Welcome to Swirlydoos' September Kit Reveal Blog Hop Block Party!!

If you came here from Prima's blog, then you are on the right track. If not, go back to Swirlydoos' blog and start from there. I hope you are enjoying yourself as you peruse through the designers' blogs and seeing what the manufacturers are sharing with you! Make sure to leave a comment on all of the blogs for a chance to win!!! Check out Swirlydoos on Facebook and Like Us!!!

Here's a peek at the September collection, Gilted Pleasure. Surely you notice the gold highlights, paired with fantastic vintage blues, yellows, and browns. This is such a fun collection to work with!

Altered Cigar Box

This month our technique kit is featuring Mod Melts resin and molds! Here is the project I created to showcase what you can do with these fabulous resin pieces when you finish them. On the top of my cigar box, there is a bee on top of the clock that I painted with black gesso and Inka Gold.

Here's a side view of the box:

The fleur d lis border is also a resin piece I made from the mold in the tech kit. 

Here's another closeup so you can see the bee better.

I have all sorts of tips for getting the Mod Melts to come out well in my video, and I also share some tips for coloring/painting them so you can customize them for ANY project. 

MOD MELTS VIDEO TUTORIAL 

"This Moment" Layout

This is a picture of me and my husband on our wedding day in 1999. (I'm feeling OLD.) For this layout I used only the main kit except for the leaf behind the photo that was a cream color, but I misted it with Glimmer Mist in "Piece of Heart". This was a limited edition color, and some of the profits went to Autism research, a cause that is very close to my heart.

Every month at Swirlydoos, one designer makes an anatomy page, creating a step-by-step picture tutorial, and it's my turn, and this is it. To see this tutorial, CLICK HERE, and then find the "Gilted Pleasure Anatomy" thread! 

"When it Rains" Layout

I fell in love with the September sketch this month, designed by Beggahuna!

This is my take on the sketch:

I was inspired to use this sketch for a layout I've had in my head for a few weeks now. I found the quote on Pinterest, and it made my cry. The pics are of me and my oldest son, Owen, who is 10. Owen has Autism, and right now Autism really has a hold on him. We are going through the hardest time we have been through with him since he had heart surgery and a feeding tube placement when he was six months old. We've had ups and downs with him, but this is a very low time. We are working very hard to get him the help he needs, but it's also crushing our spirits at the same time. When I saw this quote, it reminded me to keep pushing on, and try to find the good things.

On this layout, I used Memory Box dies- the fence and the foliage. The mask is Heidi Swapp- I used it with the modeling cream from the Mediums add on. I distressed the edges of everything with Viva Paper Soft. 

"Paper Dolls" Layout

This is a layout I made based on an old Beggahuna sketch. I went Paper Soft CRAZY on this layout! I LOVE Paper Soft. I was so happy to find out it was part of the Mediums add on! I used the Prima crackle mask on the background, and used the Paper Soft to distress and color everything on this page, except the flowers- those were perfect as is! THANK YOU, PRIMA! Even though the yellow is really bright, I loved the pop of color it gave the layout against the "dusty" hues from the papers.

The foliage dies are rom Craft-Ann. The lace, doily, and blue roses are from my stash.

The picture is the group photo from Swirly Camp 4, the funnest YET! I titled it "Paper Dolls" because our camp was hosted at an amazing retreat called "The Paper Doll House" outside of Chicago.

Thanks for having a peek at my projects. (It's been a LOOOONG hop, hasn't it!)

You have until midnight, eastern time, on 9/5 to complete the hop. Winners will be announced on the Swirlydoos Blog on Friday 9/6. 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. Become a follower if you're not already. 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.


My special word is : THOUGHTS

Now go back to the Swirlydoos Blog, and leave a comment and the sentence that all of the special words compose. Thanks for hopping!