* 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.

***

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

***

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.