Swirlydoos April 2017 Kit "Wildflower" Reveal

 

What a way to celebrate Spring - Swirlydoos' Wildflower Kit and Add-Ons are packed full of gorgeous colors, elegant embellishments (with a bit of fun thrown in!) and, as always, the opportunities to create several OTP projects.

I started with the sketch (did you know that every Swirlydoos Kit comes with an original sketch created by Swirlydoos Designer Kim Heard?), the Whitford sheet from Blue Fern Studios' Chesterville collection and this wonderful photo of my daughter-in-law and granddaughter that my son took on Easter Sunday. I've added the oversized Frank Garcia resin frame and Tim Holtz Quote Chips from the main kit, flowers from the main kit and various add-ons, and one of the Frank Garcia spoons that came in the Embellishment kit. The Mediums kit is just amazing this month; I used the new Finnabair Waxes and Sparks to color the resin frame and Quote Chips, along with the clay cherub and small frame that I made with air-dry clay.

Here is the sketch.

And my layout...

And a few closeups...

I'm now hosting the All That Flutters Challenge http://www.swirlydoos.com/forums/topic/may-atf-challenge-wildflower/ - a monthly chance to show off some of your collection of butterflies, dragonflies, bees, ladybugs, birds, fairies and anything else that well, flutters!

Here is the layout that I created as an example, using a gorgeous paper from Prima's Wild and Free collection, more of the Quote Chips and the amazing chippie that came in the Main Kit to scrap this group of beautiful Swirly Campers. Those cute Darice wood butterflies, the frame and the Quote Chips were all treated with Finnabair Waxes and Sparks from the Mediums kit.

Some closeups...

This next layout features all three grandchildren on Easter. I've used another of the Blue Fern Studios Chesterville papers and various scraps to mat the photo. That's a Creative Embellishments chippie (Distressed Chicken Wire Border) that was treated with more of the Finn Waxes. The vines under the flowers were cut from an old dictionary page using a Sizzix Wildflowers Thinlits die from the Die add-on and colored with the Ranger Gold Metallic paint from the Mediums kit.

And now for this month's Project Add-On, featuring 2 Tim Holtz Vignette Boxes and tons of fun pieces to embellish them with! The boxes themselves were colored with Ranger Gold Metallic paint; I've used a few scraps of papers on the inside. Before adhering the Tim Holtz Finials to the tops and bottoms, I coated them with Finnabair Waxes. I created the decor on the sides with air-dry clay, using IOD Moulds; like the Finials, they're coated with Finnabair Waxes. Those adorable domes (filled with beads from my stash), the grape hearts, spools and twine are included in this kit; the flowers and the gold nailheads are from the Embellishment kit. The photo is from my family's collection: my Aunts Dorothy and Jean c.1925.

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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 (Peggy) 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!

Creating a Gift Box with the April Mediums Kit - A Saturday Tutorial for Swirlydoos

Good Saturday morning, Swirly Savages!

Grab your favorite silicone molds, an inexpensive wood box from your local craft chain store and your basic tools - we're going to change this

to this

 using the gorgeous "Wildflower" April Mediums Kit from Swirlydoos!

What? No molds? No problem! Use pieces of lace or other textured trim around the sides and a flower or a metal piece for the top.

The magic comes from a coating of black gesso and the incredible Finnabair Metallique Waxes from Prima that Krissy included in the Mediums Add-On! 

I've created a tutorial on Snapguide; here's the link.

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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 (Peggy) 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!

Limited Edition for the Swirlydoos May Round Robin

I'm up for Team 3, Week 1 in the May Round Robin at Swirlydoos. The theme is "White Space with a Twist". Our pages must be at least 40% devoid of photos, embellishments, journaling, etc. And the twist? The blank portion of our layouts will be full of mixed media: inks, mists, pastes, embossing powders, whatever strikes our fancy.

There are some extra twists, of course, and the first is - in honor of Spring - to use some fun photos. We're to submit a true Swirly style page, with layering and distressing. The last twist is to dig into our embellishments - chipboards, fibers, flowers, etc. - but lightly. In Kim's words, "Embellish, but don't over embellish."

While the idea of white space is right up my alley, the idea of filling it is not, but I do think that this page is a pretty accurate depiction of these two handsome guys - busy, messy and all over the place.

I've used several sheets of pattern paper from 49 & Market's Heirloom Botanicals collection that were included in the November 2016 Market Street Kit from Swirlydoos. After prepping the Conservatory sheet by coating both sides with clear gesso, I applied crackle texture paste through a Tim Holtz stencil here and there around the page to create a random pattern. Next, I took out a few of my Prima background stamps and again at random, went all over the page to create some texture.

I cut some matting from the Harmony sheet and a scrap from Blue Fern Studio's Chesterville collection and lightly distressed the pieces and the photos before gluing them together with a bit of packaging in between to give some dimension. Once I had the photos placed as I wanted them, I added another layer of packaging underneath to allow room for some embellishments.

Meanwhile, I fussy cut the flower image from the Harmony sheet and placed it under the photos. The mini blooms and wood icons (treated with embossing powder), along with the Tim Holtz Quote Chip that I used for the title  are from the April Wildflower kit.

Best of all are the heat embossed Creative Embellishments critters that were given to me by good friend Maggi Harding. Kim asked us to have fun and these ants are exactly that.

Supplies

*Swirlydoos April 2017 Wildflower Kit*

Blue Fern Studios - Artisan Collection - Chesterville - Preston

Advantus - Tim Holtz - Idea-ology Collection - Quote Chips

Darice - Mini Laser Cut Wood Shapes - Butterfly Theme

*Swirlydoos April 2017 Flower Add-On*

Prima - Wild and Free Collection- Flower Embellishments - Precious Stone #594701

*Swirlydoos November 2016 Kit - Market Street*

49 and Market - Heirloom Botanicals Collection - Conservatory

49 and Market - Heirloom Botanicals Collection - Harmony

49 and Market - Rustic Collection - Burlap Ribbon Roll - Cream

Other Supplies

Stampers Anonymous - Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Treads #THS045

Prima - Finnabair - Clear Acrylic Stamp - Honeycomb #960810

Prima - Finnabair - Clear Acrylic Stamp - Threading #960797

Prima - Finnabair - Clear Acrylic Stamp - Messy #961893

Blue Fern Studios - Imagine Ink Embossing Powder - Mushroom

Creative Embellishments - Laser Cut Chipboard - Bugs

Prima - Art Basics - Texture Paste - Crackle - Platinum

Memento Ink - Tuxedo Black

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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 (Peggy) 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!