Swirlydoos Scrapbook Kit Club: July 2015

Friday, July 31, 2015

July Blog Hop Winner

6:38 AM | Posted by Kim | | Edit Post

Thanks to all who participated in our July blog hop!

Here is the winner:

Bonnie, you have won this Kaisercraft paper pack!

Bonnie, please contact Kim (kim@swirlydoos.com) within 7 days to claim your prize.

3 comments

Monday, July 27, 2015

July Challenge Highlights

7:00 AM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

Ladies, if you have lost your mojo please visit the Swirlydoos challenge forums for wonderful inspiration. Every month you can participate in numerous challenges all sure to spark your creative side. We are nearing the end of the month so some of our challenges are nearing deadline.

The Round Robin for July ends today. It has been an amazing month with the theme, Salute to the Uniform. A perfect theme as we celebrated Independence Day in America this month.

Here are some of the latest additions to the Round Robin this month.

Here's Jeannie's work of art.

Cheryl's creation

The Round Robin for August will be starting soon. Look for sign ups here.

The monthly tag challenge will close on July 31st. Maggie has a wonderful tutorial for you. You can see the tut and enter here.

Look at this beauty created by Debbie.

The All that Flutters challenge is open until August 20th. You can enter your projects here. See what our talented members create. Here's a little inspiration from me.

Every month Swirlydoos members host SGC, Swirly Girls' Challenge. This month's challenge is being hosted by Mellisa. She is challenging us to scrap how we feel.

Peggy is feeling excited because Swirly Camp is right around the corner. Look at her layout featuring the Gingerbread house where we will be staying.

Excited by Peggy

You have until August 2 to enter this challenge.

Don't forget the monthly sketch challenge. The Belle Fleur sketch challenge will run until August 15th. You can enter your layout on the Swirlydoos forum and we would love to see it on our facebook page.

Take a look at the beautiful sketch this month.

Here's the Design Team's interpretation for your inspiration.

Helena

Rae

Kim

Jan

Please join us!

0 comments

Thursday, July 23, 2015

July Reveal and Blog Hop

10:30 AM | Posted by Kim | | Edit Post

Welcome to:

Swirlydoos Kit Club

July Scrapbook Kit Reveal & Blog Hop!

Swirlydoos is proud to bring you our beautiful February collection:

Belle Fluer

And check out these coordinating add ons that perfectly compliment our July scrapbook kit.

Are you a subscriber? If so, your kit is on it's way if you don't already have it! If not, check out the Swirlydoos store to see if there are any July kits or add ons in the store!

All of our monthly scrapbook kits are available in our store while supplies last!

Has it sold out? - become a subscriber and not only will you never miss a kit again, but you'll also pay less for your monthly scrapbook kits!
Mention this blog hop and save 10% on your first kit

We have some absolutely beautiful scrapbook projects for you to see today!! Make sure to leave a comment on all of the blogs for a chance to win!!!

Make sure you've "LIKED & FOLLOWED" us on Facebook to get sneak peeks and coupon codes good for the brand new, must have CHA goodies in our online store!

And, join our Facebook online gallery for amazing inspiration!

Our education team has created a mini album cover with the project/technique add on kit:

Rae has prepared an awesome tutorial that you can find in the "Anatomy of a Layout" section of our forums on how you can create this page:

SKETCH CHALLENGE!!!

July Sketch, created by our amazing sketch artist, Beggahuna!

This beautiful sketch is your inspiration, now get creating! Our July sketch challenge runs until August 15th, and is open to EVERYONE! Upload your layout into the "Belle Fleur Sketch" section of the Swirlydoos Facebook Gallery and you will be entered to win a fantastic prize pack from Swirlydoos! Check the sketch challenge thread in our forums to see what the designers and other members have created using this sketch for inspiration!

This is the sketch challenge prize:

And, now for the prizes to be won during the Swirlydoos Scrapbook Kit July reveal blog hop!!!!!

Swirlydoos and some of our manufacturers are proudly offering up the following blog hop prize:

So, let's get started! Make sure to leave a comment on all of the blogs for a chance to win!!!

You have until midnight, eastern time, on 7/25 to complete the hop. Winners will be announced on the Swirlydoos Blog on 7/28. In order to qualify to win here is what you need to do:
1: Visit all of the blogs and leave a comment on each. This way we know you were there. Take your time. There are REALLY beautiful things to see along the way.
2: Before you leave each blog, look for the “special” words and write it down.
Once you have visited all the blogs and collected all the special words, they will create a sentence.
3: Finally, go back to the Swirlydoos blog and leave a comment letting us know how much fun you had, tell us the sentence that was created with all of the special words you collected. Can't wait to hear from you.

The party starts on Helena's blog.

Blog Hop Order

Helena http://willeascrappar.blogspot.com

Rae http://scrappingfancy.com/

Kim www.droopidog.typepad.com
Jan http://ascript4scrappin.blogspot.com/

14 comments

Monday, July 20, 2015

June Challenge Highlights

7:00 AM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

Hello, ladies and fellow Swirly Savages! I just wanted to remind you of all the wonderful challenges going on in the Swirlydoos forums. We have some challenges very near deadline and some that will go until the end of the month. So, let me first tell you about the June "All that Flutters" challenge since it will be closing Monday, June 20th, at midnight. That's today!

This challenge is all about using the June kit to create a layout, project, or card using anything that flutters i.e butterflies, dragonflies bees, ladybugs, birds, fairies…etc!

Here are some creations by our talented members.

Sherri created this beauty.

And, here's one created by Ginny.

So, get your entries in by June 20th to be eligible to win a prize from me!

Next, I would like to share our Swirly Girl Challenge aka SGC for July. You can find all the details here. This challenge is being hosted by one of our members, Mellisa. Her challenge is to create any layout OR tag that represents your mood. Maybe you are a little sad? or maybe excited about an upcoming vacation or event……anything.

I know our moods can change with the weather, but I know I find myself stuck in a groove of feeling sometimes that lasts a week or two. SO – whats your mood?

Deadline for this challenge will be August 2.

Every month DT member, Maggi, hosts a tag challenge. She shares a new technique with us each month. This month's challenge can be found here.

Virginia created this lovely piece of work for the challenge.

The tag challenge will close on July 31st and the winner will receive a RAK from Maggi.

Each month we have the Round Robin Challenge. We still have some spots available the last week of July. You can look for sign ups for August towards the end of this month. Anyone is welcome to participate. I think it has always been a favorite for me. I love seeing the lifts each week! And, it certainly will help you find your lost mojo. Check out the challenge this month. The topic, A Salute to the Uniform, is a perfect topic after celebrating the Fourth of July.

Andie created this beauty featuring some of the Swirly Savages at Swirly camp in May.

And, our very own Swirly Queen, Krissy, participated in the challenge this month. She created this work of art featuring her grandfather.

You gotta love it! And, I get to lift this baby!

Please visit the forums and check out the current challenges and be on the look out for new ones soon. The June sketch challenged closed on July 15th but look for the July sketch challenge soon.
Here are some member entries for the June sketch challenge that you are going to love.

This one was created by Miss Peggy.

Sherri created this one starring her fur babies.

Every month there will be a new sketch challenge, SGC, Tag, Round Robin, and "All that Flutters" challenges.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Don't forget to check out the boutique to snag your kit today. Sold Out? Become a subscriber and never miss another perfectly coordinated kit again. How do you do that? See below.

If you’re ready to start getting perfectly coordinated, top of the line scrapbook kits delivered to your door, please visit us at www.swirlydoos.com. Mention my name (Jan Penny) when you subscribe and you’ll receive 10% off your first kit, AND a coupon good for 30% off your entire purchase in the Swirlydoos.com store!

1 comments

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Scrap your scraps

7:00 AM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

As promised in an earlier post, I will be sharing how I scrap even when I get down to the bare bones of a kit. Typically I get 8-9 layouts from each kit. My style does change from shabby chic to more grunge as I get to the end of a kit. But, I love the girly grunge and the clean and simple for some of my pictures. I don't know about you but I hate feeling like all my pages look alike. For this reason, I love doing different styles.

Here's a picture of what's left of my June kit after creating seven 12x12 layouts.

Looks like a mess, huh? As many of you know, I scrap with my sister a lot. She will spend the weekend at my house and that is all we do. We used to go to all day crops at our church. Sometimes we even challenge each other long-distance. Anyway, one time we challenged each other to use only the scraps on our table to make a layout. Her layout was awesome! I use that technique when I get to the end of a kit-just use what's on my table and make a layout. Everything goes together so it's just up to me to put it together.

Let me share my process with you. I first took the large cameo from the add on kit and busted it into pieces. It did not break easily! So, don't worry about them being fragile-they are not.

Then, I just started layering. Of course, I made a banner out of the biggest piece of paper. That seems to be my trademark for layouts.

Once I had the paper laid out like I wanted it I began grabbing pieces of ephemera and adding it to the page.

As you can see in the close ups, I added some random stamping using stamps from my stash as well as past Swirlydoos kits. When you are to the end of a kit, cardstock is the go to for the background so I use stamps, sprays, and other mediums to add dimension and character to the plain cardstock.

A trick I learned from Kathi while at camp one year is to use your box instead of pop dots to add dimension. I never throw my kit box away anymore! I use it to pop up layers on my pages. And, as you've heard others say, it does make it easier to tuck in little bits and bobs on your page.

So, this is what's left of a kit box! I used it to pop up the clock and other layers on the page.

Now, I grabbed the stickers I had left from the kit and stuck them down behind the layers that are still just laying on the page.

Once the stickers and stamping were done, I took a picture with my phone so I would have a reference for how this was laid out. Then, I started gluing everything down.

I did have a picture in mind when I started this bare bones layout but many times I do not. I don't like being limited in my creativity by the picture so many times I will create the layout first, then go back and find a picture that works for the page. Since I print my pictures at home, I am free to crop and print to any size that works.

Here's some close ups so you get and idea of the layers.

I did add some flowers from my stash. They were all flowers from past Swirlydoos kits.

And, the final touch is adding a title or journaling.

Well, that's a peek into the process of scrapping with the scraps. Please share your before and after pictures with me! I'd love to see what you create with the scraps on your table!

3 comments

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

DESIGN/EDUCATION TEAM CALL!!!

8:00 AM | Posted by Kim | | Edit Post

Swirlydoos Kit Club - Design/Education Team Call

Are you passionate about Scrapbooking? Do you enjoy teaching and inspiring other crafters? Can you gab with the best of us? Swirlydoos Kit Club is looking to add amazing talent to our outstanding Design/Education Team for a 6 month term that will run from our September, 2015 kit to our February, 2016 kit. We will be adding 2-3 fabulously creative Designers who are energetic, outgoing, talented, versatile individuals and who are committed to the beautiful art of scrapbooking.

Our designers must be able to devote the time necessary to our community, to our members, and to their artwork. We are especially interested in designers who make awesome video tutorials!

This DT call will close at midnight MST on August 15th, 2015.

This call is open to talented scrapbook designers/educators all around the globe

Design Team Requirements:

You will create a minimum of 4-5 layouts/projects, and as many cards, tags etc as you can per main kit sent to you.
Create at least one tutorial (video or photo. Video preferred) per month, and add content to our tips, tricks and techniques area in the forum.
Create a minimum of 3 “blank” cards during your 6 month term to send in to the home office.
You must upload your projects to all major scrapbook galleries and blogs you are affiliated with, along with Facebook and Pinterest.
Advertise for Swirlydoos kit club with Blinkies, blog banners, badges and other social media tools.
BE EXCITED about being on the team! Be very ACTIVE on the forum and in our Facebook gallery!
You will participate in our monthly blog hops, plus challenges and special events (NSD, WCMD) on our forums.
You will occasionally be asked to send us some of your completed projects for display at trade shows that Swirlydoos is participating in.

An ideal candidate for being on the design team will:

-Have the ability to take excellent, clear pictures of projects.

-Create educational videos to be added to our YouTube Library using Swirlydoos main kit, Project add-on kits or products form our Swirlydoos boutique.

-Be dedicated to promoting the kits and personal projects to social media on reveal day, including Facebook and Instagram.

-Already have an active blog, Facebook and scrapbook.com accounts

-Be an active member of our community on the forums and commenting in our Facebook gallery at least four times a week

-Be willing to partake in design team duties and help with any other promotions or contests we may have

If you are interested in joining the DESIGN TEAM - Send an email to "Kim@swirlydoos.com" with "DESIGN TEAM CALL" in the subject line. Include all of the following information:

Your name
address
telephone number
email address
blog address
any online galleries where we might see more of your work
YouTube address and or UStream Channel link, if you have one (preferred, but not necessary)
3 samples of your current work that best reflect your style
a list of all design teams you have been on, past and current (prior experience is not necessary)
Please tell us what you consider your strengths (where you excel) and why you would make a good designer for the Swirlydoos community.

What you can expect from Swirlydoos:

An honest, fun, dedicated team who supports you and your art and encourages you at every turn.

A FABULOUS tight knit community of smart assed, super talented scrapbookers from around the world

CHA invitations and passes

Free monthly main kit for Design Team

50% discount on all other kits and store purchases during your term

The new design team will be announced August 30th on our blog

ᐧ

2 comments

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Designer Spotlight with Kim featuring June Boys Night Out Kit

8:27 AM | Posted by Kim | | Edit Post

Hey Savages, I'm the last one up sharing my projects from the June *Boys Night Out* Kit. This was such a fun kit. This months kit was a great masculine, vintage kit. It was loaded with a variety of embellishments. Lots of fun textures, wood, cork, twine and chipboard to name a few.

OK, so lets get started with my projects. I started with the sketch. This months was another multi photo sketch.

I'm really enjoying working with smaller photos doing these sketches. Here is my take on the sketch.

The photos were taken at a friends house. Her dh is restoring an antique car and he took us on a ride. Just about everything is from the kit. I used a couple of extra chipboard pieces from my stash. That little border down the right side is cut from the cork board in the embellishment add on. I used the die add on to make it. Then I cut the piece in half.

Next up is a layout that is a little different for me. It has a lot of "white space". I do love how it turned out.

Isn't that sheet of background paper wonderful? I didn't do anything to it, it was perfect on it's own.For this one I again used a smaller picture. This is my bil and nephew.

I cut the boarder strips from the cork paper. Under the piece on the right, I stuck some black ribbon under it. I did use a few more pieces of chipboard from my stash on this one. But you could easily use die cuts to re-create the look. On the chipboard frame I used the perfect pearls filigree technique.

My next layout was also done for the Anatomy of a layout. That means this layout was created with only the main kit. We have some people who only get the main kit, and we like to show them ways to create with just that and using what they have at home, like stamps and dies.

So here is my anatomy layout. I used a photo taken on our trip to Paris last year. This papers are perfect for the picture.

I incorporated some stamping and a die cut from black card stock. I have a step by step tutorial posted in the forums on how to re-create the look. Please stop by and check it out here.

That's all I have for June. Thanks for stopping by and checking out what all the designers have done with the June *Boys Night Out* Kit.

Our kits tend to sell out fast so, if you don't ever want to miss another kit and are ready to start getting perfectly coordinated, top of the line scrapbook kits delivered to your door, please visit us at www.swirlydoos.com. Be sure to mention my name (Kim Heard) when you subscribe and you’ll receive 10% off your first kit, AND a coupon good for 30% off your entire purchase in the Swirlydoos.com store!”

1 comments

Saturday, July 11, 2015

June kit inspiration with Helena

10:30 AM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

Hi! Today I'm sharing my projects with the June kit, Boys Night Out. The minute I laid my hands on this kit, I knew it would be perfect for some older photos with me and my father, and also a couple of pics with my father and his younger brother. The colors of this kit was just perfect for the 70's photos!

First, let me show you my sketch page. The photos are of my father and his younger brother, in the early 50's. They look so cute! I have used pieces of the BoBunny ephemera under the photos, to build up some layers. Then lots of flowers (from the flower add-on and some from my own stash). I adore the chains from Prima, here I added one to the Cameo.

Close-ups:

Next, a layout with a photo of me and my father. He passed away in 2011, and I miss him so much. The title for this page: If I could turn back time...

I have painted the background paper with some white gesso and then sprayed with light brown/gold mist. I have also used a stamp here and there, and put some stickers from the main kit in a couple of places. Then I cut out several of the clocks from one of the papers and added them under the photo. The frame around me and my dad is from the BoBunny ephemera (add-on kit). Also from the kit; metal handle, chipboard clock, brads, dark red flower, butterfly.

When I created my third page, I decided to play with circles. I started with the diecut-paper and then added circles in different sizes. I have also built up some layers under the photo, with paper pieces from the kit. Several flowers from the kit (and some from previous kits and my stash), a metal handle, wooden pieces from Prima, chipboard clocks from BoBunny, brads, bling and then this layout was finished. This one took hardly no time at all - everything practically fell into place :)

And yes, the photo is of me and my dad!

And now for my final layout with this amazing kit, and I also have a step-by-step on how I made this one!

Everything on this page is from the main kit, flower add-on and embellishment add-on, except two black flowers from Kaisercraft (from previous kit) and a small piece of paper (from the May kit). I have also used my own mists, a black and a gold one.

Here is the step-by-step, and prepare yourself for lots of photos!

I started with the black corrugated paper from Fancy Pants (embellie add-on):

Here are most of the embellies I used (added the chains and Prima wood piece later in the process).

I took two of the beautiful patterned papers from the main kit and tore the edges. Then I glued them onto the corrugated paper.

Then I applied a thin layer of clear gesso, using an old credit card. This is to make the mist, which I will show you soon, blend together better.

I used a black and a gold mist and sprayed a few times. I let the colors run and blend together.

The pieces of paper I tore before, came to use:

I have used three pieces of paper under my photo, two are from the papers in this months kit, one from last months (needed some red color in this layout). I glued chipboard scraps in the back of each piece of paper, to get lots of dimension.

Then I glued the paper pieces in the middle of the layout, and folded the edges a bit.

I then added my photo (distressed the edges a bit).

Then I had fun with lots of the beautiful flowers in this kit! The black ones and the larger brown one, I sprayed with gold mist. When I add flowers, I layer them and put some under the papers (which is possible since I have the chipboard scraps under the papers). This way everything melts together nicely. I think brown, gold and black is my new favourite color combo!

I then added the embellies, a metal handle, chipboard clock with brad in the middle and some bling squares. I still felt like something was missing though. Then I laid my eyes on the chains from Prima, from the embellie add-on, and just had to add some! I put some glue under the edge of the photo/papers, and glued the chains there (in three places).

Nice, huh?!

Just had to add a wood piece from Prima (main kit), a little looking glass. Then I covered the photo and sprayed with gold mist on the flowers and chains.