She Blossomed

Hello Everyone
This is my final post for Gecko Galz as I have now left the DT.  I do have to say Thank You to Leanne for having me as part of her team.
My final DT sample for May was made with someone special in mind.  An Aunt of mine was celebrating her 85th birthday. I’m not usually one for adding age to birthday cards, usually I will add the special milestone on the insert but I liked the addition of the tag and I knew that my Aunt would not be offended by all knowing her age!The pretty image was printed onto canvas printer paper which always lends a lovely quality to vintage images in particular.The colours in the image dictated my colour choice for the card as a whole.
The Gecko Galz paper was really pretty but I decided to add a little bit of shabby stamping in the form of a damask stamp from Oxford Impressions.
A mix of trims decorate the top of the card, with a gathering of  paper flowers and a stamped butterfly embellishing one of the corners of the image. The supply list and instructions follow:-
Supplies
Gecko Galz Floral Symphony Digi Paper Pack
Easter Bonnet image
Scrap piece of Vintage By Me Ledger paper
Oxford Impressions:- Damask from French Script
Butterfly and rose from Jane’s Garden
8 and 5 from Distressed Numbers
Darkroom Door French Script Texture Stamp
Distress Paints:- Antique Linen and Tattered Rose
Distress Ink Tattered Rose and Victorian Velvet
Staz-on Jet Black
Memento London Fog
Tag paper punch
Hole punch
Extras:- 7”x5” cardbase, canvas printer paper, white cardstock, pompom trim, pink satin ribbon, lace, seam binding, ivory jute string, pearl stickers and found paper.

Instructions
Adhere Floral Symphony digi paper to cardbase. Stamp the above mentioned stamps with the various inks. Apply Distress Paints between layers of stamping. Abrade and ink edges of cardbase.

Trim top edge with lace, pompom trim and a seam binding bow.

Print image onto canvas printer paper. Abrade and ink edges. Trim with lace and satin ribbon. Adhere to cardbase.

Stamp French Script onto found paper. Tear into two pieces and layer behind the image.

Stamp 8 and 5 onto scrap piece of printed digi paper (Vintage by Me). Paper punch tag shape. Punch hole and thread through ivory jute twine, attach to the shabby bow.

Finally embellish the card with Prima flowers and a stamped butterfly nestling between the flowers.

Many thanks for taking the time to visit my Blog, especially so soon after yesterday. I have fallen behind with drafting and scheduling blog posts and also with catching-up with your own Blogs.
Wishes
Lynne

The Wisdom of Jane

Hello Everyone
Each month at Gecko Galz, as well as our regular DT samples we also have a Cross-Promotion where we are asked to create a sample using Gecko Galz product(s) in conjunction with the company which has been selected for that particular month and then we must also work to a particular theme. For the month of May we are working in conjunction with Vintage By Me and asked to create samples with a vintage style.  I will not hide the fact that when I saw the products from Vintage By Me I was absolutely delighted as the images were so beautiful.
I couldn’t help myself, I had to work with the Jane Austen themed image sheet and I knew immediately that I would be altering a child’s board book which I had bought such a long time ago, a bargain at 99p but for some reason, I was always saving it, waiting for the right project to come along.
Whenever possible I like to include stamping on my projects and the Jane Austen themed allowed me to play with all three sets of Jane Austen inspired stamps from Oxford Impressions.
The book, including inside covers, meant that I had 16 pages to alter, including the cover to deal with.  If you would like to view the rest of this post then I warn you that it is a photo heavy!  With me deciding to share the complete project here I thought it wise not to include the instructions which  I normally share when it is a Gecko Galz post.  If you happen to be interested in viewing the instructions, then you can read them at the Gecko Galz site.
Please join me as we open up the cover of this book and revel in the Wisdom of Jane

Size:- 5″x5″

Eager and with a deadline in my mind, I forgot to take a photograph of the board book but you can see with two layers of Gesso that the words were still peeking through.  The cover has a padded feel to it, which is rather nice, with a vinyl texture.  You will also find instructions as to how I set about altering the cover at the Gecko Galz site.
I was very lucky that for the inside pages, the shiny paper pulled away so easily and were a dream to apply paint.  I was anticipating I would need to apply Gesso but no need.  Each page had the same stamp, the beautiful damask stamp from Oxford Impressions’ French Script which was partially inked and randomly stamped as I wanted the appearance of aged wallpaper.Inside cover – Pages 1 and 2
Pages 3 and 4
Life is the flower for which love is the honey The quote was stamped onto re-sized Gecko Galz digi paper. All pages are individually noted in my instructions at the Gecko Galz site. Pages 5 and 6
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.The Gecko Galz papers were the perfect backdrops for the stamped quotes and the stamped book stack and butterflies
Pages 7 & 8
The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.
Pages 9 & 10
There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart. This is such a beautiful paper by Gecko Galz. Simply stamped the quote and trimmed with stained lace and paper blossom. Pages 11 & 12
A woman, especially if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.Pages 13 & 14
There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort
The stamped house was so perfect for this quote.Pages 15 & 16
What you could not see as I turned the pages for you, is that nestled inside the cover of the book there are three pockets I made to house three tags made with Vintage By Me digi ledger images.  I simple stapled some beautiful velvet ribbon.
If you stayed with me until the very end I have a huge Thank You so say to you as that was a very long blog post.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Wishes
Lynne

Once Upon A Time

Hello Everyone
Recently I shared with you a DT post for Gecko Galz (also a birthday card for a friend), a card made with a Spring Queens image. At the time of making the card I made a second card featuring another of the Spring Queens, once again doubling the card up as a DT sample for Gecko Galz but also for another friend’s birthday.
The wonderful Spring Queen image sheet is from their April product selection.

With it being a Gecko Galz DT sample, below you will find a supply list and instructions. 
Supplies
Gecko Galz Spring Queens
Star Crossed digital paper pack
Oxford Impressions Castle Keep
Prima flower
Martha Stewart Metallic Acrylics
Distress Paint Vintage Photo (Ranger)
Distress Ink Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose
Memento Ink
Gesso (Golden)
Gel Medium (Gesso)
Instructions
Print Star Crossed digital paper onto white cardstock. Adhere to cardbase, distressing the edges. Further distress the paper with Gesso and paints the stamp Castle Keep images with Distress Inks. Blend with baby wipe then continue to add more Gesso and paint to the cardstock. Apply paint to edges.

I isolated Spring Queens, selecting this image, re-sized by enlarging it then printing onto canvas printer paper. Distress edges then adhere to panel of corrugated cardboard which has been painted with Gesso and paints.

Apply metallic paints to white cardstock. Stamp various images from Castle Keep.

Layer the Spring Queen panel to the cardbase, embellishing the card with the stamped elements and various papers (I used papers I had prepared for other projects).

Embellish the card with a Prima flower, torn and stained vintage lace and a piece cut from rose lace ribbon.
The canvas printer paper always adds a lovely texture to images.
As with the first card I made using  the Spring Queens images, I once again dipped into the Oxford Impressions Castle Keep set.
In real life the paints shimmer with metallic goodness in the form of coppers and golds which I liked set against the more chalky, Gesso appearance of the background paper panel.More layering to create this embellishmentThank You for your visit to this post. I always appreciate your visits.
Have a lovely weekend.
Wishes
Lynne

Let The Birds Sing Their Song of Love

Hello Everyone
Gecko Galz have a monthly cross-promotional challenge. The DT were asked to create a sample where we used Day for Daisies digi stamps with Gecko Galz products and to the theme of Mother’s Day.
My offering is this small hanging – yes, I know, not my usual style!
Supplies
Day For Daisies Digi Stamp
Gecko Galz Solarium Digi paper
Prima flowers
Extras:- canvas printer paper, burlap, stained seam binding, pearl stickers and metal hanger, sparkle gel pens
Instructions
Layer Day For Daisies digi stamp onto Solarium digi paper then print onto canvas printer paper.
Distress edges before adhering to burlap panel. Highlights some of the digi stamp with sparkle gel pens.
In wordart create Mothers’ Day sentiment. Transfer to Solarium Digi paper (the same paper as used for the main panel) then print onto canvas printer paper.
Cut into a banner shape then adhere to the main panel.
Embellish the panel with Prima flowers, yellow lace and stained seam binding.
Attach to the metal hanger

For this months customer contest Gecko Galz are asking you to create any thing your imagination can dream up while working with any Gecko Galz product. It can be one of the free products, stamps, collage image paper the limits are endless to your imagination.And what will the winner get?A Day For Dasies Stamp gift pack plus a $25 shopping Spree from Gecko Galz.Just email a picture of your project by April 29th to geckogalz2014@gmail.com or go to Gecko Galz blog site and enter your link using Mr. Linky! On May 1st a winner will be announced.
Many thanks for visiting this post.
Wishes
Lynne

Queen for a Day

Hello Everyone
When I receive new Gecko Galz products from the lovely Leanne I always love the anticipation of which of the images will jump out at me, wanting me to have some fun with it. With the release of the April products I knew immediately that I had to work with the Spring Queens image sheet.
Beautiful images and I had the perfect stamp set to continue the theme throughout the cards I would be making, the stamps in the form of Oxford Impressions Castle Keep (available directly from Oxford Impressions and in the U.K. from That’s Crafty).
In this post I am sharing the first card I made, sent to a friend for her birthday.

With this being a Gecko Galz post, I am providing the supplies I used and instructions for this card.
Supplies
Gecko Galz Spring Queens
Jodi Lee Nature Garden digital paper
Oxford Impressions Castle Keep
Distress Paint Vintage Photo
Martha Stewart Metallic Acrylic
Memento Tuxedo Black
Extras:- canvas printer paper, white cardstock, tea stained cardstock, lace, corrugated cardboard and tall cardbase.

Instructions
Print Nature Garden digital paper. Abrade edges and apply Distress Paint. Adhere to cardbase. Tear two lengths from remainder of the digital paper. Distress and apply paint. Adhere to top and bottom edges of cardbase.
Select Spring Queens, isolating required image. Print onto canvas printer paper. Apply paint to edges. Layer to corrugated cardboard which has been painted with Martha Stewart paint. Embellish with lace. Stamp various Castle Keep stamps onto cardstock stained with tea. Distress all edges. Adhere the stamped elements to the cardbase.

The canvas printer paper that the image was printed onto provides a lovely texture which you can just about see on the photograph.
This photograph below shows where I added the band along the bottom (and also one at the top), distressing it and then adding a fragment of stamped text.  I rarely use pattern paper but this digi set is stunning.  The plus side to digi papers is there is no storage problem (that is a bonus if you have a craft space as wee as my own!) and you practically have unlimited options as to what you print it onto:- canvas, low gloss, fabric, transparencies …..
Many thanks for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

A Blossoming Beauty

Hello everyone
Time to share another Gecko Galz DT sample.  This sample relates to one of the Gecko Galz January product releases, the lovely My Fair Lady set.  I have already shared one card I made with this set and found I couldn’t resist making another card and yes, once again playing with colour!

Gecko Galz My Fair Lady
Gecko Galz Butterfly Wings
Darkroom Door Lace stamp set
Luminarte Twinkling H20s
TCW Mini Ledger Stencil
Prima blossoms
Ranger Glossy Accents
Extras:- low gloss printer paper, watercolour paper, texture paste, old jewellery, vintage lace, blue lace.

Instructions
Print My Fair Lady onto low gloss cardstock. Lay aside for the moment.
Use stencil and texture paste to create pattern on watercolour paper followed with a wash of colour with Twinkling H20s. Adhere panel to cardbase. Also apply Twinkling H20s to vintage lace. Once dry adhere to cardbase. Now adhere Gecko Galz image, trimming with lace and jewels from old jewellery. Stamp Elegance onto scrap of watercolour paper, ink edges and adhere to right of image, embellishing with paper flowers and butterflies.
I used butterflies which were left over from previous Gecko Galz DT samples, they were too lovely to not make use of.
Adhere the butterfly which had been printed onto transparency to top corner of image.

I looked to the colours of the lady who I believe is the beautiful Lily Elsie, to bring those colours throughout the card.The shimmer hasn’t translated but I used a combination of paints for the background, paints which also included Twinkling H20s, yes I continue to twinkle away, seeming to struggle to step away from the H20s at the moment! I even went as far as to paint the vintage lace with the paints to add that band of colour.
I always like a little bit of stamping somewhere and this Darkroom Door word suited the image.   The flowers I’ve had for the longest time. not my colours  but I forced myself to use, bringing even more colour to this card. them on this card.It leaves me to say that I always appreciate  the time you take out of your day to stop by and visit my Blog and to leave a comment.
Wishes
Lynne

My Beautiful Rose

Hello
Today I have my March DT sample for Gecko Galz to share.
I wanted a mix of textures for this card yet for the overall effect to be pretty and to bring thoughts of walking through a garden at the height of Spring, the sun shines, the birds sing their songs and there is the scent of roses in the air.

SUPPLIES
Gecko Galz In My Easter Bonnet 1
Crafty Individuals Postcard stamp
Canvas printer paper
Corrugated cardboard
Martha Stewart Paint
Golden Gesso
Golden Gel Medium
Versafine Vintage Sepia
Distress Paint Tattered Rose
Paper doilies, 7”x5” cardbase, paperclay roses, metal frame, paper roses, fabric, lace and burlap

I like the effect from printing onto canvas printer paper.A cluster of flowers and teeny pieces of lace and fabric.

INSTRUCTIONS
In Pic Monkey isolate this In My Easter Bonnet image, remove border and re-size. Print onto canvas printer paper, abrade edges and apply Distress Paint.
Tear corrugated cardboard to size of cardbase. Distress. Paint with Gesso followed by Martha Stewart paint. Adhere to cardbase.
Layer the image onto the cardbase with paper doilies (lightly apply Distress Paint) and embellish with the paper roses, paperclay rose, burlap, lace, torn paper, etc.
Stamp postcard onto found paper. Tear and tuck behind the cluster of flowers.
At top edge staple torn fabric and embellish with a metal frame and paperclay rose.

I have no doubt that the eagle-eyed amongst you spotted something very obvious on the card so I will hold my hands up and declare that I had to photograph the card before the silicone glue had dried. You see it don’t you, the drooping paperclay rose on the metal frame at the top of the card! After photographing I straightened it and it has dried successfully.  That’s what happens when you leave DT samples until the Eleventh Hour LOL.

Thank you for taking the time to visit this post.
Wishes
Lynne

Beauty Surrounds Her

Hello Everyone
Back in January I made a pendant as a DT sample for Gecko Galz, using an image from the lovely My Fair Lady image sheet. It seemed a shame not to make use of some of the other images on the sheet so I made this birthday card for my lovely friend Chris.I seem to be in a Twinkling H20 and butterfly phase at the moment.
I used a beautiful new stencil from TCW, a Rebekah Meier design. I was so excited to see her range of stencils as she is an incredible artist. I became aware of her art through Stampington publications so to discover she has a range of stencil designs is so exciting – yes, me excited over stencils, who would have believed it!Can you see the butterflies on the left of the image – that is part of the Specimens stencil. I used it with texture paste before applying washes of Twinkling H20s. More butterflies feature in the form of stamps from Darkroom Door, from the Butterflies set.
The stamped lace is also from Darkroom Door.

Supplies
Gecko Galz My Fair Lady
Darkroom Door Butterflies and Lace (stamp sets)
TCW (Rebekah Meier Designs) Specimens
Texture Paste
Distress Ink Broken China
Twinkling H20s
Prima flower
Staz-on Jet Black
Extras:- watercolour paper, low gloss cardstock (for printer), mulberry paper, feather, lace, cardbase and flat back pearls
Instructions:-
Tear watercolour paper to size. Create texture with Specimens stencil and texture paste. Apply Twinkling H20s. Stamp small butterfly with Distress Ink. Adhere panel to cardbase and trim top edge with lace. Stamp lace onto mulberry paper. Cut out and adhere to bottom edge of My Fair Lady image.  Gently distress the image.  Stamp Elegance onto scrap of watercolour paper. Embellish with pearl sticker. Adhere to cardbase. Embellish card with feather and Prima flower.

Many thanks for taking the time to visit this post today.
Wishes
Lynne

Spring Days & Roses (Gecko Galz Cross-Promotion)

Hello Everyone
This month, Gecko Galz has teamed up with Jodi Lee for our Cross Promotion challenge.
The DT were required to work with Jodi Lee products supplied to us, alongside Gecko Galz products with our samples having the theme of Spring Garden. All the DT samples can be viewed at Gecko Galz.
I cannot thank Diane  (http://1cardcreator.blogspot.co.uk/) for her invaluable help.  She so generously shared her knowledge of isolating an image from a collage sheet which is a revelation for me.

Supplies
Gecko Galz In My Easter Bonnet 2
Gecko Galz  Butterfly Wings
Nature Garden digital paper pack
Heavy weight cardstock
Golden Gesso
Golden Gel Medium
Distress Paints Victorian Velvet and Antique Linen
Crop-a-dile
Extras:- corrugated cardboard (sourced from old box packaging), fabric flowers, stained seam binding, one paper rose, lace and roses lace ribbon.

Instructions
Isolate required image from the collage sheet and re-size. Next, erase the background so you are left only with the lady.
In Microsoft word document select  Nature Garden paper. Insert the lady image to the bottom right corner of the Nature Garden paper, the fairy on the digital paper will now be obscured by the image of the lady.  Re-size the lady if required.
Print onto heavy weight cardstock.
Distress edges and apply Distress Paints.
In Microsoft word document open a co-ordinating NatureGarden paper.
Re-size then print onto heavy weight cardstock.
Tear two pieces of the printed paper.  Distress edges and apply Distress paints.
Open Butterfly Wings in the same program to allow you to isolate individual butterflies, I selected two different butterflies.
Now open them in Microsoft word document, re-size the butterflies and copy and paste until you have a flurry of butterflies.Print onto heavy weight cardstock.
Fussy cut the butterflies.
Cut corrugated cardboard to required size. Paint with Gesso.  Once dry apply Distress Paints.  Create two holes with Crop-a-dile.  Thread through lace to form a hanging.
Adhere the two pieces of torn printed papers then layer the main printed paper with the image of the lady on it.  Adhere rose lace ribbon to the paper.  Embellish the image further with a cluster of fabric flowers.  Tie stained seam binding into a shabby bow, adhere a paper rose into the centre.
Finally adhere the butterflies onto the panel.

It is now ready to display in your home to remind you that Spring is just around the corner.
This is quite dimensional as I wanted the butterflies to look as though they have merely settled down to gather their breath before they take flight once more.I don’t use papers very often but I will certainly be printing the Jodi Lee papers time and again as they are beautiful. Here you can just see and no more where I layered the two pieces, at the very top.
Rose looks perfectly at home on this paper, which is why I selected this particular Jodi Lee paper to merge or onto.  I don’t know if you would have guessed that she wasn’t originally on the design of the paper.   What Diane taught me has been such a revelation, as I said before, honestly the fun of being able to select an image from a collage sheet and then erase the background and then merge the image onto digital paper is fabulous.  This was my first attempt.Unusually for me, I decided not to add any stamping because I wanted the design of the Jodi Lee papers not to be obscured. Fabric flowers and rose lace trim add to the theme of Spring Garden.
Many thanks for your visit to this post and I hope to catch-up with you soon.
Wishes
Lynne
My Gecko Galz Giveaway closes very soon so thank you to those of you who joined in with the Giveaway.

Adorned

Hello Everyone
It is about time I shared with you this month’s DT post for Gecko Galz .
This month sees me return to jewellery.   I couldn’t help myself as when I received the products to work with for this month and spied the Olive Thomas set, one image in particular seemed so suited to being the focal for another pendant.
With this being a Gecko Galz DT project here is the supply list and instructions.
Supplies
Gecko Galz Olive Thomas
Oxford Impressions – A Scandalous Beauty
Ranger Memory Frame and Memory Glass
Tim Holtz Charm Clip
Jewellery Findings
Painted French book text
Fragment of lace
Pearls, crystal and metal frame
Low gloss cardstock
Instructions
Print Olive Thomas onto low gloss cardstock. Layer with painted French book text and lace fragments. Lay aside.
Stamp label from A Scandalous Beauty onto painted book text. Add lace fragments.
Sandwich both pieces between two pieces of Memory Glass and insert into Memory Frame.
Create pendant with jewellery findings adding pearls and crystal and a metal frame.
Once complete add ball chain.
This is now ready to add to your jewellery collection.

In comparison to the pendant created last month, this uses many of the same supplies but is slightly less ornately embellished.This is such a striking image. The rear of the pendant also needed to be decorated so I stamped this beautiful label from Oxford Impressions, embellishing with teeny fragments of lace. Thank you for your visit to this post.
Wishes
Lynne