I created this card using the Shabby Chalet kit:



And here is how it came together.


For my first layer I cut a piece of PP at 5.2 x 8.1


I laid a piece of tulle over my card, like this.


And cut it, holding it in place, and deciding how it should look, as I was cutting along.


It came out like this. The left over pieces on the right.........


I cut that piece in half and.....


started to ruffle it up


Then I wrapped a wire around it, and afterwards I clipped off the ends.


I cut a strip of PP at 1.5 x 6.5 


spritzed both front and backside with water and let it sit for a moment.


Then I started to ruffle or crumble it up like in the picture. I had to do this carefully, cause the paper easily rips when it is wet.


And whilst heat setting my ruffles I pinched the middle.


I distressed the edges of my frist paper layer, glued my tulle on (using Fabri-Tac) and I hot glued my ruffled paper strip on. I only put glue in the middle of the paper strip cause I wanted to be able to tuck things in.


I cut out one of the doilies that was on the prima flower packaging and place it like this.


Then I pulled apart one of the prima flowers (that came in the kit)....


And made some smaller buds out of them. Simply by pinching 1 of the circles together and wrapping some wire around the buds


I thought they looked cute!


Then I started layering. First 1 of the circles (from the pulled apart flower) and then on top the ruffled tulle, I made earlier.


From a previous kit: I had some of that wooden fence left over, so I cut off 1 part and glued it down like in the picture. On top I glued a little piece of the pearl spray that came in the Jan kit. The little blue flower, was the center flower from the flower I took apart. (do I still make sense?)


Then I cut a few different sizes from the beaded sprays. I twisted 2 togeter....


And glued them, hanging beneath my ruffled paper strip.


I glued the little flower buds in place


And the other beaded spray, that were cut in different sizes.


I added some Stickles, in diamond, to the flowers on the paper


And some glossy accents on the buds that are printed on the paper.


Then I painted a clock icon with white acrylic paint


And glued it down, looking like it hangs on that piece of fence. Like a rod.


I added a little lace bow and a tiny baby rose.


Then I randomly added some gesso


I cut a white mat (3/4) like in the picture and glued it to the back.


For the base of my card I cut a piece of cardstock at 9 x 12, folded it double, distressed the edges and added some gesso here and there.


Then I glued everything together.


and called it done! Hope you like it.

Hi everyone! I'm excited to share two more pages I made using the Swirlydoos January Kit, Shabby Chalet. I just loved this kit! The Fabscraps papers are so pretty and easy to work with!

Browsing the gallery this week this beautiful blue layout caught my eye! All those lovely shades of blue and flowers frame such a sweet picture! The design is incredible with the perfect clustering!






Coongrats, Barbara!

Happy Saturday! There's been some buzz this week on our forums about mists, and why some people are just not in love with them. Seeing how our mediums add on for January has five bottles of mists, I thought it would be good to go over some tips and tricks for the Lindy's mists, and some general misting techniques.




Be sure to join us if you have questions and/or tips about mists RIGHT HERE on our forums!

Enjoy your weekend!

Here at Swirlydoos, we LOOOVE challenges! We have many going on, and many beautiful entries!!!!

Sketch Challenge
Our site-sponsored challenge is our monthly sketch challenge. This challenge runs until the 15th of every month. And, it is open to EVERYONE. So, even if you aren't a subscriber, you can still enter and are eligible for a prize. This is our current sketch:

We already have some entries. Take a look at this amazing interpretation from Sherri:




Butterfly Challenge
Our amazing designer, Angelica, also hosts a a butterfly challenge every month, and it runs through the 15th of each month.

This is the layout she created for your inspiration:

Here's Peggy's entry:


Subscriber Peggy hosts this every month. Of course signups happen before the first of the month, so it's too late to join for January, but there will certainly be lots of beauty to look at all month long. And be on the lookout for February sign ups so you can play too!

Jeannie V just shared her incredible layout this morning:



Round Robin for Cards Challenge

This is another challenge where the sign ups have passed for January, but sign ups for February are already up HERE. Jennie is our hostess for January, and she has inspired these ladies to come up with some amazing cards.

Cheryl's card is so pretty:

Thanks to everyone who participates in our challenges! If you haven't played along yet, be sure to jump in- the more the merrier!

Each week at Swirlydoos, our design team searches the Swirlydoos gallery for a layout to feature. This is no easy task, because we have a talented bunch of ladies! Each month, the design team votes on all of the layouts that have been chosen as layout of the week, and we then have a layout of the month, and we vote on these for layout of the year.

For 2013, this is the Layout of the Year:

Swirlydoos: Kathi, How long have you been scrapbooking?

Kathi: I friend got me interested in something I said I'd NEVER get into, scrapbooking, all those stickers, decorative scissors and shaped photos....ugh! Well, 11 years later later I now own enough scrappy stuff to open my own store..

Swirlydoos: Where do you get your inspiration from? Do any other scrapbookers inspire you, and if so who?

Kathi: At first my inspiration came from the local scrapbook store and magazines; then I discovered SB.C and started to look through their gallery. So much talent and diverse styles I started following Robinzberdz and several other ladies and that lead me to Swirlydoos. Now I find inspiration not only from Swirlydoos but from Facebook, and Pinterest.There is so much talent out there that is hard to name everyone i follow. I know my style has change drastically since I found Swirlydoos.

Swirlydoos: On average, how long does it take you to create a layout from start to finish? Do you ever have more than one project you work on at the same time?

Kathi: I am not a consistent scrapper. I don't spend hours at a time in my studio, so it takes me, on the average, a week to complete a layout. I rarely have 2 projects going at the same time I have enough trouble concentrating on one.

Swirlydoos: Looking through all of your pages, we can see that you use many different colors. Is there any color that you don't like? What is your favorite color to use?

Kathi: I love soft muted colors, not necessarily pastels, just muted. Some colors I find hard to work with, red and yellow for example. Unless the photo really screams for these colors I very rarely use them. Blues, greens, browns and sometimes lavender seem to be my go to colors.


Swirlydoos:What is your favorite paper line of all time?

Kathi: Favorite paper line, now that is difficult. All my old stand-bys have started to look like one another and their designs just leave me cold. I'm leaning more and more to the European paper manufactures, Maja, Pion and Fabscraps.

Swirlydoos: Your pages typically have lots of layers- how do you come up with your designs in regard to the sizes and colors/patterns of layers?

Kathi: I love layers and co-ordinating papers. I have made some size templates that help me visualize how i want to utilize the patterns. I just play with the patterns until they look right to me. The templates also help when I am using an around the page punch to get the dimensions correct.

Swirlydoos:What is your secret for creating those gorgeous flower clusters?

Kathi: Flower clusters, I really don't have a secret. I use various sizes and styles of flowers...I love the tiny buds from I Am Roses they are great filler flowers. I just start tucking and shifting. pop some flowers up with pop dots, add leaves and embellies until it looks the way I want it to.

Swirlydoos: Can you share your favorite layout that you have ever made? Why is it your favorite?

Kathi: Oh goodness, you want me to name a favorite layout. I don't really have a single . Demure, Yesterday, Portrait in Pink, Dream, Girl with Daisies and Garden Chair are some of my favorites.


Thank you, Kathi, for allowing us to pick your brain about your techniques, style, and process of scrapping!

Please join us in congratulating Kathi! She will also receive a gift certificate to the Swirlydoos Boutique which is expanding with MANY MOOST-HAVES from the the Winter CHA Trade Show!

And, thank you to everyone who posts their projects in our gallery! We LOVE to see what you make. Keep posting, and maybe iYOU will be the winner in 2014!!!!!