Gecko Galz February Challenges

 I've been quietly working on several of the new challenges on the Gecko Galz blog...

As you know, each month there is a whole new set of cool images available for free on the blog - these images correlate to the fun new challenges. Here is a sneak peek at this month's challenge images...

Ahhhh so much goodness...you can see why I've been busy!

Today I have 5 of the 6 challenges finished and ready to share...

First is the card challenge...I went with a skinny card since it's a nice tall image. I loved their romantic look/dress so I went with something classy and used my Rinea foiled papers. It really shines IRL. Of course that shimmer is hard to capture in photos.

Next up is the Christmas Challenge. I have to admit I was a bit stumped by this image but I decided to go with snowflakes and glitter! You just can't go wrong with glitter - LOL!!  A bit of stamping on a piece of handmade cardstock then lots of glitter here and there. I added a large acetate snowflake and gem to finish it off.

Oh my, the Fantasy image is lovely isn't she? I knew I wanted to make a gothic arch because of the size of the image. It worked out so well! I added lots of paper flowers, leafy ribbon and a bit of fancy trim.

Next up was the Gothic Challenge and a black/drippy rose. Well this was another stumper but after several false starts I came up with this fun bouquet of black roses. I took the image and printed it in loads of different sizes then fussy cut each and every one! There are 12 btw, and there are 3 layers - some glued directly to the card and others which were added using foam tape to give the bouquet depth and dimension.

My final card for the day is my Steampunk Challenge card. She's so pretty on her own but I used a fun background and some tiny clocks to enhance the design.

Still working on the ATC challenge and the fun Trolls but that's for another day.

Don't forget there are also 4 new challenges on the Facebook group as well...

 

Be sure to pop on over and check out all the fun makes people have submitted so far!

A Christmas Challenge?

 Hello All!

As you know Gecko Galz hosts several challenges each month on their blog. They provide an image for each challenge and all you need to do is use it on a project. Now it doesn't have to be a card but you know how much I love making them so that's what I did today....

Steampunk Challenge -

I love this Steampunk Santa Clause...he's so cute! I went with it and gave him a steampunk time mat from the Time Flies ATC sheet. I also stamped the card it's self with several different Lavina stamps.

Gothic Challenge

She normally wouldn't be a Christmas image but I turned her into one :)  I used a background from the Christmas Dreams sheet then a bit of fussy cutting and I added some sparkle and a bit of faux fur!  It's a very tactile card and I love how it turned out!

Christmas Challenge 

Oh how I love this darling owl.  Doesn't he have the sweetest face? Well I had to use a bit of sparkle and lace.  Just too much fun.

Card Challenge

This is the only challenge I didn't "Christmas" up.  The image is the woman which I paired with a free moon image from one of the old Gecko Galz newsletters! Did you realize you can right click on all of the collage images from the newsletters to save/use?  Well you sure can and this is just one of many I have saved!

Hope you decide to hop on over and pick up one or all of the Free images to play with. 

If you do, be sure to post your creations - you could be the lucky winner of a GG Gift Certificate!

My Spirit Animal....

Another fun card to share with you for the current challenge Let's Fly. This time I used one of my favorite Hard Luck Pixies - Lucy.....she's got such a great grumpy going on...it's so easy to love her.

I started off by inking up a scrap of orange/pink pattern paper that was in my stash. I stamped Lucy in the center and then stamped off a second image for a mask. I did the same with the Unicorn sentiment. I then stamped a grungy background using stamps from Brush Strokes and parts of the background stamp Grunge Black Swirl here and there.

Remember there is plenty of time to join in on the fun as our challenges run for the entire month now. Pull out your stamps that will let your imagination FLY!

 

Steampunk Wander Card

Time for another fun challenge and this time I went a wee bit Steampunk...

I wanted this to like they were plans to build a set of wings so I started by stamping the Steampunk Fly Girl on a piece of grid pattern paper. I then stamped the Ledger background in brown ink specifically using the column of figures and the months on the opposite side of the card.  I stamped some text - Pieces of Calligraphy - in red and added some fingerprints and smudges here and there so it looked like these were well worn plans.  I finished the card off by stamping the Not all Who Wander sentiment in the corner.

I hope you join in on the Let's Fly theme this month. 

Giraffe Postcard Art

 Trying a new challenge out today. I've been subscribed to the Sunday Postcard Art Challenge blog for a long time now but I never seem to get my act together to participate as their challenges are 1 week in duration.  Well, this weeks theme was Giraffe - they are my favorite animal so I knew I had to give it a go. 

So, the only requirement is that the postcard should be 4x6" and follow that week's theme of course. So I wanted to make a vintage looking postcard so I started off by stamping the "Ledger Background" from Lost Coast Designs with acorn Versafine Clair ink onto a piece of cream colored cardstock. I then added the vintage photo of the giraffe's (Gecko Galz).  I used another GG giraffe image to make a giraffe themed postage stamp, added a couple number stickers and a sentiment.

I'm glad I finally decided to play...it was really fun to make.

Sunday Postcard Art - Giraffe

The Green Man...Come On Spring!!

Today I have a card that I hope will help usher in Spring without too much more of that white stuff...Green Man.

To create this card I started off by stamping the Leaves background image on the card using multiple colors of greens and browns. I then stamped the "Green Man" from the Victoriana set in a darker green. I then used some text from the Pieces of Calligraphy one or two images from Pieces of Architecture and dots from the Brush Strokes.  I then die-cut the Oak Leaf branches from Honey Bee Stamps to frame him.

There is still time to join in on the fun...

 

Kindred Spirits

 Playing with the Gothic image of the month at Gecko Galz...

A gothic take on Little Red Riding Hood...I love it!

A bit of gesso, watercolors, acrylic paint, vintage ephemera, washi tape, some stamping, stencils, Creative Medium and more!

Gecko Galz Monthly Gothic Challenge 0224

Pondscum & Pretending to be normal!!

Hello Friends - my day to post over on the Lost Coast Designs blog for our current monthly challenge - #181 - Anything Goes!

Today I have a card made using my favorite colors...green and blue. 

I wanted to make a bright card using lots of color so I stamped each image using a stamping tool adding more and more color each time I stamped the image. The background image - Pondscum - was stamped using 4 shades of VersaFine Clair green ink while the main image from the Phrenology Set in shades of blue.  I stamped the sentiment - Pretend to be normal -  on a piece of cardstock that I colored with water color crayons.

Lost Coast Designs - Challenge #181 Anything Goes

Lost Coast Designs has changed their challenges from bi-weekly to a full month long - allowing everyone more time to play!!

Since this is my first post of the new year for the design team I couldn't help but make a new years card and the ladies are helping me welcome it in...

Aren't they a fun bunch. It's the Waiting for Mr. Right stamp - they are perfect for so many occasions. I just love them.  I also used the sentiment from Party Words...this is a fun set because there are sentiments that are vertical as well as horizontal. So very handy!

I hope you have a chance to join in on the fun!!

Happy New Year everyone!!

 

Happy New Year friends....

Hello friends - as the year is drawing to a close, so is our current challenge at Lost Coast Designs -  In the Deep Mid Winter. 

Today I wanted to share with you an ornament I made to welcome in the new year...

I found a bunch of these neat wood ornaments at a garage sale this fall and I knew they would be so much fun to use.  I started off by inking up the ornament with a couple shades of pink Distress Oxide ink. I then added black ink for the ornament cap.  I stamped a few Large Snowflakes and Small Snowflakes around the edge. I then stamped Happy New Year from the Party Words set in the center. I added a bit of glitter here and there...because everything is better with glitter you know - LOL!!

 I finished off the ornament with a bit of die-cut pine branches a jingle bell and ribbon.

It's ready to be placed on the tree to help welcome in 2024!!

Hope you've all had an amazing year and if you haven't already take a bit of time to join in on the fun. All the best to you and yours in the coming year!

Meow, Meow, Meow - Santa Kitty

 Hello everyone... I hope you're all doing well.  Today I have a fun Christmas card for you using one of my favorite stamps from Carmen's Veranda.. Peekaboo Kitty...

The kitty was stamped on a piece of off white cardstock and colored with colored pencils.  It was trimmed and added to this fun piece of pattern paper.  I then stamped the Two Gnomes and trimmed away one of the hats. It was then glued about 1/4" above the kitty - I filled in the gap and added a ball with glitter.  I added a few bits of glitter to the trees as well.  Finally I stamped the Merry Christmas sentiment from the Party Words set.

Hope you've enjoyed todays card and that you join in on the fun...

Deep Midwinter Challenge - Purple Deer

 I my ink stained friends... I hope you're enjoying winter in your neck of the woods.  Today I wanted to step out of my comfort zone for a moment and try a color I don't use often...purple!  Yes, in my world there are purple deer.

So I stamped the Trees background stamp on white cardstock using VersaMark ink and embossed with white ep.  I then used 3 colors of purple and a bit of pink Distress Oxide ink to color the image. I trimmed and matted the image, added a bit of glitter and my purple deer family.

I hope you have a chance to join in on the fun! 

#180 - In The Deep Midwinter

Snowflake Wishes

 Hello!!

Lost Coast Designs is celebrating winter all month long...  Today I wanted to share my first creation with you and it combines a few of my favorite things...snowflakes, glitter and blue!!!

I simply love the glitter and sparkle of real snowflakes so I thought I'd use some glitter embossing powder on these ones! (Large Snowflakes, Small Snowflakes) I wish you could see the amazing sparkle of these IRL - they are just so pretty.  I used several shades of blue ink to make the background then I stamped the Long Swirl in another shade for fun.  Finally I stamped the sentiment to finish it off. (Party Words)

I hope you take a bit of time to create this month and join in on the fun!!

By The Sea Artist Trading Coins

 Hello my ink stained friends - I hope you all have had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend.  Today I wanted to share my Artist Trading Coins for the current challenge at Lost Coast Designs - Round & Round.  I just love making artist trading coins...similar to Artist Trading Cards - these small round bits of goodness are just as much fun! It's really cool when you take a stamped image and cut it (in this case) into a circle how it can take on a totally new look.  It makes you focus on a specific part of the image. I hope you give them a try...they really are lots of fun to make.

I wanted to do something a bit summery as it has been so cold here and I thought these might fit the bill.  I used Mini Fish, Mini Maritime and the Steampunk Mermaid.  All of these images were stamped on a shimmery white cardstock (which I sadly couldn't capture in the photos).  They were each colored with a variety of colored pencils and edged with VersaFine ink.

There is still time to join in on the fun...

share your creation with us and you might just be a lucky winner!

Stamping on Pattern Paper #178

 Hello my inky friends and welcome today I have a card I made for the new challenge at Lost Coast Designs..> #178 - Stamping on Pattern Paper! It is so much fun to see what you can come up with by stamping on pattern paper. I just love how the pattern shows through and enhances the design.

For this card I stamped the Roses stamp onto this vintage looking pattern paper that I then added a bit of color with watercolor pencils and a waterbrush. 

After I had colored the image I die-cut the area of the image I wanted to feature.  Next I tore several strips of pattern paper to tuck behind the image.  I used a stamp from the Pieces of Calligraphy set to create the blue strip of pattern paper.  A few brown pearls were used to finish off the card.

Hope you can join in on the fun stamp on your own piece of pattern paper!

Christmas Kitty Tag

Hello Friends... 

I don't know if you recall or not but in past years I've participated in the Cat Lovers Blog Hop. Well the host of that lovely hop was Janis Woolbright who passed away in January. To honor her memory the Christmas Kickstart Challenge is hosting a month long Cat Lovers Christmas Challenge.

For Day 8 of the challenge a friend came up with a fun Tic-Tac-Toe game board where you choose 3 of the prompts to create a card. I went diagonal and chose  Die cut, Tag and Stamping.  Here is my creation...

I started off with a kraft colored tag that I stamped using Lavina trees and VersaFine inks. I used die-cut kitties from Scrapbook Outlet, a star from Spellbinders and the sentiment (???).  I added a bit of white marker (snow & on the ground) and glitter just because I can ;)  LOL!!

I hope it would please Janis to see the little kitties looking up at the sky for her...

Frightful Evening

Ahhh...another fun day of Halloween goodness.

For todays card I started off by applying 3 colors of Distress Oxide inks to a white card panel using an acetate circle to create a moon. I then flicked on a bit of water and blotted it off (creating such a lovely look).  I used the negative circle die to apply Brilliance White ink (give it a bit of shimmer) to the moon area.

 Next I stamped the Ledger background stamp using Dove Grey ink.   The Cityscape image was stamped along the bottom.  The Witch 2 was then stamped riding across the moon.  I used markers to color her in a bit.  Finally I used a glitter pen to add stars and outline the moon for a bit of sparkle.  I added the  "frightful" sentiment which I outlined with a marker.

Wicked Little Devil

Ahhh...another day of Halloween Fun over on the Lost Coast Designs blog.

Check out today's card....

For this card I used a printed background paper and stamped the Evil Eye image using VersaFine Clair Nocturn Ink (black).  I then used a variety of Zig Kuretake Clean Brush markers to color him up. I used a white paint pen to color in his teeth, horns and nails.  I used a fun little word card which describes him perfectly don't you think?

Be sure to join in on the fun and you might just be a lucky winner...

 

Nevermore

Hello hello hello my inky friends....welcome to my favorite time of the year!!!

The 31 Days of Halloween Challenge kicks off today over on the Lost Coast Designs Blog...are we ready to get things started???

Here is my first offering for the month...Nevermore!  Yes, I do love a bit of Poe at Halloween.

I began by inking up a piece of white cardstock using a die-cut acetate circle to create the moon. I then stamped the Tree with Birds several times overlapping a bit here and there to create my spooky forest.  I then added the sentiment Nevermore.  A bit of glitter (which I couldn't capture in the photo) plus a bit of white paint pen stars finished it off. The panel was then mounted on a black card base.

I hope you join in on the 31 days of fun we have in store for you...

the more entries, the bigger and better the prize!!

 

Coming Up Roses House Mouse Birthday Card

 I needed another birthday card and here's what I came up with...

just love these little guys!