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May 23, 2013

Spoonflower Is Down

With sincere apologies to everyone trying to Spoonflower today, we are experiencing some pesky database issues that have been sending the site up and down all morning. We will keep everyone apprised of the status on Twitter. Very sorry!

May 22, 2013

Donation to the American Red Cross

Red Cross We are deeply saddened by the reports of the recent tornadoes that have devastated communities in Oklahoma. The American Red Cross continues to expand their efforts to provide shelter, food, and emotional and health care services, so in lieu of our weekly giveaway, Spoonflower is sending a $200 donation to the American Red Cross to aid the disaster relief

The winner of last week's giveaway for two rolls of custom-printed wallpaper is Eleanor Ramsay. Congratulations, Eleanor!

May 20, 2013

Renter Dec: Wallpapered Door Frame

Renter_Dec_May

Spoonflower crew member Allie wallpapered her entryway with Spoonflower removable wallpaper for an exciting pop of pattern perfect for any rented space. Check out the how-to for this simple Renter Dec project!


Finished Project

Living in a rented home usually means a lot of white or beige. In my rented townhome, most of the walls are stark white, and while I'm lucky to have a couple of colorful painted accent walls, the amount of plain white walls is a bit unbearable, so this past weekend I decided to wallpaper my kitchen entryway. This simple project packs minimal time investment and fully removable results, and the little bit of fun pattern adds major interest to my space. 

Before Archway
Choosing which small space to wallpaper and what design to use was the toughest part of my entire project. I knew I didn't want to tackle covering an entire wall, but I wanted to do something creative and impactful. I chose my kitchen doorframe since it is right by the front door and the paint was looking a little sad.  

swatches

Lately I've fallen in love with Mummy Sam's design style and had the hardest time deciding which of her fun designs to use. I chose to go with Pomegranate Envy since the colors tied in well with the colors already in my space.  

supplies
Supplies:

  • Spoonflower wallpaper (Mine is Mummysam's Pomegrante Envy)
  • Scissors or a rotary blade
  • Ruler
  • Bowl filled with water
  • Sponge or damp kitchen towel

Trimming Wallpaper

First I cut strips of wallpaper slightly more narrow than the width of the doorframe.  I cut two pieces the length of a standard roll of wallpaper (24" by 144") to just under 4.25" wide.  This was more than enough for the project. 

Preppingdrywallpaper

Following the instructions included with my wallpaper roll, I folded the wallpaper and submerged in water for 15 seconds.  

7
I then applied the wallpaper to the wall, starting at the bottom and working my way up.  Once it was on the wall I used a damp kitchen towel to smooth it out and remove excess water and adhesive.  

6

I did the two sides first, then the top. 

5
Lining up the last piece to create a seamless pattern was the most difficult part of applying the wallpaper. 

1

I'm pretty excited about the finished project and am loving the new pop of pattern!


About Our Guest Author

Allie's bioWhen Allie is not working as a part of Spoonflower’s marketing team, she can be found crafting, studying for her Masters in Textiles, or snuggling her dog Grace.

May 17, 2013

Friday Photo: To Boston With Love

Image (6)
To honor the people of Boston after the recent race day tragedy, the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild organized To Boston With Love, an installation of peace and love flags to be displayed at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.  Local Spoonflower community members put needle to fabric along with quilt guilds and crafty individuals around the world to create flags to show Boston our love and support.  This Friday afternoon we put the finishing touches on over 60 flags and sent them on their way to the exhibit.

Vote For Fabrics Inspired By Greek Myths

Greek-myth-collage
In yet another attempt to carve out a niche for ourselves in the world of textile designs, our contest this week is for fabric designs inspired by Greek mythology. Vote for your favorites and check in next week to see the winning fabrics!
Vote for Greek myth fabrics

The contest participants this week are:

1. 2013-04-08_08-ed by sam_bw 
2. 3 Fates spin, measure and cut by halfaringcircus 
3. A Toile: Dionysus by vo_aka_virginiao 
4. A Twist of Fate by anniedeb 
5. All the Pretty Horses by sammyk 
6. Ancient Goddess by ringwraith 
7. Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses by lollyposh 
8. Ancient Greek Monsters by antonybriggs 
9. aphrodite by hezzie 
10. aphrodite by anieke 

Continue reading "Vote For Fabrics Inspired By Greek Myths" »

May 16, 2013

Announcing the Fabric8 Finalists

Facebook_Fabric8
We're very excited today to announce the Fabric8 finalists, eight talented designers whose designs won the most votes to go on to the final round of our competition. Each of the eight finalists will develop an additional three designs to form a collection for the final round. Voting on the finalists' collections will begin June 6, 2013, and the winner will be offered a contract to design fabric for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. Congrats to the final 8 and to all the semi-finalists!

The finalists are:

We're not planning to post vote totals for the semi-final round, but we will post the rankings. All of the fabrics in this round received lots of votes, so the competition was fierce. All of the designers deserve a round of thanks and congratulations, as do the many, many talented designers who entered and were not selected for the semi-final round. Well done!

The eight finalists are posted in randomized order. The rest of the semi-finalists below appear in order based on total number of votes in the last round:

9.Supernova SpiroGeekChic by groovity 
10.  keyboard by botervlieg 
11.  Robot Rock by fourthirteen 
12.  motherboarder by alicefukushima 
13.  Flower Circuit by candytree 
14.  Geek atomic floral by dinorahdesign 
15.  geeky lace by spaldilocks 
16.  Piece of Pi Geek Chic by joannepaynterdesign 
17.  modern geek by ottomanbrim 
18.  Geek Chic Smart is Cool by fischtaledesigns 
19.  Chic chemist geek by kociara 
20.  little_chic_geeks by stacyiesthsu 
21.  Old School Geek by molipop 
22.  Reboot by minglestudios 
23.  USB by ebygomm 
24.  Tec Tile by spellstone 
25.  Chic_circuitry by rjtext 
26.  Eureka! by brennas 
27.  cubic crystal atom structure by darcibeth 
28.  All Things Geek by littlerhodydesign 
29.  Geek Chic by ericwight 
30.  The Pixel Tree by addilou 
31.  A Mixtape Circuit by orangeblossomstudio 
32.  Math Geek Chic by lauriebaars 
33.  Circuit Board by lauradejong 
34.  Super Geek Chic. . simply brilliant! by mariafaithgarcia 
35.  Lithium Haze - Molecule by pixeldust 
36.  Geometric_Spring by saltlabs 
37.  geek's addiction by karman_valla 
38.  brain_detangeling_machine by johanna_design 
39.  Geek_Chic_Alphabet_Print** by pink_koala_design 
40.  Quirk by natitys 
41.  geek_chic_dolls by maeli 
42.  Retro Spaceships and Ray Guns by diane 
43.  Reaction Orange on Gray by violet's_pet_spider 
44.  Rubey by candyjoyce 
45.  Scattered Nerd Bird by auki 
46.  Geek Circuits by katie_lou_creations 
47.  geekchic by nat_olly 
48.  Geek_Chic_Love by sketchcreative 
49.  Chic Geek Chevron by shelleymade 
50.  Retro Geek Chic by cjldesigns 
51.  Speak Geek? by amandamcgee 
52.  Parallel Universes by blimblimb 
53.  Cast-A-Hex by wrapartist 
54.  geometry test cheat sheet by smudged_textiles_studio 
55.  acute angles by armommy 
56.  Geeks Galore by zesti 
57.  Have you seen my glasses? by motyka 
58.  love the odd one out by studiodageraad 
59.  Retro Geek by snowflower 
60.  Pixel Flowers by demigoutte 
61.  pacMoon by magicforestsarah 
62.  Bow tie geek by akwaflorell 
63.  Très chic, très geek (mixed faces) by gail_mcneillie 
64.  Reading List by kate_legge 
65.  Julie's a Chic Geek by juliesfabrics 
66.  PixelGeekIcons by a_lark 
67.  spirographic by kateaurelia 
68.  A Nerdy Bunch by my_zoetrope 
69.  Owlbert_Einstein_Swatch by iluvfabric 
70.  Do What You < What You Do by jenimp 
71.   = HELLO by nadiahassan 
72.  Math Nerd by audreyclayton 
73.  What's in Your Pocket? by meg 
74.  Geek Chic by theboutiquestudio 
75.  BinarySolarSystem by fleureche 
76.  Jane-Farnham-Geek-Chic by jane_farnham 
77.  Geek Chic by kristinnohe 
78.  argyle_geek by paintedstudio 
79.  Geek Garden by demouse 
80.  tea_towel_design by ck 
81.  geekery by antoniamanda 
82.  Dapper Geek by emilyannstudio 
83.  hip hip geek by scrummy 
84.  Geek hexies by katarina 
85.  Selfies by shannonkornis 
86.  CrystalWilkerson_GeekChic_Entry by creativitybycrystal 
87.  GEEKCHICswatch by shaleceelynne 
88.  Mac SEs by chris_jorge 
89.  Antiquated Audio GEEK CHIC by jannasalak 
90.  network_color by kcs 
91.  hello world by ally&lucie 
92.  high school cool by babysisterrae 
93.  Scatter-brain by annelinesophiadesigns 
94.  Wardrobe_ by tisouri 
95.  Geek Chic by popenterprises 
96.  GeekChic by mrshervi 
97.  With_the_Program by esilverdesign 
98.  geek_alphabet by roxiespeople 
99.  Musical gadget geek by valley_designs 
100.  CHICKGEEK by tammiegreen 

 

May 15, 2013

Renter Dec: Win Custom Wallpaper

WeeklyGiveaway_May_15_2013a
This week we're giving away two rolls of custom wallpaper! Our fully removable wallpaper is perfect for projects suited for rented spaces like those we've been sharing this month in our Renter Dec series. How will you use wallpaper to dress your space?  

One lucky winner this week will get to choose wallpaper from the marketplace, or to create her or his own design. Spoonflower's removable eco-friendly wallpaper is PVC-free, durable, and self-adhesive -- just soak in water and apply! 

Enter any time between now and Tuesday, May 21st, 2013, for a chance to win.  The lucky winner of last week's book bundle giveaway is Sharon Thomson. Congrats, Sharon!

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

May 14, 2013

Renter Dec: Inspiring Wallpaper Projects

Renter_Dec_May

In the spirit of our Renter Dec project series, we found a handful of creative wallpaper project ideas from around the web that are perfect for temporary spaces!

Renter Dec Inspiration Board - May 7 2013

  1. Use wallpaper to dress up an unused fireplace.
  2. Wallpaper the doors of a simple armoire for an easy update that's completely portable.
  3. Add interest to door panels by wallpapering sections for a pop of color and pattern.
  4. Use a simple black and white photographic print to add depth and detail to a modern bedroom.  

Check out our Renter Dec Pinterest board for more removable wallpaper project ideas! 

May 13, 2013

Renter Dec: Wallpapered Closet

Renter_Dec_May

Guest author Emma Jeffery from the blog Hello Beautiful returns to share her freshly wallpapered closet for our May Renter Dec project series. With our fully removable wallpaper, this rental-friendly DIY lends a perfect pop of surprise pattern and color to brighten up your space! 


wallpapered closet

We moved into new house just before Christmas and there’s so much I want to do to make it feel like ‘home’. I can’t wait to bring color and personality to the walls with splashes of paint, artwork and Spoonflower’s wallpaper, but being new to hanging wallpaper (my only previous wallpaper project being my daughter’s doll house) I decided to start small.

So small in fact, that I decided to wallpaper our downstairs coat closet! It’s the perfect size for a beginner project, and being a seamstress at heart, covering the inside of a closet with a bright fun wallpaper is akin to lining a plain jacket with a cool and funky fabric. You get glimpses of color every now and then, and, like a hidden secret, it makes me happy to know it’s there!

closet beforeOur closet started off less than inspiring and with zero personality. It had hooks and screws drilled into random places that many previous owners added over the years. The hooks were too high for my children to reach, and hence, their jackets and school backpacks invariably ended up strewn on the floor, contents spilling forth and adding to the general ‘dumping ground’ nature of the closet.


So, I decided enough was enough! I emptied the contents of the closet, removed the hooks and screws and gave the paintwork a fresh coat of paint. I ordered two rolls of gorgeous Spoonflower wallpaper designed by Paper Sparrow , wiped down the walls and began the process of beautifying my closet.

mark the top of your wallpaper

I began by measuring and cutting the first length of wallpaper slightly longer than needed to cover the back of the closet wall. It helps immensely to mark the TOP of each of the strips of wallpaper you cut if you don’t have a directional pattern, so that you always know which way to hang it.

wetting wallpaper

Our closet is conveniently located next to our downstairs shower room, so we filled the bottom of the shower base with water though you could use a trough, bath tub or very large plastic container. You need to loosely coil the cut length of wallpaper and immerse it in water for 15 seconds. I pulled the wallpaper out of the water by holding the top edge and allowing it to uncoil as I pulled it up and out of the water, therefore ensuring that all the wallpaper was fully wet. This is definitely a two person job!

booked wallpaper ends

We then ‘booked’ the ends (this is where it become hard to remember the top from the bottom, but if you’ve labeled it on the back, then there’s nothing to worry about!) and then simply hung the wallpaper. When hanging subsequent strips of wallpaper, be sure to pay close attention to correctly matching the pattern at the edges. When done well, the seams are almost invisible.

untrimmed wallpaper

Leave the trimming until the wallpaper is completely dry otherwise it will rip and tear. I used a sharp craft knife to trim my paper after leaving the wallpaper to dry overnight.

hooks

We finished off by adding some new hooks - some at child height level so that my kids can reach to hang up their things.

child level hooks

The new closet looks great and the process was simple - it only took a couple of hours one afternoon to complete and out technique improved with each strip we hung.

finished closet

In fact, the only problem with my closet makeover is that it’s so pretty I wish it wasn’t hidden! I wonder if we should remove the doors?


About Our Guest Blogger

Emma Jeffery, Spoonflower guest bloggerHi! I'm Emma, and as well as working on the Fiskars Design Team, I blog over at hellobeautifulblog.blogspot.com/

I'm an obsessive sewer, often leaping into projects with more enthusiasm than talent, more bravado than skill and more good luck than anything else. This technique has worked well for me so far and more often than not, I make things I love, even if they're not absolutely perfect. And though I'm no expert, I have a passion for fabric, color and design. I know what I like and what I like makes me smile.

May 10, 2013

Friday Photo: Cat Shirt Friday

Friday Photo Cat Shirts

A coincidence that could only happen at Spoonflower HQ, Cat Shirt Friday. 

Who Will Make the Fabric8? Announcing the Semi-Finalists

Fabric8-semi-fb
Yesterday we were excited to announce the semi-finalists in the Fabric8 Contest from Spoonflower and Robert Kaufman Fabrics. The 100 designs up for voting were selected by a team of fabric industry professionals out of a pool of over 750 entries. Between now and May 15th, vote for your favorite Geek Chic designs. The top eight designers selected by voting will be asked to expand their entry into a four-piece collection before the final votes are cast and the next fabric design superstar is announced!
Vote for in the Fabric8 semi-finals

The semi-finalists are:

May 09, 2013

Wrappers' Delight: See the Top 10 Birthday Gift Wrap Designs

Birthday-winner
Regular readers know that a few weeks ago we launched custom gift wrap. This past week we challenged designers in our contest to think about birthday designs that would look good on wrapping paper. The winner, chosen from a field of great entries, is "Party Animals" by Ttoz Designs. Congrats to Ttoz and the rest of the top ten this week!
[button] See the top ten birthday gift wrap designs
The final voting results:

1. 444 votes for Party Animals by ttoz 
2. 417 votes for Cupcake_Vine_WLIN by wendy_lin 
3. 411 votes for Birthday Bunting by coggon 
4. 398 votes for Lets go to the party by cjldesigns 
5. 373 votes for Birthday Party Pets! by pattyryboltdesigns 
6. 362 votes for birds & flowers by khandisha 
7. 341 votes for Sweet Celebration by amandamcgee 
8. 327 votes for stitch_gift by maeli 
9. 321 votes for birthday by wiccked 
10. 308 votes for Everyday Birthdays by juliesfabrics 

Continue reading "Wrappers' Delight: See the Top 10 Birthday Gift Wrap Designs" »

May 08, 2013

Renter Dec: Project Inspiration Books Giveaway


WeeklyGiveaway_May_8_2013_V2

This week we are giving away two books with beautiful fully removable home decor projects perfectly suited for rented spaces, just like those we're sharing all this month in our Renter Dec series. 

The two books included in this week's book bundle are:

Enter any time between now and Tuesday, May 14th, 2013, for a chance to win. We'll announce the winner on the Spoonflower blog on May 15th. Good luck!

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN

Last week's winner of 15 wallpaper swatches is Sybilla Fabrizio. Congratulations, Sybilla!