Cats Eyes @ Digial Whisper

Playing around with a basic scrap page today, chose the latest theme over at  Digital Whisper, which is Cats Eyes, straight away I thought of our Daisy, who is actually a hypnotising demon in disguise. We adopted her along with her sister Poppy from a family whose little boy was allergic to cats.

lettering from 'Swirling Memories' by Craft Artist

paw print from Pixabay

entering in: Digital Whisper - Cats Eyes

Amanda xx

I @ Butterfly Challenge & July @ Love to Craft

Having played with 'H' (no, not the chap from Steps) over at Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge last week, I've continued playing with the new challenge (fortnightly) this Wednesday which is  'I'.

There are various ways to take part in the challenges, all is explained on the blog. This week I went with the specified card shape + butterfly.

I for Impossible Card (the flap stands up by magic itself) - full instructions on how to make each card shape are given, despite this looking complicated it was quite easy to do.

Its a bit awkward to photo so excuse the mantlepiece.

White A4 card

Grey card

Gecko Galz Papillion Paper Pack (try saying that after a few glasses)

iridescent flowers

white pearls

Sparkly Mod Podge

I used white card stock as my base, then sized the backing paper to the card shape, cut out and matted onto grey card - to give it a bit more stability. I re-printed the topper and fussy cute the butterflies out, decoupaged them on with little foam pads then painted over with Sparkly Mod Podge. Couldn't decide what to embellish with, but came across the little plastic iridescent flowers in my stash, then stuck a pearl on each centre.

entering in: Butterfly Challenge Letter I
                   Love to Craft July

Amanda xx

Feature Day @ Gecko Galz

Today is my day to feature my Design Team project for the month of July over at Gecko Galz.

I decided I wanted to do something completely different, and out of my comfort zone this month, I signed up for Mod Podge Rocks Blog newsletter and saw a lovely mason jar covered in music paper and flowers…. so I though I'd have a play.

Just remember its my first attempt at anything like this! (and definitely not my last, loved doing it even if I got into a very sticky mess and mod podged my t-shirt)

one washed coffee jar

Sunday Times Paper Pack ripped into pieces

lace

paper roses

filigree leaves

pink pearls

I mod podged a bit of the jar then stuck a piece paper down then mod podged over it to press any bubbles out (mostly worked!) then dabbed the jar, stuck paper on, dabbed over the paper and repeat.

Waited for it to dry, then stuck the lace on - only mod podged over the ends.

Next came the roses, which were quite fiddly to hold in place.

Then I remembered the filigree leaves I had from Craft Box so more fiddling around with them.

Finally the 5 pink pearls.

Next morning I peeped round the craft room door expecting the roses to have dropped off, but no, everything had stuck. Yay!!

I usually use this jar as a vase for flowers, so now its decorated I might just leave it as an ornament or pop a battery operated tea light in it or cut some grasses from the field to go in it.....  decisions decisions!


I hope you'll join our Mid Summer Dream challenge where the winner will receive a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop.
The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product, which can be something you purchased from the shop or a freebie.
If you sign up for the Gecko Galz newsletter, you'll be able to claim a free collage sheet each month and get first claim on the weekly Super Sunday Deals!
Why don't you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see all the fabulous designs by the very talented Design Team, don't forget to grab the free digi stamp on each post!
We also have a Facebook Group where there are more monthly challenges for you to play in, each with a Design Sheet to win.

Amanda xx

H @ Butterfly Challenge

Recently bought Christina Griffiths gift issue No 2 , which has some lovely papers and butterfly die in it, having a play and did a card to fit with Mrs A's Butterfly challenge   Haven't played for quite a few months, so it was nice to finally do a challenge.

I picked the option 'One colour and butterfly' so I chose Hunters Green and  Hot Pink, both fit the theme and look lovely together.

Amanda xx

Quick & Easy @ Gecko Galz on FaceBook

One of the challenges for July is a 'Make a quick & easy project, that last minute go - to technique'

So I picked my butterfly dies as these are my favourites. I had the Papillion Paper Pack sheet already printed off, so I die cut the middle out and used the remaining outer edge to glue onto the card, the middle bit I used to make the butterflies, waste not want not!
I used two pieces of a kind of washi tape on the vertical (actually it was because one of the sides stuck down a tad crumpled, so I had to find a way to cover it!), and then embellished with 4 large blue gems.

Amanda xx

Mid Summer Dreams

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of July is 'Mid Summer Dreams' So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!
I was on holiday last week and surprisingly the UK weather was good, little bit too warm this weekend just done - I just don't do sun or heat. We travelled up to Ullswater in The Lake District and stayed in a Hobbit Hole and it was awesome! The site was gorgeous, and the views were stunning.

My sample is a digital 6x6 page which I did on CAP2, using Midsummer Nights Dream (main picture), Words and Music Paper Pack (the writing sheet) and Time Flies (clock).

Layered from the top - clock, image, writing.

"Are you sure

That we are awake

It seems to me

That yet we sleep

We dream"

It took me ages to do this as I was faffing with the transparency of the clock and its placement.... about 45mins just to get it where I wanted it... then once it was there I changed the image colour slightly so had to start again.
I took the main image and used the programmes transparency editor set to Plasma, this gives you set digital points which you can move around and this changes the colour/fades in/fades out.
Using the words and music paper, I colour matched it to the main image and then faded it slightly, and placed it to the back of the project.
Using Time Flies, I picked the clock I wanted and cut out the middle bit with the quote on as I wanted just the outline of the clock face, again used Plasma transparency on it, then angled it on the page on top of the image to look like it fades in and out of the ladies.

I hope you'll join in 'Mid Summer Dream' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend at the Gecko Galz shop. (The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product... this can be one of the freebies, or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy shop).
If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, SUPER SUNDAY deals which last all week and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.
If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.
If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

Amanda xx