* Gecko Galz: Magical Christmas

   Hello

It's November and it's my DT feature day over at the Gecko Galz blog.  

The theme this month is Christmas Magic.

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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 Here are my DT makes:

A candle holder:

I recycled a tin for this project. The aluminium tin was covered with printed TH tissue paper. I added a strip of hessian trim around the can and applied red velvet trim on top of that. I found some glitter ball trim in my stash and decided to use this around the rim of the tin.

I chose to use the quirky angel child from the Christmas Dreamland collage set. I fussy cut her and added some wooden wings which were embossed with iridescent powder. Some dried flowers were tucked behind the angel. I decorated a little log slice with tiny pine cones, berries and the word 'joy' and adhered this to the bottom of the angel's dress.

The tin was popped onto a circular mirror base along with some pine cones.

* The Holly and Ivy Challenge #172 AG Christmas 24/11

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A light-up. decor piece:

Here I have another recycled container - this time it's a circular cheese triangle box.

The back of the box had an embossed tree scene coloured with distress mica sprays. A string of tiny lights were placed between the box and the embossed backing and some holes punched so the light could shine through. The lights were also wound around the outside edge of the box. The outside was then coated with texture paste.

I added twigs, alder cones and dried cotoneaster from my garden.

I cut an Easter nest in half, added some artificial moss and nestled the lovely fairy from the Christmas Dreamland collage set, inside. I added glitter to the fairy and dry brushed white paint onto the twigs and cones to give a frosty feel.

Some bells and a twine bow were placed at the top of the piece. The sleeping fox was placed on some sisal along with more frosty alder cones and twigs and adhered to the side.

Here it is with the lights on:

* Dream Valley #325 AG 23/11

* Lets Create and Craft Challenges #213 AG with Bow 31/10

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Christmas Cards:

I made a pair of cards using up the images that I had printed from Christmas Dreamland.

I used paper from my stash for the background and heat embossed the edges in gold. 

I added three images ticked into the Peace on Earth sentiment - all edged with gold embossing.

I made a green card with pink trimmings and a pink card with green trimmings:

A poinsettia was made from coloured card and I inked the edges. Gold foliage was also added along with a dark green velvet ribbon.

* PIP Challenges #2445 17/11

* Crafty Calendar Challenge Nov 28/11

* Unicorn Challenge #104 Christmas/Winter 28/11

* Love those Pretty Papers Nov 30/11

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And a Christmas Banner

You can see more info about this HERE

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That's all for now!

I hope you'll join our 'Christmas Magic' 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 1st December with more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "Christmas Magic"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Facebook group

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I'd like to enter these Challenges:

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

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AALL & Create: Pinecone Robin

 

Hello!

For this week's AALL & Create project, I have a Christmas light-up, mixed media canvas. 

I used the Pinecone and Flourish stamp sets for my focal images along with Grungy Alphabet for the sentiment and the Neurons stencil for some background texture..

 

My background is brayered paint with stamping using a stencil (#104 Nodules). Heat embossed snowflakes (#3Grungy Alphabet) and white paint splatters were added along with some lights:

 Dried twigs form the branches for the pinecones.  The robin is made from air dry clay. I sat him on a nest of moss: 

Die cut pine needle branches were made from card smooshed, dipped and dabbed in puddles of Rustic Wilderness Distress Oxide. The pinecones were coloured with Inktense pencils then glazed with a mixture of Peeled Paint and Rustic Wilderness. Berries were made from polystyrene balls coloured with alcohol ink:

Alder cones, that I gathered on a walk, were given a light touch of white paint and mica flakes were sprinkled into the foliage for sparkle.

Process:

1. Brayer paint onto 300gsm card

2. Stamp the large pinecone and the small pinecone directly onto the background. Stamp several large and small pinecones and fussy cut them:

3. Stamp the bird into clay and cut out - leave to dry overnight.

4. Add some visual texture to the background by stamping with a stencil and cream paint.  Stamp out the letters for the sentiment. Use the star symbol tfrom Grungy Alphabet o heat emboss snowflakes. Pierce holes in the background along the branch and thread lights through. Add some white paint splatters.

5.  Colour the pine cones, crinkle to add shape and glaze with powders. Dye polystyrene balls with Red Pepper alcohol ink.

6. Colour 300gsm card with Distress Oxide and, when dry, die cut leaves. 

7. Paint the robin and add gilding wax. Assemble all pieces and add mica flakes or snow. 

8. Secure the card to canvas to hide the wires. Secure the on/off control switch to the base of the back of the canvas.

Stamps Used:

#269 Flourish 

#389 Pinecone

#397 Grungy Alphabet

all designed by Tracy Evans

Stencil Used:

#104 Neurons by Autour de Mwa

To see the stamps, stencils and dies 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:

A Perfect Time to Craft #12 AG 27/12

Crafty Creations #416 AG 30/12

* A Bit More Time to Craft 130 AG 30/12

* Corrosive Challenges Dec AG 31/12

* Lets Craft and Create #166 AG 31/12

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday AG DEC 31/12

613 Avenue Create Dec AG 31/12 

* A Place to Start Anything Vintage 03/01

The House That StampsBuilt#23/20 AG 05/01

Simon Says Stamp Wed Challenge Sparkle & Shine 06/01

Creative Crafters #35 08/01

World Wide Open DT Challenge Jan 12/01