Eileen Hull

Three dimensional art... with heart

All Things Altered Fall Halloween Blog Hop

I am excited to join in (even though it’s late) to Pam Bray’s blog hop. Pam has the best hops! I am at Quilt Market in Houston and have had some technical issues but just wanted to share a pic of the project I did.

 
I love collecting old spice racks and jars because there are so many ways to use them. Here is a one that I did and have right close to my craft table. The only problem is it’s so cute all filled up I don’t want to use the supplies!
 I spray painted the lids of the jars with different colors. 
 Each jar is labeled with a different quality that has to do with creativity.
I filled each jar with craft supplies and hang it on the wall.
 This one’s for you Pam Bray!
Hope you liked it…    

Bella’s Halloween Birthday Bash!

Happy Birthday to Bella Crafts Quarterly, an online ezine that is published quarterly, with tons of FREE projects, tips and inspiration, and to its amazing creators- Ann Butler, Carol Heppner, Lisa Rojas and Theresa Cifali! 



We met through the CHA Designer Section and I am so happy to know them! Each one is a true professional with amazing talent. I was honored to be asked to join in the birthday festivities…

It wouldn’t be a birthday with presents! Visit here to enter to win this great giveaway from Graphic 45.


 Rowlux, iLoveToCreate, Spellbinders and Westcott sent each designer a box of their products. We were told to incorporate them all into a Halloween project. A design challenge like this really gets my creative thoughts flowing. I usually have something in mind when I start but often the project goes off in another direction. And that’s where the fun begins 🙂 I read somewhere that creating is all about problem-solving and the more I do it, the more I believe that to be true. Here’s what we got in our goody boxes.


And here’s what I made…

Couldn’t resist using one of my Sizzix dies as a base for the project. I decided to make a blingy Halloween Garden Gate card with some spooky accents…


You will need:
  1. Reverse and size image. Print haunted mansion and Boo! text to size on Craft Attitude film. 
  2. Cover matboard with Tacky Adhesive Sheets. Die cut Garden Gate. Remove release paper and cover with purple glitter.

  3. Die cut two Garden Gate backs: one from yellow Rowlux® Illusion Film sheet and one from matboard. Trim haunted mansion from Craft Attitude and adhere to front of matboard piece. Place Rowlux® Illusion Film in front so it covers the matboard. The haunted house will look 3D behind the yellow sheet. Place Boo! on top of yellow Rowlux® Illusion Film. You will see the message when you open the card.
  4. Die cut eight orange scalloped circles from the smaller Spellbinders die. Fold each in half. Cover one circle with adhesive sheet. Fold and press half circles into center. Wrap paper wrapped green wire around a small bamboo skewer and slide off, leaving a straight piece of wire to adhere to back of pumpkin.  
  5. Cut a piece of tissue paper 4″ x 20″. Fold in half lengthwise. and then width wise. Snip random slits for grass. Adhere to bottom of purple fence. Position pumpkin and adhere to grass and fence.
  6. Use twine to tie two card pieces together.
See what the other designers created using the same products:



 Happy Halloween my friends!

Candy Corn Cake Slices

Halloween-Candy-Corn-Cake-Slice-wm

It’s that time of year again for the Halloween candy and pumpkins to come out. I made some little favor boxes using Halloween fabrics and my Sizzix ScoreBoards Cake Slice die. ScoreBoards are unique to Sizzix and have been specially designed to cut and score thick materials like matboard and chipboard. They make nice sturdy boxes, albums and folders. Here’s how to make a Halloween version of the Sizzix ScoreBoard Cake Slice die.

I like to try different techniques and use interesting materials to cover my boxes. In this project, fun Halloween fabrics were used.
Supplies
Box w/Lid, Cake Slice
Borders & Hydrangeas
Sweet Treats for You
Big Shot, XL Cutting Pads 
Little Sizzles Cream Mat Board
black and orange cardstock
glue gun
spray adhesive
Halloween fabrics
brads
  • Cut two piece of fabric 6” x 13”. Spray the back of the fabric with spray adhesive and place one on each side of the mat board.  This will give you color inside and outside of the box. If you only want color on one side, just add one piece of fabric. You could also paint, ink or stamp one side and use fabric or paper on the other… so many options!)
  • Run through die cut machine with the right side of the mat board facing the Cake Slice die.
  • Fold all score lines over 180 degrees to break the fibers of the board and make it easier to work with.
  • When using fabric to cover boxes, a glue gun is the best bet for a very strong hold. (when making a box with matboard or paper, ThermO Web iCraft Tape works great)
  • Butt the end flaps of the cake body to one another and attach them to the flap of the cake bottom.
  • Fold the cake bottom over and adhere to the cake body. (click for additional assembly instructions)
  • Cut borders from Borders & Hydrangea die and add to the middle of the cake slice.
  •  TIP: To save time, fold a 12″ strip of paper in half and set it right inside the die cutting line on one end- it doubles the length of the strip and it’s just long enough to go around the box.
  • Adhere border to the cake slice placing the fold on the pointy end of the slice. Fold end pieces around the back of the cake slice and adhere in place.
  • Cut out the Hydrangea shapes from black and orange paper. Curl petals with a stylus or bone folder. Secure layers with a brad and adhere to back of box with a glue dot, covering the join of the borders.
  • Cut a label tag from the “For You” Sizzlit from cardstock.
  • Tie a ribbon around the box and add tag and another hydrangea.
  • Add candy corn to box or other Halloween treats!
NOTE:  I’m sorry, I can’t show you the candy corn but it’s in there. If I open the box to take a picture, I will eat every single one :-(
What I usually do is cut out 4-5 cake slices using different fabrics and mix and match the pieces to create one of a kind boxes. You can also add spiders or other creepy things as desired. These boxes make quite an impact when you arrange them on a cake plate.
This project was originally posted on Crafter’s Home when I popped in as a Guest Blogger.
Happy Haunting everyone!

 

Video Tour of Scotty

As some of you know, I recently purchased a vintage trailer. Turns out, there is a silver lining to the government shutdown- having a very handy and smart husband who is now home! Today we went up and looked at the roof of the trailer and really checked it out. Boo- not too good 🙁 This was not really a surprise because there was water damage inside. 

 
There were places where the caulking was black and peeling so we started scraping and taking off the bad stuff. Then we were off to Lowe’s to buy some TSP to clean the roof with, Kilz for the interior, sealer for the top, brush to put it on with, a replacement light, etc. 
 
After stopping for hot dogs at Costco, we returned home and washed the roof of the trailer with a cleaning solution. It is looking much better. Not sure why we picked the 85 degree day to do this but it’s done! Tonight it is drying out and on to Phase 2 tomorrow…
 
I took a video of the inside last week and went to post it and could not find it. Did another video and of course found the fist one. So this was pretty much how it looked when I got it, horrible curtains and all…
Let me know if you have any tips- I am new to this and figuring things out as I go. 


Thanks for all of your name suggestions on Facebook today. I was reading them to my husband as we sweated away and it was fun to hear them as they came in. Stay tuned for more adventures…  

Laura Kelly Popcorn Box Challenge

I am happy to be part of another Laura Kelly Walters Blog Hop. We were all sent a popcorn box and some embellishments and told to have fun with it! 

 
So here is what I came up with… 
 
I covered the popcorn box with black cardstock and added some Buttons Galore and More buttons and a big orange tissue paper flower made with my Sizzix Flower 3D #2 die.

A die cut Gift Card Folder using adorable Halloween paper by BoBunny was tucked inside the popcorn box surrounded by paper fill. I punched holes for handles and used ribbon from my stash to make a shopping bag. And that was it! 

 Which just goes to show you can make something fun out of anything- even a popcorn box!

Make sure to hop around and see all of the other fun projects by lots of awesome designers. Check out the creativity- there are LOTS of great popcorn boxes to see! Head over to Laura Kelly Walter’s blog to check them out!
There’s also a a Rafflecopter giveaway! Go here to enter.
 
Don’t forget to Cre8time to craft- you need to! Happy Haunting and thanks for stopping by!

Craft Therapy Night

The more I hear about Cre8time, the more I believe in the mission- which very simply is to take 8 minutes a day out of your life to create.

You might think this is a given, considering that I basically create for a living. But sometimes the life of a designer is anything but that. In order to run a business, you still have to deal with things like taxes, paperwork, phone calls and the never-ending email. So although I am happy about the fact that business is booming, I have not taken the time this past week to refresh myself by just sitting down and enjoying the process of creating. And I was getting kind of cranky. Ask my husband…
So last night I had to come up with a project for the Sizzix UK blog where I post every other week. I decided that the time had come to let the pressure of the week melt away. I sat down with a pile of stuff and went to town. Boy did I have fun! Made a giant mess, watched some Golden Girls and just… created. And I really like what came out of it.

I took some dictionary pages (the A’s) and found words that I aspire to with their definition and just cut and pasted them on ATC cards. This size is so cute and quick and great for using up scraps. The ATC Box die I designed for Sizzix can hold about 2-3 cards depending on how puffy you make them.

There are other pics on the Sizzix UK blog too…

Don’t forget to take the time for yourself to renew your soul. 8 minutes a day- you can do it. What are the challenges that hold you back from cre8ting?

Big Picture Classes Giveaway!

Why is this year’s September so busy? It has been the craziest month ever! But September is almost over and that means the class I have been waiting for is almost here…
 
I am so excited to share this opportunity with you! My talented and sweet friend Amy Powers, publisher of the beautiful on-line magazine, Inspired Ideas, is about to start teaching her new twelve week class with Big Picture Classes. 
 
Amy’s class is called Craft Happy and I am all signed up and ready to go! It starts next week on Thursday, October 3. One of the things I am most excited to learn is how to make a stop motion video. Amy has all kinds of fun projects lined up for us plus videos and live chats. 
 
Lucky for you all, she has given me a FREE TICKET to her class to be won by a random reader. (See? I told you she was nice!). Just leave a comment under this post telling what craft that makes you most happy and you will be entered to win! 
 
This class costs $99 so whoever wins is lucky! And even if you don’t win, I hope you will sign up and join me and Amy for the next 12 weeks!
 
Leave your comments now! Someone is going to win this- why not you?

Welcome Scotty!

I might be crazy… but this weekend I bought a vintage camper that I have big dreams for.

 
I grew up in NY the oldest of six kids. My mom is an adventurer at heart and she loved nothing better than loading us all up in the family pop-up camper and setting off on a trip. I have memories of awakening at midnight with some strange man in our Country Squire station wagon backing the trailer into our campsite for Mom because she was not the best at that part of it. But she made it happen! 


We were driving home from NY a few weeks ago and saw an old vintage trailer on the road. The memories of those family camping trips came flooding back and made me smile… and think- wouldn’t it be FUN to have one of them and fix it up???


I am so blessed that I can actually do this! Our four children are raised and on their own and my husband’s stepdad who stayed with us for a year and a half is safely settled in his assisted living home. My husband is not only OK with it- he actually found the trailer on eBay for me- what a guy!

 

So here’s my new baby! It is in excellent shape for 36 years, don’t you think? There’s a little water damage on the roof, the outer paint job is faded and it’s tinier than I thought but I LOVE IT! I have plans for this baby that are so exciting I can hardly stand it but have to explore them before I spill the beans. Don’t worry- you will be the first to know!


There’s so much I want to do with it! It’s like having a little doll house to fix up. The inside is all wood (which is not in bad shape) but I plan to prime it white to start with to lighten it up. I definitely need curtains and new seat covers. They are pretty squished down after years of people sitting on them so I might add some foam cushioning on top of the original and then make a cover for all. It seems the years of collecting retro dishes, linens, and tablecloths are finally paying off- I will be able to furnish this in no time… with a couple trips to the garage, potting shed and basement, we’ll be good to go! 


Next there are the not-so-fun and expensive things that must be done- get a hitch and ramp up the towing capacity for my car so it can carry the added weight, give it a thorough cleaning, etc.


Anyway, I just wanted to share my exciting news with you all. I hope you will experience the fun of making over this trailer with me. Tomorrow I hope to share a video of it. So what do you say, are you along for the ride? 

Gelli Plate Fever

I saw a Gelli plate demo’d at an event I went to the other night and went home without it. And then kept thinking about the different things that could be done with it. Finally caved and went back and bought it. I had time to experiment the other night- just stood there and made paper using all kinds of interesting ingredients- really fun!

Here’s an album I did tonight for the Sizzix UK blog– go there for the instructions and pictures, but wanted to share just a glimpse of it here too. The flower and inside pages are made with the Gelli plate and paint.
Have a great weekend!

Crafting with Kids

Happy Grandparent’s Day to all of the grandmas, grandpas, mimis, pop pops, gigis, granddaddies, nanas, pops, or whatever name you are called by your little angels 🙂 

 
Today the Herndon Rotary Club partnered with AARP to put on the Classic Car Show on the village green. Grandparent’s Day was part of the celebration. I volunteered at the arts and crafts table because it is so much fun to watch how kids create. 


Have you heard of the cre8time movement? It’s about taking time each month, week, day to do something creative to recharge yourself. There’s a good video that describes the idea here. 


I admit it. I am partial to die cutting… so out came the Sizzix Big Shots and dies. Boy was that a blast! Those kids (and some parents!) just went to town… we had kids making butterflies and flowers, coloring them, decorating with stickers, markers, stamps and ink- some kids made boxes, until we ran out of matboard… 


Turns out we had record attendance and there were way more kids than anticipated. Luckily, we had enough paper and other supplies to allow everyone that stopped by to leave with a fun finished project. 


I am happy to report that my husband Hayward was one of the volunteers in the booth so I was able to educate him on how to operate a Big Shot (how is it possible that he does not know this after me blabbing about dies for FOUR YEARS?) Could be he was totally yanking my chain, but whatever.

Here he is, busily cutting down paper using my handy dandy 
Westcott paper trimmer before the crowds arrive.
And then they arrived… and kept arriving!

 

Bob Packard of EmbroidMe was a quick study and showed everyone how to make 3D flowers using the Trinity’s Flower die. Many thanks to ThermoWeb for the icraft tape that you donated to the cause- we used it to hold all of the flowers and boxes together! 

Did I mention it was about 90 degrees? Note to self- next time wear shorts.
 
Elsa was to our left and she was running the butterfly and card section- sorry did not get any pics of that- too busy. Hayward wound up at the bracelet station- he gets the sunburn award 🙁
 
We were right next to a portable stage and it was cool to watch them just fold it up and drive away.

Rotarians rolling an antique hearse up the bike path and across the street to the Adams-Green Funeral Home… getting their exercise.


It was a great event. But I must admit after it was over we were quite ready to pack it in and head home for naps… ahhhh.

I hope you were able to do something cre8tive this weekend!