** Let's Get Sketchy May 15th Challenge **

Hey everyone!

I'm back again, this time with the mid month challenge at Let's Get Sketchy!

This is the May 15th challenge and we have a fabulous sketch for you!

Here is my interpretation of the sketch.....

My inspiration for this layout was the large horizontal photo. The cup stains also drew me to create a masculine page so when rummaging through some photos I had printed off ready this one of DS seemed the perfect choice.

There is no real colour in the photo so didn't want to overpower the photo by adding any, my aim was to still let the photo pop from the layout so monochrome beiges and browns was the way forward.

The thought of doing a masculine page to some of us girlies who love their floral shabby chic layouts can be rather a headache, but I think with a masculine layout it is about being clever by using different textures and surfaces and the things we adhere our layers and pages with. I will show you a few ideas as we go through the close up photos.

I love the angle of this photo, which is why I take them, because it shows the definition of the layout and how the embellishments are layered up rather then just showing a 'flat' layout.

I used a 'splats' stencil with a Pan Pastel to create my splats. I love my pan pastels as something different to use. I haven't used them for a while but now I've got the box out I'm sure they are going to get used a lot again! They give a lovely mat chalk look, and can give a great different background to a masculine layout.

The stamp I used was a rubber stamp from a collection by Die'sire. I inked it with Archival Coffee Ink. I say this quote a lot to my kids so its very apt it should appear on one of my scrapbook pages of my kids.  

I used a stapler to attach my layers together, a practical use but also an additional visual embellishment great for masculine pages. I used washi tape here as well as the sketch used washi tape. Another great way to add extra detail on a masculine layout. As always distressed edges work on all layouts and you very rarely see one of my layouts without distressed edges, I just love them! I use a Prima distresser which has a range of distress levels although I do use the heaviest one most of the time!

I'm loving my straws at the moment! These straws I have cut into two, so they go further, and poked them into my embellishment cluster.

Talking of textures earlier, I have used some corrugated card as part of my layers, again the edges are distressed and then I have inked the edges and run the foam pad I inked with over the top of the ridges to exaggerate the ridges.

Now here is another of my 'favourite of the moment' items I have been using - the Viva Inka Gold.

The music notes chipboard I painted with the Folk Art paint and then rubbed over with the Inka Gold to give a great effect.

The Star chipboard piece was  painted with the Raw Umber paint and then covered with the crackle glaze. It didn't crackle as much as I would have liked but it has a nice glossy finish and adds a different surface to the layout. I cut the star into two pieces so I could balance a piece each side of my layout.

So there's nothing that says you can't use flowers on a masculine page, I just try to use neutral natural colours that blend in with the colour scheme and act as a frame to highlight the photo.

The flowers are petal layers which I have layered up  and finished off with a variety of pearls and crystal finishes with the really nice focal flower with the button from Pink Paislee.

I have done a SNAPGUIDE TUTORIAL for this layout to further show you how to use the products shown.  Please follow this link below to view:

Check out How to Make a Scrapbook Layout in Monochrome Browns. by Ginny Hickmott on Snapguide.

Products used on this layout:

* Prima Marketing: Ledger 12x12 pad: script paper

* Prima Marketing: Princess A4 pad

* Prima Marketing: Flowers & Chipboards: Alphas & flowers #525255

* BoBunny: Double Dot Jewels: Mocha

* Pink Paislee: Fetching Petals: 00170

* Dusty Attic: Stencil: Splats DA1329

* Pan Pastel: artist pastel: Burnt Sienna

* Ranger:Archival Ink: Coffee

* Crafter's Companion: Die'sire Stamps: Love is all you need

* Tim Holtz: Washi Tape

* Tim Holtz: Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

* Corrugated Card

* Kaisercraft: Acrylic Paint: Raw Umber

* Folk Art: Acrylic Paint: Real Brown

* Live & Love Crafts: Straws: brown stripe x2

* Stapler

* Americana Décor: Crackle Medium

* Viva: Inka Gold: Old Gold

*Tando Creative: Minis Lasercut Board: Music

* Southern Ridge Trading Co. : Diecuts: Star

Thanks for taking a look at my layout!

Ginny :)

***Swirlydoos January 'Delicate' Kit Reveal***

Hi  all,

So here we are with the Swirlydoos January 'Delicate' Kit Reveal.

This is my last kit reveal on the Swirlydoos DT as my term has come to an end, and for now, family commitments have had to take priority. I have had an amazing time with this very talented design team and they have been an absolute pleasure to work with. I'm not going far though as I will still be around in the forums, a Swirly girl at heart!

But what a gorgeous kit to finish with - beautiful papers from Lemon Craft, in pretty blue tones, florally and girly! And the Project Kit this month is probably my favourite ever!

To start with we are going to look at the January Sketch Challenge.

Here is the Sketch created by our very own Kim Heard!

And here is my take on the sketch

This was my favourite paper from the Lemon Craft collection.

I distressed, punched and inked with Weathered wood Distress Ink and matted onto blue cardstock.

My photo of my DS is also matted on the blue cardstock.

I stamped on the background with a Finnabair bubble wrap stamp ad ten a quote and butterfly stamp from my stash.

In the background is the translucent texture paste with a flourish stencil.

I used a Ice Resin piece from the Prima IOD moulds from last months kit in my flower cluster altered with the Maya Gold Ice Blue paint.

I also used this paint to gently paint/ blend around the edges of the flower cluster and the photo to soften the look.

And I just loved the pretty Lemon Craft badges!

↭↭↭↭↭

Next up is my layout for the All Thats Flutters Challenge on the Swirlydoos Forums which you can find here

On the background of this layout I used two panels from the panelled PP across the layout.

I then used the Transparent texture paste and a white texture paste with two different stencils, gesso splatting and some small pieces of lace to create the mixed media background.

There is also some stamping with Finabair butterfly stamps with Prima chalk pad 'Tin Can'.

The Creative Embellishments chippy butterflies are covered in a white embossing powder. 

The leafy flourish die and the lime roses are from my stash.

↭↭↭↭↭

In the embellishment kit was a lovely sheet from Lemon Craft of

floral cards. These just screamed a Shabby Chic Mini Album to me!

This mini album is so easy to put together, it is just layers!

The floral cards are mounted on the copper glitter card. This is then backed by a piece of brown distressed cardstock. On this piece of cardstock I have then used two layers of a nesting frame die from X-Cut in two different browns to create the mount to add the photos. I have slotted in pieces of doily into the layers on a couple of the pages.

↭↭↭↭

We had a metal and glass Antique Frame in the kit which I altered into a present from my daughter to my mother for her birthday, Holly was sat with me whilst I put it together giving me her opinion of its progress. Thankfully she was very happy with the result and so was Granny!

Inside the frame is a piece of PP the same size as the glass with a little lace detail down the side on both sides.

I then used the round floral pictures from the card sheet, distressed them and matted them on distressed brown cardstock and stuck them on the PP, one on both sides.

On the front I added my flower cluster, some pearls and a 'Grandma' chippy from my stash which I then 'wrote' on with the Ranger white enamel accents.

A pretty ribbon bow and Voila!

↭↭↭↭↭

This layout uses the Heidi Swapp Invisibles resist feature paper.

I used three Distress Inks on the background of this blending together Tattered Rose, Milled Lavender and Tumbled Glass.

I mixed some of the Ferro turquoise paint with some texture paste for the stencilled background with a TCW stencil.

The Creative Embellishments chipboard border I painted in gesso and then highlighted with the Maya Gold Ice Blue paint.

I used the die of the month, Spellbinders 'Feathers'

↭↭↭↭↭

And now for my favourite Project Kit - this gorgeous MINI HUTCH from Kaisercraft.

This is how I altered it.

There is a Snapguide Tutorial available for this project.

It is rather long! But it goes through my complete process of putting the hutch together through to decorating it.

You can find the tutorial here:

https://snapguide.com/guides/alter-swirlydoos-january-project-kit-mini-hutch/

↭↭↭↭↭

Lastly I have a last layout to share with you.

This layout I wanted to be a bit stronger as it is about two 'men', so I have deepened the colour by doing a lot of darker inking with Vintage Photo distress ink.

There is no mixed media on this page keeping a cleaner look because I liked the wood paper with all its nail heads so much!

This layout is just about layers with some fussy cut floral pieces from another Pattered paper in the collection popped up on the sides with foam pads.

↭↭↭↭↭

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my projects made with this January kit.

Ginny :)

Please come and check us out at www.swirlydoos.com, visit our scrapbook store at www.swirlydoos.com/store, and 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. Be sure to mention my name (Ginny) 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!

Tutorials

Morning all,

I was having a little look through my blog last night and noticed my 'tutorials' page hadn't been updated in ages!

So I sat down and I've updated it!

All my photo tutorials and SNAPGUIDE tutorials are now listed on that page. These include the tutorials I have done for Swirlydoos Kit Club as well, as a designer for their kits.

There are links to take you straight to the specific tutorial you want to look at to make very easy to view.

I hope you enjoy having a look through.

Have a good day




Ginny  :)

Saturday tutorial over at Swirlydoos KIt Club

Hello all!

Today I'm up on the Swirlydoos Kit Club blog with the Saturday Tutorial.

I have a step by step Snapguide tutorial showing you how I created this Altered Clipboard using Swirlydoos October 'Rose Garden' Kit.

Here is the link to the Swirlydoos blog

http://swirlydoos.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/saturday-tutorial-with-ginny.html

and the Swirlydoos Snapguide page.

https://snapguide.com/guides/alter-a-clipboard-wswirlydoos-oct-rose-garden-kit/#published

Here are some close ups to tempt you to go and take a peek!

This is a Design Team project I created for Swirlydoos Scrapbook Kit Club. 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 (Ginny) 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!

Thanks for stopping by  :)

Rose Garden **Swirlydoos October Kit Reveal with Ginny***

Hey Ladies!!

It's my turn today to share with you my projects made with the October Swirlydoos Kit  reveal.

This was the most beautiful kit and it didn't last long! I loved creating with these beautiful Prima Rossibelle papers, and the gorgeous embellishments and flowers that Krissy chose to go with them!

So lets start with my take on the October Sketch Challenge.

I cut circles of PP to put under my glass beads.

The chipboard was embossed with white embossing powder on a stencilled texture paste background.

I cut and separated the panels in the wood panel paper, distressed them and put them back together on a piece of cardstock.

I fussy cut the birdcage and used the die of the month for the swirl flourishes.

The Hunkydory Silhouette Butterfly laser cuts were spritzed with the Prima Color Bloom 2 Golden Walnut Mist.

Next up is my inspirational layout for the All That Flutters Challenge on the Swirlydoos Forum.

I used the Dusty Attic stencil on this layout with the pink Viva Décor Ferro Raspberry from the mediums kit.

I wanted to use parts from both sides of the 'Lucky Charm' Paper, which I did on this layout and then completed the it by mounting it on a piece of black cardstock.

I used the Viva Ferro on the Studio Calico Wood Veneer Arrows.

I used Distress Ink Black Soot to bring all the edges of the papers, photo mats and leaves together.

 .

The Heidi Swapp stickers were perfect for this more modern/fun feel of layout.

My next layout is a Masculine layout.... because I like to show how versatile Swirlydoos kits are and also even the most prettiest kit can make a masculine layout!

I created a mixed media background for this masculine layout. The Notes & Scribbles PP is perfect for a masculine layout.

I added lots of embellishments from the kit and Add On's, everything except flowers!

I have made a SNAPGUIDE TUTORIAL showing you how I put this layout together.

You find the tutorial with this link below

https://snapguide.com/guides/create-a-masculine-layout-with-swirlydoos-oct-kit/

My next project is The Technique Kit Project.

I love OTP (off the page) projects and this one was no exception, I got so engrossed with this!

I have a Snapguide Tutorial for this project showing you how I created this

https://snapguide.com/guides/create-wallhanging-wswirlydoos-oct-technique-kit/

here are some close ups of the finished project.

I loved creating this OTP project!

I did a little mixed media on the background

and lastly another Layout... 'Cherish'.

I used the Prima Rossibelle Ephemera pack for this layout to create all the layers.

I used both sides of the  PP Wildflower, I cut the amount of border I wanted of the flower side and then turned the remainder over and stuck both pieces on to a piece of cardstock.

I used the die of the month together with the Dusty Attic word chippie 'cherish' and the Studio Calico wood veneer hearts with the Viva Ferro Raspberry.

This is a Design Team project I created for Swirlydoos Scrapbook Kit Club. 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 (Ginny) 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