TURNING BACK THE "HANDS" OF TIME

Hello!  Time for a new SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE ...  "Show Something With Hands".  The first thing I thought of was a clock.  I love clocks.  They always remind me of time and when I think of time, I get nostalgic.  So, my creation for this week is very nostalgic for me....it's a celebration of Four Generations of women in my family.

I chose a 7 Gypsies Librarie Drawer to make a very special memory box for my wall.  The photos used are family photos of my Great Grandmother, my maternal and paternal Grandmothers and my Mother.  They are all gone now but colorizing their photos makes them feel very "alive" to me.  I colorized the photos using  Distress Inks and Cut-N-Dry Pen Nibs.  There is also a picture of me as a toddler in a bluish dress.  I am the 4th Generation.  I remember that dress and it really was that color!

On the top left of the box, you will see "4 Generations".  The "4" is one of Tim Holtz' Ideaology Metal Numerals.  I made it look like chipped porcelain.  Then I added "Generations" to one of Tim's Ornate Plates.  I thought the sentiment I added across the top very appropriately tied together the "hands" challenge piece and the nostalgic theme of my memory box.

The clock face is from ScrapFX. I saw their line at Winter CHA and immediately was drawn to it.  I love their ornate clock face and array of hands.  I heat embossed the chipboard-ish clock face with a mix of Queens Gold, Copper and Antiquities Teal embossing powders.  The hands are heat embossed with Queens Gold and Copper.  The hands on the hands of the clock are from Tim Holtz' new Steampunk Stamp Set.  I stamped and reduced the size of them on my computer so that they would fit the clock hands.  Hands on hands, get it?  They are distressed with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.  The center of the clock is a metal flower from Graphic 45's Metal Staples.  I heat embossed more Copper and Antiquities Teal on the antique gold petals.  Then I bent them to add more interest.  I also added the smallest flower from Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die cut and the smallest of the flowers from Tim Holtz' Foliage Ideaology to the clock's center.

The pocket watch is being held in place by a Santos Hand.  The watch is one of Tim Holtz' new Ideaology Pocket Watches.  I am IN LOVE with his pocket watch!  I made my own little collage to put inside.  It is a picture of my brother and I and I added the sentiment "A Brother Is A Friend Given By Nature".  There are small watch parts encapsulated in the pocket watch.  There are also small watch parts enclosed in the Tim Holtz Vial laying on it's side next to the pocket watch.  I wired some old watch parts to the top of the pocket watch and a piece of Tim Holt Link Chain runs from the top of the watch to an antique hook hanging on the side of the drawer by a Tim Holtz Curio Knob.

There are other little fun elements that are included in this very special memory box....doilies peeking out from behind pictures, a tattered flower with a small watch face as it's center, another old antique watch face up by the clock and the letters "FAMILY" nestled in front of the clock face.

I hope this inspires you to possibly pull out some old family photos and create a special memory box of your own!

Now, I encourage you to hop on over to SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE BLOG!  Our amazing Design Team has some wonderfully creative and inspiring samples of "Something With Hands" to share with you!  Surely they will get your artistic juices flowing!  Then link your creation to our blog!  You could be the winner of our wonderful sponsor's very generous gift of ... 

  to be used at SIMON SAYS STAMP!  How COOL is that?!  If your entry is chosen as one of the TOP 3, you will receive our coveted TOP 3 BLINKIE for you to proudly display on your blog!  Join us today!!!  And remember...take time to PLAY!! It's SOUL FOOD!!