To Everything There Is A Season - Frilly & Funkie Challenge

7 years ago

Happy Autumn! We suddenly ended summer and drifted quickly into Autumn around here. We've had a bit of a drop in temperatures last weekend, a beautiful-bordering-on-late-summer week, and then this weekend we had another drop in temperatures. It was cool enough that the heater kicked on for a little bit. The past couple of days have seen the trees quickly start their autumn shades and once the clouds clear we might just see a bit of snow on the mountains!
 
I love Autumn - the house gets decorated with the beautiful colors of the season, the jackets start to come out of the closets, and the gardens all have to be turned over in preparation for next year. This year is a bit different as I have a new house to decorate, I'm still trying to find my jackets, and the gardens are all being re-designed. Nothing like a new challenge, right?
 
Speaking of challenges - the challenge for the Frilly and Funkie blog is To Everything There is a Season. The challenge wants us to use the colors and images of Autumn. The challenge is sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique. For this challenge, I was inspired by the fact that we do quite a bit of traveling during autumn so when we come home the stack of mail is something that must be tackled quickly. I also was inspired with "mail" and the mailbox when I found this mail box at my local craft store.

Instead of using the "pre-made" metal mail box, I decided to make my own. With the help of my lovely husband, I downsized it to half of what it is and started off with some chipboard to create my own version. Yes, I know, using the "real one" would have made things go a lot faster but why do things the easy way? I pulled out my Distress Inks and Stains and got to work on my leaves while the chipboard was drying from the Brown and Red Rust Pastes. I love how the Brass Patina helped brighten things up a bit.

Here are the photos of the tags and the Distress Ink colors. It was good to go back to the Distress Inks - it feels like forever since I last used them.

I decided not to brown my leaves because right now the leaves are in their vibrant fall colors. The number "3" was used on purpose and represents the "third part" of the year - Autumn. I wanted the glass on the number to have an older feeling so I first used tissue paper to back it. Once the glossy accents was almost dry, I pulled off the tissue paper (with it came some of the glossy accents) and put in the real number with cardstock. A totally unscientific way to get the look I was going for but it worked!

So, yes, while it might have been easier to work on the original metal one, it was interesting to see what I could do and where I could take my chipboard version.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy Autumn!

Items Used for This Project

• Metals: Tim Holtz Idealogy (Long Fasteners, Ornate Plates, Hinges); Prima Finnabair (Barn Stars); FJ Handle;
• Stamps: Carabelle Studio (Collage Carte Postale); Darkroom Door (Paris Postcard, Floral Post); Wendy Vecchi (Book Art Basics);
• Ink/Stain: Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink (Watering Can, Potting Soil); Ranger Archival Ink (Sepia); TH Distress Ink (Gathered Twigs, Barn Door, Dried Marmalade, Aged Mahogany, Dusty Concord, Crushed Olive, Twisted Citron, Rusty Hinge, and Tea Dye); TH Distress Spray Stain (Ground Espresso); TH Distress Stain (Candied Apple, Scattered Straw, Carved Pumpkin);
• Mediums: Prima Finnabair Art Extravagance (Rust Effect Red & Brown); Prima Finnabair Art Extravagance (Patina Effect Brass); Prima Finnabair Art Basics (Heavy Black Gesso);
• Die Cuts: TH Sizzix Thinlits (Garden Greens, Mini Tattered Florals, and Fall Foliage);
• Paper: Chipboard; TH Core’dinations (Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, and Forest Moss);
• Miscellaneous: Honey Bee Stamps (Dew Drops);