Christmas In July - New Die Release

A MESSAGE FROM EILEEN HULL:

Thanks for coming to the Eileen Hull/Sizzix Chapter 3 Release Party Blog Hop! Check out the creative ways the Inspiration and Education Teams have used the Mitten and Snowman dies! We hope that you will be inspired too and share how you use the dies in the Eileen Hull Fan Club.

But wait, there’s more - the Release Party continues! You won’t want to miss the Facebook Live at Eileen Hull Designs at 12:00 noon Eastern time on Wednesday, July 1! Join the chat- and a random commenter will win the Snowman die. We are so glad you joined us to celebrate the Chapter 3 release.

Please hop with us through all of the projects and leave comments on the different designers' blogs. A lucky commenter will win the Mitten Box die…

Never too early to begin thinking ahead to Christmas!  New dies being released conjure up inspiration and new ideas.  Eileen Hull has added two steel rule dies with a Winter theme. Here are my first attempts using these new designs.

Mitten Book

This little book combines all the piece from the die to create a little book with an accordion style spine to hold pages and easy embellishments. It uses a cotton fabric added to the covers. Fabric can be added to the mat board using various forms of adhesives. Coming from a sewing background, with the desire to experiment with a variety of products, I’ll be using an iron on fusible for the mitten covers. It’s something you may not have tried or thought of but it does work! I will share tips.

• Cover both sides of mat board with fabric using fusible adhesive. Use a piece of mat board large enough to cut two mitten shapes. 
• From solid color card stock, cut mitten shapes for pages.
• Cover a piece of mat board for the box shape with decorative paper on both side, then cut one shape. Remove/cut away the two small side flaps. 
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• Cut a rectangle pieces from card stock for the accordion folded spine, measuring 2” x 6” approximately. Using a scoring board and tool, make score lines 3/8" apart, along the strip of paper. Accordion fold the piece. (Diagrams for folding and gluing below. The finished folded spine was trimmed to the length of 5 1/8" long.)
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• If adding pockets for tags on the pages, apply them before assembling the book. (The credit card cut was folded under to make a shorter pocket for the tag -2 1/4".)
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• Cut and place of double-sided tape to one mountain fold on spine to attach the pages.
• Cut 2 pieces of flat braid for the ties, 12"-13". Glue the braid from bottom edge of mitten piece, down the center to top of mitten piece. Repeat for other cover. 
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• Glue the paper covered base to the inner covers of each mitten piece. Aligning the bottom edge of mitten with the folds of the base piece. Hold in place with binder clips till glue dries. 
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• Attach each page onto the folded spine .
• Color the hearts and zig-zag shapes; glue to embellish the front and bach covers. (NOTE: The shapes were coated with Glossy Accents.)

TIPS:  To use iron-on fusible it's best to follow instructions on product. DO NOT use steam (it can warp the mat board). Lay the fusible onto the backside of the fabric; press to adhere. Remove the backing sheet and place onto the mat board, then press with iron to adhere. Die-cut the shapes, if any edges lift, re-press with iron.

NOTE: I would be happy to answer further questions about the project and materials if requested. 

Materials

New Eileen Hull Sizzix Die, Box, Mittens
Eileen Hull Sizzix Die, Credit Card Sleeve & Tags 662810
Mat board
Cotton fabric
Fusible adhesive (I use Thermoweb Heat n Bond Ultra Hold)
Decorative paper for box base, pockets
Card stock, pages
Card stock, accordion fold spine, tags
Scoring board, scoring tool
Adhesive tape
Flat braid, ties, 24”
Ribbon
Inks or paints
Glue
Paint brush
Ranger Glossy Accents 

Binder clips


Snowman Cards

The cuts from the new Snowman Box die are used here to create the two cards. The same idea could be used on a canvas board for display. Again a variety of materials can be used for cutting any of the pieces on this steel-rule die. Some suggestions are to use fabric for the background, hats or scarves. Use felt or batting for the snowman or snow cloud. 

• Cut or tear paper or fabric for card background. Attach the background by sewing or gluing onto card front.
• Apply modeling paste onto the snow cloud piece using a brush or pallet knife. Set aside to dry.
• Paint the snowman piece with a shimmery, metallic white acrylic paint. Set aside to dry.
• Paint twig arms, carrot nose, coal eyes and top hat (or any of the other pieces) appropriate colors. (NOTE: All the extra pieces could also be cut from papers or other materials.)
• Apply washi tape to stocking cap, scarves and top hat band.
• Arrange and glue all the pieces onto front of cards as desired or shown. 
• Add a pom-pom to stocking cap; green sprig and red berry to hat.
• Punched snowflakes and evergreen springs are added for extra background embellishments. 

Materials

New Eileen Hull Die - Box, Snowman
Paint, TCW Shimmery Goodness
TCW Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste
Blends inks, Nutmeg, Ebony
Orange paint
Washi tapes
Decorative background papers
Green, white paper scraps
Punches, snowflakes, greens
Glue
Pom Pom
Paint brush

This is a group blog hop to promote Eileen's latest dies. 

http://www.eileenhull.com/2020/07/christmas-in-july-new-dies-released-a-hop.html

Here is the list of participants to use too!  Just another way to visit each of the  individual blogs.

Madeline Arendt

Julia Aston

Jennie Atkinson

Debbie Bankston

Karen Bearse

Susie Bentz

Pam Bray

Sue Eldred

Anna-Karin Evaldsson

Annette Green

Maggi Harding

Lisa Hoel

Anita Houston

Sarah Lizzie

Jenny Marples

Elizabeth Robinson

Tonya Trantham

Cheryl Waters

Mitsyana Wright

Nicole Wright

A Favorite Thing

A favorite thing is using what I have and what I LOVE!  For me, that also happens to be the fun and the challenge that comes when creating with my favorite tools and materials and mixing it all up with ideas into something worth sharing.

A project from the past begins with a versatile surface to create from,  Eileen Hull Sizzix die, the Journal.  (One of the main reasons her dies have become my "go to Tools".)


 Mixed Media Journal

Let's begin...
To make this journal I used a Sizzix die designed by Eileen Hull and the Big Shot die cutting system that I like to use for most of my die-cutting.  I have added the material list that I used to complete this project.  NOTE: Use what you have available or other perferred materials.

Front Journal Cover

This cover was made using two different techniques from the book together for a layered look that still showed under the other embellishments.

Back Journal Cover

The back journal cover again uses a easy and fun background technique that will change with colors used, tools (such as stencils or stamps) and type of medium (paints and/or inks).

Front Journal Label

Another fun and interesting technique using foils that creates a lovely background, whether it is large or small.

Inside Journal Signature Covers

Transform double-sided card stock into something different using techniques found in the book along with a variety of stamps, stencils and various paints and other mediums.

Art Tape for Embellishments

Art Tape Foiling

Add coloring with inks or paints and then add stamped images to create "one of a kind" backgrounds for embellishments.  Add foil to the adhesive side for an intereesting affect.

To complete the journal a burlap ribbon band is added for texture, along with die-cut leaves from coordinating card stock.  The leaves have touches of various colored foils added to them before gluing in place.  A small bow was created from the Art Tape. The word "journal" is cut from fun foam.  The last element is an old jewelrey find.  Signature covers are made from the re-designed card stock, with inserts for each are  made by using copy paper.

NOTE: Techniques used to create this Journal can be found here: 
 ebook by Rebekah Meier's Paper Art Collage

List of Materials
Sizzix Dies:Eileen Hull Journal die
Sizzix Dies: Eileen Hull Journaling Words
Sizzix nesting label die
Tim Holtz thinlits bows, skeleton leaves, funky festive
Sizzix Big Shot cutting machine

Mixed Media adhesive sheets
Mixed Media art paper sheets
Mixed Media art tape
Mixed Media foil sheets - patina, antique pearl, old gold
Mixed Media medium
Double sided tape, 1/4”
TCW gold gesso, light & fluffy modeling paste
TCW stencils by RM 462, 462S, 768
Stamps RM mesh, mandala, Death Star explosion
Stamps RM F22011,G22006, F22003, F22000, H22014, H22012, L22013, CC18

Paints - DecoArt media fluid acrylics, assorted colors
Distress oxide inks, assorted colors
Mat board, 2 -  6" x 13"
Gelli arts plate
Brayer
Decorative papers, assorted
Assorted papers, Various weights and colors Black foam
Seam binding, white Various embellishments