Hello, my fellow Vintage Journeyers! My name is Sara Emily, and otherwise known as sarascloset. I was totally floored when my Gentlemen’s Club project was picked by the Creative Guides as winner of Sandy’s challenge “Use a Portrait” back in January. It is because of that I was invited back to be a Guest Creative guide for the second time, and I can say it is quite an honor! I was thrilled not only to be invited by A Vintage Journey, but not long after I found out the theme was to be “Special Numbers”, I was invited to a friend’s 90th birthday party. I knew then just what direction my numbers would take me!
Let me tell you a little bit about myself for those that are curious. I hail from northern NJ, where I was raised on a fairly large dairy farm with my 5 brothers and sisters and a menagerie of animals including horses, cows, bunnies (hundreds of them!), various cats and dogs and an occasional wild sickly bird my Dad would bring in from the fields for us to nurse back to health. After a short stint in Texas, I now live in Wilmington, NC, just minutes from the beach. I am married and have 16 year old twins who keep me quite busy. I am a “retired” Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, and have been working as a gardener and Personal Assistant for over 7 years. That makes me 35 years old! Ha! Ha!
My vintage journey started with one Tim Holtz Distress ink which I still use daily—Vintage Photo. When I learned of this wonderful crafty resource known as the Internet, I quickly became a huge fan of Tim’s vintage grungy style and his wide variety of products. My favorite thing about Tim’s products is their adaptability to many different styles.
Let’s get started! Brenda has chosen the theme “Special Numbers”, and I chose to use a few of Tim’s numerals to help celebrate a very special birthday of a family friend. Our friend is turning 90 on March 2, and I wanted to make her something she could use, and that would commemorate her life. I got a few inside tidbits of information from Martha’s daughter such as her past accomplishments, her favorites, special dates and milestones in her life, and got to work transforming this book style box I rescued from the ordinary. (For a before photo and other photos, please be sure to visit my blog. I chose a style for this vintage book/box which marries grunge with shabby through color choices and textures.
Tim Holtz has so many wonderful techniques to use, and I chose a few in making my background including, but not limited to Paint Marbling, Layering Stencil: Texture Paste, a version of Faded Layers and Effect Powders and my favorite—spritz and flick!
After completing the painted background, I chose and tore paper from Tim’s Wallpaper stash—another personal favorite-- to make the background paper layer.
I used some numbers from his old Lost and Found Salvage Stickers—the number 19 game piece and license plates. The “19” pairs up with the “25” from his new ephemera to signify Martha’s birth year. When you reach such a milestone you just want to shout out your date of birth! I’ve used the license plates along the spine of the book to represent the states that she has lived in.
I’ve added a few new products to my stash just for this project—Framed Alpha Parts and Thrift Shop and Expedition Ephemera. Good words, useful numbers and lovely butterflies I inked up to match my palette. A number 3 Flash Card with a bit of musical note Tissue tape stands in as a nod to her role in a musical trio she once sang and traveled with.
I used Tim’s rub-ons for the 90 on the spine and for the sentiment on the back cover. Also included on the spine are an Industrious frame and some lines I made using a string and Distress paint to give it that old volume look. A Simple Sayings stamp stands in for the title.
The back cover remains somewhat bare, save for the paint, stenciling and powdering as I wanted a flat surface for the book to sit on (this is meant to sit on a table), and I am waiting for a photo from Martha’s daughter to complete a short bio like you might see on the back of a novel. The bio also contains some personal information I thought she might not want published on the Internet.
I’ve chosen a few of Tim’s dies to create some dimension on the front cover, including Ornate Frame, Tattered Florals and Spring Greenery. I added a sprinkle of micro beads from my stash to the handmade roses and used a sunburst punch to make the center of the blue flower.
I gave the edges of the “book” the look of pages using Distress paint and a dry brush. Crinkle ribbon was dyed with Distress stains, ink and paint to match the roses and twirled up for a little closure and a shabby bow. Although I’ve used seam binding in the past, there really is no substitute for Tim’s Crinkle ribbon for coloring and shaping.
To finish it off, I gave the entire book a shabby white wash treatment using Picket Fence and a tiny bit of Broken China Distress paints and my finger. A final spritz here and there with Tim’s marker spritzer and Walnut Stain Distress marker give it one last final touch.
The only thing I did to the inside of the box was to give it a quick coat of gesso, since the inside was pretty enough, but the color needed to be taken back just a bit.
Martha has made many friends in her lifetime, and her daughter is asking them to send a little warm birthday wish if they are unable to attend her party. We will fill this memory box with them so she can read them at her leisure.
I’m so thankful to Brenda and the Creative Guides for giving me this opportunity to be a Guest Creative Guide today. I hope you have enjoyed my interpretation of “Special Numbers” and that you will stop by my blog (http://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/) for more details and to have a poke around.
A huge thank you Sarah Emily for sharing this wonderful box, you have put so much thought into it and paid attention to the most tiniest of details, it is indeed a fabulous idea for a gift to a friend, I am sure she will treasure it.
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I am now handing over to Annie for the news about who is the winner of the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge and the Pinworthy Mentions.
It was lovely to see so many amazing entries for the Tic Tac Toe Challenge.
Deciding on a winner was no easy task, but without further ado, our winner is
Zoe’s Matchbox Collage is stunning with so many wonderful
details and embellishments.
Congratulations Zoe, your badge and voucher from Country View Crafts will be on its way very soon.
The Pinworthies are as follows:
#15 Branka
http://vintagehandmade45.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/a-dream-metal-plate.html
This really caught my eye with fabulous textures, rub ons and sprays.
#38 Hilda
http://inkythings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/vintage-journey-tic-tac-toe.html
Hilda’s canvas was inspired by Tim’s quilting technique on his February tag and I love the layout she has created.
Huge Congratulations to all of you for sharing your amazing projects. Your Pinworthy badges will be winging their way to you soon
Today sees the beginning of the second week of Brenda’s challenge, “Special Numbers” so there is still time for you to join in with us and to be in with a chance of winning a voucher from Country View Crafts, our regular sponsor. As always you can view the inspiring projects created by the Creative Guides, who share their step by step details on their own blogs, which can be viewed by clicking on their names.
Have a great weekend and remember to pop back on the 6th March, when we will be 'Celebrating our First Anniversary’.
Hugs Annie and Brenda x
details and embellishments.
Congratulations Zoe, your badge and voucher from Country View Crafts will be on its way very soon.
The Pinworthies are as follows:
#15 Branka
http://vintagehandmade45.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/a-dream-metal-plate.html
This really caught my eye with fabulous textures, rub ons and sprays.
#38 Hilda
http://inkythings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/vintage-journey-tic-tac-toe.html
Hilda’s canvas was inspired by Tim’s quilting technique on his February tag and I love the layout she has created.
Huge Congratulations to all of you for sharing your amazing projects. Your Pinworthy badges will be winging their way to you soon
Today sees the beginning of the second week of Brenda’s challenge, “Special Numbers” so there is still time for you to join in with us and to be in with a chance of winning a voucher from Country View Crafts, our regular sponsor. As always you can view the inspiring projects created by the Creative Guides, who share their step by step details on their own blogs, which can be viewed by clicking on their names.
Have a great weekend and remember to pop back on the 6th March, when we will be 'Celebrating our First Anniversary’.
Hugs Annie and Brenda x