A Layout Featuring Lady Olive and Scraps of Darkness

Hello Crafty Friends!  I created this layout of my oldest kitty, Lady Olive.  She's recently reached the ripe old age of 21 years!  I have used a background paper by DCWV and added layered papers, flowers, and die cuts from the January Scraps of Darkness Kit.  I used a lot of Prima dies including the skeleton leaves which I backed with plain colored cardstock.  Most of the flowers are from the kit and are also by Prima.

Thanks for looking!

Scraps of Darkness January Inspiration Challenge

Well, crafty friends, can you believe it's been more than a year or more since I've created a layout?  It was a little harder than I thought to summon my creativity.  Much has happened over the past couple of years, but I think it's time to try and come back from all of the tragedy.   This layout features Dexter and Lila, both of whom live as permanent  residents of my boarding facility.   I was inspired by their beautiful faces and the gorgeous January kit from Scraps of Darkness.  I have linked to their inspiration board challenge on their Facebook community page.   You don't need to buy the kit to enter. 

January Inspiration Board Challenge 

Thanks for looking!

Free Digi Stamp for January and Samples for Gecko Galz

Hi Crafty Friends!  Below is your free digital stamp for January, compliments of Gecko Galz.  Be sure to visit the Gecko Galz blog each day for a link to the featured designers blog to pick up more free digital stamps!  While you're here, come check out what I created with some of the newly released as well as other products from Gecko Galz on Etsy.

Romance Jewel It collage set

High Society digital paper pack

Hocus Pocus digital paper pack

Chalk Board Sentiments collage set

Golden Splendor digital collage set

High Society digital paper pack

Golden Splendor digital collage set

Vintage Visions digital paper pack

Artful Ladies digital collage set

Wild Roses digital paper pack

Kitchen Sink digital paper pack

Secret Garden digital paper pack

Ephemera Fun digital collage sheet

Oh Cupid mini paper pack

Kitchen Sink paper pack

All You Need is Love digital stamp set

Pin Up Girls digital collage set

Bingo Cards digital collage sheet

It's Time for a New Challenge at Gecko Galz!

Welcome Crafty Friends and Happy New Year!  It's a new year, and a new month, and it's time for a new Gecko Galz Customer Challenge!  Please join us for the current challenge "All That Glitters".  We are accepting challenge entries from January 1st - January 29th.  There is only one rule.  You need to use at least ONE product from Gecko Galz.  It can be one of our free products, digi stamps, collage images, or digital background papers.  The winner will receive a $25 Gecko Galz shopping spree!

  Don't forget to stop by the Gecko Galz blog to see what the rest of the team created this month.  We hope to inspire you to enter the challenge and win!  Don't forget that throughout the month, the Gecko Galz blog features samples created by the team using the new products for that month.  Did I mention that there are some new Gecko Galz 2016 Design Stars to welcome, so come visit!

Below is a sample card that I have created for this month's "All That Glitters" challenge.

Seriously my friends, this card is glittery!  My photography skills are not that good so the best I can do is to point out the glitter in my instructions, and hopefully you can imagine it.  I began construction of my card by printing my main image (the lady on the moon) which can be found on the December Magic collage sheet.  Meanwhile,  I had also chosen to print out two sheets from the High Society paper pack.   It was hard to decide which to use, both were so pretty.  I decided to use both by cutting the bordered edge from each sheet and lining them up side by side.  I used elements from the design on the black border to ground my sentiment and the image of the moon.  It worked perfectly!  The little stars are die cuts from gold glitter paper.  I also embellished the edge of my image and the edge of the moon and the happy birthday sentiment with gold embossing powder.  I told you it was shiny!  The birthday sentiment, also available Gecko Galz as part of a chalkboard sentiments collage sheet, just happened to have a similar shape as the design in the background paper, so instead of leaving the sentiment square, I cut out the pretty shaped outline.  I was so excited when the sentiment and the moon fit so perfectly in the designs on the paper.   The matting under the image and the background paper is manilla cardstock inked with metallic gold ink.  The black mat at the bottom is black glitter paper.  I wish you could see it in my dark hallway when I shine a flashlight on it.  It's so pretty and shiny, but you'll have to take my word for it :)   Thanks for looking!
Gecko Galz Supplies
December Magic collage set
High Society paper pack (I used HS04 and HS05)
Chalk Board Sentiments collage sheet set
Paper Moon collage sheet set

Free Digital Stamp and my December Samples for Gecko Galz

Hi Crafty Friends!  Below is your free digital stamp for December, compliments of Gecko Galz.  Be sure to visit the Gecko Galz Blog each day for a link to the featured designers blog to pick up more free digital stamps!  While your here, please scroll through the rest of the post and check out what I created with some of the new December products from Gecko Galz on Etsy.

Also this month, Gecko Galz will be doing the annual 24 Tags of Christmas.  Each day, the blog will feature an amazing tag for you to create yourself, or be inspired by.  Don't forget our Christmas Spectacular!  Find out how to win prizes on the Gecko Galz Blog!

Cards:  

Roads Less Traveled paper pack

Snow Maidens digital collage set

Czarina Digital Craft Kit

Snow Maidens digital collage set

Tags:

Czarina Digital Craft Kit

I created the tag above using stuff that was on or near my desk.  The image from the Czarina Craft Kit is oval shaped, so I slipped it into a Tim Holtz cabinet card.  I papered the cabinet card with background paper from the digital kit.  There happened to be a piece of corrugated cardboard nearby so I rubbed some gesso onto it, sprinkled diamond dust while it was wet and adhered the cabinet card to the corrugated cardboard.  I added trims, and that was it! 

Merry and Bright digital paper pack
Altered Christmas digital collage sheets
Winter Time digital collage sheets

I cut the shape of this tag with my electronic cutting machine, using a free svg file.  Alternatively, you can easily find a fancy tag template using google, print it out, and use the template to cut your design paper, or use a punch board to form the fancy shape.  I layered my Gecko Galz images using pop dots for dimension, and added trims from my stash.

The Gecko Galz December Challenge is Here!

Welcome Crafty Friends!  It's time for a new Gecko Galz Customer Challenge!  Please join us for the current challenge "Far Away Places", accepting entries from December 1st - December 29th.  There is only one rule.  You need to use at least ONE product from Gecko Galz.  It can be one of the free products, stamps, collage images, or digital background papers.  The winner will receive a $25 Gecko Galz shopping spree!

  Don't forget to stop by the Gecko Galz blog to see what the rest of the team created this month.  We hope to inspire you to enter the challenge and win!  Don't forget that throughout the month, the Gecko Galz blog features samples created by the team using the new products for that month.

Below is a sample card that I have created for this month's "Far Away Places" challenge.

I began with a pre-folded kraft card base 5 x 6.5.  I printed out the gorgeous collaged background digital design paper from the Roads Less Traveled paper pack at 8 x 10.  I cut out the portion of the paper that I wanted to use.  I chose to cut the paper so that the red would serve as a backdrop for my image.  The image of the girl is from the Snow Maidens collage sheet set.  I fussy cut her from the background so it would appear that she was walking across the map behind her, and adhered her with pop dots for dimension.  I cut out small images from another paper that I'd printed from the same digital paper pack, and framed them with postage stamp frames, and adhered with pop dots.   I placed the stamp with the New York theme so it would appear that she was looking at it and making her decision on which of life's paths she should travel.  I found the sentiment on google.  I added more details such as the tiny buttons, and some glass beads around her feet.  Thanks for looking!

Free Digital Stamp and Gecko Galz November Projects

Hi Crafty Friends!  Below is your free digital stamp for November, compliments of Gecko Galz.  Be sure to visit the Gecko Galz blog each day for a link to the featured designers blog to pick up more free digital stamps!  While your here, please scroll through the rest of the post and check out what I created with some of the new November products from Gecko Galz on Etsy.

Merry and Bright digital paper pack

Blue Christmas digital craft kit

Merry and Bright digital paper pack

Blue Christmas digital craft kit

Merry and Bright digital paper pack

Very Vintage Christmas digital collage sheet set

chipboard snowflake by Gina's Designs

The Gecko Galz November Challenge is Here!

Welcome Crafty Friends!  It's time for a new Gecko Galz Customer Challenge!  Please join us for the current challenge "Sugar Plum Fairies", accepting entries from November 1st - November 29th.  There is only one rule.  You need to use at least ONE product from Gecko Galz.  It can be one of the free products, stamps, collage images, or digital background papers.  The winner will receive a $25 Gecko Galz shopping spree!

  Don't forget to stop by the Gecko Galz blog to see what the rest of the team created this month.  We hope to inspire you to enter and win!  Don't forget that throughout the month, the Gecko Galz blog features lots of samples created by the team using the new products for that month.

Below is the sample that I have created for this month's challenge.
"Winter Fairy Shadowbox"

The base of my project began with an unfinished 5 x 7 shadowbox that I purchased at Hobby Lobby.  I initially painted it dark green, but then covered it up with thick white gesso that I dabbed on for lots of texture.  I used my finger to cover the edges with texture paste, and then sprinkled it with glitter.  I did the same with the chipboard icicles.  I papered the inside with digital design paper by Gecko Galz, then added chipboard snowflakes that I embossed with shabby white embossing powder.  I printed the gorgeous fairy from the Gecko Galz Blue Christmas digital kit, dabbed on a little Mod Podge, and added some glitter.  I hot glued some tiny wooden spools to the back of the fairy and then glued her to the back of the box to add dimension.  I glued in some white bloomer trim, and added other embellishments I had in my Christmas stash.  Thanks for looking!

Merry and Bright digital paper pack
Blue Christmas digital craft kit

Chipboard by Gina's Designs

Gecko Galz October Blog Hop!!

Hello Everyone!

I want to welcome everyone to the twelfth destination of

Gecko Galz 5th Annual Blog Hop

If you started here you might want to go back and start at the beginning at the Gecko Galz blog so you won’t miss anything!  

We have 14 AMAZING blogs for you to visit this weekend, each with some gorgeous projects created using the Gecko Galz exclusive blog hop collage sheets, that we are giving you for FREE! Each blog you visit will have another free Gecko Galz Collage sheet for you to grab, the one here is

"COLOR OF ART".

Also make sure you collect all the “secret” words on each blog so at the end of the hop you can send in the phrase to enter our drawing for a wonderful treat. 

So sit back, relax, take your time and enjoy the hop!

We have FOUR amazing prizes up for grabs:

·        First is a Gecko Galz shopping spree for $100!

·        Second prize is a $50 Shopping spree with Gecko Galz.

·        Third prize is a $25 shopping spree!

·        And our Grand Prize ONE FULL YEAR of Gecko Galz PRODUCTS!!! This includes the 6 new collage sheets each quarter, a new stamp set each quarter, a new paper pack each quarter and a kit club pack each quarter!

 This is a $150 value! Plus you get a prize pack from some of our favorite sponsors worth $150!

 Read on to learn how you can win!

First of all, you will need to visit all 14 blogs and leave a comment on each blog :) **This is important so we know you have been to all the blogs **. Collect all 14 words (one on each blog site except the home site) and at the end of the blog on the Fripperies and Butterflies site there will be a link to email the phrase to Gecko Galz.

This enters you in the contest. On November 2nd we will randomly draw the 4 winners and email each of you, then we will post the winning names on the Gecko Galz blog site.

For an extra chance to win make a purchase from the GECKO GALZ ETSY STORE between the 29 of October and the 1^st of November and your name goes in again for a better chance of winning (each purchase you make that weekend gives you another chance to win) 

Your Secret Word is;

WORLD

Now that you have it go to the next blog on the list below

Heather Hudson

Leanne Seed

Thank you for joining the hop and enjoy your free collage sheet and my samples

Below are samples I have created from the collage sheet and other Gecko Galz products

Color of Art collage sheet

Nature's Bliss Jewel-it (fussy cut butterfly)

Design paper from the Free Birds Digital Craft Kit (top half of card)

Renaissance Dreams ATC Backgrounds (bottom half of card)

Color of Art Collage Sheet

Nature's Bliss Jewel-it ( I cut the image into 3 sections)

Victorian Spring Digital Kit (2 sections of peach colored background paper)

Color of Art Collage Sheet

Renaissance Dreams ATC Backgrounds

La Boheme Digital Kit (drapes framing the image)

Color of Art Collage Sheet
Chocolate Box digital paper pack (raspberry truffle)

Color of Art Collage Sheet

Christmas Carols collage sheet set

Christmas Past digital paper pack

Gecko Galz October Projects

Hi Crafty Friends, and welcome to my blog!   Today I'm sharing a few samples I've made from the new Gecko Galz October products.  I won't be giving away a digital stamp this month, but instead will be giving away a full collage sheet on October 29th through 31st as one of the stops along the way of our annual blog hop!  More details available on the Gecko Galz blog.

"Haunted Forest Shrine"

Fall Into Nature digital collage sheet set

Song Birds digital collage set

The wooden shrine is by sacrafters, and it's a perfect way to display Gecko Galz images!

"Happy Birthday Card"

Birthday Bash digital collage set

Autumn Harvest digital paper pack

The doilies are by Gina's Designs.

"Retro Birthday Card"

Birthday Bash digital collage set

Words and Music digital paper pack

"Vintage Lady Card"

La Boheme Digital Craft Kit

Autumn Harvest digital paper pack

Vintage Visions digital paper pack

Thanks for looking!