CABINET CARD POCKETS AT COMPENDIUM OF CURIOSITIES III CHALLENGE

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. 

We have another product challenge this week rather than a technique challenge over at Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge. Turn to page 38 in your Compendium of Curiosities III book and check out the Cabinet Card Pocket.

I totally LOVE these Cabinet Card Pockets that Tim Holtz has added to his Ideaology line.  They come in two sizes ... a mini that measures approximately 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" and the size I used measuring approximately 4 1/4" x 6 1/4".  You can fit a 4" x 6" photograph in it or, as shown in the picture in the book, you can use one of Tim's Found Relatives cards.  The Found Relatives cards measure 3" x 5".  Because it is smaller than the opening in the larger Cabinet Card, it allows you to have some fun collaging ephemera, washi tape, whatever to fill up the extra space.  SO FUN!!

I have a 6 1/2 foot Christmas tree in my entry hall that I call my "Grandchildrens' tree".  I hope to fill the tree with hand made vintage style ornaments for each of my four grandchildren celebrating every Christmas.

So, I created this ornament for my twin grandsons using the larger Cabinet Card, ephemera from Tim's Christmas Ephemera Pack, his Pine Twine, Mirrored Stars, a little Christmas tree from the Woodlands Mini Tree Lot, "2012" Mini Numerals, Tissue Tape, various Distress Inks and Stickles, a piece of vintage red tinsel garland and some little plastic bulbs. 

I began by choosing a photograph of my grandsons, sized it 3" x 5" and printed it out on Glossy Cardstock. I added Antique Linen followed by Vintage Photo Distress Inks over the top and edges of the photograph to give it a more aged appearance.

I added a piece of cardstock to the back of my photograph, leaving about 1/2" at the top so that I could more easily create a collage that would easily slide into the Cabinet Card once I finished decorating it.  To this top piece of exposed cardstock, I added a strip of Tim's Christmas Tissue Tape and then added a "Shiny Brite" box edge image from Tim's Christmas Ephemera Pack to it. For an even more festive and vintage appearance, I lightly added some Stickles highlights using Candy Cane Red (sunburst lines) and Holly Green (filling in Shiny Brite).  Then I added a thin line of Mercury Glass Stickles across the bottom. I also added a couple of little pieces of torn Christmas Tissue Tape to one side of the photograph.  I added a small Mirrored Star lined with Crystal Stickles to dot the "I" in BELIEVE.  I really like how it adds that little bit of sparkle to the actual photograph and is centered between the boys. Yay!

Next it was time to add the Pine Twine around the photo opening of the Cabinet Card.  I did this by using 1/8" Scor Tape. Worked like a charm!   

Now for the dimensional stuff!  I made a little Ribbon Icicles box using Tim's image from a icicles box. To make a box, glue the box lid image onto a piece of kraft paper or cardstock.  Add 1/4" all the way around the icicles box lid image and cut out. Then cut a box bottom of out either kraft paper or cardstock and cut out.  Score all of the sides in 1/4" and fold.  Cut two small slits on each end and fold under the end piece of the box. Glue the two flaps underneath the flat box end.  Wha-lah!  You've created a box top and bottom. 

Glue the bottom of the box to the top of the box as the interior sides.  I also added some "tinsel" strips to the bottom of the box with Scor Tape that would later create a little sunburst effect.

I found some really pretty little "corners" for either side of my photograph amongst the Christmas Ephemera Pack.  The corners are images of poinsettias and holly leaves.  I added some Star Dust Stickles over all of the red areas and Eucalyptus Stickles on the light areas of the holly leaves. Then I set those aside to dry while I created my little Christmas tree.  

Tim's trees are a cream color, perfect for spraying them any color you want them to be.  So, I sprayed my Mini Tree with Peeled Paint Distress Stain and painted the bottom with Fired Brick Distress Paint.  I added some white "snow" in the form of Embossing Paste. Then I hot glued little "bulbs" into place and another small Mirrored Star (lined with Star Dust Stickles) to the top.

So that the Pine Twine would appear to have a bit of a "tinsel" appearance, I added Silver Stickles randomly on the twine. I like the subtle sparkle it gives. 

Next I punched two small holes, one on either side of the top and added the vintage red tinsel garland as a hanger, knotting the garland behind on each side.  Time to start putting everything together!

To the upper left, I hot glued the Ribbon Icicles box into place, letting the silver "tinsel" hang below it. I followed that up by pop dotting and gluing the two photo corners of pointettias and holly leaves into place.  I allowed the stringing "tinsel" to take on more of starburst effect behind the photo corner by manipulating the tinsel.  I like that vintage feeling that silver "tinsel" gives.  

To the upper right photo corner, I popped a retro-ish Santa in the center of the poinsettia.

I wanted to give my ornament an even more vintage appearance.  So, I slipped a piece of scrap cardstock inside the Cabinet Card to protect the area where my photo collage would slip. I lightly sprayed areas of the Cabinet Card with spray adhesive and lightly sprinkled it with "snow" (mica flakes snow).   Then I lightly sprayed the little Christmas tree, added some light "snow" to it and hot glued it into place on my Cabinet Card.

I hot glued some little Christmas light bulbs onto the top and bottom of the Pine Twine and topped them with a touch of white Embossing Paste (snow). 

I created "2012", the year the photograph was taken, to add to my ornament. I did this by using Tim's Mini Numerals and covering them with musical notes Tissue Tape (and some Glossy Accents used as a glue).  

Then I used Wendy Vecchi's Vermillion Archival Ink (permanent ink) to colorize the numbers. I added a coat of clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint and heat set it. Once dry, I added some red wire, wrapping the numerals and leaving a "tail" of wire at the top to hot glue them into place underneath the Pine Twine. I love how they appear to dangle. Finally I added some Silver Stickles around the edges of the numerals to better define them and draw the eye towards them.

All done!  My newest vintage ornament to add to my Grandchildren tree.  I need to make another one of these.  After all, they are twins!!  It is my hope that someday, these ornaments will be treasured keepsakes for my grandchildren ... a look back at Christmases past and a sweet remembrance of how they changed from year to year.

Now it's YOUR turn to create a wonderful Cabinet Card Pocket and enter our challenge. 

Our sponsor for this challenge are the wonderful folks at Inspiration Emporium.  
They are generously donating a ...

$50.00 gift certificate to shop in their wonderful store!

And of course, there is that "other prize" full of fabulous Tim Holtz products donated by the man himself and Mario! 

So, come join the fun, the sharing of ideas and our creations at the challenge website!  The Curiosity Crew has some fantastic examples of the Cabinet Card Pocket for you to see and inspire you!  

Good luck!!  I can't wait to see your designs.