How to, Paper Crafts, Handmade, DIY, Recycle, Diecuts, Crafting on a Dime

Creating Unique Junk Journal Tags: Part One

July 14, 2026

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is surviving the heat and having a wonderful summer. I’ve spent most of my time with family, cooling off in the swimming pool and working on a few home projects that I could no longer put off.

But I do want to share part one of a tag journal I created using an assortment of scraps of cardstock and whatever else I found in my craft stash. I used Eileen Hull‘s newest collection. I used the Ephemera Pocket and Tags Thinlits, Nora Numbers Thinlits, Nora Alphabet Thinlits and Stitched Hearts Thinlits. I also used several other dies by Eileen from past collections that had been living in my stash. Anyways let’s get started!

A colorful mini album featuring various patterned pages and decorative elements, held together by a ring. It includes floral designs and embellishments, with a textured background.

The first thing I did was cut out an assortment of small and large tags from the Ephemera Pocket and Tags Thinlits. Before cutting out several hole reinforcers I applied an Adhesive Sheet to the back of the cardstock. It makes it so much easier if everything is cut out and ready to create.

For the first tag I used the smallest tag. I inked the edges of both sides with a Brown Chalk Ink and added a hole reinforcer on both sides. The house is a fussy cut image that I glued to the tag along with a tiny strip of green cardstock to mimic grass.

A decorative tag featuring an illustration of a house with a tree, surrounded by a green and striped background.

The back side of the tag I added a stamp die from the Faux Postage Thinlits and the number 1 from the Nora Numbers Thinlits to the bottom corner of the stamp die.

A decorative tag featuring a colorful floral collage, the number '1' in mint green, and black polka dots against a soft pastel background.

The second tag I used the larger tag. I did adhered two tags together since they were both single sided cardstock. I added a decorative piece of cardstock, a circle die and trim to the tag. I placed Foam Pop Dots to the back of a Mini Paper Doll before adding to the tag. I selected the “Alice” sticker from the Clippings Cardstock Stickers and placed onto the tag.

A vintage-style tag featuring a black and white photo of a young girl named Alice, adorned with colorful floral patterns and decorative elements.

The back side of the tag I glued a strip of cardstock and a scrap of lace to one side of the tag. I cut a large and small flower from the Windowsill Vase and Flowers Thinlits and a leaf sprig from the Home Sweet Home Thinlits. I inked the edges of all the dies I cut out with Brown Chalk Ink. I added a drop of glue to the back of the smallest flower and placed in the center of the larger flower. I adhered the flower, leaf sprig and a tiny piece of cheese cloth to the tag. I added a Gold Gem to the center of the flower.

A decorative tag featuring a green background with a diamond pattern, adorned with floral designs. It has a yellow flower with a red gem centerpiece, layered fabrics in pink and floral patterns, and a hole for hanging. Designed by Tonya Trantham for Eileen Hull.

I used the smallest tag and backed two tags together since both were single sided cardstock. I cut one of the labels from the Bookmark, Pockets and Toppers Thinlits and inked the edges before gluing to the tag. I cut two butterflies in different types of cardstock from the same set of dies. I cut the antennas off of one of the butterflies and added a bead of glue to body/center. I placed on top of the other butterfly. The top butterfly I bent the wings slightly upwards. I added four Pearls to the center of the butterfly.

An orange decorative tag featuring a multi-colored paper butterfly with pearl embellishments, designed by Tonya Trantham.

The back side of the tag was easy since I framed the butterflies on the cardstock before cutting out the tag. I cut a tiny butterfly from the Home Sweet Home Thinlits and added the “my beautiful butterfly” sentiment from the Clippings Cardstock Stickers to finish.

A decorative tag featuring a large green butterfly illustration, the text 'my beautiful butterfly,' and a small blue butterfly graphic, set against a patterned background.

I used the larger tag and backed two tags together since one of the cardstocks was a single sided design. I adhered a patterned piece of cardstock to the center of the tag. I added two scraps of cardstock off center and glued a Mini Paper Doll to the tag. I glued a tiny flower and two tiny leaves, (I’m not sure which die sets these belong to) to the woman and added a Gem to the center of the flower.

An artistic tag featuring two vintage-style black and white photographs of women dressed in early 20th-century clothing against a colorful patterned background.

Since the back of the tag had a butterfly pattern I kept the embellishments to a minimum. I dug into my stash and added a circle and label die to the tag. I cut out a number 2 from the Nora Alphabet Thinlits. I added a pink sequin, gem and tiny leaf to the 2.

A decorative tag featuring a large number '2' in the center, surrounded by colorful patterns, butterflies, and text elements. It is designed with a pastel color scheme and includes a hole at the top for hanging.

I used the larger tag and backed two tags together. I added a banner to one side of the tag with the edge hanging off. I used a circle punch and punched out the woman with a hat. I added a couple button stickers, the “from the heart” sentiment from Clippings Cardstock Stickers and a small heart die from the Stitched Hearts Thinlits to the tag.

A vintage-style tag featuring a black and white photograph of a person with a heart graphic above their head, adorned with decorative elements like buttons and gems, along with the phrase 'from the heart'.

The back side of the tag I adhered an assortment of cardstock to the tag. The stamped label is from one of Eileen’s earlier stamp sets but I don’t remember the name. I glued the label to the tag, added a Mini Paper Doll and three button stickers to finish.

Crafted vintage tag featuring a black and white photograph of a young boy wearing a suit and hat, labeled with the name 'Herman'; incorporates patterned papers, decorative elements, and gem-like accents.

I used the smallest tag and I backed two single sided piece of cardstock together. I fussy cut a leaf sprig from a printable in my stash and adhered to the tag.

A decorative tag featuring green leaf illustrations and botanical designs, topped with a circular mint-green button. The tag is placed on a textured white crocheted background.

The back side of the tag I added a stamp die from the Faux Postage Thinlits, stamped label and a number 3 from the Nora Numbers Thinlits.

I had so much fun digging through my scraps of cardstock and embellishments and creating these tags. This is a great way to use up what you have lying around. I will be sharing more tags from the same project over the next week or two so be sure to stop back by.

If you have any questions or comments please leave those below. Also if you haven’t been by Eileen Hull’s blog lately to see what the team has been up to you can find the newest post HERE.

A decorative tag featuring a large number three, surrounded by floral and leaf patterns, with a pink background and a patterned border.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Ephemera Pocket and Tags Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Nora Numbers Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Nora Alphabet Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Stitched Hearts Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Faux Postage Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Windowsill Vase and Flowers Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Home Sweet Home Thinlits

Diecut Machine

Paper Cutter

Book Ring

Scissors

Tim Holtz: Clippings Cardstock Stickers

Gold Gem

Gem

Pearls

Various Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Various Printables

Lace, Trim and Cheese Cloth

Various Stickers and Embellishments

Brown Chalk Ink

Mini Paper Doll

Foam Pop Dots

Adhesive Sheet

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

This blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites, and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements. I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, or quote should be checked with each manufacturer. Verify other representations about a product or service with the provider or party in question.This blog contains affiliate links. Clicking these links helps to support Tonya Trantham Designs – Creative Paper Addiction. It’s at no additional cost to you. Today’s features are Sizzix, Eileen Hull and Scrapbook.com Products.

A hand holding a set of colorful decorative tags featuring a house illustration and various designs. The tags are attached with a ring and ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Tuesday is great and enjoy creating!

A decorative image featuring a colorful bird perched amidst vibrant flowers, with the name 'Tonya' elegantly scripted in a stylized font.

4th of July Patriotic Heart Pocket

June 16, 2026

Hi everyone! I’m back with my first project of the month for Eileen Hull. The theme for this month is Alphabet Soup. I didn’t use the Nora Alphabet Thinlits on my project but I did use the number four from the Nora Numbers Thinlits. I wanted to create a Fourth of July project that I could display. So I’m going to pass this project off as this month’s theme…wink wink ;-). I also used the Stitched Hearts Thinlits, Ephemera Pocket and Tags Thinlits and the Bookbinding and Label Thinlits (retired) to create this project. Anyways, let’s get started!

A decorative heart-shaped wall hanging featuring a dark blue section with stars and a striped red and white bottom. It is adorned with ribbons, a small photo frame, and a star accent.

First, I applied an Adhesive Sheet to one side of a piece of White Cardstock. I removed the backing from the adhesive sheet and placed a blue and white star patterned cardstock onto the upper half of the card. I did the same steps and placed a red and white striped cardstock onto the bottom half. I used the largest heart (without holes) from the Stitched Hearts Thinlits and cut two hearts out.

Collection of heart shapes made from patterned paper featuring stars and stripes, symbolizing patriotism.

Next I placed a small piece of white cardstock onto the Bookbinding and Label Thinlits (retired), placed between cutting plates and ran through the Diecut Machine.

A silver embossing plate with horizontal lines and two white, rectangular strips placed on top.

I cut two of the of the bookbinding pieces into three inches lengths. I folded the smaller flap on either side of the two larger folds to create the sides for the pocket. I use a Crop A Dile and punched a hole at the top of each side of pocket.

A heart-shaped decoration featuring a blue top with white stars and a bottom section with red and white stripes, resembling the American flag. The heart is positioned partially open, revealing white pages inside.

I adhered both pocket sides to the first heart. I cut the flaps at the bottom at an angle and added a drop on glue. I applied glue to the flaps and placed the other heart on top. I covered the sides of the pocket with a patterned cardstock to cover the fold indentions.

An empty white heart-shaped box on the left, and a decorated heart-shaped box with a dark blue background featuring white stars and a red and white striped pattern on the bottom, on the right.

I placed each end of the pipe cleaner through the holes and twisted to secure and create a handle. I adhered a piece of trim in-between the pieces of blue stars and stripe on both sides of the pocket.

A decorative heart-shaped box featuring a dark blue top with white stars and a lower section with red and white stripes, adorned with a golden trim and colorful ribbons.

I cut the smallest tag from the Ephemera Pocket and Tags Thinlits. I also cut out a number four from the Nora Alphabet Thinlits. I added a patterned piece of cardstock to the center of the tag. I inked the tag and the edges of the heart with a brown chalk ink along with the number four. I glued the four to the tag. I cut several pieces of fiber, Ric Rac and tulle and tied to the handle along with the tag. I made a bow out of thread and adhered to the corner of the pocket and added a star from my stash to finish.

A decorative craft piece featuring red, white, and blue elements, including a starry oval shape, ribbons, and a tag with the number '4', symbolizing Independence Day or a patriotic theme.

You can change the theme of this pocket to any occasion. Example birthdays, weddings, all the holidays, etc. So many possibilities!

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below and if you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog lately to see what the team has been up to you can find the latest post HERE.

A decorative heart-shaped wall hanging featuring red, white, and blue colors with stars, accompanied by a small tag. It is displayed next to a small American flag.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Nora Numbers Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Stitched Hearts Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Ephemera Pocket and Tags Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Nora Alphabet Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Bookbinding and Label Thinlits (retired)

Diecut Machine

Paper Cutter

White Cardstock and Patterned Cardstocks

Scissors

Crop A Dile

Adhesive Sheets

Fiber, Ric Rac, Tulle, Trim and Thread

Pipe Cleaner

Brown Chalk Ink

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

Red, white, and blue decorative heart-shaped sign with stars, striped pattern, and ribbons, designed for patriotic occasions.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Tuesday is wonderful and enjoy creating!

A decorative design featuring a bird among vibrant flowers and the name 'Tonya' in elegant script.

Garden Gate Journal Pocket and Tags Part Two

May 22, 2026

Hi everyone! I’m back with part two of my journal and today I will share how I added the pocket to the inside spine using the Pocket and Tags Thinlits. I also used the largest tags from the same dies along with a few others. If you missed part one of this project you can find that post HERE. Anyways, let’s get started!

A decorative craft project featuring a pastel green wooden fence design filled with colorful paper flowers, some adorned with gems, and a floral arrangement at the base.

I cut out two of the pockets from the Pocket and Tags Thinlits.

Two floral patterned envelope templates with vibrant pink and green designs, one partially cut out, placed on a light background.

The first thing I did was string thread through the holes of the spine and tie off. Next I glued the first pocket together except for the bottom flap. I cut the ends of the flap, as shown in the photo below, and placed under the thread.

Close-up of a colorful scrapbook page featuring floral patterns, decorative elements, and layered paper designs.

I added adhesive to the flap and glued over the thread.

Close-up of decorative paper featuring floral designs and colorful patterns, along with embellishments like flower cutouts and buttons.

I put the other pocket completely together. Next I applied adhesive to both sides and the bottom and placed on the back side of the first pocket to create a tuck spot.

Close-up of layered colorful scrapbook pages featuring floral patterns and textures, with a light blue background.

The inside cover pocket I cut three of the largest tags from the Pocket and Tags Thinlits

I used an assortment of the flowers and leaves on all the tags from the following dies: Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits, Envelope, Folder and Flowers Thinlits, Everyday Tags and Labels Thinlits (Scrapbook.com Exclusive), Wreath and Snowflake Thinlits and Windowsill Vase and Flowers Thinlits.

I inked the flowers with brown chalk ink and shaped with a Stylus before putting together and gluing to the top of each tag. I found the seal and small circle dies in my stash so I adhered those over the small hole that’s on the top of each tag.

I embossed two small circles from my stash with the Watercolor Bouquet Embossing Folder. I lightly inked each one before gluing one on each side of the middle pocket. I added a flower and leaves to the center of each circle.

I cut two tabs from the Library Pocket, ATC Cards and Tabs Thinlits and two pieces of patterned cardstock to fit the pockets. I adhered the tabs to the top of each piece of cardstock and added to the pocket. Also I cut a piece of cardstock to fit the middle pocket. Apparently I forgot to take a photo of that step.

For the back pocket I cut three bookmarks from the Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits.

I cut three of the circles from the Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits. I folded the bookmarks in half and added adhesive to half of each circle and placed on each bookmark to create a tab.

I added flowers and leaves to each bookmark before placing in the pocket to finish.

If you have any questions or comments about this project please leave them below. Also if you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog lately you can find the latest post HERE.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Garden Gate Journal Diecut

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Watercolor Bouquet Embossing Folder

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Page Edges Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Pocket and Tags Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Waterfall and Tags Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Envelope, Folder and Flowers Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Everyday Tags and Labels Thinlits (Scrapbook.com Exclusive)

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Library Pocket, ATC Cards and Tabs Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Wreath and Snowflake Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Windowsill Vase and Flowers Thinlits

Diecut Machine

Paper Cutter

Scissors

Various Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Various Colored Gems

Stylus

Thread and Needle

Brown Chalk Ink

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Friday awesome and enjoy creating!

Garden Gate Journal Cover Part One

May 20, 2026

Hi everyone! Did you catch Eileen Hull‘s release party Monday? She showed off her newest collection and the team’s projects from the show floor at Creativation. If you missed the live and would like to see what you missed you can find that video HERE.

This was one of the projects that Eileen shared Monday. I created the journal cover featuring the Garden Gate Journal Diecut, along with a couple other diecuts from the same collection. Anyways, let’s get started!

A decorative paper craft featuring a fence design with colorful flower embellishments in a pastel color scheme.

I cut a front and a back of the journal from Matboard using the Garden Gate Journal Diecut. I embossing the covers with the with a retired embossing folder by Tim Holtz. Side note, I did adhere a brown cardstock to the back outside of the cover before embossing. The embossing folder has a wood texture like the inside of a tree. The packaging didn’t have the name but had the item number 666049 if you are interested.

A white square crafting board with two white fence pieces and a pink decorative wooden fence segment on a wooden surface.

I inked over the embossed areas with an assortment of different shades of brown and black chalk inks. That is my preference of inks to use. I’m a firm believer in using what you have on hand and if you have something different use it.

Craft project featuring two rectangular panels with decorative edges, one larger and one smaller, set on a wooden surface.

I also cut cardstock for the back inside cover of the journal. I inked the edges with a brown chalk ink and glued to the journal. For the front I cut cardstock slightly shorter than the tallest picket of the garden gate. I inked the edges of the cardstock. Then I added adhesive and placed onto the gate.

A textured brown cardstock resembling tree rings on the left, and a decorative fence cutout in a light color on the right, designed by Tonya Trantham for Eileen Hull.

The spine I “peeled” off some of the Matboard to make it thinner. I applied glue and adhered together. The “peeling” of some of the Matboard flattens out the spine.

Three bottles of Craft Smart acrylic paint in blue, green, and mint colors, alongside a paintbrush, placed on a wooden surface. Below, there's a painted cardstock with a blue and green watercolor design and decorative cut-out patterns.

I had received cuts of the Page Edges Thinlits on white cardstock so I painted it with some of my favorite paint colors and let dry.

A colorful scrapbook page featuring layered patterned paper with floral designs, decorative borders, and a light blue background area ready for writing or additional embellishments.

I cut two pieces of patterned cardstock an inch high (I think…I forgot to measure) and 5 inches wide. I applied glue to both sides and the bottom of each piece of cardstock and placed on the inside of the front and back cover to create pockets. I selected two of the page edge dies and adhered to the top of each pocket. I added light blue gems to the center of each flower on the page edge die.

For the outside of the cover I dug into my stash and found this bouquet of flowers that I had fussy cut from some patterned cardstock. I added that to the garden gate and glued two gold gems to the center of the flowers to finish the cover.

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below. If you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog lately you can find the latest post HERE. Also be sure to come back Friday for part two of how I add the pocket to the inside of the spine and create tags.

A decorative paper craft featuring a peach-colored picket fence adorned with floral decorations, including pink, purple, and yellow flowers, along with a cluster of roses and greenery, set against a pastel background.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Garden Gate Journal Diecut

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Page Edges Thinlits

Diecut Machine

Paper Cutter

Matboard

Scissors

Sizzix/Tim Holtz: Wood Embossing Folder (item number 666049)

Light Blue and Gold Gems

Various Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Brown and Black Chalk Inks

Acrylic Paint: Celery, Bright Mint, Ocean Breeze

Paint Brush

Thread and Needle

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

A decorative box featuring a lattice design on the front, embellished with colorful paper flowers and gems, resting on a lace background.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Wednesday is great and enjoy creating!

A decorative design featuring a colorful bird perched among vibrant flowers, with the name 'Tonya' elegantly displayed in a stylized font against a soft blue background.

Join Eileen Hull’s Release Party for Exciting New Craft Products

May 17, 2026

Hi everyone! Are you ready? Today is the day! The new Eileen Hull Sizzix Collection is here, and Eileen celebrating LIVE from the show floor at Creativation (the live will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube)!

You are invited to join Eileen and Susie as they broadcast the Sizzix Release Party straight from Eileen’s tiny vintage trailer, Daisy, bringing together her amazing creative team from all around the world. You’ll get an up-close look at the fabulous project samples created by the team, sneak peeks of the new products, and maybe even a glimpse of the excitement happening on the show floor!

Promotional image announcing a new collection from Sizzix, with details about a launch party on May 18th at 12:00 Central Time, taking place live from Creativation by NAMTA, featuring Eileen Hull.

The May 2026 release includes seven exciting new products:
• The fan-favorite Garden Gate Album die — brought back by popular request
• Five brand-new Thinlits sets
• A beautiful new embossing folder – inspired by watercolor florals

Designed for journaling, card making, mixed media, and dimensional projects, the collection blends Eileen’s signature style of storytelling, texture, and interactive design with endless opportunities for customization and creativity.

Nora Alphabet Thinlits Die Set featuring colorful alphabet letters.

We can’t wait to see what YOU create with the new collection! Be sure to share your projects in the Eileen Hull Fan Club so we can continue inspiring each other and celebrating creativity together.

I have a couple of sneak peeks with full reveals for later. Also thank you for being part of this amazing journey with Eileen and the team!

A decorative paper craft featuring a pastel-colored fence embellished with flowers and beads, showcasing intricate details.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: May Die and Embossing Folder Bundle

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

A collection of colorful, decorative cards bound together with a ring and ribbon, resting on a textured white crochet background.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Monday is wonderful and enjoy creating!

A colorful illustration featuring a bird perched among vibrant flowers, with the name 'Tonya' elegantly styled in cursive font.

DIY Tags from Scrap Cardstock: Quick and Easy

April 13, 2026

Hi everyone! I’m back with my first project of the month for Eileen Hull. I created two quick tags using the largest tag die from the Waterfall and Tags Thinlits. Tags are a great way to use up scraps of cardstock and those random bits of lace or embellishments that cover your desk. Anyways, let’s get started!

A decorative tag featuring a butterfly illustration, the text 'W is for wings', and 'DO NOT CRUSH' prominently displayed. The background includes colorful patterns and a vintage label.

First I gathered up scrap of cardstock that coordinated with the color of the tag. I inked the edges of the scraps with a combo of blue and brown chalk inks and adhered to the tag.

A decorative tag featuring a butterfly illustration, the text 'W is for wings', and a label reading 'DO NOT CRUSH'. The tag has a colorful background with polka dots and floral patterns.

The “W is for Wings” is a printable, the butterfly is a chipboard piece and the “do not crush” sentiment is from one of Tim Holtz’s collections. I glued all to the tag to finish.

A decorative tag featuring a vintage black-and-white photo of a woman in a white dress, embellished with colorful paper layers, floral accents, and a round clock with the text 'Five-O'clock'.

The second tag I used an assortment of cardstock and a little piece of ledger paper which I inked with blue chalk ink. I adhered all to the tag.

An artistic tag featuring layered colorful papers, floral embellishments, and a vintage black-and-white photo of a woman in a white dress. A decorative clock with the text 'Five-O'clock' is prominently displayed.

I added a Mini Paper Dolls, a clock face and floral chipboard pieces, oval scalloped frame and the “five-O’clock” sentiment to the tag. I used thread to create a bow and adhered underneath the sentiment to finish. Oh how I love creating tags and have already started more! I’ll be sharing those soon.

If you have any comments or questions please leave them below. If you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog lately you can find the latest post HERE.

A decorative tag featuring a large butterfly illustration, layered graphics including the text 'W is for wings', and the warning 'DO NOT CRUSH' in bold letters, designed by Tonya Trantham for Eileen Hull.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Waterfall and Tags Thinlits

Diecut Machine

Paper Cutter

Scissors

Tim Holtz: Collage Strips

Tim Holtz: Mini Paper Dolls

Various Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Embellishments

Thread

Blue and Brown Chalk Inks

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

A decorative tag featuring a vintage black-and-white photograph of a woman in a white dress, surrounded by colorful patterned papers, a clock embellishment, and various floral designs. The phrase 'Five-O'clock' is prominently displayed.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Monday is awesome and enjoy creating!

A beautifully designed graphic featuring a bird, colorful flowers, and the name 'Tonya' in elegant script.

March in Miniature: Spring Altered Spool Project

March 17, 2026

Hi everyone! I’m back with my first project of the month for Eileen Hull. The theme for the month is March in Miniature. I used the Home Sweet Home Thinlits, Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits and the Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits to altered a mini ribbon spool. Anyways, let’s get started!

A decorative paper spool featuring a cute rabbit and colorful flowers, designed by Tonya Trantham for Eileen Hull.

After I had used up the ribbon that was on this spool I saved it. I thought there has to be a way to alter it into something useful.

A decorative black and white spool for ribbon designed in a flower shape, featuring the text 'ribbon' and 'the Paper Studio'.

I traced the top and bottom onto a scrap piece of patterned cardstock.

A black flower-shaped ribbon holder with 'Ribbon' text and a pen placed on a wooden surface next to a label featuring cloud shapes and a barcode.

I cut out the cardstock and glued to the top and bottom of the spool. I also inked the edges with a brown chalk ink. I cut a strip of cardstock to go around the center piece of the spool, inked and adhered around the center piece.

A decorative paper spool with a light blue and white scalloped top, placed next to a patterned strip of paper featuring pastel colors, on a wooden surface.

I cut the rabbit out of brown cardstock. Before cutting out the nose and the inside parts of the ears I applied an Adhesive Sheet to the back of a scrap of pink cardstock before cutting. I used Detail Tweezers to place the noses and the inside parts of the ears onto the rabbit. I inked the back and the belly of the rabbit with white chalk ink. I added an eye with a black marker.

A brown paper bunny cutout next to a silver metal die cut bunny, on a wooden surface with a pair of tweezers.

The first thing I did was apply glue along the bottom edge of the rabbit. I placed on top of the spool. I propped in-between a pair of Scissors and Detail Tweezers. This helped keep the rabbit upright while the glue dried.

Next I cut an assortment of leaf sprigs and flowers from the following diecuts: Home Sweet Home Thinlits, Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits and the Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits.

A handmade card featuring a brown rabbit sitting next to a pink flower and green leaves, placed on a decorative base.

I shaped all the flowers and leaf sprigs with a Stylus before adhering onto the spool. I added Gold and White Gems and Pearls Dots to the center of each flower. To finish I cut the top of a Q-Tip off and glued to the tail of the rabbit.

A small, decorative paper craft featuring a bunny surrounded by colorful flowers and green leaves, held in a person's hand.

I think this little rabbit will be the prefect shelf sitter and I can’t wait to create more. Also if you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog lately to see what her team has been up to you can find the latest post HERE.

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

A decorative paper craft featuring a small rabbit surrounded by colorful flowers and leaves, placed on a floral patterned spool. Designed by Tonya Trantham for Eileen Hull.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Home Sweet Home Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits

Diecut Machine

Scissors

Paper Cutter

Adhesive Sheet

Stylus

Detail Tweezers

Gold and White Gems and Pearls Dots

Brown and White Chalk Inks

Black Marker

Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Empty Ribbon Spool

Q -Tip

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

A decorative paper spool featuring a cute brown bunny surrounded by colorful paper flowers and green leaves, set against a textured background.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Tuesday is wonderful and enjoy creating!

A decorative illustration featuring a bird perched among colorful flowers with the name 'Tonya' artistically displayed in a stylish font.

Creative Journaling with Eileen Hull and Grafix Part Two

February 24, 2026

Hi everyone! I’m back with part two of my journal for Eileen Hull and Grafix. If you haven’t seen part one you can find that post HERE. I created five tags for the pockets and belly band in my journal. Anyways let’s get started!

Artistic collage featuring a silhouette of a person with a colorful butterfly overlay, surrounded by patterned paper in various colors and textures.

For the inside pocket I used the bookmark from the Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits and cut out two bookmarks. I inked the edges of the bookmarks with a Brown Chalk Ink.

Three decorative paper pieces in various floral designs, alongside a metal cutting die, all positioned above a crafting template with branding details.

On the front side of both the bookmarks I dug into my stash of scraps of cardstock and glued strips of patterned cardstock to the base of the bookmark. Side note, this is a great way to use up what you have lying on your desk. I added the clear film “Make Every Minute Count” sentiment from the Grungy Vibe by Cat Kerr to the book mark along with a clock button from my stash to finish.

The next bookmark I cut a keyhole die from the Journal Hardware Diecut, adhered to the top corner of the bookmark along with two Gems in each end of the keyhole. I cut out the clear film key and the “Be Kind” sentiment and added to the bookmark.

Two decorative bookmarks featuring motivational phrases. The left bookmark has a vintage design with the text 'Make every minute count' and an orange button. The right bookmark displays 'BE KIND' with a key graphic and teal embellishments, both set against patterned backgrounds.

The back side of both bookmarks I adhered more scraps of cardstock and one of the smallest circle die from the Rainbow Wheels Thinlits to finish.

Two decorative bookmarks featuring various patterned papers and embellishments, placed on a crocheted background. The left bookmark has a floral design and a measuring tape element, while the right bookmark includes a circular embellishment and text elements.

I cut a piece of cardstock to fit inside the center pocket. Side note, I inked all pieces of cardstock and dies cut with Brown Chalk Ink. I cut the largest circle die from the Rainbow Wheels Thinlits and glued to the base of the tag along with two strips of cardstock. I cut one large, four small flowers and two leaf sprigs from the Floral Pocket and Paperclips Thinlits. I adhered the small flower to the center of the large flower. I glued the flower along with the leaf sprig to the upper top of the tag. I cut the little girl shoes out and glued to the tag. I added pink trim and two of the small flowers to the shoes to finish.

A decorative card featuring black flip-flops with floral accents, layered over a pastel background with a flower design.

The back side of the tag I cut the lace clear film out and adhered to a piece of cardstock. I glued to the side of the page to create a tab. I cut out the clear film yearbook photos added to the tag. I place the sunshine outline die from the Home Sweet Home Thinlits over one of the girls. I glued a strip of cardstock over the lace overlay, added a piece of pink trim and another flower and leaf sprig from the Floral Pocket and Paperclips Thinlits to finish.

A collage of vintage black and white photos showcasing several women in various hairstyles, arranged in a grid format. The collage is adorned with decorative elements like flowers and patterned paper along the side.

I cut two tags from cardstock for the belly band on the inside of the back cover. I added an assortment of scraps of cardstock to each tag. The first tag I cut the clear film license plate and gear and for the second tag I added the clear film “grungy vibe” overlay and adhered to each respective tag. I found these vintage cars in my stash so I added them to each tag.

Two artistic cards featuring vintage cars, one with a blue background and a license plate reading '623 AWY NEW YORK', and the other showcasing a grunge-style design with the word 'Grunge'.

The back side of both tags I adhered scraps of cardstock to both tags. I added the largest circle die from the Rainbow Wheels Thinlits and two clear film gears and the number ten to one of the tags to finish.

Two decorative card designs featuring colorful paper strips and embellishments. The top card has blue and green papers with grid patterns, while the bottom card showcases a circular area with lined space for notes, accented with gears and ribbons.

I still have several pieces of the Grungy Vibe by Cat Kerr that I can’t wait to play with. So stay tuned more projects are sure to follow! Also if you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog to see what the team has been up to you can find the latest post HERE. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

Pack of Grafix Dura-Lar Film featuring pre-printed designs by various artists, showcasing a variety of creative patterns and images.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Bookmark, Pocket and Toppers Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Journal Hardware Diecut

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Rainbow Wheels Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Floral Pocket and Paperclips Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Home Sweet Home Thinlits

Grafix: Grungy Vibe by Cat Kerr

Diecut Machine

Paper Cutter

Scissors

Various Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Brown Chalk Ink

Clock Button

Gems

Pink Trim

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

A colorful scrapbook page featuring a vintage typewriter illustration, floral decorations, a smiling face portrait, and various textured backgrounds. The page includes a decorative window design and elements with pastel colors.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Tuesday is great and enjoy creating!

A decorative illustration featuring a bird perched among colorful flowers and foliage, with the name 'Tonya' elegantly displayed in a stylish font.

Discover the Grafix and Eileen Hull Collaboration Part One

February 17, 2026

Hi everyone! I am back with my project for Eileen Hull this month. The team is also collaborating with Grafix. I’ll be using an assortment of dies, thinlits, embossing folders and Grafix Dura-lar Prints to dress up the Journal Diecut .

A mixed media art piece featuring a silhouette of a person with a large, colorful butterfly overlay, set against a background of patterned paper with various colors and textures.

I received the Grungy Vibe by Cat Kerr to incorporate in my journal. There’s a crystal clear film and a matte translucent film of each design for a total of six sheets in the package. Anyways, let’s get started!

A packaging for Grafix Dura-Lar prints featuring the Grungy Vibe design by Cat Kerr, showcasing pre-printed artistic designs for creative projects. The image includes a mock license plate, colorful portraits, and design descriptions.

I placed Adhesive Sheets on both sides of a piece of Chipboard (I did this step twice). I added patterned cardstock to both sides of the chipboard, placed the chipboard onto the Journal Diecut, sandwiched between the two cutting plates and run through the Diecut Machine.

I lightly inked the cover with Brown Chalk Ink. I cut off the excess spine and peeled one side of the remaining spine so when glued together it will lay flat.

Craft materials arranged on a surface featuring a notebook with a polka dot design and decorative strips.

I adhered scraps of patterned cardstock to the cover of the journal.

A decorated notebook cover featuring colorful patterns including polka dots and floral designs, with various layers of patterned paper and a blue ribbon.

I dug into the packet of Grungy Vibe by Cat Kerr and pulled out both the clear and matte translucent images of the man with a butterfly over his face. The clear image, I cut out only the man with the butterfly. The matte image I only cut out the butterfly to use as a template to trace onto a piece of patterned cardstock and cut out. I adhered the patterned butterfly to the back side of the clear image.

A collage featuring a vintage-style black and white illustration of a man in a suit with stylized butterfly cutouts positioned over his face, alongside sheets of transparent letters and pattern designs.

I dug into my stash of embellishments and found this stitched frame (I think it is from 49 & Market). I glued the bottom edge of the clear image and the top of the man’s head to the frame. I scored the outer edge of frame since it is larger than the journal cover. I wrapped around and adhere to the inside of the cover.

An artistic design featuring a butterfly with colorful wings positioned over a vintage-style portrait of a man in formal attire, within a decorative frame.

I added ric rac and buttons before gluing the frame to the cover.

An artistic scrapbook page featuring a vintage-inspired design with polka dot backgrounds, layered decorative papers, and an illustration of a man with a butterfly for a face.

The inside front cover I cut a pocket from a portion of the Field Notes and Specimen Card Diecut. I did cut down the sides so it would fit on the inside cover of the journal. I lightly inked the edges and added glue to three sides before placing on the inside cover. I added scraps of patterned cardstock to the upper corner of the inside cover. I cut out a label from the Journal Hardware Diecut and the middle size circle from the Rainbow Wheels Thinlits. I inked the edges of both dies before adhering to the pocket.

I cut out the three stitches and the typewriter from the clear film. The typewriter I used a Knife and cut a slit in the top of it. I cut a piece of plain cardstock to fit into the slit of the typewriter. I lightly inked the edges and glued inside the slit of the typewriter. I dug into my stash of stickers and added the “today” to the paper in the typewriter and “details” to the label. I placed two Black Gems in the holes of the label.

A creative scrapbook page featuring a vintage typewriter illustration, decorated with colorful patterned paper, decorative elements, and labels for notes, against a chevron background.

The back inside cover I embossed a piece of cardstock with the Lacy Leaves A5 Embossing Folder. I cut a strip of cardstock to fit the back of the journal and lightly inked with chalk ink. I added glue to each end of the cardstock and placed onto the inside cover. This creates a belly band to hold tags, journaling cards, etc. I cut the largest and middle size circles from the Rainbow Wheels Thinlits. I inked the edges with chalk ink along with a strip of blue cardstock and adhered onto the belly band. I added a couple scraps of patterned cardstock on top of the circles. I cut out the man from the clear film. I adhered on top of the circles. Next, I cut the sunshine from the Home Sweet Home Thinlits twice. One of each in plain and patterned cardstocks. I placed the outer part of the sunshine die over the coat pocket of man. I cut out the number “88” from the clear translucent. I glued on top of the inner circle from the sunshine and added to the center of the sunshine.

Mixed media artwork featuring a vintage-style portrait of a man against colorful patterned backgrounds, including geometric designs and an embossed texture, accented with a badge displaying the number '88'.

For the inside pocket I folded a piece of cardstock in half and placed below the cut lines of the spine of the Journal Diecut. I marked the holes on the inside of pocket and used the needle to poke holes in the spine. I threaded the needle with thread and stitched the pocket onto the spine of the journal. I added glue at each end to create the pocket.

An open blue folder featuring a needle and thread, with decorative patterned paper in the background.

I added the extra piece of Lacy Leaves A5 Embossing Folder to the outside of the pocket along with some strips of patterned cardstock. I cut a piece of patterned cardstock slightly smaller and glued to the back side of the pocket. I also added a few strips of cardstock to the back. Next I cut out two of the largest Tunnel Arches Thinlits. I cut out the windowsill from the Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits. I folded a piece of cardstock to create a hinge.

A colorful paper craft composition featuring a green decorative panel with floral designs on the left and an artistic window frame revealing a portrait underneath on the right. The background has a textured turquoise finish with patterned papers.

I adhered to the windowsill and the back of the tunnel arch. I glued to the pocket. I cut out the clear film of the woman and adhered to the tunnel arch. Next I punched a hole next to the tunnel arch and attached a closure with a flower brad.

An open scrapbook featuring colorful patterned papers, a decorative die-cut window, and an artistic portrait of a woman surrounded by floral designs.

I cut out the following dies: Floral Pocket and Paperclips Thinlits, two of the largest flowers and a leaf sprig. Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits, two large flowers and five of the smaller flowers. Home Sweet Home Thinlits, three leaf sprigs. I used one of the largest flower, one large flower, three of the small flowers and a leaf sprig and placed next to the woman and bottom corner. I cut the number “79” from the clear film and added to the center of the flower.

A colorful mixed media artwork featuring a portrait of a smiling woman, surrounded by floral elements and various textured backgrounds. The composition includes paper cutouts and embellishments like flowers and leaves, adding depth and visual interest.

I adhered the largest tunnel arch to the back of the pocket. I added the decorative trim from the Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits to the bottom of the tunnel arch. I cut out the other woman from the clear film and glued to the tunnel arch. From my stash of embellishments I added a crown to the woman’s head. I adhered the largest, large, two small flowers along with three leaf sprigs next to the woman’s face. I cut a number “9” and a number “88” from the clear film and glued to the center of the flowers.

Close-up of a mixed media art piece featuring a stylized portrait of a woman with a crown, surrounded by colorful flowers, numbers, and decorative elements.

I absolutely love these images from Grafix! They are fun to work with and really dress up any type of project. I will be share a part two blog post later this week/early next week using the Grafix film along with Eileen Hull’s dies. So be sure to keep an eye out for that post.

If you haven’t been by Eileen’s blog to see what the team has been up to you can find the latest post HERE. If you have any questions or comments about this project please leave them below.

A mixed media artistic creation featuring a vintage-style illustration of a man with a colorful butterfly overlay on his face. The background includes patterned papers in various colors and textures, adorned with decorative buttons and ribbons.

Supplies

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Journal Diecut

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Field Notes and Specimen Card Diecut

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Journal Hardware Diecut

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Rainbow Wheels Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Home Sweet Home Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Lacy Leaves A5 Embossing Folder

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Tunnel Arches Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Floral Pocket and Paperclips Thinlits

Sizzix/Eileen Hull: Windowsill Flowers and Vase Thinlits

Grafix: Grungy Vibe by Cat Kerr

Chipboard

Adhesive Sheets

Diecut Machine

Brown Chalk Ink

Paper Cutter

Scissors

Knife

Black Gems

Needle and Thread

Crop-A-Dile

Closure and Flower Brad

Plain and Patterned Cardstocks

Ric Rac and Buttons

Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry Adhesive

(Products listed above are Affiliated Links for your convenience)

DISCLAIMERS

A colorful mixed media artwork featuring a black and white portrait of a man with a butterfly overlay on his face. The background includes patterned paper in various colors like blue, pink, and yellow, with decorative elements like buttons and ribbons.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your Tuesday is wonderful and enjoy creating!

A decorative design featuring a bird perched among colorful flowers, with the name 'Tonya' elegantly displayed in script.

Creating an Up-cycled Box Using The Poet’s Garden Diecuts

February 9, 2026

Hi everyone! I’m back with my first project of the month using The Poet’s Garden Collection by Susan Tierney-Cockburn and Spellbinders. This collection contains Love-in-a-Mist Etched Dies, Clematis Poet Etched Dies, Wild Violet and Ladybugs Etched Dies and The Poet’s Garden Sentiments Press Plus Plate and Die Set. I used all the die sets except for the press plus plate die set. Anyways, let’s get started!

Mixed media craft project featuring vibrant paper flowers, including blue and purple blossoms, arranged on a wooden background with vintage elements.

I will need a present in the upcoming months so I dug into my stash of small boxes I keep on hand and found this small box. I covered the outside and the inside portion that slides out with a cardstock that looks like wood. I also added trim to both outside ends of the box.

A rustic wooden box with a decorative trim, featuring a drawer partially pulled out.

There are videos for each set of dies on how to put together. For the first set of diecuts I used is the Wild Violet and Ladybugs Etched Dies. You can find that video HERE.

A collection of die cut shapes including leaves and flowers in various colors, with teal, purple, and metallic copper elements displayed on a black background.

These videos explain how to put these florals together so much better than I could.

Paper flowers with purple petals and green stems accompanied by green leaves on a beige background.

The second set of diecuts are the Clematis Poet Etched Dies and you can find that how to video HERE. The third set of diecuts are the Love-in-a-Mist Etched Dies and you can find that video HERE.