Handmade Holidays 2015 Blog Hop Keepsake PalletTree

Welcome to Day 2 of the 5th Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!  

I am excited to be participating with this awesome group of creative friends that will inspire you with great gift ideas for the Holiday season!

As my Mom and Dad get older, the gifts that mean the most to them are keepsake gifts, so I have decorated this Pallet Tree with cherished photos of Christmases Past.  It was a fun walk down memory lane and I know my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews will get a kick out of the "vintage" photos.  Good times!

Now on to my project!

1.)  Stain the Pallet Tree by misting with water and applying Crafter's Ink in Limelight, Evergreen and Deep Woods over entire surface, sides and back.  Start with darkest color and end with lightest color.  Apply a second coat and re-ink pads, if necessary.  Let dry.  Stain trunk with Crafter's Ink in Bark.

2.) Mist wood again with water and allow the inks to bleed and seep into all of the nooks and crannies of the rough wood surface.  Blend in Limelight Crafter's Ink Refill on Colorbox Stylus with circle tip and stamp on surface of Pallet Tree.  Fill in edges using Stylus loaded with Evergreen and Deep Woods Crafter's Ink Refills.

3.) Color mini clothes pins with Tombow Dual Brush Pen in Crimson.  I love the Dual Brush Pens for quick projects, as they cover a variety of surfaces well and dry instantly.

4.)  Attach clothes pins to Pallet Tree with Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue, let dry.

5.)  Decorate your Pallet Tree with lines dots and squiggles of Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue.  Draw on, let dry to clear, then apply Colorbox Designer Foils.  The MONO Multi Liquid glue does not dry completely, but rather remains tacky which makes a perfect base for Designer Foils to adhere to.

6.)  Copy, trim and attach vintage Christmas photos to clothes pins.

Display your Pallet Tree and ENJOY the smiles that all of these wonderful memories bring to you and your family!

Side note:  I have to say that I was not at all sure how this technique would turn out, but I am so incredibly pleased with the results!  Misting the inks with water blended them together like butter and gave the piece such depth.  I LOVE IT and will definitely use this technique again!  Just make sure you leave plenty of drying time (at least over night).

Products and Materials Used:

Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue

Tombow Dual Brush Pens - Crimson #847

Walnut Hollow Pallet Tree, small #41132

Clearsnap® ColorBox Crafter's® by Ann Butler Inks and Refills - Limelight, Evergreen, Deep Woods and Bark

Clearsnap® ColorBox Designer Foils - Goldmine, Silver Fog and Lucky Penny

Clearsnap® ColorBox Stylus and Tips - Circle Tip and Oval Tip

Color Copies of Christmas Photos, Water Mister, Scissors, Pencil, Ruler, Paper Trimmer, Mini Clothes Pins (8).

Now on to the really FUN STUFF - PRIZES!!  Tombow USA is giving away a  great package of prizes, featuring Dual Brush Pens and Adhesives!  Enter through the Rafflecopter widget below from November 6th until November 15th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And EVEN MORE PRIZES!! The Handmade Holidays Blog Hop is having a giveaway of over $600 (Yes, I said $600, just look at the photo below!) in craft supplies to help you make this holiday handmade. Enter to win using the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway




A BIG THANK YOU to all of our sponsors!

Thanks for stopping by! -Beth