Thursday, February 14, 2013

To Eileen Hull, With Love


Happy Valentine's Day! Today, the Sizzix Design Team is celebrating Eileen Hull's From the Heart die collection. I first saw these dies at last winter's CHA show and fell totally in love with them. The hardest part was choosing which dies to use!

I'm sure you've seen all the things I've put on Eileen's Cupcake Stand die - imagine how excited when I got her Square Box die and discovered it fit perfectly on top of the stand! The question was - now what do I do with it? I thought I'd do a French theme, but wasn't sure what exactly that would be. Then, I thought about putting ruffles around the box. Oooh...pretty! But what else? Then I thought of those Barbie cakes - you know, where you bake a round cake and stick a doll in the top? I guess the fluffy skirt made me think of Marie Antoinette and my idea was born. I would make a little square cake on a stand - how appropriate. Qu'ils mangent de la brioche! Or not.

The hardest part was finding the right image for the top. I was beyond thrilled to find this collection from RhondasOriginals on Etsy. You need to check out her store - I am going back for more! Her collage sheets are gorgeous and couldn't be more perfect for this project.

Lift up Marie's skirt and what do you find? Chocolate! :) I really wanted to keep this as a functional box. Making it out of mat board means it's sturdy enough to hold just about anything you want to fill it with. If you'd like to make one yourself, here is a quick tutorial on how I made mine.

Marie Antoinette Candy Box

1. Begin by cutting the Large Box and Cupcake Stand from white mat board.
2. Assemble the bottom of the cupcake stand and cover with platinum glitter.
3. Cover the sides of the platform with glitter and adhere to stand. Assemble box according to directions on package.

4. Cut a 6' length of white crepe paper streamer and sew a gathering stitch about 5/8" from the edge. Gather and fold over, using the stitched line as a guide (this gives you a double ruffle).
5. About 1" from the bottom, adhere a piece of Scor-Tape. Press crepe paper ruffle onto tape, going all the way around the box. Clip and continue up the sides of the box.
6. Adhere the flap as shown. Cover the rest of the box with ruffle, making sure not to interfere with the lid.

7. Cover the top with Scor-Tape and continue the ruffle, applying in a circular fashion, working from the outside edge to the center.
8. Cut a foam block (saved from Sizzix Texture Fades packaging - great tip from Jan Hobbins!) to size and adhere it to the center of the box. Use a piece of leftover ruffle to camouflage it. This will be what you adhere the Marie image to.

9. Stack several white coffee filters together and cut using Eileen Hull's Flower Layers #9 die (I only cut the smaller flower). Color using Spun Sugar Distress Stain. Let dry.
10. Cover a toothpick with Scor-Tape. Adhere one end of the die cut and continue wrapping the paper around the toothpick, creating a flower.
11. Snip excess toothpick from blossom. Coat edges with glue and dip into glitter.

12. Punch a hole in the center of the box lid. Add a jump ring and clear idea-ology Bauble. Adhere flowers as desired.
12. Line box with decorative paper.

To finish off the box, I assembled the paper doll and adhered her to the foam block (I trimmed a bit of the skirt off to get it to fit right). Finally, I glued the box to the cupcake stand using Beacon's 3-in-1 adhesive. Her little sign is one of the images included in the collection. For that, I glittered a toothpick and glued the sign to it and then to her hand.

I am so in love with how this turned out! I can't wait to use Eileen's Square Box die even more. So many possibilities!

Many of the products I used can be found at Inspiration Emporium. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% on your order!



While we're on the subject of love, don't forget this month's challenge over at the Inspiration Emporium blog. If you play along, you could win a $50 gift certificate! Thanks SO much for stopping by - have a LOVEly day! xoxo

51 comments:

  1. Fantastic as always! I love the hidden chocolates! The skirt ruffles are wonderful.

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  2. I never would have been able to make the leap between Marie and Barbie but love this!

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  3. Thanks for telling your audience about my etsy shop, RhondasOriginals, and for featuring my Marie torso here.

    Wow, this project is amazing, and so professionally done! I love the surprise chocolates. And the ruffles are wonderful! That Sizzix looks like a great product. I will have to check it out.

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  4. Holy. Marie. Antoinette. Shelly, this project is totally unbelievable. I always wanted a Barbie cake- this is wayyyy better. And I am excited to find out that the box fits on the stand. I mean, I planned it that way :-) I love the crepe paper skirt and cool flowers, and basically everything. Thank you my friend. Best Valentine's Day ever...

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  5. Shelly: This is FANTASTIC!!! I love that it fits on the stand and you turned it into marie!!! LOL! What a great surprise!!!!

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  6. You ROCK. I always know your work before I see a signature. Your style is
    unique and fabulous.

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  7. So Cute, Shelly!!! Love this Sooo much!!! Happy hearts day;)
    DebbieK

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  8. This is beautiful Shelly! I love the chocolate surprise! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  9. What a fabulous idea Shelly! Love that the box fits on the table, gave me lots of ideas immediately. Wonderful ruffle skirt! And the flowers are so pretty.

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  10. You have such an imagination, Shelly! This is so clever and has chocolate, too!

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  11. Here it is an invention! And what execution! Miracle!

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  12. Absolutely stunning Shelly, love how you have showcased the die, very striking. Tracy x

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  13. Your box is gorgeous! The lady is so beautiful!
    bbiswabic@new.rr.com

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  14. I love this- so so fun!

    I really like her little sign, too. Perfect.

    I save and use those little white foam blocks from the packaging, too! I didn't know there was anyone else!!!

    -kory k

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  15. A wonderful project Shelly and great use of these fantastic new dies! Love how you have created something "out of the box" with them!!

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  16. Very cool! I love Eileen's dies and you definitely know how to work them!

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  17. Very creative! Who would have thought? You, that's who!

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  18. Stunning! Stunning! Stunning! You knocked it out of the park Shelly... I bow to the master!

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  19. I tried making one of those cakes once, yours looks even more edible

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  20. wow this is fabulous Shelly. Happy Valentines Day. Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  21. Oh my, this must have taken forever to create~! So pretty! And fun!

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  22. Your box just makes me smile!! It ROCKS!!!!

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  23. My oh my! This is beautiful! You are so creative! Love, Love, Love Marie!!!

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  24. Hi Shelly,
    What a gorgeous project! You've done Marie proud. Thanks for sharing the great how-to's!

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  25. Oh Shelly -- you really are a very, very, very clever lady! She is beautiful -- and chocolates as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Greetings from Sally in France xo

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  26. WOW!!! that's awesome, absolutely love it. And I love that you share how you do stuff, not everyone does that and I think it's very generous. Thank you. :)

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  27. This is stunningly fabulous Shelly. Thanks so much for tutorial. Nicola x

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  28. Absolutely adorable, love Marie's skirt! I was surprised reading thru the tute when I found out it was a box hiding goodies, fabulous fun! Thank you for the time you put into sharing this idea!

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  29. What a stunning project, Shelly! I love Marie Antoinette's skirt. And it's full with chocolate as well! Double fun! Beautiful! Hugs, Sandra

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  30. This is one of the most charming and exquisite projects I've seen in a long time, with a tutorial attached - for free, no less!
    Thanks for sharing - I'm going to put this on Pinterest - I hope that is okay with you. If not, let me know, and I'll remove it - but people should have a chance to see your work!

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  31. Shelly, Shelly, SHELLY !!! My goodness what creative fun !

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  32. Let them eat cake!!! AWESOME!!! What a wow Shelly! You are amazing!

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  33. First, I didn't recognized the box, only the woman... It's stunning!

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  34. Ok...I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the ground! Did you really imagine this decadent sweet treat of thing!!!!? This is quite possibly one of my favorite projects ever for so many reasons!!!! It's totally over-the-top amazing!!!! As the hipsters say...AMAZEBALLS!

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  35. What an exciting way to use a box! Perfect for a little girl gift!

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  36. this is amazing exquisite work thank you for sharing

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  37. Oh gosh what a fabulous idea. What a hoot. Fantastic project

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  38. AWESOME!! I LOVE your projects!! Such AMAZING details!! THANKS for sharing and have a Fabulous Week!! =)

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  39. I remember well those Barbie cakes...your variation on this idea is so creative!

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  40. This is fabulous, Shelly! I pinned. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415386765611653625/

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Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate your comments so much!