New Year, New Ideas with New Releases

There's a saying ... "better late then never" ...  so this may be late but I will be sharing one project that is complete with the newest releases by Eileen Hull for Sizzix.

Chapter 1 brings a new scoreboard die with many cuts that can be used in several ways, even on their own or with other previous dies. Versatility is one of the features I enjoy with these projects. 

For this first completed project I was determined to just all of the new elements from this chapter release and feel like I acomplisheed that. 

It all began with the new  Scoreboard Plus die, Frame Pocket Journal. Mat board was covered with Sizzix cork paper on one side and a patterned paper on the other. 

Two cover pieces and two flaps were cut to construct the Pocket Journal.  One flap becomes the front, closing flap; the other flap becomes a pocket on the back of the journal to hold a variety of tags. On the front flap a line of adhesive flat pearls trim the edge. From a solid color card stock, perforated square letters are cut using the new Tiled Alphanumeric (666043) thinlit die to spell out a title. Each of the tiles is backed with a small square of leftover embossed metallic paper for some color and adhered to the lower front as a title. 

A couple of pieces of the cork roll were also embossed with the new Tablecloth 3-D folder. The top of each pieces was colored with some ink and some Luster Wax to bring out the impressions. They were cut to fit the top and bottom of the journal and adhered into place.  A button is attached to the top for part of the closure.  A length of elastic is colored with ink and added to the bottom through the middle hole and knotted for the closure.

For the inside of the journal two pockets are cut from mat board covered with metallic card stock in two coordinating colors. Each of these metallic covered pockets were embossed with the 3-D, Tablecloth (666154) textured impression folder.  Then construct the pockets and adhere into place inside the journal. 

Two fold-outs from a vellum type paper are added next to each pocket. 

Using the Library Pocket ATC Card & Tabs (666151)new thinlit dies, two accordian style books were created to fit into the 2 inside pockets. 

Cut six library pockets from a double-sided card stock. Construct the library pockets. Cut 10 of the straight sided tabs to hinge the library pockets together.  Repeat to create a second accordian book with other coordinating paper. 

Cut ATC cards from coordinating card stock for each pocket (Cut 12). Cut 12 rounded tabs for each of the ATC cards. The tabs are cut from cork paper. Each is attached to the ATC cards with tiny staples. These can be adhered in an fashion.  Tags can be cut from prepared card stock or individually made. Punch a hole at the top of each and add a bit of ribbon. 

Use the  ideas above to create themed journals for someone special or a special occasion. With this project, all but one of the new elements from this new Chapter 1 release was used in its creation. 

Double Geometric Cork Basket

The newest Chapter 4 release from Eileen Hull for Sizzix included the Geometric Box. We’ve been seeing and sharing wonderful ideas with the unique design. I chose to share, as a blog post this month, another version of a sample I created for the release. 

I wanted to share this idea with others. I didn’t want the box to be rigid as it would be but using mat board.  Still needed a base that would cut well and fold easily along the score lines. Using a heavyweight watercolor paper between two sheets of decorative card stock gave the box flexibility and the sturdiness I had hope for.  

When making this double basket I was able to include the use of of cork sheets by Sizzix as the top layer of the geometric boxes.

MATERIALS

•  Big Shot machine
•  Geometric Box die
•  Watercolor paper, 140#
•  Sizzix Cork roll
•  Decorative card stock
•  Double-sided adhesive sheets
•  Mat board, small square 
•  Glue
•  Sizzix thinlit dies
• Distress ink
• Cosmetic sponge 
• White gel pen (optional)
• Cord, for handle (optional) 

THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING THE BOXES

• Choose a decor paper for outer layers.
• Cover both sides of the watercolor paper with double sided adhesive. 

• Cover 2 squares of mat board with cork and decorative paper and double sided adhesive.
• Remove liner paper and layer cork to one side of watercolor paper.
• Remove liner paper on other side and layer with the decorative paper.
• Die-cut 4 box pieces of the layered papers NOTE: These will create 2 boxes.

• Cut two box bottoms from cork covered mat board.

• Fold all the box pieces on the score lines.
• Remove a thin layer of the paper from the joining edges of each piece.
• Glue two of the box pieces together to form the box.

• Complete the second box. 
• Glue the bottoms into the boxes.
• Align the boxes next to each other. 

• Matching the point of the triangle and the straight edge of the bottom together.
• Apply glue to one of the boxes and press the other to it to attach them together. NOTE: Double sided tape could also be used to attach them together but align them carefully

EMBELLISH THE BOXES AS DESIRED

• I chose to ink along the edges of the top and bottom of the pieces and also along the angled folds.  
• I die-cut some shapes using thinlits from the cork sheet. 
• Glue the cut designs onto 6 of the boxes triangles 
• Lightly add some color onto the thinlit designs with a paint brush with your choice of coloring. NOTE: These shapes can be colored before adhering to box.

Optional - Use a white gel pen to create dashes around the triangles 

                 Thread jute cord through holes punched into the sides and knotted for a handle