Eileen Hull Designs Chapter 1 Release Party and Blog Hop

Hi everyone and welcome. Thanks for joining us for the Eileen Hull Chapter 1 Release Party and Blog Hop. Just wait until you see all of the fun options the new Sizzix ScoreBoards 'Folio Journal' Die has in store for you! You will also love the 'Mandala' and 'Folio Page, Pockets & Flower' Thinlits Die Sets that coordinate with the new Folio Journal. Eileen's Inspiration and Educator Teams have already been sharing card ideas using the new Thinlits Dies. Now, and throughout February, they will be sharing their Folio Journals with you and today we start with a launch blog hop. 

Please hop through the blogs and be inspired by the work of the talented Inspiration and Educator teams (links below). Leave a comment for each designer and you'll be in with a chance to win a 'Folio Journal' Die. Join Eileen and specials guests for a Facebook Live on Wednesday, Feb 3rd at noon Eastern Time (5pm UK time). Comment on our Facebook Live and be eligible to win either the 'Mandela' Die or the 'Folio Page, Pockets & Flowers' Die Set- two winners! Winners will be announced on the Facebook Live show on February 9 at 6pm Eastern Time. We appreciate your love and support, friends! We hope that you will be inspired too and share how you use the dies in the Eileen Hull Fan Club.

In this post I'm sharing photos showing some of the pages in my Floral Folio Journal starting with the cover, which has been covered in gauze, white gesso and panels cut from a decorative paper that I made. It has layers of paints, inks, charcoal pencil, stencilling through a die cut of Eileen's 'Mandala', stitching and a little collaging. The same paper has been used to cover the inside of the Floral Folio Journal and is the base layer for some of the pages and pockets. Flowers and words by Wendy Vecchi stamp sets have been used throughout.

The photos highlight some of the ways I used the new dies throughout the Folio Journal. For example the die cut 'Mandala' can be used as a page as seen above. On the simple flip out page below the corner pocket that comes in the 'Folio Page, Pocket & Flowers' Die Set has been decorated with part of a 'Mandala' cut from painted paper.

Here you can see where I've die cut a 'Mandala' from kraft card to be used as a stencil through which to apply texture paste to various pages. It's amazing how much of the detail comes through and it became something of a 'motif' that can be seen throughout the journal.

On this page I cut the 'Mandala' from a Sizzix double sided adhesive sheet and, after sticking it down, covered it with gold metal flakes. You could get the same results by using metallic foil sheets on top of the die cut adhesive.

This 'quilted' effect page is already detailed so it needed just a little decoration. The various flower and leaf shapes from the 'Folio Page, Pocket & Flowers' Die Set were ideal with the various shapes cut from more of the card that had been used in the background.

The Folio Journal has a lovely deep section around the spine which enabled me to add a wrapped spoon (cut using Eileen's Teacup Die) alongside the neutral stencilled paper I created for the covers and pages - a big thank you to Cec Wintonyk for that idea!

On the other side from the spoon is another of the die cut pockets which holds a 'Mandala' stencilled tag. Really helpfully Eileen has included a die to cut the pocket and another to create a coordinating decorative panel in the 'Folio Page, Pocket & Flowers' Die Set.

A double gatefold page spread includes die cut 'Mandala' shapes on  the outside and more of the Folio Flowers on the inside. The various flower shapes in the die set work really well together to enable you to create a range of flowers and leaves from different materials (in this case painted paper and vellum).

I've included words on the second side of the gatefold spread and more of the flowers to make the design flow. The brighter colours stand out against the neutral stencilled paper background.

On the last full page the stencilling again takes centre stage, this time with layers of paint over the top and the words cascading down it. With such a beautifully lacy feel it coordinates with the various lace trims.

One of the real treats about using this new Folio Journal is the amount of depth and space (real estate!) available to decorate; this means you can add lots of layers to each page without fear of them making the covers 'bulge'.

Thank you for joining me here as part of this Eileen Hull Designs Blog Hop. Here's the full list of blog hop participants - remember to leave a comment for each designer and you'll be in with a chance to win a 'Folio Journal' Die;

Eileen Hull Designs
Julia Aston
Madeline Arendt

Jennie Atkinson

Karen Bearse
Susie Madden Bentz
Sarah Lizzie Dodd
Sue Eldred
Maggi Harding
Lisa Hoel

Jenny Marples
Elizabeth Robinson

Betsy Skagen
Tonya Trantham

So Delicate with The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

Hi everyone and welcome. I am hosting the latest challenge over on The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. I've called this one 'So Delicate'; "Although it's not always evident in my projects, I have a real passion for delicate laces, fragile flowers, fine stitching, intricate artwork and exquisite architecture. For this challenge create something delicate or a vintage/shabby chic project that features delicate things in it."

The Design Team will choose their four top picks with the overall winner receiving a $25 gift certificate to go on a spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. All four top picks will receive badges to display on their blogs in recognition of their outstanding contributions.

I've made a small greetings card using a couple of Eileen Hull's new die sets from Sizzix, combining them with a verdigris style paint effect in the background. The delicacy of the flower designs is enhanced with the use of vellum which can easily be folded and tiny drops of Wendy Vecchi's Liquid Pearls lift the whole design.

Here's a close up of the flowers and mandala background taken at an angle so you can see the dimension and design in more detail;

For now that's my take on the theme 'So Delicate'. I will be back this coming Saturday over on The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog with a tutorial for this and three more cards and hope you can join me over there then. In the meantime my fabulous team mates have also come up with their own projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE.

For now, thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Products used to create this card are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and are listed/linked below.

Sizzix Thinlits Die by Eileen Hull Designs - Mandala

Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Eileen Hull Designs - Folio Page, Pocket & Flowers

Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Alphanumeric Tiny Type Lower

Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Alphanumeric Tiny Type Upper

Ranger Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paints and Gessos

Ranger Wendy Vecchi Liquid Pearls - Prickly Pear

Ranger Wendy Vecchi MAKE ART STAY-TION

Put A Good Word In with The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

Hi everyone and welcome. Cec is our host for the first challenge of 2021 over on The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. She's called this one 'Put A Good Word In!' and here's how she describes it; "Create a shabby chic or vintage projects that includes a word or words that are positive or happy or uplifting in nature. Single words or sentiments/quotes can be used. Given what we have all been through for the last months nothing sad or negative please."

Since this is a new year we have decided to change up the prize package slightly. Beginning with this challenge the Design Team will choose their four top picks as they always do but the overall winner will receive the $25 gift certificate to go on a spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. We will not have a Guest Designer going forward; instead all four top picks will receive badges to display on their blogs in recognition of their outstanding contributions.

I'm back to making journal pages (for a new journal to be unveiled next month) but this time taking the approach of creating the pages and then adding them to the journal afterwards. This means it's easier to work on them on a flat surface and the completed pages can then be added in an order that looks best at the end.

From the first (above) photo you might be forgiven for thinking these words are not the positive, uplifting ones Cec is after. It is only when you turn the centre flap section that the 'punch line' is revealed and with it that affirming sentiment in full. Wendy Vecchi's words seem even more appropriate given everything that people are facing right now.

These pages have a neutral colour scheme with accents of mauve and violet helping to draw attention to the words and images. The background was created using a mix of white gesso, white acrylic paint, plaster paste, tea staining, staining with Tea dye, charcoal pencil and watercolours.

Card for the heart and words was covered in layers of acrylic paint topped off with an uneven layer of white gesso and edged with brown permanent ink.

The delicate circular patterns were created by using Eileen Hull's beautiful new 'Mandala' Thinlits Die; I cut the shape from a piece of kraft card which could then be used as a stencil through which to scrape layers of plaster paste.

Hint - keep the 'stencil' because it can be used for another project.

To follow Cec's theme extra words were added both by hand (seen above) and with some scraps from a book page (seen below). The small flap section in the middle of the two main pages was made using layers of fabric and gauze tucked in behind the first page. Experimenting with pages of different sizes in my previous journal have shown how these can work well to hide elements, create that 'reveal' moment and help to encourage the viewer through the various pages.

The flowers on the second page (from Wendy Vecchi's 'Art From Us' stamp set) were stamped on a single layer of tissue and adhered to the page using a soft matte gel medium. Another single layer of tissue was dyed with a mauve ink and stuck over the top of the flower layer when dry. You can draw over the stamped image with a fine permanent black pen to make it stand out further and add highlights with a white pen.

Finally touches of gold were used to lift the design; as well as using a gold pen I added a scrap of metallic crocheted ribbon and a gold mandala, created by die cutting Eileen's design from double sided adhesive and covering it with gold foil.

So that's my take on the theme 'Put A Good Word In!' My fabulous team mates have also come up with their own projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE.

I hope to share many more projects using Eileen's new dies over the coming weeks and months.

For now, thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Products used to create these journal pages are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and are listed/linked below.

Sizzix Thinlits Die by Eileen Hull Designs - Mandala

Stampers Anonymous Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Stamp Set - Art From Us

Stampers Anonymous Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Stamp Set - Artful Thoughts

Aladine Seth Apter Izink Dye Spray - Tea

Aladine Seth Apter Izine Dye Spray - Cassis

Prima Marketing Watercolor Confections - Complexion

Ranger Tim Holtz Texture Paste - Matte

Ranger Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paints and Gessos

Ranger Archival Inks

A 2020 Round Up for Eileen Hull Designs

Heads up - if you are looking for the 'Comfort & Joy' Day 8 post it can be found HERE.

Hi everyone and welcome. This month Eileen's Inspiration Team are sharing their Top Picks in a review of 2020. I've taken a 'walk through' what has been and interesting and challenging year (to say the least) with a range of fabulous die releases from Eileen.

We started the year with the Chapter 1 releases, and one of my favourite projects is an expanding scrap holder that has proved really useful. Combining the Display Stand with the Pocket Notebook with old book covers, there's a tutorial for re-creating it HERE.

In April Eileen released the Tiny Book and Tiny Book Case which took making books to a totally different size. I combined Seth Apter stamps with a Gel Plate print and even bound tiny signatures inside the book. You can see more HERE.

The Tiny Book got a second airing in this accordion book featuring Eileen's House Ornament, Spring Leaves and Journaling Cards - Flowers & Leaves dies. They were used in conjunction with an embossing folder and words from an Alison Bomber set. The tutorial for this one can be found HERE.

Christmas came early with Eileen's third release as I made little books with the Box, Mitten die for another blog hop. Gel Plate printed tissue was layered over painted surfaces and you can find the tutorial HERE.

Another of Eileen's July releases, the Box, Snowman die provided the basis of another accordion book, this time featuring words from a Kay Carley set and yet more Gel Plate printed tissue. The tutorial for this one can be found HERE.

Eileen's new Box, Post die arrived in October and immediately became a favourite, again decorated with Gel Plate printed tissue and Seth Apter's stamps. More details and a tutorial for this one is HERE.

Finally another Box, Post project, this time one with a Christmas theme and created using Kunin felt with the Spring Leaves and House Ornament dies. See the post about it HERE.

It rounds off a fun year with Eileen's die releases and there's much more to come. The first release of 2021 is already available for pre-order and it is incredibly exciting, particularly if you enjoy making books and journals.

For now, I hope you are enjoying the fun with the 'Comfort and Joy' event taking place in the Eileen Hull Fan Club Facebook Group. And make sure to check out the round ups from the rest of the team - links to them can be found over on Eileen's website.

Thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Chapter 1 2021 Eileen Hull Designs Dies are available to pre-order in the US at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Eileen Hull Designs - Comfort & Joy Day 8

Hi everyone and welcome. We need some fun in our lives right now so all of us at Eileen Hull Designs put our heads together and came up with an event that you can participate in as much or as little as you'd like. It's a challenge of sorts and we'd like to see you to make a Holiday Journal for this season using any of Eileen's dies. Your journal could include activities, photos, recipes, shopping lists, daily thoughts, etc. Really, it can include anything you want; after all, it's your journal!

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between November 27th and December 23rd there will be a post in the Eileen Hull Fan Club from member(s) of Eileen's team members with a prompt for your journal. These prompts are meant to get your creative thoughts flowing and give you ideas for your Holiday Journal. It might be in the form of a blog post, Facebook Live, recorded video, or a Facebook post in the group. Then it's over to you to have some fun - we can't wait to see what you come up with, so please share your covers and pages with us in the Eileen Hull Fan Club.

Fellow team mate Elizabeth Robinson and I decided to share a theme for Day 8 of the event and came up with the idea of using a colour prompt to kick start out journal projects. We found this one called Frosted Flora over on the design-seeds.com website which has a collection of beautiful images and the colours to match them.

Here's the final journal page that I came up with using the prompt;

Thank you to everyone who took the time to watch my lopsided fb live flip through and explanation of the journal and this page - Eileen makes it look so easy! For my part practice is clearly needed lol :)

I promised a tutorial so here it is, beginning with my choice of paints to match the prompt as closely as I could. Alternatively you could pick papers, gel plate prints or other images that follow the same colours to create your page - it's your journal after all! It also occurred to me that the floral arch shape from Eileen's 'Floral Arch & Words' die set looked a lot like the stems in the image prompt which then gave me the start of a plan for the page.

I started by covering most of the two pages with the darkest of the greens (PaperArtsy's 'Hyde Park') using an old large brush. You get lovely textures using old brushes and there's no fear of damaging them either. You may spot that I put some plastic packaging behind the pages to protect the ones either side.

Next up I added a the lighter green, PaperArtsy's 'Khaki', over the top using a smaller brush and less paint to ensure some of the darker colour beneath showed through.

Another layer, this time with PaperArtsy's 'Concrete' that adds a little light grey to the surface. Although it looks like the colour is being lost you are in fact adding depth and interest to the finished pages.

Referring back to the prompt the main colour in the image is white - that background of crisp snow, so I added some smudges of Seth Apter's 'Avalanche' Izink Pigment Ink because it is semi-translucent when spread thinly so you don't lose what is underneath.

To introduce the winter feel I stencilled in some stars with a white gel pen. Later on I decided to add some sparkle over the top with another gel pen.

A focal point was needed for this journal spread and so I used the chosen paints to pull a few prints onto copier paper using a little 3x5 Gel Plate. If you look closely at the green one on top you'll see there's what looks like the imprint of branches on it - to recreate this you'll need a mid green coloured print (or even coloured paper if you like). Die cut some of the floral arches, lay them onto your Gel Plate in the pattern you want, apply a thin layer of white paint or gesso over the top with a brayer and while it's still wet put the mid green paper on top. Smooth over and lift while the paint is still wet and you should get that 'shadowed branches' effect. This forms the background of the tree panel.

The die cut floral arches, once removed from the Gel Plate, were painted with some of the darkest green paint.

After sticking the painted 'branches' over the shadowed ones (offset so you can see the printed ones underneath) I decided to make them look less like die cuts and more like drawings. One way to do this is to draw around the edges as unevenly as possible, first with a black pen and then with a white pen.

You'll see below on the finished journal page how this panel was added to the page with a bit of purple paper underneath and some tea stained paper bits either side. To create the baubles I die cut some of the floral bits in the centre of the arch, painted them with PaperArtsy's pale purple/pink 'Taro Milk Tea' paint and stuck them onto/below the branches. After adding a bit of sparkle and Glossy Accents I drew lines to look like the ribbons tying them to branches above.

On the second side of the journal I used some of the left over bits of purple and green paper with a bit of old lace to carry the design through. The word 'moments' is included as one of the dies in the Floral Arch & Words set and after die cutting it I painted it with some PaperArtsy 'Squid Ink' paint.

So that's how my page for the Comfort & Joy event came together, all starting with the colour prompt from design-seeds.com.

Elizabeth will shortly be bringing you her clever ideas on using Eileen's Mitten die to create interactive elements, also following the colour prompt. We both hope you have a go at using it to create something in your own journals and in your own way. And make sure to keep checking in the Eileen Hull Fan Club group for the rest of the event days as there's still more in store to encourage and support you.

For now, thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Deck The Halls with The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog

Hi everyone and welcome. It's time for another challenge over at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. Sara Emily is your host for this one and she's called it 'Deck The Halls'. "For this challenge, we would like to see those vintage or shabby chic Christmas decorations! This is not about Christmas cards this time, but think about tree ornaments, wreathes, vignettes, mantle or table decorations, etc. with a Christmas theme."

As ever, the Design Team will choose their top four picks, with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and three additional outstanding entries will receive Top 3 Badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Rather than go with crackers, which are pretty much a 'one and done' when used (so not the best environmentally) I decided to make gift boxes that can be refilled and will sit on the plates of each of the family members sat around our Christmas table this year. 

The base for this box is Eileen Hull's Gift Box which when cut from mount board forms a sturdy surface ready for decorating and will stand up to being stored for 11 months of the year. I painted the edges with 'Black' Acrylic Paint (Dina Wakley Media) before dry brushing them with the 'Gilt' version.

To decorate the sides, top and bottom of the box I cut squares of kraft card, stamped them with Wendy Vecchi's 'Register' Background Stamp in 'Barn Door' Archival Ink and embossed them with the Sizzix 'Tileable' 3D Embossing Folder - giving the card a light mist with water ensures the embossing is really crisp and deep. The embossed card was covered in a thin coat of soft gel medium to act as a resist when I added a coat of 'Umber' Acrylic Paint. After allowing the paint to settle into the embossed parts I wiped away the excess to reveal the colour underneath. To finish more 'Gilt' Paint was dry brushed over the surface and the 'Barn Door' Archival Ink pad was lightly rubbed over, at which point the embossed squares could be glued onto the faces of the box.

To decorate the top of the box I used the 'Winter Poinsettia' die to cut four of the larger flower shapes and eight of the smaller ones from more kraft card. The top three layers were painted with 'Sedona' Acrylic Paint whilst the bottom layer had a coat covered with a mix of 'Evergreen' and 'Olive' Acrylic Paint. For the centres I used a gold paint pen to colour the stamens and added cabochons altered with 'Coral' Alcohol Ink. Holly leaves were also cut from kraft card using the same die and were painted with more of the 'Evergreen' and 'Olive' Acrylic Paint. It really helps to shape the petals and leaves before adding colour to them.

To finish the decoration the flowers and leaves were nestled between 'Antique Gold' Mesh Ribbon and white needles cut using the Sizzix Thinlits 'Hidden Leaves' Die Set. Once glued into position the top of the box was misted with some Seth Apter 'Goldmine' Izink Die Spray. White cotton lace was soaked in dilute 'Sedona' Acrylic Paint and dry brushed with the 'Gilt' version before being glued around the centre of the box.

So that's my take on the theme 'Deck The Halls'. My talented team mates have also come up with their own festive projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE. And remember to link up your own shabby chic or vintage pieces to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes that's up for grabs.

Thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Products used to create this gift box are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and are listed/linked below.

Eileen Hull Designs Sizzix Scoreboards XL Die - 'Gift Box w/Scalloped Edge'

Sizzix Bigz Die - Winter Poinsettia

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Hidden Leaves

Sizzix 3D Embossing Folder - Tileable

Seth Apter Izink Dye Spray by Aladine - Goldmine

Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paints and Gessos

Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink - Coral

Ranger Archival Inks

Drusy Resin Dome Seals Cabochon Round Gold 12mm- Set of 5

Drusy Resin Dome Seals Cabochon Round Gold 8mm- Set of 5

May Arts Metallic Antique Gold Mesh Ribbon - 1.5"