* Gecko Galz: Self Love Accordion Book

 Hello

Happy 2024

The new year has arrived and we have a new customer challenge over at the Gecko Galz blog.  

The theme this month is All You Need Is Love..

As always, we also have the monthly card challeng.e, the monthly Christmas Image Challenge, the monthly Stamp Challenge, an ATC challenge, a Steampunk challenge and a Gothic Challenge on the blog, as well as 4 Facebook challenges. These can be accessed by the tabs at the top of the main blog page. We also have the quarterly challenge where this time we're asking you to make a jewellery project.

We hope you can find some time to join in the fun.

The winner of the Customer challenge will get a $25 Gecko Galz Etsy Store voucher and the runner up a $12 voucher. There are plenty of free Gecko Galz images if you don't already own any. Each blog post has a free image to collect and, if you sign up for the monthly newsletter, there is the chance to claim a free collage set each month.  Also if you make any purchase of $2 or more you receive a free image.

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Here is what I made as inspiration for the Customer Challenge. 

It is a small accordion book featuring beautiful women and inspirational sentiments. I've called it my little book of self-love as the sentiments are all about self worth and appreciation.

There is a step by step guide at the bottom of this post.

Here is the front cover. 

Two wooden hearts were heat embossed with gold glitter embossing powder as embellishments and the title was created with Tim Holt Idea-ology Label stickers.

And here the book is open.

I added a die cut row of gold hearts and a definition of 'self love'. The accordion is painted on both sides, but for this project I only added images to the front sections. More can be added later.

 

Face plate and top of accordion:

First accordion pages:

Second accordion pages:

Third accordion pages:

Accordion Book side view:

Back of book:

I used a gorgeous collage sheet called Artful Love Jewel It, and although the images are small, they can be resized, which is what I did. 

Step by step:

1. My images were printed at 4.5cm by 8cm. I also added sentiments from the Simple Encouragement Sentiments set, first removing the backgrounds, so that the words alone are printed on top of the images. I added some gold embossing powder around the edges of each image by lightly swiping the edges of the image along a Versamark pad and sprinkling with embossing powder.

2. The page base for the book is finger painted on white 200gsm card. I used PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic paint in Inky Pool, Shutters and Southern Skies. I added gold Winsor & Newton acrylic paint along the edges of each panel and also added gold splatters. I love the rich colours. Each page of the accordion is 6.5 x 8.5 cm.

3. The book cover is white 250gsm card painted with gold acrylic paint. The front and back measure 7 x 9.5 cm, whilst the spine is 1.5cm wide. Panels of the finger painted card were adhered to the front, spine and back for extra strength. The front and back panels conceal blue satin ribbon which acts as the book fastener.

4. The inside of the book cover: on the front inside is a face page and the accordion is adhered to the back cover. The photo shows the paints I used.

Artful Love Jewel It.                          Simple Encouragement Sentiments

 

That's all for now!

I hope you'll join our All You Need Is Love challenge where the winner will get a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop.

The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product (this can be one of the freebies or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy store!) Also if you sign up for the Gecko Galz newsletter, you'll be able to claim a free collage sheet each month.

Please pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see the fabulous designs by the very talented DT.

We also have a friendly Facebook Group where there are 4 monthly challenges, each with a bespoke digital prize. 

Do come and join us!

I'll be back on the 10th January with more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "All You Need Is Love"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Facebook group

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Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in the following challenges:

* A Perfect Time to Craft AG 27/01

* Lets Craft and Create AG 31/01

* A Place to Start AG 31/01

* Mini Album Mania #2 14/02 WINNER

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

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