Holiday How-to Halloween: Caged Raven

It's October and that can only mean one thing... HALLOWEEN!!! Oh how we enjoy this month full candy, crafting, decorating, parties and making costumes. The days are getting darker which gives us even more time to stay inside and create! Speaking of which, our new 2012 seasonal how to project we made for Polyform is posted! It's a spooktacular project for you to create and add to your seasonal decor. Oh and did we mention the skull glows in the dark!

 

This is the first version above of the Caged Crow how-to project. We created this version for our Swirly Designs Halloween collection using felt for the crows wings and for the base of the cage plus paper bats. Then when we were started planning out what to do for this season's how-to for Polyform we looked at the design (after already creating 20 plus) and reworked it. We replaced the felt and removed the paper and created it using more clay. We are so happy with this new revised version and we think a lot of you were too since it sold our really fast.  

But no need to fear you can now create you own here.

 

During the day it looks cool and creepy and....

 then when the night falls your ornament becomes even more creepy when the skull glows in the dark!


 Happy Halloween from Swirly Designs!

Be sure to like Swirly on Facebook and if you really enjoy this project and would like us to keep creating more it would be so nice if you could "like" the project on Polyform Product fb page and comment telling them. ~ Lianne & Paul

This project is for personal, non-commercial use.

We are working on today....

 

...TURKEYS!!

 It's turkey day here at the studio. We love these little gobblers and we were just thrilled when our mini turkey sold out fast with the launch of our Halloween collection back in September. 

But after receiving many emails requesting more we decided to swirly up a new batch before turkey day.  So everyone who has already placed your order we will be in touch next week to let you know when you can expect your little turkey or turkeys.  

Have a great weekend! Gobble Gobble!

These are our Swirly turkey ornaments waiting for their painted touches.

Our popular turkey holders with their newly revised swirly holder.

Meeting Author Kari Chapin

A few weeks back I was able to sneak out of the studio a little earlier (thanks to Lianne:) and head into Boston for a talk/signing event that I saw on Facebook with Author Kari Chapin. She wrote the perfect book for anyone who has a handmade business—the bestselling craft book of 2010: The Handmade Market place: How to sell Your Craft Locally, Globally and Online and her follow up Grow your Handmade Business.

It was held in a little cafe/bookstore on Newbury Street. Kari was very open and honest about her own creative endevours and shared lots of knowledge with the small crowd. These more intimate events are always so much better because you really get a lot more information and it's easier to talk and listen to others share their stories.

Check out Kari's blog for a run down of the nights events which she sums up so nicely. 

Lianne and myself are really looking forward to reading this book once we wrap up our holiday designs, so we can start 2013 with better knowledge on how to grow our swirly business to the next level.    

Here I am with Kari after she signed my book. Thanks Kari for such a fun event!

Look who stopped by the studio today.

We had a sweet guest visiting us today at the studio! Dani from SweetDaniB/Invitations, Paper Goods, Favors came by to go over some last minute preparations for our upcoming holiday collaboration! More details soon!

Lianne, Dani & Paul at the Swirly studio.

Swirling into Autumn

The Fall season is upon us and this quartet is perfect to celebrate the season with the apple, mushroom, leaf imagery. The scalloped edges are glittered with a vibrant orange glitter.

 

Celebrate apple-picking season with our newest ornament. 

A bright green apple tree is embellished with tiny red seed beads

 

 A ghost and a pumpkin make up this quartet, along with candy corn and a lollipop.

 

Based on our popular Home for Holidays house, this autumn themed ornament has rich colors of oranges and reds while glitter makes it shimmer.

A spooky glow-in-the-dark skull is encased in a wire cage with a black grow for company.

 

Whooo loves the fall! Our Swirly owl does, that’s who.

 

These 3 mini swirly ghosts are floating around again this season.

 

Inspired by vintage papier mache treat bags, ours doesn’t hold treats but sure will make you smile with it’s bright colors and tinsel handle.

 

How do you like these apples? A sweet pair of luscious apples ready for picking!

 

One of our newest 3D mixed materials ornament is this pumpkin who likes candy! 

Made with ultra light clay, color wire, tinsel glitter, cupcake cup and paper.  

 Who’s in the tree? Mr. Gray squirrel is hanging out in our swirly tree, holding a paper leaf as an acorn dangles below. A green chiffon ribbon (which was chosen from our Facebook fans!) 

finishes off this ornament.

Gobble Gobble! Our swirly turkey is not just for Thanksgiving! 

Decorate your fall tree with a few of these great birds!

HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYONE!

Our Autumn Collection is online TODAY!

We are happy to announce that our Autumn handmade ornament collections is online here!

Spooky and Sweet Swirlies coming this Tuesday!