Feature day @ Gecko Galz

Today is my day to feature my Design Team project for the month of April over at Gecko Galz. 

I decided to actually make something this time, not do a digital project, I recently purchased some Tim Holtz Distress Inks and having grabbed a copy of the new Indigo Blu box magazine, the large stamp  gave me the inspiration for my card.

topper from - Crazy Manniquins

backing paper - Journal Sheets

sentiment - Tim Holtz

I hope you'll join our Blooming Beauty challenge where the winner will receive a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop. The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product, which can be something you purchased from the shop or a freebie. 

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 monthly Super Deal! 

Why don't you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see all the fabulous designs by the very talented Design Team, don't forget to grab the free digi stamp on each post!

We also have a Facebook Group where there are more monthly challenges for you to play in, each with a Design Sheet to win. 

 Amanda xx

Feature Day @ Gecko Galz

Today is my day to feature my Design Team project for the month of January over at Gecko Galz.

It was lovely to do a card which wasn't a Christmas one - and its my first of the New Year as well.

A birthday card using Up Up and Away, printed straight out onto a 5x7 white card blank, I then decoupaged two of the balloons to make the design stand out a bit more.

I hope you'll join our Captured Hearts challenge where the winner will receive a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop. The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product, which can be something you purchased from the shop or a freebie.

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 Super Sunday Deals!

Why don't you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see all the fabulous designs by the very talented Design Team, don't forget to grab the free digi stamp on each post!

We also have a Facebook Group where there are more monthly challenges for you to play in, each with a Design Sheet to win.

Amanda xx

Feature Day @ Gecko Galz

Today is my day to feature my Design Team project for the month of November over at Gecko Galz.

Tis' the Season is fast approaching (eek!), so I thought I'd best get round to doing some Christmas cards, I've already bought one present but unfortunately decided I liked it too much to give it away and its now hanging with my other bits and bobs on my little display branch in the other room. Oops.

image from Gecko Galz 'Winters Garden'

paper from HunkyDory

I hope you'll join our Peace on Earth challenge where the winner will receive a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop. The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product, which can be something you purchased from the shop or a freebie.
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 Super Monthly Deals!
Why don't you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see all the fabulous designs by the very talented Design Team, don't forget to grab the free digi stamp on each post!
We also have a Facebook Group where there are more monthly challenges for you to play in, each with a Design Sheet to win.

 Amanda xx

Peace on Earth

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of November  is 'Peace on Earth'.
So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!

The Trick or Treat blog hop was a huge success. lots of visitors, freebies and gorgeous design team makes! So thanks to everyone who took part.

Two cards for my samples for Peace On Earth, I love nature at anytime of the year, currently I can be found wandering round woods looking for fungi to photo.... one hour, 132 photos later. So I decided to base my cards around nature/animals/scenes.

top two images from Christmas Filigree

bottom one from Snow Much Fun Jewel It

image cut out from Christmas Cuties

embossing folder from Crafters Companion

 I hope you'll join in 'Peace on Earth' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend 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 shop).
If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, Super Sunday weekly deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.
If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.
If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

Amanda xx

Using a card blank I had already papered for something else, which I ended up not using, I chose a gorgeous butterfly image from Butterfly Kisses, this is why I love Gecko Galz so much, every image could be used with no embellishments or anything and still make a lovely project.

I resized the image to fit the 6x6 card, used vintage blue Nuvo drops on the centre of the flowers, a gold swirl to look like its part of the flower stem and pale gold gems. To finish, I decided to highlight the butterfly by drawing round it with a gold pen.

entering in: Gecko Galz Papercrafting Challenge Group = Text challenge

Amanda xx

M @ Butterfly Challenge

Been a busy bee today, 2 cards and a matching set of three framed atcs done, more on these on later posts.

Today's card is for Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge, and its the letter M for Magic Window, didn't enter a card for L has I have had the dreaded lurgy (not sure if it was L for Lurgy) for the last three weeks, cannot believe how ill this cold has made me! A few other people in the store where I work have had it and they've been exactly the same, so I know its not me being mardy!

Anyway, M for Magic Window, I found this template a challenge, at one point I nearly threw it in the bin but I persevered and did manage to finish it, all be it a bit wonky and creased. Hopefully I've hidden those bits.

Template + Butterfly

backing paper from a Greeting Card Backing PApers book

pale peach paper

coppery orange paper

thank you stamp

black stazon ink

black card

plain circle die

heart circle die

large butterfly embellishment

entering in: Butterfly blog = M is for Magic Window

 Amanda xx

K @ Butterfly Challenge

Today's card is for Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge, and its the letter K for Kinetic, I'm really enjoying learning how to do these card shapes. Full details are on the butterfly blog.

So again, I chose to do the card shape plus butterflies, I was going to do this black & white but then decided to do it red & white, although the ink looks more burgundy to me, so I stuck to that shade.

Swirls & card verse Honeypot Crafts

Main topper from magazine freebie

Stazon Blazing Red ink

Tattered Lace mini dies

Pink & White pearls

entering in: Butterfly Blog = K is for Kinetic

Amanda xx

Over at Card Exchange Photos on Facebook, link might not work as it is a secret group - just type the words into the search feature. We exchange cards every month with a partner, chose by our group mom Carole, this month as an added extra we did our annual 7 days of Summer swap, where we were allocated a partner and then we put together 7 crafting gifts, normally 6 at a £1 and then 1 for £4, its a good way to pass on some stash that you've had for ages or do a bag full of die cuts etc. Its good fun and you get bits n bobs you wouldn't have necessarily bought yourself, I always find these are the best gifts as I always end up using whatever it is, some totally random.

Anyhoo, as a thank you to Carole for arranging everything I thought I would do her a thank you card using  something she sent me this swap - the yellow decoupage flowers. (I think the trellis might have come from her in a previous swap also)

Love the bright colours which all came together to make a pretty card.

backing paper - 

Websters Pages - Best Friends Collection

die cut trellis in white card

The Works doily die in white card

random circle die in lime green paper

The Works doily die - Best Friends Collection

Tattered Lace 'Cherished Centres' die in lime green paper

decoupaged flowers

gold gems

Amanda xx

H @ Butterfly Challenge

Recently bought Christina Griffiths gift issue No 2 , which has some lovely papers and butterfly die in it, having a play and did a card to fit with Mrs A's Butterfly challenge   Haven't played for quite a few months, so it was nice to finally do a challenge.

I picked the option 'One colour and butterfly' so I chose Hunters Green and  Hot Pink, both fit the theme and look lovely together.

Amanda xx

Good Old Summertime

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of June -

So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!

The past month or so, here in the UK, has been a mix of both beach weather and April showers! I'm still sporting a tan from the Easter Holidays, not intentional - did plenty of walking during my week off, If go outside the garden I either sit in the shade or wear a sun hat. I'm as pale as pale can be and I hate the heat. Having said that the past few weeks, I have enjoyed the sun as its meant I could get in the garden and greenhouse, seeding and planting flowers and some veg. All looking green at the moment!

My first sample is for the Good Old Summertime challenge is a Digital Page, using an image from Beauties from the Bay and a vintage postcard image, the sentiment is by Rosie H. The colours just go together, and I love the styles of the swimming costumes, not like todays where every bit of flesh has to be exposed if it can be!

my second sample is an A5 card, using an image from Summertime Fun and scraps of patterned paper, the sentiment is from a sheet I've had for years, kept in the hope of one day using it! Roller skating never appealed to me, it would have been like bambi on ice if I had given it a go. 

my third sample is a 6x6 card using an image again, from Summertime Fun, a sentiment I made in CAP2 and some yellow die cut card, I originally was going to use the larger piece as a frame and pop the photo inside, on the white card blank, but then decided to make a smaller piece to use as the frame,  then I decided to use both together and twist one. Love this cheeky chappie.  

Another DT member has also used this image and sentiment, can't wait to see her make!!

I hope you'll join in 'Good Old Summertime' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend 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 shop).
If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, Super Sunday deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.
If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.
If you haven't a blog or just on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

Amanda xx 

Dapper Flapper & Gecko Galz are 8!!

Yep you read that right! Gecko Galz turns 8 on the 15th of May, so to celebrate, over at the Gecko Galz blog - we will be giving away 8 prizes worth $50 to spend over at the Gecko Galz Etsy Store.

And at the Gecko Galz Etsy Store there will be a Buy One Get One Free sale!

And that's not all!!

 Each DT member will be using their own blog to give away a $25 shopping spree! So check out all the  Gecko Galz Desgin Team Blogs to see all the ways you could win the $25 shopping spree!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

To win my $25 shopping spree over at the Gecko Galz Etsy Store all you need to do is leave me a comment saying "HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY GECKO GALZ"

On Wednesday 15th, I will announce a winner on here!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of May is 'Dapper Flapper'. So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!

A definition of a Flapper, sourced from Wikipedia

"Flappers were a generation of young Western women in the 1920s who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior. Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, smoking cigarettes, driving automobiles, treating sex in a casual manner, and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms."

Stylish dresses, bobbed hair, cigarette holders, bling, bling and more bling and lots of dancing!!

I once learnt the Charleston - as a 11/12 year old in a school panto - to dance along to 'Puttin' on the Ritz'.

Very Random.

Moving along....

I ended up doing three cards with the same image from Deco Divas Domino & Circle Jewel Its - the first try was with the red background and the black topper - which didn't look right, but I did like the black and cream look so went on to make this card: 

Using a cream 5x7 card blank.

image and sentiment printed onto white card, then cut out and layered onto black card. I coloured a plain flower with a black sharpie, stuck a cream rose on for the middle and added a couple of cream and white pearls on.

For the second card,  I played around using the pattern from the outside of the image, I cut and resized it to make a border for the card:

Using a white 5x7 card blank

image & border printed on white card, used a corner punch on the corners then layered onto gold mirri card, used gold peel offs to edge the image to make it stand out, then went a bit mad with silver and copper gems. To make the whole card stand out, I used a thicker copper peel off to edge the outer frame.

For the third card, using the original red background card:

Using a 5x7 white card blank.

I printed the image out again but this time on cream coloured card, used a black promaker to edge the topper then stuck it to the card front. Recycled an '18' diamante stick on, which I didn't need, into matching embellishments along with 2 red gems.

I hope you'll join in with the 'Dapper Flapper' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend 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 shop).

If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, SUPER SUNDAY deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.

 If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.

If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

 Amanda xx 

Nouveau Garden

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of April is 'Nouveau Garden'.
So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!

The weather in the past month in the UK as been all over the place, wintery with rain, sunshine and blue skies, then back to rain - floods in some places, then very windy - gale force even... so it was nice to be able to play with some colourful, happy images!

The first sample is a 6x6 card. I picked the image because of the colours, I used some dark green mirri card as the background, coloured some white flowers to match the image, found three sewing pins that went with the design and used Nuvo Vintage Drops 'Pioneer Green' to add some sparkle.

image from 'Nouveau Garden'

My second sample is a plainer image taken from 'Beautiful Background Digital Stamps' and is a 4x7 tent fold card.

                          

I printed out the image, then water coloured the Poppy, once dry I fussy cut round it and stuck onto one of my vintage postcards, love the embossed pattern round the edges, and the lovely green writing - used a free stamp with Stazon Jet Black ink and stamped Happy Bithday on. Put a white doily underneath to add to the vintage feeling.

I hope you'll join in 'Nouveau Garden' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend 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 shop).
If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, Super Sunday deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.
If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two. If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

 Amanda xx 

Feature Day @ Gecko Galz

Today is my day to feature my Design Team project for February over at Gecko Galz.

I decided to use a few images I'd printed for previous challenges, which I never got round to using.

from Beautiful Words

Printed two copies out so I could decoupage the sunflowers, then used Tim Holtz Enamel in Black.

from 'Bunnies'

from 'Birthday Bash'

Used an oval die cut to make this card, snipped the bottom of the back page so the card will stand up properly. Usesd Tonic Nuvo Vintage Pink drops for the middle of the flowers.

I hope you'll join our Moonlight and Magic  challenge where the winner will receive a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop. 

The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product, which can be something you purchased from the shop or a freebie.
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 Super Sunday deals!
 Why don't you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see all the fabulous designs by the very talented Design Team - and this month we have new amazing talent on the team, so make sure to check those ladies out!
Don't forget to grab the free digi stamp on each post.
We also have a Facebook Group where there are more monthly challenges for you to play in, each with a Design Sheet to win.

Amanda xx

Feature Day Decking the Halls with Gecko Galz

Today is the day for my Feature Day over at Gecko Galz, and as its December, we're doing something different this month and its Deck The Halls - 24 days of Christmas themed crafts, tags, decorations, books etc. What ever your skill level or time set, there's inspiration for everyone!

My first make is a small polystyrene wreath which you can get at most craft stores, I used 'Christmas Past' Paper Pack, printed out 3 different papers sized to fill an A4 sheet of paper, then cut them vertically into strips. You can then either glue the papers individually or glue a bit of the wreath at a time, I did both but found gluing the wreath easier. Simply wrap the strips alternating the papers till its covered. It is fiddly and the back looks so untidy!. You can embellish how you want, I used Christmas ribbon, ready to stick ribbon and a Spellbinders die cut in Red Mirror card.

Next up, something so quick and easy! It took me longer to find the right glass container than it did to print and glue the images from 'Candy Cane Lane' Digital sheet.

And the last sample, back to a card. I chose three images from the 'Snow Much Fun' Jewel It sheet and sized them to fit one of the square dies.  The backing paper came from a Joy! Christmas paper pad. Cut another sentiment out of red mirror card, and to finish off I stuck red & white twine along the edge of the topper. 

I hope you'll join our SNOW QUEEN challenge where the winner will receive a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop.

The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product, which can be something you purchased from the shop or a freebie.

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!

Why don't you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see all the fabulous designs by the very talented Design Team - and this month we have new amazing talent on the team, so make sure to check those ladies out! Don't forget to grab the free digi stamp on each post.

We also have a Facebook Group where there are more monthly challenges for you to play in, each with a Design Sheet to win.

Amanda xx

A pretty 60th birthday card and matching insert, I always find these quite hard as I want to do sparkle and shine but can't quite steer myself from vintage.... so I compromised with the blinging the age. Hope she didn't mind!! The backing paper came from a gorgeous paper pack by Jodie Lee designs and I used a matching one for the insert, always feels a shame to cover these up.

Two New Year Cards from last year. The top one from a Gecko Galz image, the bottom one I used an ink pad to do the background a, pressing down at different angles to  match the butterfly stamp.