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Gecko Galz November Challenges

                                 This month the main Challenge theme is  Christmas Magic Challenge Follow the link to share your make! Novem...

Friday, 28 June 2013

Triple stamping revisited and more poppies...



Triple stamping has been one of my favourite techniques for some time.
Check out the tutorial I wrote for Pretty Paper Studios, Dubai, on how to do it here!

Anyway I had a couple of card sketches in front of me -
 and I decided they both lent themselves to triple stamping - but in an offset sort of way...
This is the first sketch -

Mojo Monday # 296 - which I originally entered with a white on white card


This time however I went for a bit more colour - one of my 'orange' Poppy set!
 I used Indigo Blu's 'Blazing Poppies', triple stamped in Hero Arts 'Soft Canteloupe', over the three circles.
All the papers came from my scraps...the butterflies were some sparkly embellishments in my stash.

I am submitting this to our weekly facebook group challenge here in Abu Dhabi.



This is the second sketch - Mojo Monday's current challenge #299 to which I will submit my card...


I decided to go for 'square' and triple stamp the same stamp in Jenni Bowlin's 'cough syrup' over the circle and two rectangles. Again papers from my scraps and the 'flower' from Naiff Street in Dubai! 



Happy Crafting!!



Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Pop up Christmas card

My friend Lizette had a magazine with this fancy fold in it...

We challenged each other to have a go...


I thought it looked like a Christmas Cracker so I made a Christmas Card...



Take a 4 inch strip from a 12 by 12 and then score and fold as in the photo:-


Score at 2 in, 4 in, 8 in and 10 in. These are valley folds (red lines).
Score the cross ways lines to the midway line. These are mountain folds (green lines).

I chose a double sided Christmas paper to start and then decorated it with various layers and stamps.
The 'Have a Jolly Holiday' stamp has a matching 'framelit' to cut it out on the Big Shot.
I embossed this stamp with red embossing powder. 
I added a little colour to the 'Santa' stamp using Promarkers.

The card folds down flat to a 4 x 4 square so will fit in a suitable square envelope.



Here is Lizette's version:-


Merry Christmas in June!!


Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Summery cards!


I was looking through my 12 x 12 paper stash and came across some really lovely ones...

Remembering the wiper cards of last month, I thought I would do some more.

(I wrote a tutorial for Pretty Paper Studios, Dubai, on how to do them, here)

My first paper was an Amy Tangerine design from American Crafts - just lovely!

I also had a FREE beach-babe Digi from Scrapper's delights for a 'Summer Fun' Challenge.

Add a die-cut palm tree (living in Abu Dhabi, many of my cards have palm trees and/or camels on them)
and a gem on the sandal and there we are...a seaside scene...

Here is the card as it comes out of the envelope...




When it is pulled open the tag inside pops up and says 'Fun in the Sun".
I stamped a few shells on the side to add a little extra interest.



I am also submitting this to the  Scrapper's Delight Challenge

My second card uses this lovely paper...


I also have a Kris B image to colour and am going to enter this in 


Here the pop-up says 'Have a bloomiful day!'


Finally I am going back to my Indigo Blu 'Poppy Meadow' stamps -
 I think they are my favourite stamp set at the moment.
 If you have been following my blog you might remember my 'red' set
 (using Jenni Bowlin cough syrup to stamp)



   I am now on to my 'orange set' using Hero Hues Shadow Ink 'Soft Canteloupe' to stamp with.



This is the card I made this morning...just lots of matting with papers out of my scrap folders...


I am submitting this to the Indigo Blu Challenge #5 Summer Time

It is based on this sketch from Sketch'n'Scrap.


I am also submitting this card to Sketch'n'scrap card sketch #4 challenge 


I hope you like my cards!


Happy Crafting!


Sunday, 23 June 2013

Take flight...

And that is just what we are going to be doing in July -
taking flight and leaving Abu Dhabi!
Watch this space for further adventures!
In the meantime I am packing up and disposing of things -
 we will have lived in this apartment 7 years by the time we leave, so lots of stuff!

Anyway a few minutes here and there to do some crafting -
 so a quick ATC this morning, featuring owls, brown, feather and bling.
 This will fit Bernie's Tic Tac Toe Challenge in Mad Crafters Giggles on facebook.

I am also going to submit it in


The background is shaving foam and food colouring through a stencil.
Find how here


Happy Crafting!

Saturday, 22 June 2013

Two quick cards...

I just took a break from my sorting and packing and made these two quick cards...

The first features a Lacy Sunshine image -

 Eleanor & Pickles on a camping exhibition but they are awakened in the night by strange noises.  They peep out of their tent to find a naughty baby bear cooking smores on their campfire!!! 

I made another side easel card...
Matting of pretty papers from my scraps and flower and butterfly embellishments.

I am submitting this to the special Lacy Sunshine Challenge #10


My second card features a Bugaboo image - flowers in a teacup.
Various layers of pretty papers and a ribbon...

Both my cards were coloured using Promarkers.

I am submitting this to Catch the Bug Bingo Challenge -
Bugaboo Image, something with f, ribbon


Happy Crafting!

Thursday, 20 June 2013

Quickie Challenge...

 A 'quickie' challenge launched yesterday
was to make a card in less than 30 mins...

I think this took about 10... just an embossed image, coloured with distress inks, cut out, attached to a card base and then a sentiment stamped below!


Then these ATC's for a set 'Things with Wings' only took minutes -
but then I already had the backgrounds, made with shaving foam and food colouring 
(some through stencils).

  The first one has a die-cut bee, float head pins and some ribbon and pearl flowers.


The second has a flourish of embossed butterflies with gems and a bow.


The third, three wooden bird embellishments and gems.


The fourth, ribbon and gems with a cut out fairy.


Finally three owls (punched with the SU punch), googly eyes and a large pearl,


Must now get them in the post to the UK ATC Swap...

And I am pleased to see they arrived...Sue at ATC Swap UK always displays them so beautifully!


I did make another version of the 'owl one' - see it here

Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Card class yesterday and a few makes today...

This card is a Little Claire Design minus the slider...
I just stuck the butterfly in place and added 'pin' antennae.

 I thought I would try out a side-easel with my WIAD card class yesterday.


This was my sample...it is a lovely stamp set...


However this side easel card seemed very labour intensive,
 so there was not enough time to try my next design...


I had to quickly think of a ten-minute card for them to make in the last part of the session -
 much simpler, just some double stamping and matting!


Today I was sorting out my crafting stuff in preparation for moving...we leave Abu Dhabi in 3 weeks.
I found so many lovely things I ended up making cards!

Firstly some Hero Arts Layering Paper I had forgotten I had!
I used this in another side easel  - quite my favourite fold of the moment!
I used SU stamps and 'topnote' die-cuts.
I will submit this to the Get Inky Boys/Men challenge
and also My Craft Creations Transport challenge (AND IT MADE TOP 3!!)


I had edge embossed a few card blanks - this one has a row of buttons.
I added papers, buttons and ribbon to enter


Another favourite shape of the moment, and a very simple card, to submit to


Finally a sketch challenge - Christmas in June...


for the Digi Sketch Challenge  AND THIS WON!!


I really should get on with my sorting...

Happy Crafting!

Monday, 17 June 2013

Triangular fancy fold

I was thinking of cards for my card making class tomorrow...
and I keep seeing this fancy fold on the net...


So I thought...why not?
Basically a large triangle is cut from a 12 x 12.
A central triangle is scored and then more triangles made with sides 2/3 the length of the edge triangles.

  
Then it is just a matter of decorating and embellishing...
I wanted to keep my example simple for tomorrow's class so I cut a contrasting paper from my scrap folders into triangles to be glued in place as in the picture.



I then stamped using stamps from SU's 'In the Stars' stamp set
 and added buttons, gems and die-cut butterflies (SU's Beautiful Wings')


Pulling it open shows  more images.


I am going to submit this card to


Happy Crafting!

Saturday, 15 June 2013

Candles and altered art...

Whenever there is a celebration like Hallowe'en or Christmas
 I find such lovely serviettes around, that I just have to use them to decorate candles. 

You just separate the layers so that you have just the one with the printing on,
 wrap this around the candle with a layer of greaseproof paper on top
 and heat set it with an embossing gun.

This is a candle I decorated at Easter while staying at my Mum and Dad's -
 in this case I had to resort to the hairdryer which is OK but not quite so good!!


When I got home to Abu Dhabi, I decorated another to go in this lovely
 'candle lantern' that I won in a raffle!!


Still on with candles, some friends were doing an altered wineglass challenge -
 I couldn't take part but this was my example -
 just a little posy and some matching ribbon...


And that got me thinking about wine and corks - and an altered cork!
I found this teeny tiny cork - that is a shirt button alongside.
With a few beads, ribbon and pins and a little time, this is what I came up with...
Initially I put in a brown bead in the middle. but decided I preferred a bit of mother-of-pearl.


We are in the process of packing up to leave Abu Dhabi -
 whilst 'sorting' I came across a pair of blue glass tea-light holders.
I thought they would look rather nice with a bit of adornment!
I glued an assortment of blue buttons all around the edges...




Happy Crafting!!