XL Skinny Mini Die from Eileen Hull Designs by Sizzix

My favorite die from Eileen Hull's Chapter 3 release is the XL Skinny Mini.  It's great for making a thin book box or for making a mini album.

My first project with the new Chapter 3 dies was this mini album filled with photos of new friends made on our trip to Canada.  I chose to use the mini horizontally as I find this works better when designed tiny pages.  As usual I covered the matboard with cardstock before diecutting the mini.

I used two silver elements that I wanted to be gold so I attempted to cover with Gold Lustre Wax by Sizzix.  The coverage is not complete but it does make them look sort of aged don't you think?

I made a closure for the book with two 5/8" tabs glued under the design paper.  I tried using magnet closures but the book is so stuffed the magnets wouldn't hold so I used small pieces of velcro.

Back cover.

I used the Bookbinding & Label die to make an insert to bind the pages into the mini.  One of the pages I made into a pull out (pictured below) so that I could include all the photos that I wanted to use.  to keep the page secure, I made two flaps that fold over each other and held together with magnets.

My next project with this same die is an XL Skinny Mini box.  You know I love dogs and I love to make dog related things so I thought this box would be so cute as a holder for tiny milk bones.  That adorable dog embellie is something I've had for at least 15 years!  

I made a closure for this the same way that I did the mini but I added a lion's head door knocker to grasp the tab.

This box goes together really easily.  Here's a video from Eileen with assembly instructions.  

I know all my dog loving friends are going to want this!!  

Supplies

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Bookbinding & Label by Eileen Hull (2PK)

Sizzix Making Essential - Mat Board, 6" x 13", White, 6 Sheets

Eileen Hull Red Liner Tape, 1/4", Clear

Thanks so much for visiting.  I have lots more projects to share so stay tuned in!

Chapter 3 Dies from Eileen Hull by Sizzix

 Hi everyone!  It's been a while and that's because I spent most of the summer in the Canadian Maritimes.  WOW what a wonderful trip.  We started in Montreal and followed the St Lawrence River to the Bay visiting Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia along the way.  Then we took a ferry to Newfoundland and spent 20 wonderful days, the returned to Nova Scotia and back to the US via New Brunswick.  I loved every thing about the Maritimes but I'd say that Newfoundland stole my heart!!  

Well, now it's time to get back to crafting and I've been busy since we got home.  Eileen's Sizzix Chapter 3 dies were released while I was gone so I've had a great time using those. First I made a couple of card holders that are ever so useful!  Christmas is coming, I know this will come in handy!  This is made with the XL Card Box and goes together so easily and its so functional!  You could glue several together and have a great storage bin.

Here's a view from the back.  To make this I covered a piece of Sizzix matboard with paper (Graphic 45's Let it Snow Collection) and then ran it through my Sizzix Switch diecut machine.  Then you need to cut just one extra side and then you have the 3 pieces necessary for the box!  I wrapped a coordinating border around the box to give the joints extra strength.

Close up shot of the florals on the front.

Here's another one I made for general purpose cards.   I covered a sheet of mat board with cream cardstock and then diecut.  Before assembling, I stamped on the front with some of Eileen's stamps and added the colorful accent pieces. 

 To make the yellow and red accent pieces, diecut paper with the XL Card Box die.  Then cut about an 1/8" from each side and the bottom.  Now you can glue the colorful pieces onto the box leaving a nice border all around.

Supplies

Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Card Caddy by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 12PK - Shadowbox Elements by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Making Essential - Mat Board, 6" x 13", White, 6 Sheets

Eileen Hull Red Liner Tape, 1/4", Clear

Stamp - Wonderful World of Flowers - Eileen Hull - 6x8

Stp by tomorrow and I'll have a couple more projects to share with you using Eileen's new dies!

Using Scraps to Make Eileen Hull's Book Box!

Our June theme at Eileen Hull Designs is Leftover Love (use scraps, up-cyle, recyle, reuse etc) so I pulled out some really old paperscraps and used the Book Box die to make this cute little box.

Scraps, lots of scraps and a couple of whole sheets.  This collection dates back to 2010 and comes from a much loved vendor.  Can you guess what it is?

So gather up your scraps and let's mae a book box!

First you want to cover you mat board with paper and then die cut the box. You will need to cut 2 covers, 4 side walls, and the spine (not pictured).  I like to use adhesive sheets to adhere my paper to the mat board and I find it works better to apply the adhesive to the paper rather than the mat board.  In either case, you need to brayer the adhesive well onto the surface.  My solution for easy brayering, is to run the paper with the adhesive sheet adhered through my die cut machine, lots easier than rubbing the heck out of that adhesive paper!

Next, assemble your box. You can see detailed assembly instructions in this video .

Now let's make a closure for the box.  I decided to make a policy envelope style closure using two buttons.  When finished the closure looks like this:

Begin by marking the center on the center sidewall and use your selected button as a template to mark placement of two holes.  Then thread heavey string, wire, whatever you want to use through the two holes and then tie on a button.  I used covered wire in this photo but changed it out for the heavy black string shown in the 2nd photo below.

Next poke two holes in the lid, again using your chose button as a template and being sure to line up exactly with the button on the sidewall.  Then tie the button on the lid.

Now cut a length of string about 6" long and wrap one end around the button on the side wall.  I first put a little glue under the button so that the string would stay attached.

Now you've got a closure!  All you have to do is pull the string up from the wall and wrap it around the button on the lid. Simple, easy, and works great. I used a smaller button on the wall than on the lid.

Inside the box I added a "floor" to give it a finished look.  Just cut a piece of mat or chip board to fit inside, approximately 4 5/8" x 6", and cover with paper.  (I like to use thin chipborad for this.)  Put a bead of glue around the edges as shown below and place the floor inside.  Make sure you do a test fit before you put the glue down.

Here's the finished inside.

Now it's time for you to get out some scraps and create! Be sure to post your creations on the Eileen Hull Fan Club Facebook page!

Here's another closure. You can see how I made it in this post 

Eileen Hull Designs Sizzix Products

Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Box, Book

Sizzix Making Essential - Mat Board, 6" x 13", White, 6 Sheets

Have you figured out what papers I've used? It's from a much loved company that sadly no longer manufactures scrapbook paper. It's BasicGrey Curio.

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo Maggi

Ode to Spring Shadow Box and Birdhouse

 Ah Spring!  It's my favorite season, so when the May design team theme of birds, nests, and eggs was announced...well I just went kinda crazy! 

I used 3 different Eileen Hull by Sizzix dies to make this: large Shadowbox Frame, Birdhouse, and Phone stand.

I used Sizzix Cardstock Surfacez to construct the frame and then added design paper to the frame to give it some pizzazz.  The word, Spring, at the top is a Creative Embellishments piece and is heat embossed with Stampendouse Aged Green.

I used the Phone Stand as an easel on the back and it works really great.  The only modification you need to make to the Phone Stand is to leave off the piece that normally cradles the phone.

Now the fun part is the scene I constructed in the frame.  I built a birdhouse using Eileen's Birdhouse die.  The only modification I made is that when you put the roof on the birdhouse, instead of centering, place the roof such that the roof edge is flush with the back of the birdhouse.  That way when you place the birdhouse in the frame, it easily attaches to the frame with glue or tape.

I painted up a Creative Embellishments chipboard bird and added to the front of the birdhouse with dimensional foam.

Well, I know the nest should be inside the birdhouse 😊 but then you would not see it, so I tucked it in the flowers on the outside.

I have had so much fun using these Shadowbox Frames, there are so many fun things you can do with them!

Thanks for stopping by!  xoxo Maggi

Supplies

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 3PK - Shadow Box Frames #2 by Eileen Hull

 ScoreBoards XL Die - Phone Stand by Eileen Hull

Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Birdhouse, 3-D by Eileen Hull (discontinued)

Sizzix Surfacez - Cardstock, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4", 20 Assorted Colors, 80 Sheets

Sizzix Making Essential - Mat Board, 6" x 13", White, 6 Sheets

New Stamp Set from Eileen Hull by Maker Forte!

Eileen Hull's new stamp release is great.  You'll love using it with your planners, cards and layouts!  It has so many uses.  I made two cards to share with you today just to give you a quick flavor of this fun new set.

Here's what the set looks like.

My Cards

First up a birthday card with a sentiment, dream a little, from the new Making Plans stamp set.  I also used a Happy Birthday stamp from a previously released set, Snail Mail Postage.  I framed the sentiment using one of the blank label stamps also included in Making Plans.

The beautiful embossed panel is Eileen's newest 3D embossing folder, Crochet Mandala and those adorable little flowers are diecuts from a recently released Sizzix Thinlits Shadow Box Frame #1.

I used an older die from Eileen's Bookplate, Hinges & Label Thinlit set to diecut the stamped Happy Birthday sentiment.  Unfortunately,  Sizzix has discontinued this set but maybe you could find it elsewhere.

Supplies Used to Make this Card

Making Plans Stamps - Maker Forte for Eileen Hull

Snail Mail Postage Stamps  - Maker Forte Eileen Hull

Sizzix 3-D Textured Impressions Embossing Folder - Crochet Mandala by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 7PK - Shadow Box Frames #1 by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK - Bookplate, Hinges & Label by Eileen Hull

Carta Bella - Farmhouse Market Paper Collection

A Masculine Card

This is a fun card I made for my favorite car guy!  I used Making Plans stamps to stamp the month and year and added large foam Thickers to mark the day.

Eileen's Snail Mail Everyday Sentiments had a great stamp that I used to make frames for the elements that I fussy cut from the design paper.  (Eileen's Snail Mail by Sizzix Thinlits set works with this stamp as it diecuts the stamped image in to little stamps, I love that set!)

The Happy Birthday sentiment is from the Snail Mail Everyday Sentiments stamp set.

I thought the banners added the perfect festive touch to my card.  They were diecut with an olde Eileen Thinlit set, Banners and Pennants.

Supplies Used to Make this Card

Making Plans Stamp- Maker Forte for Eileen Hull

Stamp - Snail Mail Everyday Sentiments - Eileen Hull

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Banners & Pennants by Eileen Hull

Ciao Bella - Start Your Engines Paper Collection

Another way to use the new Making Plans stamps is on your layouts.  With these stamps you can easily add a reference date so that years from now, you'll know when your layout photos were taken.  The blan labels are so versatile and will work with many of your stamps.  

What I love most about this stamps set and all of Eileen's prducts is that they work so well together. When I'm designing for Eileen, I get out all my Eileen "stuff" and create.  I seldome need to use any other products!

Thanks for joining me today!

Maggi  xoxo

Eileen Hull Designs Shadow Box Frames

These Shadow Box Frames are so versatile, you can frame a photo, make a diorama, make a statement  to the world,  they are so MUCH FUN!

If you've followed my blog this month, you've sen several things I've done with these frames, look here for a round up of many of my frame projects.  This is the first one I did, just getting my fee wet as they say! 🤣

I faced the front of the frame with floral washi tape to cover up some tiny imperfections!  

I used the Shadow Box Elements Set to create the pieces inside this mini diorama and I made the two pink flowers with dies from the same set.

This was my second endeavor and the war in Ukraine was weighing heavy on my heart.  I used Sizzix Carstock Surfacez for the first time to build this frame.  It's great cardstock, just the right weight.  

I used Eileen Hull's recently release Phone Stand XL Scorboard die to cut an easel to use as a display stand.  The only modification you need to make to the Phone Stand is to leave off the piece that normally cradles the phone.

Inside the frame I used and older Eileen thinlit to cut the word "prayers" and the letters for Peace are Sizzix Lollipop steel ruled dies from long long ago! I bought them probably in 2005.

The blue and yellow are the color's of Ukraine's flag and the sunflower is their flower.

I love checkered ribbons!  This one looks so pretty with the sunflower don't you think?

Supplies

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 3PK - Shadow Box Frames #2 by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 12PK - Shadowbox Elements by Eileen Hull

 ScoreBoards XL Die - Phone Stand by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Surfacez - Cardstock, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4", 20 Assorted Colors, 80 Sheets

Sizzix Making Essential - Mat Board, 6" x 13", White, 6 Sheets

Thanks for visiting!  xoxo Maggi