Eileen Hull

Three dimensional art... with heart

Easy Sizzix Washi Tape Journal

You will not believe how fast it is to make this easy Sizzix Washi Tape Journal.

Have you been collecting washi tape and not sure what to do with it all? Create this Washi Tape Traveler’s Notebook in less than an hour in your favorite colors! 

Here’s a Facebook Live video showing how it goes together. If you just want to see the project, skip ahead to about 12:00. Please join me and friends from all around the world on Tuesdays at 6:00 Eastern and Thursdays at 4:00 to create together on Facebook Live at Eileen Hull Designs.

Supplies:

Instructions:

  1. Die cut two Journal covers from matboard.
  2. Arrange covers with binding strips in the center, butting up to each other.  Take a strip of washi tape and stretch it across both covers on the diagonal, leaving about one inch extra on both ends.  Wrap excess tape around to the back of the Journal cover
  3. Follow the angle of the first piece and continue placing washi tape across both covers, alternating colors and varying the thickness of the tape.
  4. When Journal covers are completely covered with tape, carefully cut them apart down the middle with craft knife. Poke holes through the washi tape in the binding with paper piercer or die pick.
  5. Cut two pieces of card stock 4 3/8” x 8 1/2”. Add double sided tape to the back of both pieces and place on the insides of the journal covers. If desired, cover the three inside exposed binding strips with washi tape.
  6. Assemble Journal as shown on packaging instructions.  Add elastic to the spine and Journal inserts as desired.
  7. Wrap Traveler’s Notebook with a headband for a closure and add in a flower planner clip  and you are in business!

TIP: Not all washi tape is created equal! You may find that after a little use, some tape may start to peel back.  Add a dot of glue under where it’s peeling and apply pressure for a couple of seconds to fasten it down.

Sizzix Journal Paper Trail Planner

I am gearing up for another trip in my vintage camper Scotty! And I need something to keep me organized so I made this Sizzix Journal Paper Trail Planner…

Fabric designer Kelly Panacci sent me this fabric after I commented on it on Instagram. Trailers have become my “thing” in the past few years and I love the adorable vintage images on this fabric collection. The spine on my new Paper Trail planner was reinforced and made larger to allow for a bigger book to include all the info I need in one spot for a long road trip!

Materials:

 

The charms were a gift from Megan at Blue Moon Beads.

Instructions:

  1. Cover both sides of a sheet of mat board with adhesive sheets. Remove release paper from one side. Place fabric on top of the adhesive starting on one end and smoothing across to the other end. Remove release paper from the other side of matboard and place solid color paper over adhesive. Run both mat board pieces through Big Shot with fabric side facing the die.
  2. Repeat with another sheet of mat board  TIP: With directional fabric and paper, flip second cover in the opposite direction from the first when die cutting so that both prints are running in the same direction.
  3. Turn covers so both binding strips butt up to each other in the middle. Cut a piece of mat board 8 3/4” x 1 1/4” as reinforcement binding strip. Center strip under the binding and mark each hole.  Punch matching holes in binding strip. Glue mat board to binding on the inside of the cover to strengthen spine. Secure with binder clips and allow to dry.
  4. There are four sets of holes instead of three and a wider spine than if the Journal was bound in the traditional way.  More elastic may be added for additional inserts.

My Paper Trail Planner

The book has a section for mileage, expenses, maps, photos and a plastic pocket for receipts.

I stay in the Choice Hotel chains because I get points- sometimes stay 2 nights get one night free!

I made this label and then realized that I stamped the “a” upside down. I thought about re-doing it, but then decided it was kind of fitting. There are always mistakes and adventures along the way 🙂

I am headed out on September 7 on Paper Trail #15. I’ll be posting on Facebook at Eileen Hull Designs! Thanks for reading 🙂

Nora’s Baby Book Made with the Sizzix Journal

I had so much fun creating Nora’s Baby Book!

There’s nothing more special than welcoming a new little one into the family.  And what better way to remember every milestone than by keeping a journal to record the first year?

One of the things that really makes this project special are the vintage cards. My husband found his baby book in some old boxes and threw it away. I took it out of the trash and scanned all of the baby cards given when he was born 🙂 I used them in Nora’s Baby Book to pass along to the next generation.

Supplies:

Instructions:

  1. Die cut two journal covers and flip one 180 degrees so both binding strips butt up to each other in the middle.
  2. Select the palette of Blends ink colors desired for journal cover. On a non stick mat, spritz a small amount of water. Starting with the lightest color, take Blends ink applicator and dip the sponge in water. The color will fade slightly and allow the applicator to glide freely across the matboard, producing a watercolor effect.  Arrange colors as desired and begin swiping the Blends across the covers.  Allow to dry.
  3. Die cut two Elephant shapes (shadow and detail) from Adhesive Foam. Peel off release paper from one side. Place dull side of the foil on adhesive. Burnish all areas and peel up revealing a beautiful foiled elephant! Die cut the baby’s name from adhesive foam and repeat. When you are ready to position name and elephant, remove other side of release paper and adhere to cover.  Two elephants are stacked on top of each other for dimensional look.  TIP: Make sure foil goes on the correct side of the foam- otherwise letters could be reversed.
  4. Cut 10-12 pages for baby book measuring 8 1/2” x 8 1/2”. If you want to make a pocket, then cut 8 1/2” x 12” and score at 4 1/4” and 8 1/2” and fold the flap over.
  5. To bind pages, cut a length of twine about two feet for each page. Wrap twine around the inside of the fold and tie it into the book. Knot each page inside or outside book.
  6. On the back inside cover, glue pink ruffle.
  7. Decorate each page of the book- add baby related stamps, lettering, ephemera and photos!

Thanks for looking through Nora’s Baby Book with me!

Sizzix Maker Challenge

What a busy and exciting week this has been! The Sizzix Maker Challenge is on!

Here’s the scoop…

The dies we are working with are the House Pocket

Stitchy Flowers and Leaf

and Birds & Butterflies

What should I make?

The House Pocket die should be the base of the project. Add all the special touches to the house you would like! The project can be made out of any materials- paper, fabric, felt, fabric, or any combination you come up with. You can make it 3D or add to a card, stitch it into a quilt or hoop- give your creative mojo free rein!

Once you have completed the project, snap a pic (make sure to do it in good light so we can see all the details- inquiring minds want to know!) and load it onto the Sizzix site HERE. You can enter as many projects as you want, too!

The Sizzix Maker Challenge runs from August 10th till the 30th. On August 31, on my Facebook Live show, I will announce the winner!

And here’s what you can win…

Not only does the winner get the Heartfelt Journal (which is currently sold out in a lot of places) but they also get a hand-selected stash of felt from National Nonwovens!

If you aren’t already, make sure to follow Sizzix on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat for inspiration, DIY’s and sneak peeks with these challenges! Be sure to hashtag #sizzix and #eileenhull when you share your projects so that they can see them and reshare!

Watch the replay of the Facebook Live launch of the Sizzix Maker Challenge- wow it was quite the party- complete with sparkly shirt 🙂

Keep an eye out on the blog as the team and I share our projects with you throughout the next few weeks!

Join me!

And remember you are welcome to join the Eileen Hull Fan Club on Facebook, our creative community of makers around the world who share what we are working on, have special exclusive giveaways and see behind the scenes glimpses of our crafty world.

Also please tune in to Facebook Live at Eileen Hull Designs every Tuesday at 6 Eastern and Thursdays at 4 Eastern for inspiration, chats and friends… and usually a project 🙂

Sunshine Felt Wallet

Eileen here today to share this fun Sunshine Felt Wallet!

I made it using the Sizzix Journal, House Pocket and Words Stitchlits dies and felt!

Extend the use of your Journal die. Die cut it from felt and you have a cool wallet for your credit cards, phone and even a journal insert! Twist up a strap with the Twist & Style tool from Sizzix to complete the look.

Tools: 

Materials:

  • Journal Die
  • Kunin Eco-Fi smoke and turquoise felt- 12” x 18” piece
  • Jump ring- 1/4”
  • Embroidery floss and yarn
  • Wool felt scraps- multi colored
  • Chenille needle
  • Scissors
  • FabriTac from Beacon

Cut:

Die cut three Journal covers from smoke felt and one cover from turquoise felt.  Die cut one tab (on die) from turquoise.

Smoke Piece #1  Cut two strips measuring 2” and 2 1/4”.

Turquoise Piece  Cut two strips measuring 2 1/2” and 2 3/4”.

Instructions:

  1. Smoke Piece #2– Wallet front- Arrange the Words Stitchlits to spell the phrase “You are my sunshine” from Words Stitchlits making sure to orient it with the binding holes on top, to create the front of the wallet. Use embroidery floss to stitch the words in desired floss colors.  Die cut 13 hearts from scrap felt and arrange on wallet front. Glue or stitch in place. Place 2 1/2” turquoise strip on back of cover (match rounded corners) and place 2 1/4” smoke strip below on other side leaving a small gap in between pieces. Stitch layers together on sewing machine. Blanket stitch around three sides excluding binding side.
  2. Smoke Piece #3  Wallet back. Place 2 3/4” turquoise strip on the bottom (rounded side). Add 2” strip of smoke felt on top of turquoise. On sewing machine stitch layers together. Run a seam down the middle to form a credit card divider. Blanket stitch around three sides excluding binding side.
  3. Create wallet by matching up two pieces of smoke felt with binding strip sections together and pockets inside. Machine stitch across top of wallet. Blanket stitch over top seam.
  4. Die cut several small felt flowers and leaves for inside flap latch. Layer flowers on aqua tab and hand stitch to top side of the wallet flap. Stick small Velcro dot on end. The non-fuzzy side will stick to the felt. Use this pocket for phone or Journal inserts.
  5. Punch a 3/16” hole inside the wallet with the Cropadile. Add silver eyelet. With Twist & Style tool, twist a yarn strap for bag. Thread through jump rings and tie at top.
  6. Add a journal insert, pen and credit card and you are ready for anything!

I also figured out that I can fit a Journal insert book inside in case I need my shopping list with me 🙂

Thanks for stopping by to see this Sunshine Felt Wallet!

Sizzix Heartfelt Fabric Journal

Dig into your fabric stash and make this Sizzix Heartfelt Fabric Journal! All you need to make the Journal cover is a fat quarter and some ThermoWeb Foam Adhesive.

sizzix heartfelt fabric journal

This is such a fun way to use up your fat quarters and at the same time create a pretty journal to give or use! I did a Facebook Live video showing how I made mine- see it here:

Making this project makes me realize how much I love fabric- guess that explains why I have been collecting it forever! So happy there is finally a quick, easy, pretty and practical way to use it 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

If you haven’t joined the Eileen Hull Fan Club Facebook group yet , please do! This is where we share crafty projects, ask questions and just visit with folks all around the world- a safe and happy place. Go here and request to join- we will accept and you will be there with us!

The Paper Trail

I hope you will join me when I leave on September 7. Scotty, my vintage trailer, and I are headed north to Calgary, Alberta in Canada. This will be our second international trip and I will be gone for two months teaching and traveling. I say you should join me. But you don’t actually have to go- you can watch on line and see what is happening throughout the trip. Some days on the road I wish I was home in my recliner watching TV. But then I think of all the great people I will meet and the adventures I will have and am glad I went… Anyway, I would love for you to ride along- just follow me on my Instagram and Facebook pages 🙂