A sweet little reindeer

A quick little post to share another Christmas tag with you.  Might have been a mix up, but I posted a different tag than the one Gecko Galz did for me that day.  Here is the one they had...

I have a "thing" for Bingo cards and just LOVE the Santa bingo card from Gecko Galz.  I have used it many times.  The tag is really very simple....Start with a manilla tag and paint it with Iced Spruce distress paint.  Give it a spritz of water to distress it a bit.  When it is dry lightly distress ink your edges with Frayed Burlap (all of the images too).  I have a punch for the greenery - you will need some of the small branch and some of the holly too.  The bingo card can be found here.  I then added the cute little reindeer (found here) that was fussy cut by pop dotting it on top of all of the greenery.  Add a big red bow and you are good to go!

So quick and easy you could make them for all of your packages!

Hope you are having a blessed Christmas season.

A quick little tag

Welcome to Gecko Galz tags of December!  I am especially fond of making tags.  I think of them as mini pieces of art!  I have a tag wall in my craft room that is just for my enjoyment!

So, here is one of many tags I will share with you this month:

I made this tag using the czarina papers and the baroquen dreams stamps.  First I die cut a manilla tag then covered it with one of the gorgeous paper from the czarina paper collection.  I can see I will be using those papers often!  Once I had the butterfly stamp printed I covered it heavily with glossy accents and left it to dry overnight.  The next morning I "cracked" the butterfly by carefully bending it.  I then inked it.  This creates a really cool antiqued look.  I matted it on a yellow ochre card stock and fussy cut.  Some velveteen leaves from Petaloo and some fall flowers along with the "so thankful" tag complete the tag.

Hope you enjoyed this quick tag.  Visit Gecko Galz to see these images and so many more!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and a free stamp

I can't seem to get that song out of my head!  I am one of "those" who does not like to have Christmas things up before Thanksgiving.  Are you?  I read something on Facebook last week that said something about enjoying my holidays one at a time.  That's me!  So now that Thanksgiving is over, I am ready for Christmas!

Our local radio station plays Christmas songs for the whole month.  I love that.  However, this morning I had just a limited amount of time in the car and this was the song I heard.  Now it is playing over and over in my head!

I thought I would share a few things from Gecko Galz with you very quickly.  These are 2 of the projects I made with the December release.

I fell in love with this lantern image this month.  I have made several tags and cards with it but this one is by far my favorite.  The image is pop dotted onto a kraft tag that I splattered with white paint.  I punched the greenery from different scraps of green card stock I had laying around, tipped them in white to look snowy, and then stacked then under the lantern.  The original image had the greenery but I wanted a 3D affect.  I made the tiny pinecones as well.  It is hard to see since I did not get the best picture, but the lantern light is glittery as well (thanks to some Faber Castell glass bead glitter gel).  This may end up being a version of my actual Christmas cards that I send to family!

Some of the images were called Blue Christmas and as you can guess they were all blue.  I love the santa image and decided to fussy cut the snowflake out.  It has glass bead glitter gel on the outer edges.  I used the papers, the christmas list image and then the santa to make this quick card to put in some baskets I made.  It is perfect with the silver ribbon I tied the baskets with.  Can't show you the finished basket or the recipients would know who it came from (it's a surprise).

Want something free?  Well, as a thank you for stopping by :

A free Gecko Galz stamp!

Please stop by Gecko Galz and see all the wonderful images they have in store for you!  It's a great way to customize your cards this holiday season.  So many great things to see.  

Enjoy!

A big thank you

Wow.  What a great Gecko Galz Blog Hop!  I know I had a great time hopping from blog to blog to see the incredible pieces and to grab my freebies!  Did you?  A huge thank you to those who hopped along and left comments.  It's nice to hear from blog peeps that enjoy my creations.

It has been a busy week.  (as usual!)  I only taught "2" classes but I was at the store every day , or so it felt!  My home schedule has changed significantly this year and has forced me to re-think how I have my classes at Scrapp n' Savvy.  Usually I hold a morning and an evening class on the same day for a project.  But I have had to change that up depending on the day.  So last week I taught a night class on one day and then a day class the very next day for the same project.  Felt weird.  But all was good.

I thought I would share these projects with you here:

First is a class project from Bo Bunny.  This is a kit available to retailers and I thought it would be fun and easy.  There were some significant issues with the kit (papers that I felt did not match the kit, poor instructions, design challenges).  I ended up "re-making" the album to suit my standards!  It really is adorable.  The satchel opens to reveal a mini album.

Satchel shown open to show the back with a "hidden" pocket.

This is the cover of the mini album.  The papers are part of the Enchanted Harvest collection.  The kit included brads and a pre-made mini album from previous collections.

A little Halloween album.  This was fun to make and included all the new Tim Holtz Halloween goodies.

A fall 3 D layout.  The picture seems so dark whereas the original has deep and wonderful fall colors.

A second fall 3d layout.  This one is so cute....I have a great pumpkin pic to put here.

And lastly, I have had a large demand for pet mini albums.  I love Authentique papers and this fall they released an adorable cat/dog collection.  So, I made one of each for a class.  The papers are so cute and have wonderful prints!

I am playing around in the craft room this weekend.  I have a layout I am making for a gift (aaaghh-just realized I have to get this done!).  And there is some fun Christmas stuff happening too!  Will share when I'm done.

Hope you have a great week. Craft for happiness!

Gecko Galz blog Hop with a FREE image

Hello Everyone!

I want to welcome everyone to the sixth 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

"FLY FREE".

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!

My samples using this collage sheet:

First up is a mixed media canvas.  I used all of the images plus some other goodies from my stash to make it.  Love all of these images!!!

Next, a few Christmas ornaments.  This is one of my favorite Sizzix dies from ages ago.  Each ornament was cut from chipboard then painted with a sparkly acrylic paint.  I added the images between acrylic pieces and added them to the ornaments.  Large bows and a bit of glitter complete them.

A mini journal.  After playing with Altoid tins at the Gecko Galz retreat, I had some ideas rolling around.  I decided to make this mini journal using one of the tins and love how it turned out.  The tin was alcohol inked with greens and blues to match the images.  I also used some Tim Holtz rub-ons and some other Gecko Galz papers and tags.

The inside is an accordion book.

And of course I had to make a tag (for my tag wall).  I chose to use scraps from my work table to make this little cutie.  Rolled flowers.  Lattice background.  And of course those beautiful butterflies!

You may remember this from a few weeks ago.  I brought it back because it uses the same images.  This is by far one of my favorite tags ever!  Many Gecko Galz images were used for this tag.

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;

TO

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

Michele Storms

Amanda Phillips

Gerri Herbst

Joan Liddle

Vicki Romain

Nancy Smith

Heather Hudson

Leanne Seed

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

Something wicked this way comes

"Double, double, toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Double, double, toil and trouble;

Something wicked this way comes!"

Halloween is on its way.  I think the lines above are from a Harry Potter movie but I can say that I have heard different versions of this my entire life.  I do really enjoy Halloween.  I don't mean the evil, scary Halloween.  I mean the fun, cute costume, cool decorations type of Halloween.  

Each year when my children were smaller I made their costumes.  Thoroughly enjoyed doing it too!  Princesses, pumpkins, Buzz Lightyear, Simba, more princesses, various saints, Woody, anything Star Wars, ...........  And of course the costumes were passed down to the younger ones.  I remember the year of the capes - there was a huge argument over who got to wear the brown Star Wars cape I made.  Well, everyone got one that year.  Each one of them had a costume with a cape!  And I love that we still have those capes and the kids (even the adult ones) still wear them!  We had not 1 , but 2 costume bins in our house.  I guess with 5 children there was a need for a lot of costumes!  Just recently we purged the costume boxes.  Very sad to see some of those leave my house.  I kept a few just because I couldn't let them go (like the Simba head that I hand made! and the St Nicholas costume.   Oh, and the St Michael costume).  I do wish I had taken a picture of each and every one of them.  I guess I do have them in  a way - I am sure I have a picture of the children wearing them and that is better.

Each year I make a Halloween mini album.  Of course when all of the kids were home I had lots of pictures.  Not so much this year.  But I made the album anyway :)

I chose to use the new Tim Holtz Regions Beyond paper stash and all the goodies that go with it.  I love the papers but as I made the album I felt it needed "more".  So I added some Gecko Galz images to it.  Perfect.  The vintage nature of the paper and the vintage images I chose perfectly complimented each other.  I used Gecko Galz Wicked Words 1 and 2 and Halloween Kids 1 and 2.  Visit Gecko Galz to see these sheets and so much more (the papers for October are fabulous!)

So, I thought I would show you some of the pages:

 This is the spine of the mini.....I used canvas that I painted with Spiced Marmalade distress paint and then distressed it further with Black Soot distress ink.  The Tim Holtz Halloween line also has these cool plastic words (Alpha Words) - the 31 and the spider were part of those.  I also added some of the charms from the collection and a mini wishbone from earlier releases.

 Inside cover.  You can see I have used Gecko Galz images here.  Just a mixture of the papers and GG images.  I also pulled out all of my Halloween die cuts to use (the 31 on this page).  Each of the mini album pages have pockets flip out pages, and extra large side pockets.  Loads of room.

 I love this page.  It is a simple flip top.  You can also see that one of the tags for the side pocket hangs over onto the page.  I love this page because of the "boo".  It is an older die but still available from Sizzix. It is rather fragile when cut so I cut it from chipboard, painted it with black soot distress paint and then topped it with glossy accents.  I was in a hurry when I added the glossy accents so not all of it got covered.  I think the spotty texture adds to the effects of it.

 These are 2 of the tags from the album.  Again I used the Alpha Words to add to the tags.  I also made many of the tags "cards".  I think it adds some interest when they hang out of a pocket and then you can pull them out all together.  GG images....perfect addition.

 Another fav page....it has a mini gatefold.   Like Christmas.....you just keep opening it!  You can see more of the GG images here as well.

 A few more tags.....another card fold tag.  Don't you just love those chalkboard images?

 And this.  The coffin tag.  I have made coffin tags before but this one is larger, almost 6 inches, and has a bit more detail.  I used the Washi tape, the brads and an image from the paper stash for the front.  I like using Washi tape but sometimes find that it wants to peel off.  Frustrating.  So I usually add a light coat of Ranger Matte Medium over it (dries super fast) or depending on where it will be I may add some adhesive underneath it.  I used Washi around the edges on the tag and then coated the front with the matte medium when I was done adding my image.  It dries clear and matte so you don't even notice it.

 Inside of the coffin tag....another GG image (to cover the back of the brad at the top).  I also added a tiny pocket on the right bottom.....perfect to hold a tiny tag with a GG image on it!

And the back.  What a perfect way to end the mini than with a GG chalkboard tag.  Again, I used the matte medium to attach the tag.  It seals it down so that it will not lift off.  You can also see the black lace I added to the covers.  It is some of my vintage stash.  I found a huge roll of it years ago for $10!  Score!  It is not all that old, from the 50's.  But I love using it!

Well,  I hope you enjoyed a little wickedness!  Stop by again....I can hardly wait to share my projects for the GG Blog Hop (last week of October).  I had soo much fun making them!  And there will be some freebies too!  Enjoy your day.

A little birdie told me

Good morning.  Today is Gecko Galz day for me!  I have had the best time playing with the October images from GG.  Just in case you don't know, each month Gecko Galz has new images and a kit club that has papers, stamps, and other images.  This month they are fall type images and boy are they lovely!  Visit Gecko Galz to see all of the amazing images.

No further ado....

I will apologize for the pics....the sun was bright and shining today!  And unusually fall-like!

For this card I used the fall papers and one of the dominoe images from this month.  The image is just stunning.   I could just dream about being at that exact spot!  I paired the paper and the image with some die cut leaves and fun textile yarns from my stash.

A little birdie told me......I love birds.  Don't know why.  Maybe because they are amazing!  Anyway, there are some of the most adorable bird images this month.  The card pictured below is made with one of the October papers and the precious bird image.  I have layered the paper, corrugated board, ribbon, moss and some bling to create this card.  I really love how it turned out and decided to re-create it for my Thanksgiving cards this year.

And another little birdie.....again using one of the papers and this simple bird image.  This reminds me of the Aspen leaves in Colorado.  So serene.  I double matted the image on cardstock then on top of some die cut leaves.  All of this is placed on top of one of the yummy papers.

Well, a little birdie will always be around here!  I hope you enjoy your fall day!

This and that

It seems that life is rolling on by.....I think I stay so busy I forget to blog sometimes!  I thought today I would share just some different things.  Usually I am posting my Gecko Galz designs about this time each month but I changed it up a little this time.  Go grab a cup of tea and enjoy.

First up:

I wanted to share this because I just LOVE how it turned out.  You see, here in Texas we are silly crazy about all things Texas!  This was a 3d layout class I had in August.  I love how the paper looks like old leather.  How the flowers turned out.  How the grungepaper looks like real leather.
Just all over goodness.

The flowers were made using Elizabeth Craft Designs dies.  I used the Garden Notes Rose 2 and the Bluebonnet dies.  I had never made the flowers before.  I think they turned out awesome!

The star is made from paper as well.  Once I made the 3D star I painted it with silver precious metals.  Love that stuff!  Then I added it to the red bandana rosette (made from a napkin!).  The picture is extra special because I made it for a friend.  That is her and her husband.  Such lovebirds!  And the fenceboards are from Scrapp n' Savvy!  Just so many things to love!

Also this summer I had a class in which we made a mini suitcase.  We built the whole thing from scratch and then added a mini album inside!  They were so much fun to make and decorate.  Just a tidbit to show here:

Well, as we say in Texas, I hope y'all have a good one!

Goblins and Ghosts and Fall Fun

Oh what a wonderful time of year.  I love the cool evenings and the pretty days.  And the colors - oh, just stunning.  Even though I live in a part of the country that doesn't really see the bright Autumn colors, I still look forward to it every year.

This month Gecko Galz has some stunning images to get you in the Autumn spirit. Or maybe just in the spooky spirit!!

For my first sample I made a tiny lantern to highlight the fun black and white images.

The picture is not the best...but there is a flameless candle in the mini lantern!  The images are perfect and "glow" with the candle.

I fell in love with the vintage children images this month too.  They are just so cute.  To highlight them I decided to make some pumpkins with the images in the centers.  I drew a pumpkin shape on chipboard and then made another center area for the pumpkin out of chipboard as well.  I painted these with distress paints giving them highlights and shadows.  I then added the image to the center panel using matte medium.  The center panel was them adhered to the pumpkin and extra shadowing was added.  Finished them with bows and wooden leaves.  It is a little hard to see but I added a sparkle to the main pumpkin too.  They look so cute in my entrance hall!  Images are from Halloween is for Kids collage sheet.

 This one is made with one of the chalkboard images from Wicked Words collage sheet that is part of the craft kit this month.  I think I have made a dozen of these now.  Everyone wants one!  It is made the same way as the pumpkins above but I stenciled on the base pumpkin with texture paste.  The are painted black and then the textured area is rubbed with silver to make it stand out.  The center panel has Glass Bead Glitter Gel on it.  It is iridescent so it really picks up the silver color.  A big bow and dangling leave complete it.

These are just a sampling of the images this month.  So many to choose from!  Stop by Gecko Galz and take a look at the beautiful images.  Get your SPOOK on!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!