Gecko Galz: Dark and Beautiful

 

Hello

A reminder that this month we host the Gecko Galz Blog Hop

24th to 27th October

This month the customer challenge over at the Gecko Galz blog is 

All Things Dark and Beautiful..

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 new quarterly challenge.

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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It's my DT day today, at Gecko Galz and here are my makes..

First is a set of ATCs:

I used the Nosferatu ATCs as backgrounds and images from the Day of the Dead card toppers.

I attached the fussy cut image through a cut in the window background. The stained glass has Glossy Accents added, so that it looks like a jewel. The image is on foam tape for dimension. A lacy die cut border was adhered at the base of each card and a row of black gems applied to the top of each card.

I fussy cut a sentiment from Words in the Dark into three parts and tucked it into the lacy die border.

And here is one of the ATCs just placed on a die cut frame to show that each one would make a lovely greeting card.

Next I have an altered tin:

I used the Gothic Beauties Tin Toppers.

This is the front of the tin, nothing fancy, just the image:

And the interior:

And this is what I'll be storing inside it. My collection of Halloween charm:

Really, I'm not that into dark and dramatic, and I can't resist googly eyes - I thought they looked charming on the skellies:

Classic Design Challenge Sept/Oct AG 12/10

Double D Challenge To Spook or Not 13/10

Unicorn Challenge Autiumn/Halloween 29/10

Crafty Gals Corner #260 Make it Spooky 12/11

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I made a slider book. I have a blog post with details and photos 

here:

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And finally a couple of digital art collages:

Here I have one of the Dark Library images along with a Victorian Gothic Lady. The  sentiment is from the Words in the Dark collage sheet.

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And this one is an older collage sheet image with skulls and roses from the Gothic Beauties tin toppers.

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That's all for now!

I hope you'll join our 'All Things Dark and Beautiful' 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 24th October as part of the 

Gecko Glaz Blog Hop.

And then again in November with another challenge theme and my Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "All Things Dark and Beautiful"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Facebook group

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Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

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* Vera Lane Studio: Fairytale Ending

Hello!

For my DT day at Vera Lane Studio I recycled a coffee tin to make a pencil holder using the Fairytale Ending digi set.

Here is the decorated strip of watercolour paper that I attached around the tin:

 

I love how the little princess is curtsying :)

I brayered PaperArtsy Fresco paints onto the smooth watercolour paper, then stamped some grass from Janet's "All Good Things" stamp set (AALL & Create #296).

The Fairytale Ending images were coloured with Copic markers, fussy cut and adhered to the background. The sentiment was cut into strips, adhered and doodled around with a black fine line pen.

White paint splatters were added as a finishing touch.

  

The paper was adhered to the tin using double sided red tape.

The castle and the knight on horseback would make a super boy's card:

The sentiment I chose makes me smile! 
The second sentiment in the set reads, "Sometimes you have to make your own darn fairytale".

Fairytale Ending


That's all for now.

I hope you'll come along and play on Vera Lane.

It's such a friendly, fun place to be!

  

Here's all the info you need:

Vera Lane Studio Blog

Vera Lane Studio Facebook Group

Vera Lane Studio You Tube Channel

Vera Lane Studio Etsy Shop

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* My Time to Craft #434 Summertime 25/06

* A Perfect Time to Craft AG 26/06

* Classic Design Challenge AG 27/06
* Angie's Digital Stamps #43 Summertime 27/06
All Fun Challenges #9 AG 27/06
* A Gem of a Challenge #13 AG 30/06
* Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #134 AG 05/07

* 613 Avenue Create #234 AG 07/07 TOP ROCKER

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* Gecko Galz: Shabby Chic Seaside

Hello!

It's August already!

A new month brings a new challenge at the Gecko Galz blog and this month the theme is one of my favourites: Shabby Chic Seaside. I love making seaside projects and shabby chic is one of my favourite styles with vintage images.

I made two projects - a card and an altered tin:

What is Shabby Chic?

For anyone wondering what shabby chic is, it is something that is pleasingly old, slightly worn or distressed - I suppose aged, cracked, torn and showing signs of wear and tear. 

So, in order to create this style I've compiled a list of distress techniques a crafter could use:

1. Use light, pastel coloured paper - maybe spritz with pastel sprays to add a little extra colour, add glimmer mist if you want a little sparkle. Layer up different co-ordinating papers using foam pads.

2. Tear the paper edges, roll the edges, distress them by running a craft knife or scissors along the edge, tear and roll back pieces, crumple and fold the paper.

3. Add some ink to the edges to make it look aged (vintage photo, frayed burlap, antique linen)

4. Dry brush gesso or watered down white acrylic paint over the paper.

5. If you crumple the paper, try lightly sanding the creases back to revel the white core of the paper.

6. Add book paper to your project using the techniques above.

7. Add white splatters with watered down gesso or white acrylic paint.

8. In terms of embellishments add items such as cheesecloth behind the focal image, natural fibres, natural hemp string/twine, lace, flowers (paper, fabric, dried), doilies, stick pins, pearls, charms, butterflies, painted or glittered chipboard shapes. All should be in soft, pastel colours or neutrals. 

I hope that helps.

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Here is the card I made:

 I used a beautiful pelican and lighthouse image from the Summer Seas collage set. I love the soft green-blue colours and the natural shades. I teamed it up with papers from Winter Wonderland, Country Charm and Timeless paper packs, although much of the paper ended up covered over. The sentiment is from The Journal Toppers Kit.

I tore the papers by hand and distressed  the edges - I chose not to ink mine, but left the white core of the paper as it was. I layered the different papers, dry brushed some gesso on the blue-green paper and added the image on foam pads placing some natural fibres under the image and curling two of the image's corners. The sentiment was placed on foam pads along the bottom edge of the card.

I added some ribbon trim to the side of the image and some Little Birdie paper flowers at the base. I tucked some twine, made into bows, behind the flowers along with some dried flowers. At this point, I covered the image and splattered some watered down white acrylic paint over the card. 

I found a piece of Scrapinec chipboard in my stash and attached it behind the top of the image. I added a small shell tucked between the flowers and finally I added some Nuvo crystal drops to the papers.

I love how this card turned out!

My second project was an altered tin which could be used for storage, as a pen/pencil holder or, as I chose, as a vase:



I recycled a coffee tin for this project.



 I began by cutting paper to fit over the surface of the tin - I distressed the top and bottom edges. I used blue striped paper from the Gecko Galz Country Charm paper pack to add a belly band, again distressing the top and bottom edges. Lace was adhered to the top and bottom edges of the tin and then the band was decorated. I used two images from the Summer Seas collage sheet - distressing, tearing and curling the edges. The 'To the Beach' image was lightly faded and aged by adding gesso with a dry paint brush. I placed the images on top of a corrugated card tag which had also been dry brushed with gesso. Under the images and tags, I tucked dry flowers and a seahorse charm. In-between the images I added some fabric flowers with frayed edges and a pearl centre. To finish I added some Nuvo Crystal Clear drops.



Gecko Galz products used:

Summer Seas                                       Journal Toppers
 

Country Charm                          Timeless                           Winter Wonderland
   

I hope you'll join our Shabby Chic Seaside 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 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 22nd with more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "Shabby Chic Seaside"

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: 
Card
* Crafty Gals Corner #197 3 Layers 13/08
* World Wide Open Design Team AG 12/08
* A Bit More Time to Craft #97 AG 14/08
Creatalicious Challenges #168 Distress It 14/08

* Love 2 Create #8 AG 20/08
Crafting with an Attitude #54 AG 25/08

Crafting by Designs AG 31/08

Altered Tin

* Pearly Sparkles #43 Something beginning with B 27/08

Bow, Beach, Blue

* 613 Avenue Create Decorate a container 31/08 WINNER

Both

* A Perfect Time To Craft AG 27/08

* Cassic Design Team Challenge #8 AG 28/08

* Your Scrapbook Place AG 30/08

* Love to Craft #37 AG 31/08

The Happy Craft Challenge Aug Vintage 31/08

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

Gecko Galz: By the Shore

Hello!

This month at the Gecko Galz blog we have a beach theme. The challenge is Beach Blanket Bingo. Have you joined in yet this month? If not, there's still plenty time and you can find new inspiration from the DT and free vintage stamps every couple of days on the blog.

 Here is a card I made:

I did some fussy cutting from the collage sheets to compose this collage card. Some elements were resized prior to printing (ship's wheel and turtle). Each element was inked around the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhered directly onto the card or placed on foam pads to give some dimension.

Here is what I used:

Paper: Tiny Bubbles from La Isla Bonita paper pack

Images: Girl from Beauties on the Beach, Ships wheel from Beachy Jewels (enlarged) and turtle from Seaside Splendour Kit

Sentiment: Simply Sentiments stamp set

Bingo Card: free (recoloured) with June 2018 Gecko Galz Newsletter (sign up on the blog)

Own Stash: white card base, red card, Vintage Photo ink and blender, hessian trim.

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Next I made an altered tin:

 

The tin was a fish tin - quite apt, I think! 
I've admired tiny works of art placed inside tins for a while, but never tried it until now! My attempt was a bit hit and miss, but I am quite happy with how it turned out!

I gave the tin a coat of gesso, then painted the inside and edges with blue acrylic paint. When this was dry, I glued printed Tim Holtz tissue paper over the outside of the tin with Mod Podge and, once dry, I gave it a wash of brown acrylic paint.

  

The back the tin has some swirly patterned Gecko Galz digital paper - it's called Ocean Tide from the La Isla Bonita paper pack. The seahorse is a stamp from the Splish Splash digital stamp set, coloured with Copic markers. I didn't want the seahorse to be at the back of the tin, so I added some squares of cardboard (about 5 in all) and adhered that to the back of the tin to give some dimension. I arranged some garden stones and florists' moss and glued them in place. Next I added some fussy cut shells and a fish from the Beachy Jewels collage set. I sprinkled some Fauna Art Glitter to replicate sand and added two tiny flatback pearls.
I decided to grunge up the inside sides of the tin with a mixture of brown and green watercolour pens lightly wiped over with a baby wipe. 

 

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My other projects for Gecko Galz this month can be seen here

That's all from me for now!

I hope you'll join our Beach Blanket Bingo 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 and get first claim on the $1 Wednesday 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!

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "Beach Blanket Bingo"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Closed Facebook group

***

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

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

 Card
* Jo's Scrapshack #246 AG 17/08
* Crafty Creations #372 AG 21/08
* Crafting with an Attitude #42 (3) AG 24/08
* Crafty Calendar Dots or Stripes 28/08
Creative Fingers #151 AG 08/09

Seahorse Tin
* A Bit More Time to Craft #73 AG 14/08
* Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #87 AG 18/08

* Crafty Friends #90 AG 24/08

* Crafters Castle #8 AG 31/08 Top 3

* Corrosive Challenges #8 AG 31/08 

* Angies' Digital Stamps #23 AG 31/08 (2)

* 613 Avenue Create #212 AG 01/09 Top Rocker

* Pile It On #145 New Technique to You 01/09 Top Pick

* Dare2BArtzy Aug AG 01/09 (1)

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

To leave a comment, please click on the G+1 button below.

(If this does not open up the comments, please click either the link to this particular post in the sidebar, or click on the red heading at the top of the post and, hopefully, the comments will open).

Thanks x