Eileen Hull

Three dimensional art... with heart

Handmade Holidays

Tip Junkie handmade projects
Around this time every year, I get the itch to start making things for family and friends. Is it a reaction to all the commercials and electronics that surround us as the countdown to Christmas begins? Maybe. The act of planning a project in my head, gathering the materials, and finally, assembling the design into a pleasing finished product just soothes my soul. While I am working on the project, I am thinking of who I will give it to, where they might put it, the significance that it has of the relationship between us, and that is something you just can’t buy.

I’m not saying I don’t enjoy technology as much as the next person. I love all the cool things that you can do with it. But creating handmade items seems more in keeping with the Christmas spirit to me. So if time allows, I’m going that route this year. Are you with me?

Here’s a project that’s a lot of fun and easy to do once you get the hang of it. 
I used a candle that had a couple of dents in it- probably got it on clearance somewhere! In this case it doesn’t matter since you cover the candle with sheet music. I loved what I used- it was an old music book and had drawings of cute little kids sledding down a hill mixed in with the music.
You will need:
ModPodge matte finish
old sheet music (preferably in a winter theme)
candle
berry ring
matboard scraps
Sizzix Primitive Star die
Sizzix Big Shot
crystal glitter or Epsom salts
  1. Coat candle liberally with ModPodge. Wrap a page of sheet music around candle and smooth so there are no air pockets. Add another coat of ModPodge.
  2. Roll candle in tray of glitter or Epsom salts, making sure to cover surface well. 
  3. Use Big Shot die cutting machine and star die to cut stars from matboard. Coat stars with ModPodge and press into glitter/salts.
  4. Trim where needed. Allow to dry.
  5. Place candle base in a berry wreath and add glittery stars to the wreath. 
  6. Be careful when lighting candle and do not leave unattended. 
Thanks for stopping by. Do you plan on making gifts this year? What are you cooking up?

Journey to Oz Suitcase

I was wowed by a project sent to me by Susan Tierney-Cockburn. I met Susan at CHA Winter this past January and she showed  some projects she created with my dies. One of my favorites was a house and garden she created with the Pro House die to honor the memory of her daughter Kelly who had recently passed away from breast cancer. See Kelly’s Garden in this post. Each flower was lovingly designed and crafted by hand. Susan has also written a beautiful book entitled Paper Bouquet which is available on Ellen Hutson’s site.
Here is “The Journey”. Susan used my Sizzix ScoreBoard Suitcase die, Graphic 45 papers and a ruby slipper created by Ellen Hutson. Every time I look at it, I see more details. Holy cow, this is amazing! Look at the little oil can- the teeny tiny poppies- this gorgeous ruby slipper! That paper covering Dorothy’s suitcase looks exactly like her dress in the movie!
Make sure you visit Susan’s blog where she has posted a recipe for Emerald City Brownies. More deliciousness! Here’s the story of how Susan created the project in her words.

Life is a Journey and like Dorothy, I am thankful for the friends, I’ve met along the way, who have taken this journey with me.  This concept is key when I was inspired by Eileen Hull’s “suitcase” die cut by Ellison/Sizzix and, like Dorothy and the friends she met along her way, I’ve found my way back home. These last eighteen months, after losing our daughter, Kelly to breast cancer, it’s been my friends who have given me support, helped me find love in my heart again, and shown me courage to help me continue on my journey.

One of my dearest friends, Ellen Hutson, who I’ve come to lean on considerably, has even designed a ruby slipper to complete this profound project of mine.  I’m in awe of every one of her shoe creations, but I have to say, this ruby slipper is the best ever!  It became the perfect “vessel” to show off my red poppies–the ones that put Dorothy and her companions to sleep and the symbol of my state of mine after such a great loss.
Lastly, I have to mention Graphic 45’s “Magic of Oz” paper that finishes the project.  The gingham design for Dorothy’s suitcase is a perfect match and the “cards of the characters” gives the box a familiar look to enhance the story.  However, it’s not just a story I’ve watched on television as a child based on the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, but a greater meaning I’ve discovered watching it as an adult. 
These little suitcases can hold the most wonderful “treasures”!  And, just like my mother, I love chocolate, and always have a stash when I need some!Dorothy’s Suitcase–scared and unsure how to get home, she begins a magical journey, meeting friends who will help her along the way.
The Scarecrow’s Suitcase–he thinks he lacks a brain, but his common sense helps guide and develop a plan to save Dorothy in their quest to reach the Wizard and return home to Auntie Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas.
The Cowardly Lion–a sweet character, afraid of his own shadow until his friends need him.  He has the courage to help Dorothy in her most perilous situations.
The Tin Man–probably my favorite, who longs for a heart from the Wizard.  However, he has the biggest heart of all and puts his friends first when they need him.
I hope you all think about the friends in your life that you take with you on Life’s Journey when you look at this project–I know I do.
I love how Susan shares her process with us and makes this an experience rather than a craft project. Thanks so much Susan and Ellen- this is a touching account and exquisite workmanship.
Susan sent me some great photos of the individual pieces which, due to technical ineptitude on my part, I am unable to share with you. I recently made the switch from PC to Mac and am having trouble doing what should be basic operations, like pasting in a photo! Please tell me someday it will come to me… in the meantime head on over to her blog to read more!

Haunted House

Happy Columbus Day to all! I just wanted to pop in and show you all a cool project sent to me by Susan Tierney Cockburn. She blogs at My Mother’s Apron Strings where she shares mouth watering recipes and photos of yummy desserts. I met her at about a year ago at CHA. She brought projects that she had done with some of my other dies and I was amazed at her attention to detail and meticulous work. She is so nice and friendly- we just hit it off!
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Here’s a picture of my Sizzix ScoreBoard Pro House die (above). Susan turned it into a spooky Haunted House for Halloween (below)! Can you believe these tiny little flowers? The haystack and tree? And it looks like some critter is up in the tree but I can’t tell what it is from this picture…Can anyone figure that out? I love this- what a fun project!

Susan- thanks so much for letting me share this cool project! Now I am in such a Halloween mood. Bring on the candy corn 🙂

Blog County Fair

This is so much fun! Fellow designers Vicki O’Dell and Laura Bray decided to get a linky party going showing a bunch of projects that you might see at a county fair. Click on the Blog County Fair blinkie in the sidebar for more info.

I decided to enter a three layer cake. Doesn’t every fair have a cake competition? Don’t drool too much- it’s a little dry… it is made out of matboard! I told my friend Lorine my dream job would be making cakes like this every day. Each one is different and the scrapbooking and paper craft supplies are perfect embellishments for the cake base. You can use them for all kinds of celebrations.

Sooooo…. here is my entry to the fair. I used beads, texture paste, air dry clay and dimensional paint to simulate icing and cake decor. Is it a prize winner? That would be up to the judges… Thanks for stopping by!

Designer Craft Connection Hop

Hi everyone and happy July! 

The day has finally arrived! All 30 designers who participated in the iLovetoCreate Beads in a Bottle challenge are posting their projects today. And I for one cannot WAIT to see what everyone has done with this fun product. 

I had never used anything like this before and am so glad that ILoveToCreate came up with it. After the paint dries, it really does look like those expensive adhesive half pearls and beads that come in a tiny little package. This bottle can make TONS of beads and you can make them as large or as small as you want them. They are recommended for fabric but I can tell you (because you always have to try…) that they work great on paper… and maybe a few other surfaces as well 🙂

For my project, I decided to make a headband for my 4 year old granddaughter Trinity. She came to visit last week and she was happy to model it. She loves her butterflies (last year she called them beautiflies…sigh). All the dies I used are part of my new Fresh Vintage collection by Sizzix.

You will need:

Tulip’s Beads in a Bottle– red, turquoise
Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™
large and fine size netting
white canvas
headband
wire
green fabric scraps for leaves
felt for flowers
spray adhesive
Big Shot die cutting machine
Butterfly die
Leaves die
Flower, Layers #9 die

Instructions:

  1. Apply spray adhesive to two 6″ x 6″ pieces of netting. Lay netting adhesive side down on canvas squares.
  2. Lay both canvas squares on Butterfly die and roll through Big Shot machine. Layer fine netting in between canvas to give a little extra “poof” to the butterfly’s wings.
  3. Make sure that large netting is on top of the butterfly shape and use it as a grid to lay out the pattern for your paint design. I did several different arrangements. After they dried, I played around with which design would go on top and bottom of the butterfly.
  4. Cut several flower layers and punch a small hole in the center. Insert a brad or sew the layers together with a button and thread. Add random paint beads where desired.
  5. When paint beads are dry, add bling down the center of the butterfly’s body and on the flower.
  6. Arrange butterfly, flowers and leaves as desired and glue entire group together on a small scrap of felt. Add elastic to the arrangement so the it can be removed from the headband to switch out for another design.

 iLovetoCreate is having an awesome giveaway to celebrate-just look at all this stuff!


To find out how to enter to win, you need to get over to iLovetoCreate’s blog. Find out how to enter here.

 
Thanks for stopping by and make sure to hop around using the Designer Craft Connection button in the sidebar to see all of the other projects!