Gecko Galz: Hey, Chick Chick

  

Hello

April is here with its longer days and lighter evenings for us in the northern hemisphere. Spring most definitely is in the air and we have a new customer challenge over at the Gecko Galz blog.  

The theme this month is Feathered Friends.

As always, we also have the monthly Image Challenge, 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.

And, new for this year, we have a quarterly challenge. This time the challenge is to make an altered canvas.

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.

I made a set of ATCs for my first project. 

These delightful chick images are from the Easter Tokens and Jaune collage sets. I fussy cut then and inked the edges with Vintage Photo ink. The background is from Dear Prudence ATC set. I added sequin waste and various trims to the base of each ATC, then popped the chicks on foam tape on top of cheesecloth. I love the textures and dimension. I added a small silk flower and some dried gypsophila as embellishments. Each ATC was matted onto black card.

Here are they are individually:

Sometimes, if I am not trading ATCs, I make them into card toppers. I did this with one of the chick ATCs:

I die cut a fancy frame from gold card and popped it on top of some neutral slightly scripted paper. The ATC was added on top and a sentiment from the Hoppy Easter Sentiments set.

 I like the dimension and textures in this card:

Easter Tokens                      Dear Prudence ATCs

        

Hoppy Easter Sentiments

That's all for now!

I hope you'll join our Feathered Friends 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 collage sheet prize. 

Do come and join us!

I'll be back on the 20th April with more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "Feathered Friends"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Facebook group

***

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

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

Love to Craft #73 AG 15/04

Love to Scrap #160 AG 15/04

Creatalicious Challenges #256 Easter 15/04

Incy Wincy Designs Easter Wishes 25/04

The Four Seasons Challenge April Spring 26/04

Classic Design Challenge April AG 27/04

Challenge Up Your Life Cute Animals 27/04

Pearly Sparkles All Creatures Great and Small 27/04

Crafty Animals #71 AG 27/04

A Perfect Time to Craft April AG 28/04

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

***

* Path of Positivity: Bunnies

 Hello

Welcome to the April Path of Positivity Challenge.

Our challenge is always Anything Goes with an optional theme.

This month's option is to design a project that focuses on celebrating something special about our pets (or animals in general).

Honours and Prizes include:

• $6 worth of images from Scribbles Designs, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• A badge for the following honours: Top Pick, Voter's Choice, Most Inspirational, Random Winner, DT Delight.

For my midway project I'm remembering the bunnies that I had as a child. Bunnies are adorable - their lovely soft fur, big eyes and pink twitching noses melt my heart. We kept our bunnies outside in a large hutch which my dad made.  He also made them a 'run' so they could have more space whilst staying safe. 

I used a Lawn Fawn die to cut the rectangles and masked off the edges so that I could ink the panels. 

For the top panels, I inked a stencil with Distress Oxides, spritzed it with water, then used it as a stamp. I added some foliage and a daisy die cut which I coloured with inks, and a strip of grass along the base. The Sizzix 'Bunny Hop' die was cut 3 times and stacked together, I inked the edges and gave him a pom-pom bunny tail.

The second panel was inked with Fossilised Amber and splattered with water.

The background is another stencil (Lotza Dotz from AALL & Create) inked with Oxides, spritzed and stamped.

I love how joyous these bunnies are, leaping and dancing their way through the meadow.

We would love to see your creations! 
Just make sure that your entry is positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some way!
The link up is here: Challenge #100 Path of Positivity.

 

That's all for today! 

Many thanks to Scribbles Designs for sponsoring the challenge.

I'll be back with a another Path of Positivity project in a couple of weeks time.

Thanks for stopping by today!

xoxo

                                                                                                                                            

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* PIP Challenges #2216 AG 24/04

* CRAFT Challenge #634 Easter/Spring 27/04

* A Perfect Time to Craft AG 27/04

* Colorful Options April Yellow 29/04

* Crafting Happiness #122 AG 30/04

* 4 Season Challenge #55 Moodboard 30/04

* 613 Avenue Create AG April 30/04

* Mixed Media Lovers #12 30/04

* Cutie Pie Challenge #170 Bunnies and Blooms 01/05

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xoxo

* AALL & Create: Nature Artist Trading Cube

Hello

First, please let me welcome Liz McGuire, my latest follower. Thank you for sharing my artsy journey, Liz!

Today is my GDT day at AALL & Create and as it is mixed media week, I have an artist trading cube to share. I had a lot of fun working in miniature as the cube is only 2.75 inches cubed. The images are a reminder that spring has arrived in the northern hemisphere and we can look forward to warmth, colour and new life.

The cube has four different scenes and a bird in a nest on top.

It has tiny wooden bobbins to act as legs, lifting it off the surface.

The elements are not glued on flat, but allowed to lift to create texture and dimension.

The wire bird in the nest was stamped twice, once in reverse, using a gelli plate, so that the two pieces could be glued together and the bird is visible on all sides.

Here are close up photos of each panel:

Work in Progress:

1. The panels were coloured with Distress Oxides using the smooshing technique. Scripted Semicircles were heat embossed with Distress Glazes and some of the wildflowers from In the Bucket were stamped.

2. Reverse Semicircles were stamped in black around the edges of each panel and texture paste was added through the Lotza Dotz stencil.

3. Small elements were stamped onto watercolour card and coloured with Inktense pencils and a water brush. They were fussy cut.

4. Words, wire birds and a butterfly were stamped onto card.

5. The cube was painted with black acrylic paint. Wooden bobbins were adhered for legs.

6. All elements were glued in place along with natural dried flowers, sisal and florists moss. A sisal birds nest was coloured with Oxide sprays, filled with moss, the large wire bird was stamped twice (one in reverse using a gelli plate) and adhered together, and confectionary eggs were added. Wire was twisted to creat a banner for hanging the word 'bird' and 'fly'.

Stamps Used for this project:

#326 Garden Tools

#449 Through the Meadows

#451 In the Bucket

#458 Hibiscus

#469 Scripted Semicircles

#487 Reverse Semicircles

Stencil used: #39 Lotza Dotz

To see the stamps, stencils, dies and washi tapes used, please visit

AALL & Create Boutique. 

A list of stockists can be found here.

You'll find lots of inspiration on the 

AALL & Create Facebook Page, the AALL & Create Fanatics Facebook Page and on Instagram

That's all for now.

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

Creative Artiste #66 Mixed Media 28/03 TOP 3

CRAFT Challenge #592 Spring/Easter 31/03

Star of the Month

Top 3

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday Spring Colours 31/03 TOP PICK

Scrapping4Fun Challenges #188 Easter/Spring 1/04 WINNER

* Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #154 03/04

* Creative Moments €211 AG 05/04

* The House That Stamps Built #2421 AG 06/04

Thes Sisterhood of Crafters Easter/Spring 12/04 TOP 3

* Uniko Studio Challenge #64 Signs of Spring 24/04

* Gecko Galz: Easter Bunny

Hello!

Just popping in to post a quick, digital card I made using some Gecko Galz products.

Gecko Galz have a daily challenge throughout April. 

All participants receive a free digital collage sheet, just for entering, and the winner receives a special prize as well.

Today's theme is Easter Bunny.

Here is my card:

I have a lot to learn about digital editing, so this is a simple layered project. The paper is from La Boheme Digital Kit and the image is an adorable free one that was given away on one of the Gecko Galz blog posts last year. I matted the image and the paper onto black backgrounds and added some beautiful fabric-looking flowers. I added a shadow to the flowers to give the illusion of dimension.

La Boheme

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

                                   

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xoxo

* Gecko Glaz: Garden Delights

Hello!

It's my DT day at Gecko Galz. 

I've made some garden themed cards, as the Customer Challenge this month is Nouveau Garden. 
Here they are:

Background paper: Solarium Paper Pack
Image: How Does My Garden Grow Collage Sheet

Background Paper: Taj Mahal Paper Pack
Image: How Does My Garden Grow Collage Sheet
Bird: For The Birds

Background Paper: Taj Mahal Paper Pack
Image: Garden Botanica Paper Pack
Sentiment: Charming Words Collage Sheet

I also made a Trinchie, a 3 x 3 inch square which makes a perfect card topper:



Images: How Does My Garden Grow Collage Sheet (Gnomes and Pansies)
Background Paper: La Boheme Digital Kit

Easter Card
All details can be seen here.



Image: Country Charm Collage Sheet
Background Paper: Easter Egg Mini Paper Pack

This Gecko Galz Tag and Topper Wallet was made for my blog post on the 1st April and you can see the details here.

That's all from me for now!

I hope you'll join our Nouveau Garden Challenge where the Winner will get 

$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 and get first claim on the weekly $1 deals!

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

We also have a Private Facebook Group where there are 4 monthly challenges, each with a collage sheet prize. Come and join us!

I'll be back on the 1st with a new challenge theme and more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "Nouveau Garden"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Facebook group

***

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

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

* Cardz TV #87 25/04
* Jo's Scrapshack #278 AG 26/04
* Crafty Catz #458 AG 26/04
* Allsorts #515/516 Blossoms, Butterflies and Bugs 27/04
* Crafting From The Heart #241 AG 28/04
* Angies Digital Stamps #30 AG/Easter 30/04
* Creativ Fusion #11 Spring
* Brown Sugar #289 Spring or Fall 01/05
* My Time To Craft #395 Spring Flowers # 01/05
* Crafters Castle #16 Spring 03/05

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xxx