Open Book 

I made the Open Book for the Gecko Galz 'Myths and Legends August 2022 Challenge' on the Gecko Galz Blog.

I have a set of open book page metal dies in different sizes. To start I cut out the back of the book using gold coloured card using the largest metal die, then I cut the second size page using pretty patterned paper in peach and then again using the smaller die in white card and over that the printed page from the 'Gecko Galz Starlight ATC' collection that I resized and printed it out to fit the project.

For the edges of each page I added gold colour corner peel-offs to give a more finished look.

I curled the pages to make them look like pages of a book and cut each one down the centre and adhered them down by layering one on top of the other this stops the pages being too bulky. I used raised foam pads behind the pages to keep the curled page look.

The image of the lady is from the 'Gecko Galz Mystic Fantasy set'.

I resized the image and printed it out. I cut a frame out of the gold card for the image and different size stars in white and gold card. For the sentiment on the right of the book I used the same gold card, patterned paper and white cardstock and layered them and stamped the word Dream in the centre.

The smaller stars are also layered. I adhered the framed image on the left side of the book and the large star on the right side using foam pads. I then adhered the stars on all four corners of the frame. I added gems to the small stars the large layered star For the centre of the book I adhered a ribbon and added large gems to the top and bottom of the ribbon. The stand is also made using a metal cutting die and  gold card.

I want to enter the 

Gecko Galz Myths and Legends

Shabby Chic Style Canvas

I made this for the Garden Child Challenge for April 2022 on the Gecko Galz Blog.

To start I used an 8 inch by 8 inch canvas. Then I chose the image of the girl from the Spring Innocence Collage sheet by the Gecko Galz on Etsy and resized it in a photo software program on my computer and then I printed it out onto matt photo paper. I always start with the image and I decorate that project to match. 

The backing paper is from My Porch Prints on Etsy and I printed that out onto matt photo paper. I adhered the backing paper onto the canvas. I then layered brown and pink cardstock behind the image to make the image stand out from the background. Then I used pretty scalloped lace at the top and bottom of the canvas. The flowers and butterflies are die cuts that I cut out and made from Carnation Crafts

I decoupaged the pink and cream flowers in different size layers to make them look more realistic and added a die cut clock that I coloured in pink to match the flowers and I tucked it behind the flowers at the bottom left of the canvas. I then added flower sprays in white to fill in the gaps between the flowers then I adhered them all onto the canvas. 

The image of the girl was adhered next and then I added lace and pink flower trim to the bottom of the image and added the same flower trim that I cut up for the top of the image. I added glitter to the flowers and also the butterflies to highlight them so they stood out from the background

Garden Child Challenge April 2022

Shabby Chic style large tag

I made this tag for the Birds and Bees Crafting Challenge for March 2022 on the Gecko Galz Blog 

To make the tag I used a large mdf tag approximately 11 inches long by 51/2 inches wide. I chose to use one of the Gecko Galz ATC's from the Gecko Galz 'Woodwork ATC set', resized in a photo editing program to fit the tag, and printed it out onto matt photo paper. The image of the bird is from the Gecko Galz 'Pretty Little Birds collage set' and I also resized it before printing it out again using matt photo paper. to fit on the front of the tag.

I tore around the image of the bird that I wanted to use so there would be no harsh lines and adhered it onto the front of the tag. I then used sections of a die-cut of a brick wall from Carnation Crafts for around the bottom of the image. Then also using a selection of other die cuts all from Carnation Crafts I tried to make a realistic-looking scene using flowers, ivy, leaves, and grass by cutting sections of each die-cut and arranging them where I thought looked nice.

To finish the decorating of the tag I added a large flat back pearl to the top section of the tag

Gecko Galz

 Decorated Tin

I made this decorated tin for the Pre Raphaelite Dreams January 2022 Challenge on the Gecko Galz Blog.

I had been inspired to decorate this tin by watching youtube, boxes being decorated with images used around the base of them although I did use images I wanted to make my own design as I prefer to do this.

To start I printed out some digital images onto photo paper to use for the tin. The images of the ladies are from the Gecko Galz on Etsy and the blue and cream paper is from Arty Maze on Etsy.

First I gave the outside of the tin a coat of white Gesso and for the base, I used grey chalk paint. I cut the background paper to fit around the base of the tin and adhered it down using Mod Podge. I wanted to use small images around the base of the tin in sections so I chose the Gecko Galz Pre-Raphalite Jewels digital sheet as the images were already in a small size. Using photo editing I then sized each image to fit on the base of the tin.

I adhered these to the tin using Mod Podge and then gave the whole outside of the base of the tin a coat of Mod Podge and set it aside to dry. For the lid of the tin I gave it a coat of white Gesso then two coats of blue acrylic paint. When dry I used an image of a lady from the Pre-Raphelite Kit from the Gecko Galz and I cut around the image to fit inside an MDF Frame. I then gave it a coat of clear matt varnish to protect it. For the frame, I again used white Gesso and also two coats of blue acrylic paint to match the lady image and the background paper that I used for around the base of the tin.

For the lid I used white filler and a stencil, placed the stencil on the lid and using a palette knife I spread the filler over the stencil lifted the stencil off and let the filler dry. When this had dried I lightly brushed cream paint over the embossed design on top of the lid then when that had dried I lightly sandpapered over it.

I had decided to use cream pearl trim around the images on the base of the tin and also around the base near the top and bottom. I then adhered the lady image into the centre of the frame

Then I adhered the frame down into the centre of the lid. I used a larger cream coloured pearl trim around the lid of the tin to match the base. To finish I added flat back pearls around the image of the lady towards the centre of the frame

I want to enter the Pre-Raphaelite Challenge for January 2022

Gecko Galz