Christmas Bells with Sizzix Dies by Eileen Hull

As part of a huge effort to make this year special, even though it is very different, Eileen Hull's Inspiration and Educator Teams have been providing prompts and tutorials with the theme of Comfort and Joy. As you can imagine there has been a huge array of different ideas, memories and traditions. My prompt yesterday was a theme for a journal page: "when does Christmas truly start for you?" and if you are a member of Eileen Hull's Fan Club page on Facebook you can catch it there.

If you are not a member and would like to join click the link HERE to join, but do make sure you answer the questions! .... we really are trying to make sure that we get genuinely interested people joining the group.

Madeline Arendt gave us a wonderful tour of her house and all her beautiful handmade decorations and I was so taken by her use of Eileen's Tea Cup die to make bells that I had to have a go myself! You can get Madeline's tutorial on her blog here: Just a Thought or Two : Making Bells and Candle Holders. 

Madeline has an amazing ability to really think outside the box, so turning the tea cup upside down and cutting off the handle, then using the spoon as the holder and "dong" at the bottom is just ace! So here is my take on her 3D Bell using a paper technique I have not used in a while. Scroll down for a tutorial but first here are a few more photo details:

The 3D Bell is sturdy enough to decorate the top with plenty of flowers, leaves and berries.

I made a string of bells in the same way as Madeline did and they are now hanging above the fireplace in the study.

It is difficult to capture the feeling in a photograph but it really does ooze Christmas warmth dressed in lights and bells!

I made an extra bell for my Christmas Journal.

Thank you for joining me and I hope you find inspiration from

visiting Madeline's blog and my tutorial here.

It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas!!!

Jennie x

____________________________________

TUTORIAL : 3D BELL

Cut out two cups and cut away the handle at the side, cut one down the middle.

Glue one of the cut pieces down the middle of the bell (I did mark this in pencil first as it is easy to miss the line!)

Punch a hole into the second half for your hanging ribbon before glueing the other side to make the 3D shape.

I used old music paper for my inserts. I have cut six bells for each quarter section, but in hindsight I think five would have been enough and easier to insert. 

Run some glue down the folded edge .....

..... and layer another folded piece on top. 

Continue until you have a little folded section.

Each little folded group of papers can then be glued into the quarter.

Do this by adding glue to the board and lining the paper up with the edges (this is why five pages will be easier to fit!)

If you get a bit of a crinkle you can add a little more glue and stick that page down so it can't be seen!

To decorate the top it is easier to add the leaves first so you have a base to glue the flowers to.

The berries and swirls were "poked in" after the flowers were firmly glued and dried.

Dies Used:

Eileen Hull Teacup and Spoon #Sizzix  664797