing and finishing up wrapping our gifts for the NY trip. I'm pretty far behind in my crochet and 'owing' baby US Flag blankets to several young couples- on all sides. Hopefully, I'll catch up while in Florida. Meanwhile, we got to NY just in time to help decorate for the birthday party held on Sunday the 13th. Little Man Pecan was treated with all his favorite things: pumpkin decorations and crepe paper hanging all around- including his bedroom door which he was delighted to wake up to! Mommy baked his favorite flavored cake with sprinkles, and his love for lots of different colors in all of it. They've been making new friends since their move up here and another family with a new baby and 2 yr old toddler came to join the party. The 2 boys jumped up and down upon seeing one another, and it warms this old woman's heart to know her family is making its own way, once again. Moving from one house to another is hard, but moving from state to state, job to another new job, all the while having a new baby... that's tough to go through- even if you choose all of it, not needing to do so. They've finally gotten some time to get work done on the new house, and when we walked in the door, it finally looked like "home" for them.

   I've been having too much fun with the brand new 2022 Tim Holtz products we're showcasing for The Funkie Junkie Boutique's Inspiration Ave, and this time around is all about Tim's Christmas IdeaOlogy. There are so many choices when it comes to the IdeaOlogy line: you can go for thick (Baseboards and/or Layers), thin (detailed Ephemera), or go three-dimensional with resin items that can be brightened up with your choice of color scheme or left as is.  When you try pairing any of these with
Tim Holtz's usual in-stock items and Distress choices, your own imagination is your only limit. But that's why we, TFJB's Design Team for Inspiration Ave, are here: to give you some ideas, inspiration, and for the times when you're in need of a tip or suggestion or looking for that latest hot item that everyone else is using. The Funkie Junkie Boutique hopes to be your first stop after you decide what you'd like to make. So, let's get to it!

Remember that happy mail that I posted last time? I was giving you a sneak peek!

This is only a smidgen of the things you'll find from The Funkie Junkie Boutique,

but I'll be linking these at the end of this post, to help you find what I used for this make.

Tim brought back his Christmas Collage Paper for 2022, 'and I still had my roll

left from 2021 and am still in love with it. I decided to pair it up with 

the all new for 2022 Accordion Folio- an item I hope stays, since it's so versatile.

After watching Paula Cheney (click here for her Halloween make) and realizing at the last minute

that I didn't have any Ranger Multi Medium Matte left, I did try the Glossy Accents onto one area

as a test, but GA was not the right feel I wanted and halfway through, I saw it was

not sticking well. Just a warning that you may want to test out your "go-to" fave glue, first.

So, I got out the old tried and true ModPodge and while it wasn't as easy to do as MMMatte,

it worked for this project pretty well. I must mention that I didn't plan to add

Distress product on top of this coat of MP/Collage Paper/topcoat of MP. 

I wanted the Collage Paper to simply give me a background for the thread color

and IdeaOlogy items to pop. Just another thought to consider if you're using ModPodge.

If you look closely, you can see the shine of the Glossy Accents on the panel with the word "Tide",

while the panel at the bottom is smoother and sticks better than the GA panel.

This is the outside of the entire Folio, which I knew I wanted fully papered.

This is the inside of the Accordion Folio.

Here's where your personal choices come in: how you want your Folio to fold, tuck, pocket,

stretch out, hidden spots, or anything you come up with. I had to decide what I wanted

it to structurally look like before I papered it- so the folds would work well and not tear the tissue.

This is how I did it for mine...

I started making ideas one area at a time,

 writing down on pieces of paper what that area/panel

was going to be, then snapped a photo with my iPhone of it.

I did this for each element of the Folio, and then....

... I was able to paper each, knowing which way it was going to fold, hide, or act as a pocket.

The photos helped me remember as I went, so I could cut the tissue without getting 

glue and tissue everywhere. It also helped in case I got interrupted!

When I was finished, I had each area perfectly covered with

the tissue going in the directions I wanted it to 'move'.

I decided to add a bit of color to the Folio's included ribbon by stitching down the middle.

After I sewed the ribbon to the Folio itself, I did use some Glossy Accents onto

the stiches just to keep the threads from pulling back out.

when you're sewing a front-and-back paper item, you can only have so many

rows of stitches on top of one another before the paper item gives way and tears,

so, I chose to sew only once and add a little GA to keep it there & it worked out well.

With the bottom-layer-glue/tissue/top-layer-of-glue technique on the Folio,

it was surprisingly very supple yet tough, easy to move around and to sew,

"sew" I stitched away all I pleased! (Pun intended, lol!)

Since I wanted to make one of my elements into a booklet off to one side,

I got out those leftover pieces of manilla cardstock I used for my last project 

using Tim Holtz Distress Christmas Mica Spray Stains (Set 3)

(if you want to rehash how to make these, click here, Christmas Distress Products).

The shade of red thread made the pieces on the next table catch my eye.

I cut another full sheet of the cardstock to fit the Folio,

and cut down the leftover sheet to fit as front and back covers.

The resulting leftover sliver and slice made cute edgings in the other spots.

This is what I ended up with once I was finished with the Folio itself.

Now came the fun part: embellishing the Folio with 

Tim Holtz Christmas IdeaOlogy!

Just to show the difference between one product (Baseboards, Christmas)

from 2022 on the left and 2021 on the right:

the brand new 2022 set has a cream shade instead of the 2021 brighter white shade.

Small difference in coloring, with some of the frames being the same, yet there are

 a few more VERY CUTE pieces in the newer 2022 set.

Another element I wanted to add was a shaker card.

(THANKS! to the one who shared her shaker card make like this on Tim Holtz Addicts FB page!)

I also took another tip from a friend (THANKS, AUTUMN!) to use

those Tim Holtz package board backgrounds for backing. The 'snow' was what this needed!

I used my Distress products sparingly, but the Baseboards

needed edging in Walnut Stain Distress Crayon.

I used one of my fave "go-to" Oxides Ground Espresso, for some aging on several pieces

and heat dried each with my heat tool.

This set of Baseboards shown, each got a background for changing out photos,

with Fresh Balsom Mica Spray Stain from the Set 3.

The colors were very complimentary together.

I decided I needed to be able to have my own TH Christmas Pocket Card 

to pretend to send out from the Folio...

sporting a milk cap from the Christmas Layers and Tim's Christmas Paper Dolls

carefully chosen to resemble my four Grandbabies

and colored with Tim's new 2022 Distress Watercolor Pencils (Sets 1 and 3).

As promised, here's a list of links to help you find some things you'll need to make a TH

Accordion Folio filled with 2022 Christmas IdeaOlogy...

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Collage Paper Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pocket Cards Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Baseboards Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ephemera Pack Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Layers Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Dolls Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Sticker Book Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Accordion Folio

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Baseboards Christmas 2021

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Wire Pins

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tiny Bells Christmas 2022

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments Snowflakes Christmas 2022

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Ground Espresso

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - Set #2
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Storage Tin
Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool + 2 Blending Foams
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 3/8" x 27 Yards
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
Tim Holtz Tonic Studios Kushgrip Snip w/Non-Stick Blade & Cap 7"-Small
Tim Holtz Tonic Studios Black Kushgrip Snip w/Non-Stick Blade & Cap 5"

(LIMITED EDITION SEASONAL RELEASE) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Holiday Mica Stains Set #3

And here is the finished project...

Front 

Back

And a video!

I hope you've enjoyed this little make and taken some inspiration from this post to use

some Christmas IdeaOlogy for a little time off from all the running around that

usually comes at this time of year to sit and do a little cutting & pasting of your own.

 IdeaOlogy makes it so easy and being easy makes things fun!

Don't forget to add your comment to the TFJB's Inspiration Ave page

for a chance to win a $25 shopping spree, and be sure to check back in for

more awesome projects coming up from my fellow Design Team Members using more 

Tim Holtz Christmas IdeaOlogy.

Until next time...

Stay Safe &

HAPPY BLOGGING!!

More "Icy and Cold" inspirational makes that fit in with The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge #2... Stories of Christmases Past!

   

While it's not 'icy' here on the Emerald Coast of Florida, and it's definitely not as cold as it is in Indiana or New York , where all of our kids and Grandbabies are, it's... brisk... most days. If the rain stops and the sun comes out, it warms up during the daylight hours. Once that sun sinks below the tree line; it's time to head inside or freeze your petunias off. The afternoon of this typing, I headed down to the ocean to get some Bum Time in on the beaches. I spent a good 3 hours in the warm afternoon doing a bit of everything- sitting, photographing, walking, and dipping in at the waterline. It felt really good to be out after the past 3 weeks of cold. 

    Last October, I was busy as Guest Designer for Simon Says Stamp and also 1 GD spot for The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog; Fall Gratitude. I took a full month off from anything else just afterward, and spent some time catching up on little things- quite literally! Last year, before we headed home to Indiana from Florida, I'd finally caved and purchased a doll house that had been for sale in a favorite shop here. It took 3 visits over a year and a half to make me say "Ok, if it's still there this time, it's sold to me," and I followed through. It was simple and cute, & just right for 1-3 year olds, of which we had 3 Grands in that bracket. I sent away for simple furniture suitable for the Melissa & Doug dolls and a second set also, just to match what WE all looked like. And yes, I have a couple set aside to match up the newest addition coming in August. They all 3 loved it! I would find the dolls situated in rooms of the house that gave us huge laughs at how cute their little minds think. Memaw and Papaw were often playing with the 3 while the Mommies and Daddies would be hidden in the ChiefHubby's desk drawers. There's a bed for each of us, yet I never did find a toilet yet. I still cannot figure out why Princess always takes the bathtub and sticks it into the barn next to the house- hidden up in the rafters. Fast-forward to this past October, when they put in a white bottle brush Christmas tree; the now 4 yr old Peanut comes to tell me in his serious voice "Memaw, we need PRESENTS under our tree in there," and thus began a 3 week stint of me making little things.... books, boxes. gift bags, etc. Just before we left, I stopped to peek in at the dolls and the scene was: Memaw, Papaw, and all 3 Grandkids were all upstairs in bed. Their 2 sets of parents were all sitting together down in the living room with the 3 tiny "The Christmas Story" replica books I made. The Christmas Tree had all the presents shoved wherever they could fit. And the dog and cat were fed and in bed also. Yep; these kids know the drill.

    Now that you know the background story, it'll be easier to see why I ended up making so many "littles". I needed practice at it once I learned how to do it. I've always LOVED miniatures, so it wasn't very hard to figure it all out. It's just a tad bit rough to do with hands that have RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis). There are a lot of ways to make little books, but I wanted REAL books that you could open and actually read the story. So my computer and printer came into use, along with a few bottles of Glossy Accents. But, it's fun and I'm going to keep on with it. Meanwhile, here's what I had hoped to get posted over Christmas, yet didn't. And then The Funkie Junkie's "Icy and Cold" Challenge came up and it just seems to fit right in.

Making any kind of miniatures is really pretty easy. It's a matter of scale on a good printing

program (I have several I use for my photography), and good printer (I use Canon Pixma and go through a new one about every other year now), cardstock or glossy paper, sharp scissors, 

and glue....LOTS of a good glue. A good scoring board helps for folding.

I've been making miniatures since I was a kid and I made all my own dollhouses.

The things that are out there these days (World's Smallest Toys)... we would have

killed to have back then! I'm still a collector of littles, and it's probably

why I am so stuck on Tim Holtz IdeaOlogy!

I had to make a set of 3 for the doll house. Peanut made sure Baby Jamie got 'pwesants' too. :)

But next year; I'm going to actually FILL them. They all wanted to open the glued-shut

boxes to see what was inside. I'll stick in some of those tiny new toys and surprise them.

I was going to just used paper mache boxes and cover them with Tim paper 

or some kind of paint/inks, but I found these right off and really liked the outside...

... and how the picture is framed to just the right size I wanted to cut my windows.

And I really loved the inside- it already looked like wallpaper. 

It could have been a tad bit smaller print, but the color shade matched spot on.

I'm holding clear plastic in my hand- just out of the trash.

This TH Alterations Die is the old Bigz Window Box.

I still love all my TH Bigz Dies; they cut through so many thicker

materials like this matboard.

Some TH Tissue Tape helped keep the inside cardboard where it was supposed to stay.

Each window has the plastic under the frame- on both sides of the cardboard.

I love doing that- go all out to make it look double pane.

For the line that shows in betwee the two cuts of windows: use your

TH Distress Crayon in Picket Fence (or matching color to material used) and rub it in.

Yeah, I like making my own things with the Etcetera,

and each package comes with plenty of leftover pieces to cut yourself.

I used this TH Paperie on both sides of my shelves and Distress Crayon in Vintage Photo

all around the edges. It looked like painted boards when finished. just like a real shelf.

I dug out a TH Seasonal stack of leftovers from waaaaay back,

and it was a perfect fit for the new TH Curio Frames to make a picture hanging.

Ahh, another problem I had...

Got all the way down to Florida with a special bottle brush tree I'd found a month before

up in MinneSNOWta (our very last trip before the kids moved to Upstate New York) 

somehow DISAPPEARED from my crafting table here. I can only surmise that the bag

fell into the trash and went out the door with.

I was in love with that tree since it was hard to find the perfect size at the time 

I found the boxes on sale during Thanksgiving. And it came from MinneSNOWta.

OoooooooKaaaaaay. A fast find at WalMart came up with this one.

And I actually ended up liking THIS ONE better!

I sewed up the stockings and it brought back memories of making my own

saddles and tack for my Brenda Breyer horses, and clothes for all my dolls.

I took one of the lanterns and carefully pulled it apart. It was easier than I thought it would be.

I cut it as evenly halved as I could and then sanded the rest of it all smooth.

You'll note that the clear piece in the middle did crack a bit, but otherwise stayed together.

This is a knock off lantern because I wasn't ready to 'waste' one

of my Tim Holtz lanterns- in case it didn't work.

Originally, I wanted it to light up with a TH Light Set, but I left several of them at home

in Indiana and didn't have any more at the time.

I later, did order a set of Tim's Light Sets from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and they

arrived quickly- within a few days- but I'd already moved on to another project by then.

These are like the sets I grew up with.

So did Tim Holtz! :)

I made these different and "signed" the Christmas cards since

they needed to look like they'd come from many other friends/family.

The set of cards needed to look like a real set...copies of the same cards and envelopes.

Yes, the cards do slip into the tiny envelopes.

All they need is some grunging up with TH Distress Oxide Ink in Vintage Photo

and Ground Espresso. 

BOOK ONE

BOOK ONE is about vintage Christmas- before (getting all the boxes out)

and afterward (carefully packing it all back up for next year).

And the gifts under the tree that we carefully wrap 

after finding just the right thing that we hope will bring a smile to a loved one's face.

It's warm inside, but fits the description of "Icy and Cold" out there!

Inside the books are real pages. The Christmas Carol is a much smaller one 

like the book that was made for TFJB Challenge "Out with the Old and in with the New"

The Family Album actually has album pages, and Family Tree/Marriage Certificates inside.

These little roughed-up skates are from the TH Movers and Shapers Mini Dies (retired).

The fireplace mantle was made from the TH 3D Impress Folder Brick.

It was supposed to be made with the newer TH Thinlits Fireplace...

but I put the wrong address for shipping and our Son texted to say

it got to Indiana ok. Of course. *sigh*

                                                                   BOOK 2

BOOK TWO has all the usual holiday fare on the shelves.

But we tend to overlook the most important thing....the smallest of all.

Fits the description of "Icy and Cold" out there!

This Book 2 was all about how we get caught up

in all the decorating.

We tend to forget what we're celebrating: CHRISTmas- the birth of JESUS.

Thanks for coming back in and allowing me to share this make with you!

WELCOME! to my new Followers !

And a HUGE "THANK YOU!" for all the SWEET comments!

I hope you'll join in on this

 Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge; Icy and Cold

Enter your choice of craft that 'speaks icy or cold to you'-

whatever comes to your mind with colors, embellishments, etc,

and YOU could be chosen as a Top Pick!

For one randomly drawn Winner, there's a $25 Gift Certificate Sponsored by

Until next time...

Stay Safe & Warm!

HAPPY BLOGGING!!