Through the Window Ornaments

I'm late getting my project linked up with (L3)Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge #17 Woodlands and Tinsel Twine which asks us to use either of these or both on our project.  It can be Christmas-y or not--let your imagination run wild!

The CC3 Challenge is based on the latest book by Tim Holtz.  Check out page 60 in your copy of A Compendium of Curiosities Vol. 3 for Tim's introduction to Woodlands and Tinsel Twine and then get playing!  If you don't have your copy yet, you'll want to pick up your autographed copy here.

You'll want to play along as one lucky winner will get a fifty dollar shopping spree to Inspiration Emporium!!!  How cool is that?  Another winner, the Curiosity Crew's Choice, will receive an awesome assortment of Tim's products courtesy of Tim and his super nice Logistic Director Mario Rossi.

I've used both the Tinsel Twine and the Woodlands smaller tree on my project which is actually 2 separate Christmas ornaments.  I've used a couple of other techniques from Tim's CCV3 as well. To make these, I started with Tim's Configurations boxes, painted entirely with Gesso, and stenciled all five of  the exterior sides with Tim's Gothic Layering Stencil and Crackle texture paste.  When dry, I wiped on Distress stains, let dry, inked with Distress inks and spritzed with Perfect Pearl gold spray mist (brown colored ornament only) for a gorgeous shimmer that you will just have to picture in your mind, because I cannot get it to photograph!  I glued on a modified (I clipped the prongs short) Idea-ology Ring Fastener to the top, so it can be hung from a tree.  These also may be table top decorations--because of the design they sit at just the perfect angle to peek into.

For the brownish ornament I cut a recycled Christmas card and scored it, so it fit perfectly inside. I stamped a scrap with a wood image from All Night Media using Archival and Distress inks and cut this to use as a hardwood floor. The sleeping kitty is cut from a book "Parlor Cats".  I cut the back side off the tree so it would fit flat against the "wall". I colored this smaller Woodlands tree according to Tim's instructions on page 60 of his book,  painted some "pearls" from a necklace (I hope they weren't real!) with Distress stain and alcohol inks and glued them into the tree.  I colored one of Tim's mirrored stars with alcohol inks and glued that to the tree top.  I made a ribbon "tree skirt". I painted the rocking horse from my stash.

I took a photo before adding the window frame so I could get a clearer photo of the "room" with my camera.

The window was die cut using Tim's Window and Window Box die (first time I've used that!), painted with Distress paints to resemble old wood, and treated to Tim's Colored Crackle technique. I cut a second window from card stock and sandwiched some scrap fabric between the two windows to resemble drapes.I gave the back side of the window the same stencil treatment as the exterior of the box. The drapes help to cover the gap that occurs because the window opening is larger than the box opening.

See how nicely this becomes a table decoration that you can peek into because of the design?

I had to do a little "construction" with additional card stock to close the gap between the box and the window frame. It can be seen by the slight line near the joint here.  This is why I used the Tinsel Twine to finish it off.

Once assembled, I glued tinsel twine around the joint between the box and the window to give it a finished look.  The Tinsel Twine was colored per Tim's instructions to give the look of vintage mercury glass .

I could not get a shot of the front and the back at the same time!

For my second ornament, I stenciled the exterior and the back of the window as I did with the first ornament. I also attached an Idea-ology Ring Fastener as before.   For the interior, I inked a tree stamp (Hero Arts), with Distress inks, spritzed the inked stamp with water and stamped my image on dampened watercolor paper.  Once dry, this was scored and glued into the box as with the first ornament.  I chose some trees from my tremendous hoard of tiny trees since they were already perfectly snowy for my scene and small enough for the box (I only have the 2 Woodlands trees--one is too big for the box). I had to trim the backs off so they would sit flat on the "wall".I glued a Mirrored star to the background.  The sweet little deer was die cut (Tim's Movers and Shapers) from watercolor paper glued to chipboard and stamped using Tim's Holiday Collections stamp in Archival ink.  I colored using Distress inks and a water brush and highlighted with Picket Fence Distress paint.  I made a mix of Rock Candy Distress glitter and Glossy Accents for the snow.

The snow I made is at the feet of my deer and around the bases of the trees.  

See the stamped image of trees in background. This went around all three "walls" of the interior.

I used the Colored Crackle technique for the front of the window frame, made some home made curtains with Tim's Eclectic Elements fabric I won on Tim's blog this summer, and hung them from a homemade curtain rod (skewer and wooden beads from stash).  I used gel medium on the fabric to stiffen it up to hold the pleats. I used a piece of waste thin, floppy plastic packaging for the window "glass" and treated it with Glossy Accents and to a sprinkling of Distress Rock Candy glitter to look like frosted window panes. I  assembled and glued the box to the window and glued Tinsel Twine which I colored to coordinate with the box around the joint as before.

It's difficult to see the frosted panes and the Colored Crackle, but it's there!

These will be special gifts to two special friends. I hope they like them!  Thank you for taking time from your busy days to stop in for a visit and for leaving one of your heartfelt comments!  I read them all, and they really encourage me to continue to grow in a crafty way!

UPDATE:  I was so excited to get these linked to Studio L3 CCV3 that I forgot to use just my name in the link, not my blog name!  I hope this doesn't disqualify me!

Additionally, I would like to enter these ornaments into the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey #21 "Let's Celebrate" I am heavily influenced by Tim in making my boxes not only by the use of SO many of his products, but by use of his techniques and by his ability to take anything and make it look so perfectly vintage!

Country View Challenges December's Festive Challenge "Nostalgic Christmas"

The Mirror Cracked #4 Upcycle/Recycle or a Christmas Gift (I've done both--a recycled Christmas card was used for my "room", a skewer and beads for the curtain rod, the waste plastic wrapper used as window panes, and the drapes were a throw away fabric scrap, and I've made Christmas gifts.)

Inspiration Journal "Sing, Sing It Loud!" (The scene in my brownish ornament depicts a woman playing the piano. I bet she is singing Christmas carols!)

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team December's Creative Challenge "Anything Goes"  Stamps: Tim's Holiday Collection, Hero Arts, All Night Media

Artist Trading Post Exchange "Let's Celebrate!" My stamped images are the floor of the Christmas scene and the trees in the background of the Woodlands scene and stamping on the deer.  See stamps used above. We are celebrating Christmas indoors and out!