Topflight Stamps 6th Annual Birthday Blog Hop

Hi everyone and welcome. It's Topflight Stamps 6th birthday and to celebrate, they’ve teamed up with some great designers to showcase celebratory projects using the unique products available at Topflight Stamps. Please hop along with us and see all the beautiful talent from this group of amazing designers! (List of Hop Stops available at the end of this post and on the Topflight Stamps blog HERE). They are also Hopping on Instagram! You can start at the Topflight Stamps account @topflightstamps

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Of course, it wouldn’t be a birthday celebration without prizes! Topflight Stamps is giving four lucky winners $50 Gift Certificates to the store. Two winners will be chosen from commenters on the blog hop and two will be chosen from commenters on the IG hop. For a chance to win, make sure to visit the stops on the hop and leave a comment by April 1st. Winners will be announced on the Topflight Stamps blog on Monday, April 3rd. U.S.A winners only due to shipping issues. Good Luck!

For my project I decided to keep it simple and made a card, opting to leave it open enough to celebrate a birthday but also maybe to celebrate a special person just because.

I've used gel plate prints to create the background, the PaperArtsy stamp set EKC64 by Kay Carley to stamp the flowers and sentiment on top, and PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paints in Vanilla, Pumpkin Soup, Amethyst, and Granny Smith to add colour to the flowers. The new PaperArtsy Mini stencil PM023 has been used to add perforation dots to the background with Snowflake PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint and I've used the Vanilla colour to paint the layer beneath the main panel. 

Don't miss the sale also going on over at Topflight Stamps! There is a wide selection of fab stamps and products sourced from all over the world. And make sure to enter the giveaway to be in with a chance to win!

For now thanks for visiting,

Jenny

Blop Hop Stops;

Kathi Rerek
Dina Kowal
Esther Asbury
Annette Allen
Rachel Kleinman
Connie Mercer
Lisa Hoel
Jenny Marples
Cornelia Wenokor
Ericka Strange
Melina Dahl
Autumn Clark
Maria Willis
Angela Myhre
Gwen Lafleur
Natasha Vacca
Colleen Balija
Alanna Moses

Wordsoup, Tags & Pockets for Eileen Hull Designs

Hi everyone and welcome. This month “Wordsoup, Tags & Pockets” is the new March theme for Eileen Hull's teams. Words and letters are being used in projects that also combine the new Chapter 1 and older dies of Eileen’s. I've created a collection of tags, cards and pockets that will go inside something that will be revealed in all its glory next month!

There's lots of texture included on all of these interactive elements; I've done a lot of stencilling through a die cut panel using Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits 'Skinny Mini Elements' Die.

The pocket panel, the page tabs and some of the little ATC cards have been die cut using Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits 'Library Pocket, ATC Card & Tab' Die Set.

The tags were die cut using the medium size tag from Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits 'Card, Waterfall & Tags' Die Set.

Of course the words were made from Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits 'Tiled Alphanumeric' Die.

Throughout the pages I've also included lots of hand stitching, in particular using some of Eileen's long since retired die designs (proof as if it were needed that Eileen's dies will last you a lifetime of creativity!)

I'm looking forward to sharing the completed project with you next month as part of the upcoming Chapter 2 release party. In the meantime thank you for joining me today and make sure to check out all the fantastic projects and tutorials from the rest of Eileen's team members - links to their posts can be found on Eileen's blog throughout the month.

For now thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

'Love of Home' Frame Pocket Journal for Eileen Hull Designs

Hi everyone and welcome. This month Eileen's teams are sharing their love of journals and using her latest dies and embossing folder from Sizzix in combination with her previously released dies, embossing folders, stamps and more.

I love the process of making journals and books so this theme was right up my street, and immediately thoughts turned to incorporating another love (architecture/buildings) by celebrating the 'Love of Home'. Based on Eileen's new Sizzix Scoreboards Plus Die 'Frame Pocket Journal'. You may want to grab a cup of something as there's lots to see!!!

The wrap around cover includes lace, beading, hand-dyed fabric, stencilling, stitching and a hand painted French doorway.

Diving inside there is a mix of textures and treatments to each page; below you'll see fabric collage and painted backgrounds featuring a label from Eileen's Maker Forte 'Making Plans' Rubber Stamp Set.

Here elements from Eileen's new Sizzix Thinlits 'Library Pocket ATC Card & Tabs' Die Set have been combined with the smaller card from the Sizzix Scoreboards Plus Die 'Frame Pocket Journal' to create an interactive pocket. Notice that the tab on the side has been cut from fabric and I've included a snippet bundle that features a stamped label from Eileen's Maker Forte 'Snail Mail Postage' Rubber Stamp Set.

Throughout the journal I've used a mix of die cut lettering and words/phrases stamped from the PaperArtsy EAB15 'House and Home' Stamp Set compiled by Alison Bomber. So from a simple collage page we turn to one that includes a stamped background using Eileen's Maker Forte 'Wonderful World of Flowers' Stamp Set, and die cuts from her Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Snail Mail' and Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Shadowbox Elements'.

Hand painted panels have been embellished with hand stitching and die cut flora using elements from Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Shadowbox Frames #1' and Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Shadowbox Elements'. On the opposite page I've chosen to cut up into panels an embossed metal sheet that has been over-inked with verdigris colours. The pattern has been created with Eileen's Sizzix 3D Embossing Folder 'Tablecloth'.

I love to use Eileen's die cuts as stencils through which to apply texture paste. On the first page below this has been done with Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Mandala' over which I've applied thin layers of paint. In complete contrast the red panel has been created by embossing some Grafix Duralar with Eileen's Sizzix 3D Embossing Folder 'Crochet Mandala' which I have coloured on the reverse with some red permanent ink to make the design pop. On top is another Alison Bomber phrase enhanced with die cut lettering from Eileen's new Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Tile Alphanumeric'.

The next few pages follow on from some of those seen earlier with a mix of paint, fabric, stitching and die cuts from Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Shadowbox Elements' included.

The next interactive feature was inspired after seeing something similar on Jennie Atkinson's recent projects; taking the frame pocket element from Eileen's new Sizzix Scoreboards Plus Die 'Frame Pocket Journal' I added a translucent window so that the Alison Bomber words on tag inside were just visible.

Earlier processes were repeated for the next couple of pages, with the embossed panel this time featuring Eileen's Sizzix 3D Embossing Folder 'Sweater' and more of the new Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Tile Alphanumeric' lettering. Opposite again the floral background was stamped using Eileen's Maker Forte 'Wonderful World of Flowers' Stamp Set and the die cuts on top come from her Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Snail Mail'.

Another of those painterly stencilled pages, this time using Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Skinny Mini Elements' whilst the fabric pages in the centre have a hand stitched house (following a template from one of Eileen's much older die sets). On the opposite page another of the die enhanced painted panels.

The next page makes dramatic use of Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Snail Mail' in combination with a dark painted background and some old French text. The sentiment is more of the Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Tile Alphanumeric' lettering combined with smaller lettering from Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Shadowbox Elements'. Elements from this die set are also included on the painted and fabric collage pages which follow it.

The small folded house page which wraps around the centre signature is from one of Eileen's older dies, the Sizzix Scoreboards Bigz L Die 'House Ornament'. You'll see throughout the journal I've made use of many of her earlier designs because they all work so well together.

The next pocket and little card inside also come from Eileen's new Sizzix Scoreboards Plus Die 'Frame Pocket Journal' and include more lettering from her new Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Tile Alphanumeric' set.

Remember how I used Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Skinny Mini Elements' as a stencil through which to apply texture paste to a page - well it's too good to waste when you are finished. Sand off any excess paste and cut up the die cut for use in collage pages! You'll see opposite this one I've used a cut from Eileen's Sizzix Thinlits Die 'Heart Mandala' as another stencil, following it with another hand painted panel.

The stamping on this next background has been done using Eileen's Maker Forte 'Vintage Damask' Stamp, and again I've layered her Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 'Snail Mail' stamp shapes over the top.

The hearts you'll have seen scattered throughout this journal come from a discontinued Eileen die set called 'Journalling Cards, Heart' - the card itself has been popped into a fabric pocket attached to a background stamped using Eileen's Maker Forte 'Wonderful World of Flowers' Stamp Set. Following on, another embossed background has been created with Eileen's Sizzix 3D Embossing Folder 'Woven Leather', and the journal is finished with some final painted and fabric collage pages.

Phew! We've reached the end of the flip through my latest journal. Thank you for joining me today and make sure to check out all the fantastic projects and tutorials from the rest of Eileen's team members - links to their posts can be found on Eileen's blog throughout the month.

For now thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Expanding File Folder with Eileen Hull Designs

Hi everyone and welcome. This year has already started with a bang as Eileen launched her new Chapter 1 2023 Sizzix Die and Embossing designs. Now Eileen's design teams are sharing tutorials for some of the samples shown during her FB Live and as part of the blog hop.

I've got a tutorial to share with you today for the Expanding File Folder which is made using the new Sizzix ScoreBoards Plus Frame Pocket Journal Die. It's the perfect place to store all those leftover die cuts, embossed pieces, extra stamped images and other scraps from previous Eileen projects. More importantly you'll know where to find them when you need things to create new pieces (including perhaps some ATC's!!)

Let's get started, beginning with the construction of the main body of the folder; cut two of the large panels (they are scored/hinged at one end) and one of the triangular wrap over closure sections from stiff card. I chose to use a 350gsm kraft card as it is still flexible but is also sturdy (I believe this is around 130lbs). Join the two main panels and closure section as shown below.

You will have spotted that I covered the hole punched scored spine sections with strips of card (6 1/2" x 1 1/8") - this is to add strength to the top and bottom of the folder.

Cut two strips of the same weight of card 8" x 4" and score/fold them at 1/2" intervals to create two concertinas (see the example shown below). You will see in the finished example I added washi tape to the top of each concertina piece - I recommend you do this at this stage to make the process easier.

Cut three inserts from the same weight card measuring 6 1/2" x 4". Stick the 4" short sides of the inserts onto the one of the concertina pieces as shown below - make sure to only stick the inserts to one side of the mountain folds so that the concertina can continue to open to its fullest extent.

Now stick the other sides of the inserts to the second concertina following the same spacing. You'll see below that I've clamped these together whilst the glue dries; note that I have repeated the process of only gluing the inserts to one side of the mountain folds as shown on the dry side.

Whilst the concertina insert section dries decorate the outside of the body of the file folder with decorative paper. I created some by using Eileen's new Sizzix 3D Tablecloth Embossing Folder, layering ink and paint over the embossed surface to create a mottled pattern. Once decorated add your closure of choice to the file folder; this could include ribbon ties, magnets or as in this case a folio tie closure.

Here's how that works to keep the folder contents secure when complete;

It's now time to attach the concertina structure to the main body of the file folder. Start by sticking the edge of one end of the concertina to the inside of the folder at the back as shown below. You'll see the bottom edges are aligned and there's a gap at the top.

Stick the second concertina piece to the other side of the folder to mirror what you've done with the first. When the two concertina pieces are secure at the back of the file folder add adhesive to the front of them and bring the folder front up to meet them and secure in place. It should look like this;

And from the side it will look like this;

And there's your finished expanding file folder, all ready to hold your scraps, die cuts etc. You'll be pleased to hear it can hold a lot!

Thank you for joining me today. Make sure to check out all the fantastic projects and tutorials from the rest of Eileen's team members - links to their posts can be found on Eileen's blog throughout the month.

For now thanks for visiting,

Jenny xxx