Halloween Configurations Box

For a long time now I've been itching to create a Configurations Box. When we were in New York over Spring Break, I collected lots of little mementos to create a NYC box. But as with most big projects just for me and my family, it got put on the back burner. Someday...

For now, I designed a Halloween Configurations Box (very fun!) for my All Things Tim Group in September. Here's how it turned out...

I was inspired by lots of different artists for this project, including Tim Holtz himself of course. You can search Google images by typing in Tim Holtz Configurations Box and WOW, there are tons of ideas and inspiration!

Making a box like this required lots of planning and preparation, but it was worth it in the end for sure. I used Tim's largest box and took out 5 of the little boxes to accommodate the trinkets and do-dads that I wanted to fill it with. See how I got started...

I labeled these for my upcoming class, so they can start pre-cutting their papers.



Here are some close-ups of the sides and top...

I took the photos in rather low-lighting to get the best effect. I hope you can make out the details. You can always click on each image to see it better.


Now here are some close-ups of the cubbies and what I put inside them...

The hay bail, the witches cauldron came from Mary's Miniatures. The grim reaper came from Michael's in the seasonal section (Dept. 56)  and the skull with the candle on top came from eBay.

The tiny frame I found in the dollhouse section of Hobby Lobby and I copied a creepy image off the internet of a boy vampire to put inside it. Hard to see, I know. The piles of skulls came from Michael's.

This Ouija board is SO cool because it has an actual drawer that pulls open which is intended to hold the little pointer piece, and the whole thing glows in the dark! I glued the pointer to the box after staining the box a bit. I got this at Amazon.com through Sunset Key Chains. Yes, it was a keychain and I just cut off the chain. You also see one of Tim's fractured dolls and his tiny bottle with the cork. I stamped the label from one of Tim's stamp sets (Stamper's Anonymous "Curiosities") and filled the bottle with Liquid Glass and some Cranberry re-inker.

I've seen this tea-lite trick over and over and just had to do it too. There's a battery-operated tea lite which I wrapped with Hobgoblin tissue tape around the base. The I stamped the witch from Tim's "Mini Halloween 2"set (Stamper's Anonymous). I used Archival ink on a piece of acetate then colored in her face green and her eyes and tongue with red using Copic markers. See the Witch Hazel tin just above and to the left of the witch? (Michael's, Industrial Chic jewelry line.)

This big crow serves as a nice center point in the box. (Michael's) The 31 in Tim's Seasonal paper stash was cut strategically to fit behind the crow here. I love Tim's "Plaquettes" (metal 31 plate) because he has made sure some of the numbers in this pack have significance to holidays. (31, 25, 14, etc.) Those black dangly charms came from Michael's in the jewelry section too. The whole cluster is connected and hung from one of Tim's "Hitch Fasteners."

This porcelain black cat sitting on his "Scaredy Cat Tales" book came from Amazon.com also. (Eyedeal Figurines) I have to tell you that the cost of all these great little tchotchkes (pronounced "chotch-keys") starts to add up quickly, so I would recommend hitting garage sales, flea markets and antique stores instead of shopping online and paying shipping for every item.

Here's the other Fractured Doll next to a little birdcage I picked up at a local dollhouse miniatures store in Cocoa Village nearby. I stained it with some Slate Alcohol ink to tone down the newness of the pewter cage. Shortly after finding this cage Tim introduced his new birdcage in his Idea-ology line.

Okay, this is my favorite of all the cubbies and here's why. I love when pieces have some symbolism or significance and aren't just filled with random stuff for no reason. This skeleton came from Tim himself when I won a prize after posting a comment on his blog last year. I won the Raven and Scaredy Cat die and the Hobgoblin tissue tape, and when I opened the box there was this plastic skeleton and a few candy corns just for fun. See my post from last year. I've been saving him for just this purpose some day.

More items from Michael's in the Dept. 56 seasonal line.

I wish I could remember where I learned how to do this, but can't for the life of me. Maybe even Tim himself? If you know, maybe you can jog my memory. These are Tim's Grunge Blocks made to look like old alphabet blocks. They are completely flat, so it's deceiving. They really look like blocks from the front.

This last cubby contains a rubber rat my daughter gave me. I think a moldy piece of cheese would look great in here with him. Think "Sculpy" clay and some black fuzzy stuff...

Here's another look at the whole thing put together. I added a decorative Curio Knob on the right and hung a ring of old keys on the knob (Michael's, Industrial Chic jewelry line) and then finished off the bottom with Foundations (box feet).

I didn't take the time to link every item I used, but just remember you can find all of Tim's products on Scrapbook.com and SimonsSaysStamp.com.

Wow, this was a long post! Thanks for hanging in there. I had a blast making this Configurations Box and can't wait to work on my one for New York. Thanks for stopping by today. Enjoy your Monday!