Home for the Holidays

8 years ago

Well, I did it. One of my New Year’s resolutions for this year was to participate in each of the Frilly & Funkie challenges. I managed each one of them – sometimes with awesome results and sometimes with some not-so-awesome results. Over the year though I have picked up new techniques, pushed my boundaries a bit, and enjoyed every minute of it. The last project for the year on the Frilly and Funkie blog is a Home for the Holidays challenge and the challenge is generously sponsored and supported by the Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I love decorating my house for the holidays and each year the color theme changes. This year the tree is decked out in brown and red and the accompanying garlands are in neutrals, white, and grey. With that color scheme, I decided for this challenge to make a project for the top of our glass door bookcase in the entryway. The bookcase is a focal point and I usually have a seasonal display on the top of it since the top is about 4 ½ feet off the ground. It’s a great place to have a display.

For my seasonal display I decided to create felt trees with a little frosted village to go with it. I knew that I wanted it to be a bit like winter here. Some snow on the ground but not too much and the roofs of the houses with a touch of frost. I also didn’t want to make it too futzy and so I tried to keep it simple.

While I had some really good felt at home I knew that this project was going to require a bit more than a couple of cuts here and there. So, I had to run the gauntlet and buy some more at my local big-box fabric store as I wanted wool felt and not the craft sheets (they don’t cut as well). It’s hard to stay in the holiday spirit visiting that place as it is horrible to get to and it’s such a train wreck at the fabric table and at check out. Nothing like getting behind someone at the cutting table who has a whole cart of fabric and when’s she’s almost done suddenly she decides she forgot red fabric and comes back with about 8 more bolts. Grrr. I pressed on though and hopefully this project shows that it was all worth the it.

This project was a two weekend and a couple of evenings take-over of the dining room table and living room and a bit of a push to get it done in time. I was joined by a couple of my boys (our cats) who loved sleeping on the felt or playing with the scraps and depositing them in places all over the house.

I decided to use the Tim Holtz village dies for my village and it was the first time I had taken them out of the package and used them. I have been amazed at how many amazing projects I’ve seen using those die cuts but hadn’t quite made the decision before this project to start working with them. At one point I had each of the Tim Holtz Village dies out arranged on the couch so I could easily find the one I needed when I wanted it. I’ll probably play around with them again and work on different colors, textures, and ideas.

During this project I was lucky enough that I only had to pick up a knocked over plastic container full of dressmaker pins twice (magnets are a godsend) but had the red alcohol ink bottle have a fairly significant leak all over my hands (really not a festive look). I think my Sizzix machine will need a vacation after all of the die cuts between the houses and trees! When it came to lighting the houses I remembered that way back when the Halloween sales were happening I managed to get some of the Heidi Swapp tea lights in one of her seasonal luminary bag projects at a seriously marked down price. Score!! I only bought the project to get the lights! And within no time they are being put to good use!

The display looks really lovely on the bookcase. Despite all of the work on it, I think I managed to keep it simple and even resisted adding a deer! I hope my project inspires you to create something for your home too! Best wishes to everyone for a lovely holiday season and may you and your family be safe and that you get everything on your Christmas list.

Items used for this project:

• Embellishments: Ranger Stickles (Diamond, Christmas Red); Ranger Liquid Pearls (Jingle Bells); Tim Holtz Idea-ology (Hex Fasteners, Star Fasteners, Long Fasteners, Baubles, Tree Lot, Tree Lot Mini, Tinsel); Prima Finnabair Mechanicals (Steampunk Blades, Mini Stars, Mini Knobs); Jingle Bells from the Funkie Junkie Boutique; Tim Holtz Clear Rock Candy Distress Glitter; CTMH Washi Tape (Woodgrain);
• Pens/Ink/Stain: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pens (Walnut Stain, Hickory Smoke, Gathered Twigs); Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain (Mowed Lawn, Bundled Sage, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Picket Fence); Adirondack Alcohol Ink (Meadow, Caramel, Poppyfield);
• Die Cuts/Punches: Tim Holtz Sizzix Punches (Juniper, Laurel, Pine); SSS (Swirl and Leaves); Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Holiday Greens – mini); Eileen Hull Sizzix Bigz (Leaves); Tammy Tutterow Spellbinders (Shortie Tabs); Memory Box (Plush Coaster Set); Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz Village (Winter, Gingerbread, Cottage, Rooftops, Manor, Brownstone, Dwelling);
• Paper: Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tissue Wrap (Plain); Core-dinations Kraft-Core Metallic Collection; Core’dinations (Peeled Paint, Pumice Stone, Black Soot, French Roast, Tea Dye, Forest Moss, Walnut Stain, ); Bazill Paper (Emerald City); Maja Design (I wish – those memories will last; I wish – for frosty mornings); Blue Fern Studios (Vintage Christmas – Holiday Cards; Tranquility -- Serenity); Bo Bunny Double Dot (Wine); Tim Holtz Paper Stash (Tidings); CTMH (Fundamentals);
• Felt/Wool Yarn: Taylored Expressions; Joann Fabrics; Lion