My Heart Sings of the Beauty of Autumn

For the next two weeks of October - the members of Eileen Hull's Sizzix Design Team are making cards using her dies and embossing folders to show that  Eileen's dies are not just for making 3D items! 

Today I have a card that I made using Eileen's Spring Leaves Die and  her Honeycomb Embossing Folder.

First I embossed a white panel with the Honeycomb folder, then I used a stitched edge rectangle die to cut out the center .  I adhered the inner piece to the card base.  Then I die cut the Spring Leaves out of a piece of Brushed Copper metal sheet.  I colored the leaves with Adirondack Alcohol Inks - using Butterscotch, Cranberry and Lettuce.

I layered the leaves onto the center piece on foam dots.  Then I adhered the outer frame on thick foam dots so it sits higher than the center piece.

 

I stamped a sentiment on white, punched it with an oval punch and layered it over the frame with foam dots.  I added 3 rhinestones for a little extra bling!

Please be sure to check out Eileen's blog to see how you can use her dies to make cards - I think you'll be inspired!

I'm linking my card to:  

Anything But Cute - An Autumn Day

Happy Little Stampers - Mixed Media

Stamps:  Autumn Bounty - Sweet and Sassy
Paper:  white - PTI
Ink:  True Black - PTI
Accessories: Spring Leaves Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Honeycomb Embossing Folder -Eileen Hull/Sizzix,  Adirondack Alcohol Inks Butterscotch, Cranberry, Lettuce, oval punch - SU, Rhinestones - Kaiser Craft, Brushed Copper Metal Sheet - Add a Little Dazzle, Stitched Edge Rectangle Die - Lil'Inker Designs,

Lest You Forget How Much You Love the Beach

I'm excited to share my little ocean view Vignette Box today. 

Here are a few photos of how I put this together.  I had a 7" diameter circle of cardboard from the bottom of a small pizza.  I cut out a 3 1/2" x 5 1/8" rectangle to line the box.  I tore off some of the paper covering it and brushed over it with a wash of Ranger Distress Picket Fence Paint and water and dried it with my heat tool.  Then I sprayed some Salty Ocean Distress Spray Stain onto my craft mat, spritzed over the stain with water and dragged the painted cardboard panel through it letting it drip down.  I dried that layer with my heat tool and then stamped over the panel with Cover a Card Bubbles Stamp from Impression Obsession using Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink.

I die cut the Seahorse and Wild Flower stem out of a tan Paper Leather Sheet.  I used Eileen Hull's Honeycomb embossing folder to give texture to the seahorse, rubbed over the seahorse with Distress Ground Espresso Ink and added a Candy Dot eye.  I looped the tail around the stem, glued the stem flat onto the panel and used foam dots under the seahorse  I added some "sand" using Tim Holtz recipe.  I added a Small Talk sticker - which way to the beach? after cutting it in half and sponging the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. .

I used thick foam dots behind the panel to hold it up a bit inside the Vignette Box.

I had two half circle pieces of cardboard left over from the pizza cardboard and realized one would fit perfectly at the top of my Vignette Box!  I tore off some paper and painted it with the same Picket Fence paint and water wash.  I stamped this lovely quote stamp from Gift From the Sea set by Gina K Designs onto a piece of Kraft card due cut with a Stitched Mat Rectangle Die from Lil' Inker Designs.

I sponged the edges of both of them with Ranger Distress Vintage Photo Ink. I put a piece of Linen Ribbon behind the sentiment and added two real shells in the corners.

I adhered twine along the sides and bottom edge of the frame.  I added a Starfish die cut from Paper Leather and sponged with Ground Espresso with a green enamel dot in the center.  I added a little more sand to the bottom of the frame as well as another little  real shell.  

(you can still see some of the white glue I used as it was so humid when I was making this it took forever to dry! when it does dry it will be completely clear)

I added two wooden circles to the base of the box for feet.  I sponged the edges with Distress Ground Espresso ink.  The box is a little back heavy so I had to place them a little off center, closer to the back to balance it.

I love these Vignette Boxes - and I'm so happy with how my little ocean scene came out inside it!

I'm linking my project to the following challenges:

Anything But Cute - Summertime

 Stamps & Stencils - Tic Tac Toe  

I used Corrugated Cardboard, Circles (stamp) and String (twine)

Stamps:  Cover a Card Bubbles - Impression Obsession, Gifts from the Sea - Gina K Designs.
Paper:  corrugated cardboard, Paper Leather Sheets - Sizzix.
Ink:  Jet Black Archival Ink, Ranger Distress Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo, Mermaid Lagoon.
Accessories:  Picket Fence Distress Paint, Salty Ocean Distress Spray Stain, Neutrals Candy Dots - SU, Eileen Hull Honeycomb Embossing Folder - Sizzix, Stitched Mat Rectangle Die - Lil' Inker Designs, Wild Flowers Thinlets Die, Sand and Sea Die - Tim Holtz, thick foam dots, sea shells from stash, Idea-ology Linen Ribbon, Small Talk Occasion Stickers.

Paper Flowers in a Vase = LOVE

Today I have another project to share as the newest Design Team Member on Eileen Hull's Sizzix DT. 

For the May Design Team projects -  our instructions are to "Create a project tutorial using the new Paper Flower Party Dies or Re-released dies (suitcase, square box, tea cup, bag caddy, 3-D Vase or Candy Drawer"

This time I was able to use three of Eileen's new Sizzix products - Thinlets Die Flower, Rolled, Bigz Die Leaves of Spring and her Honeycomb embossing folder!

Here are a few photos of how I put the flowers together.  I die cut the flowers out of Funky Town DP from PTI and rolled them according to the instructions.  I die cut the stamens and calax of the flower from Summer Sunrise cardstock.

I decided I wanted to have wire stems on my flowers - so I took a piece of Floral Wire 18 gauge that was already wrapped with floral tape, pushed it through the bottom of the flower and glued it to the stamen.  I glued small white Prima Art Stones to the center of each flower.

 Here they are all done, just waiting for their leaves.

I die cut one of the leaves from Eileen's Leaves,Spring Bigz die and then embossed them using Eileen's new Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  This just gave them a little added texture.  I debated as to whether I wanted to sponge all the edges of flowers and leaves with a Distress Ink - but decided to leave them clean and bright!

The wire on the blooms allows me to make each stem longer or shorter and I can bend them forward or back or to the side depending on how I want them to look.

I bought this sweet antiqued vase at Michaels over the weekend -  it was 60% off and I also had a coupon for 20% off everything I purchased so this just cost $3.59!  I added a punched butterfly to one of the bottles and tied a bow of wrinkled seam tape on another.

I'm really happy with how my pretty spring/summer flowers look in these bright colors sitting in this sweet little bottle vase.  The vase measures 6" w x 4" h

Please check out Eileen's blog to see what other DT members have posted there for your inspiration!

I'm linking my project to the following challenges:

Anything But Cute -  Celebrate your style.

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Butterflies and Blooms

Paper:  Summer Sunrise, Simply Chartreuse, white, DP Text Style Funky Town - PTI
Accessories:  Eileen Hull Dies - Sizzix Thinlets die Flower/Rolled, Sizzix Bigz Die Leaves, Spring, Eileen Hull Sizzix Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  Wrinkled Seam Tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, hot glue gun, Floral Wire 18 Gauge, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch, White Small Artstones - Prima/Finnabair, Vase - Michaels, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive.

A Gardening Tin for my new Design Team!!

I am so excited today to be posting my first project as a Design Team Member for Eileen Hull - the wonderful designer for Sizzix dies.  I have been using her dies for a long time - making 3D projects is one of my favorite things to do - and so when she and Amy invited me to be on her Design Team I didn't need to think twice!  

Plus - my A Vintage Journey  teamies, Anne and Tracy, are already there to welcome me!

-->For the May Design Team projects -  our instructions are to "Create a project tutorial using the new Paper Flower Party Dies or Re-released dies (suitcase, square box, tea cup, bag caddy, 3-D Vase or Candy Drawer"

Being a newbie on the team - I hadn't received the new flower dies yet - but I wanted to join in with a project this month- so fellow Teamie, Anne - was gracious enough to send me a die cut of the re-released Suitcase die (I think another Teamie had sent it to her - so thanks for sharing everyone!!!)

Rather than make my project  like a leather suitcase -  I wanted to make it more like a tin metal gardening box - I was inspired by these boxes found on Pinterest

Source

 Here's my little gardening tin - using Eileen's Suitcase Sizzix Die.

And inside - I have my gardening tools all ready to get digging in the dirt!

First, I'll show you how I started my project.  I spread some WV Metallic Gold Embossing paste sparingly onto the die cut pieces - particularly not covering the edges.  

I used Wendy Vecchi's Faux Guilded technique - you will find Wendy's Youtube video here

After I let it dry overnignt (you can also dry it with your heat tool) - I sponged over all the pieces with WV Archival Watering Can Ink.

I wanted to soften the harshness of the color and so then sponged over all the pieces again with WV Archival Cornflower Blue Ink.  I think it made it look more like old tin.

Then I die cut two of the gardening tools from Eileen's Gardening Tools Set and embossed them using WV Archival Tree Branch Ink and WV Watering Can and Tree Branch Embossing Powders. 

So then I just assembled the suitcase using brads and ScorTape.  I stamped the cone flower from Tim's Flower Garden Set with Archival Jet Black Ink and added some Botanical Remnant Rubs and a Small Talk sticker on the front.

 On the back I stamped these lovely nature sentiments from One With Nature by Simon Says Stamp.  I thought they were perfect for my little gardening tin!

I adhered Regions Beyond Tissue tape between the sentiments on the back and around the side edges of the suitcase.  Even though the tissue tape is  sticky - I used some Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive to be sure it would stay 'stuck' over the embossing paste and ink.

The butterflies are die cut from matboard using Tim's Sizzix Tiny Shapes movers and shapers.  I embossed them using WV Archival Tree Branch Ink and WV Sky Blue Embossing Powder.  The brown ink shows through and gives a lovely antiqued look.

I added panels of  Tim's Wallflower Paperstash inside my gardening tin suitcase - sponging the edges of the paper with WV Archival Coneflower Blue ink.  I added one butterfly to the handle and knotted a piece of black wrinkled seam tape through them.  I added more Botanical Remnant Rubs (find joy in the ordinary & stars)  and a Small Talk sticker (cultivate kindness).

I popped the gardening tools up on thick foam dots.

This sweet little gardening tin suitcase measures 4 1/4" x 3" x 1".

 I hope you will check out the other Design Team members posting over at Eileen's blog today for more lovely inspiration!

I'm also linking my project to:
Anything but Cute:

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

Stamps:  Flower Garden - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, One with Nature - Simon Says Stamp.

Paper:  White cardstock, white matboard, DP - Paper Stash/Wallflower/Tim Holtz

Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch, Watering Can, Cornflower Blue, Archival Jet Black.

Accessories:  Suitcase die and Gardening Tools Set die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Tiny Shapes Movers and Shapers - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Flat Broke Brads - Bazzill, Idea-ology Botanical Rubs, Small Talk Stickers, Tissue Tape/Regions Beyond,  Wendy Vecchi Metallic Gold Embossing Paste, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powders Watering Can, Tree Branch, Sky Blue, heat tool, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, black wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop.

A Vintage Journey - May Challenge - Sew Special

The May challenge is up at A Vintage Journey.  Jenny is our hostess this month and this is her challenge: Sew Special  "Add fabric to your entry in some way, be it felt, burlap, ribbon or cloth and if you're really being brave maybe include a touch of real or faux stitching!  We are looking forward to seeing what ideas you have to incorporate this sew special theme in your vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial or steampunk projects."  

 I decided to make my project in an actual sewing theme.  I made a Needle Book.

I used ribbon, lace, felt and I hand sewed a stitch to adhere the button! 

I die cut the inside page piece of Eileen Hull's Sizzix Passport Die (the section on the left of the die), once out of  the new Sizzix Black Paper Leather and once out of tan felt for the inside page.

I embossed the Paper Leather piece with Tim's Springtime Background embossing folder.  Embossing the front and the back of the cover.  Then I sponged over the embossing to highlight it with Ranger Distress Paint in Picket Fence and Cracked Pistachio. I took a photo with one side not sponged yet so you could see how the embossing looks before I added the paint.

To decorate the cover of the Needle Book, I stamped a sentiment from Quilter's Sampler set by PTI onto a Pocket Card that I trimmed down to fit the sentiment.  I sponged the edges with Ranger Distress Ground Espresso.  I cut a piece of Lace Trimmings to fit along the top of the cover and sponged that in Ground Espresso as well.  I wanted to make a tab of some sort to close my Needle Book and thought this Half and Half die from PTI would work well (I've hardly used it until now!).  I cut it out of the Paper Leather and left it plain to contrast with the cover.  I found a sweet little dragonfly button in my button box that I thought would look perfect on the tab.

 I found this little scissors charm in my stash and embossed it using Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch Ink and Watering Can Embossing Powder.

Here's a close up of the scissors on the Needle Book.  I tied a piece of wrinkled seam tape through the loop on the scissors and glued it to the Pocket Card.  I added a strip of Sketch Book Tissue Tape behind the Pocket Card.

I trimmed down the length of the tab, measuring how much I wanted to fold up onto the front -  and stapled the straight edge onto the back of the Needle Book to be sure it would be held on nice and strong.  I stamped TO: and FROM: on a Vial Label and stuck it onto the tab.

I put sticky backed Velcro on the tab and Needle Book to hold it closed. 

Here's how the tab looks closed.  I stitched the button onto the Paper Leather to hold it in place securely through openings and closing of the Needle Book!

 And finally -  here is the felt piece bound inside the cover with a piece of wrinkled seam tape tied in a bow along the outside seam - holding some safety pins, a threaded needle and some hemming pins with lots of space for more items!  The felt nicely hides the staples I used on the back of the tab too!

This is the first time I've used the new Sizzix Paper Leather - I purchased a sample back of black, white and tan to try it out - and it really worked well for this project.  It makes my little Needle Book feel soft and supple - it would have been quite stiff with plain cardstock.  And it took the embossing quite nicely! The book measures 4 3/4" x 3 1/4"

So - what inspires you with our Sew Special theme this month??  I can't wait to see what you link up over at the A Vintage Journey blog.  You also must check out what the rest of the Creative Guides have 'sewn up' for your inspiration as well!

I'm also linking my project to:
Anything But Cute - Celebrate Your Style

Stamps:  Quilter's sampler - Papertrey Ink, To and From: from Season of Love - Tags - Waltzingmouse.
Paper:  Black Paper Leather Sheet - Sizzix
Ink:  Ranger Distress Ground Espresso, Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Springtime Background and Borders Embossing Folder - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, tan felt - Joann, Ranger Distress Paint Picket Fence and Cracked Pistachio, Idea-ology Pocket Cards, Trimmings-Lace, Sketchbook Tissue Tape, Vial Labels,  Small Attacher - Ranger, Book/Passport Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Half and Half Die - PTI, scissors charm - Karen Foster, Velcro - Scotch,  Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, heat tool, sponge, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy shop.