Gecko Galz Summer Love August 2020

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here with Gecko Galz Blog, sharing my Summer Love Projects for August. 2020

Summers as a kid was such a fun time! My maternal Great Grandma, and her daughter, my Grandma spent everyday at our house! They would arrive early in the morning, most of the time myself and sister and brothers were still sleeping. There was always a agenda for the day, some days we did hair, some days we crafted, some days we crocheted, however, everyday we baked and made a yummy dinner. Almost everyday my Great Grandma made her famous homemade lemon aid( recipe included) we all looked forwarded to a big cold cup of her yummy lemon aid. 

I learned to cook and bake from all of them! We never missed a step or changed up the steps, every recipe was done the same way, everytime, I still cook and bake today the same way. 

I just celebrated 63 yrs old, so my Grandma's have been gone a long time. I live in my memories of my days with the two of them, hence, my first project, a flip book I created from recycled packaging and the fabulous papers from the Retro Home Front paper pack, Retro Home Front digi stamps, and the Retro Home Front collage set, which all can be found here, Gecko Galz Etsy page.

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments

Until Next Time......

Robin

Masculine Horse Redwood Home Decor & Feminine Decor GG June 2020

 Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here, sharing my projects for the Gecko Galz Blog, for June, The Color of Summer. I have always been fascinated with horses, however, my experience with them has been few. Both times I attempted to ride a horse ended up with me being dumped in the lake at church camp, and the 2nd year, bravely trying again, resulted in my horse running a muck, through a very weedy, woody field just outside the riding ring.

Ok so I am not a country girl ! But, when I laid my eyes on these digi collage sheets from Gecko Galz Etsy Shop, I knew I had to work with them.

I love to use found objects in my creations and projects, after downloading, Horseing Around College Set, I went through my blanks looking for just the right piece, Let me know if you think I did!!

This a piece of Redwood from California, that I happen to find at my favorite resell store!

I tore out the horse images I wanted to use, inked the edges heavy with walnut stain ink. I adhere the 3 images, taking care to burnish the edges down good. From there I sifted through my wood beads, and do dads, and found these beauties, that compliment my piece!

I fell in love so much with this set of Horses, I decide to create a second project.

Again I went shopping in my blanks and found what I call a box frame. It was already white, so I just cleaned it up a bit and began with trimming out the horse images I wanted to use.  I was feeling the wildness, and free spirit of the images I picked, which sent me on the hunt for a patterned piece of paper that was map like. After trimming the background paper and adhering it, I went to work building up the images so they would be raised off the background at different heights. Moving the images till I found what I liked, I adhered them in place. I stamped and trimmed out the sentiments and adhered above and below the images. After taking the piece all in, I went on a hunt for something, not sure what, but I founded it in my trim box. I hot glued the eyelash trim around the frame, finishing the project off.

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments.

Until Next Time......

Robin

Camouflage Altered CD Art APTTC Feb 2020

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here sharing my project for  A Perfect Time To Craft. Thank You to our wonderful sponsor this month, Sheepski Designs.

I started my project off with a old cd. I roughed it up a bit to be sure that the pattern paper would stick, After adhering the background paper, I sprayed the paper lightly with gold shimmer mist. While that was dying I punched out the leaves, the flourishes, and colored Camouflage with colored pencils.I fussy cut Camouflage out and set it aside. I sprayed the cheese cloth with walnut stain, and rolled the bamboo skewer in the left over stain. Assembly began next, I glued down a piece of  card board for dimension and to act as a extra substrate. Next came the stained cheese cloth loosely tacked down to the card board. I then worked the skewer into the cheese cloth, Using pop dots I adhered Camouflage as if it was on the stick. Arrange and adhere the leaves, the flourishes and beads,

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments

Until Next Time.......

Robin

Snarky Valentine Shadow Box ATSM 2/2020 #375

Welcome Back Friends,

Happy Valentines Day! Robin here with Addicted To Stamps and More Challenge Blog, sharing my project for February. Our theme is a photo inspired.

I love to use found items, recycled items, or second hand items in my projects, recycle, reduce and reuse. I picked up this box for ,25 cents at a garage sale last summer! It was time to do something with it.

I started by cleaning off the window of the box. Next I cut a piece of card board to fit inside the box. I then covered the cardboard with pattern paper. I used a paper distressing tool and ran that around the image. and inked the edges with walnut stain ink. I then created a mat for my image, using corrugated cardboard, inking the edges and covering it with a piece of red lace. After adhering  my image to the mat, I matted the whole piece one more time on pink pattern paper and inked all edges. I hot glued the framed image to the piece with the pattern paper. I them embellished the upper right hand corner with silk roses and pearl picks. I then tied the box shut with the ribbon on the side and hot glued white heart lace around the edge of the frame on the front of the box. I stamped my snarky sentiment  " I thought we agreed, no more garlic bread" ! I repeated the silk roses and pearl picks above the sentiment to tie the project together.

Grab a box and create, then join us on the challenge blog!

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments.

Until Next Time......

Robin

Unique Dream Theme Lite Home Decor with Gecko Galzs - In Dreams 2019

December 22 2019.

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here with Gecko Galz sharing my project for December, In Dreams theme. Be sure to check out the Gecko Galz Blog for more beautiful projects from my fellow team members.

Dreams, I never dream, or if I do, I never remember them. I am not sure if that is good or bad! I do remember a time in my life, many years ago, where I did for a short time have a recurring dream. I was at a bowling alley, throwing the ball, and the sound of the ball rolling down the lane was slow motion and  got louder as it neared the pins. I never heard it hit the pins though. Could be that part of my gym time in high school was bowling and I had to get an average of 35 to pass gym that semester, LOL.

I was inspired by the lovely gal holding a bright fey person. for the image sheet. The warmth of the image drew me in. I began thinking about how I wanted create my project and went through my stash and found the coolest frame. I love to recycle items in my work, reuse, reduce, recycle. I hope you agree with me, that the frame really enhanced the dream feeling!

   After being drawn to the warmth in the image I decide to add a set of lights for am added feature.

                                      May you have warm and sweet dreams, tonight

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments.

Until Next Time....

Robin

Handcrafted Gold and Silver Gift Box- Happy Craft Dec 2012

December 1 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here with Happy Craft Challenge Blog with the perfect holiday gift box, embellished with silver poinsettias.

I love to recycle found items in my crafting projects. I received a wonderful handmade bar of soap in this paper mache box I used for my project, it still smells of the lovely scent from the soap.

I began by painting my box with gold acrylic paint. While that dried, I fussy cut the poinsettias out, After the box was dry, I adhered the ribbon and arranged the poinsettias, pop dotting them for added dimension. Adding glitter berries, gave the project some "shiny" !!!

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments.

UntilNext Time......

Robin

His & Hers Coffee Cups Home Decor- Coffee Bean Blog Nov 2019

November 11 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here with my project for ,Lady Beans Blog. Lemony Fizz Stamps By Rhoda is our sponsor this month with these two super cute coffee cups!

Oh Boy! Do I ever need my coffee in the morning, LOL, the alarm goes off at 5 am and I stumble through  the house till I find the coffee pot! It seems like forever and a day before my coffee has dripped and I can smell the aroma I am addicted too. LOL

Check out my take on these two cute cups,

I love to use found items in my crafting. I found this block set of 3 that spelled out JOY, I fell in love with them, and as you can see they have worked perfectly for my project. I saved the third for another project.

I used a Tim Holtz die cut, Tattered flowers for her cup and I printed out the digi twice and cut his mustache in brown.

Wouldn't these look cute in your kitchen setting by your coffee maker??

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments

Stay tuned for more projects using Lemony Fizz Stamps by Rhoda

Until Next Time......

Robin

Life is Sweet- Happy Craft Nov 2019

November 1 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here with Happy Craft sharing my project using Life is sweet , a digi set which can be found here: Pixel Scrapper, a free site for loads of images! Yep, I said FREE, be sure to check it out!

Our theme this month at Happy Craft Challenge Blog is Sweets! Who doesn't like sweets, I ask!! When I was a kid, there was a small neighborhood general store not far from our home. After earning a little bit of money, doing odd chores, I always made sure I had 15-25 cents to spend at "Pete's". Back then you could get a load of cavity producing penny candy for that amount of money and so my love affair with sweets was born.

I love to recycle items in my projects. Found items can lend so much interest to your project, which I feel is the case with this project. I was at my favorite resell store and came upon a stack of wall hangers that have lovely colors splashed on them and say "It's a party", I was drawn to colors used and decided to buy a handful for .50 cents each. Add a great digi stamp and digi sentiment and punched out circle in coordinating colors and you have a hand crafted one of kind project!

Check it out,  what you think!!

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments

What did you think???

Until next time........

Robin

Vintage Apothecary Druggist Travel Box for TaylorMadeCards4U 2019

October 1 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Hello, Robin here, from TaylorMade4U, inspiration team.

I am so excited to share my project with you today ! I chose to work with the Vintage Apothecary Labels, and I feel in love!

I began my project by calling on a recycled technique I learned as a kid. My brothers were in Cub Scouts and my Mother was their Den Mother, which meant me and my sister were always worked into the scheme if things, as my Father was a firefighter/paramedic and was gone 24 hours a shift.

I began by cutting up a brown paper grocery bag to fit my box. I balled it up and crumpled it up a few times to add wrinkles and to break down the paper to a softer paper. I covered my box with the bag and then distressed with antique linen ink. As a kid we used brown shoe polish for this part, to make our grocery bag vests look like leather that we needed as part of  Indian costume for the pack meeting.

I used one of the labels in the Vintage Apothecary Labels kit on the outside of my box. I added die cut apothecary bottles from my stash, to complete the front of the box.

After lining the inside of the box with kraft paper, I fussy cut out the labels and inked the edges. I went through my stash of bottle stamps and stamped out 5 bottles. After fussy cutting the bottles out, I added foam tape to the back of 4 of the bottles adding one row of tape on 3 and 2 rows of foam tape on one, for added interest and adhere to the back of the box.

The other 3 pieces, I cut a  small rectangle, scored it in the middle, adhere one end on the back of the bottle and the other half on the bottom of the box to create another row of bottles.

To finish the traveling apothecary box, I added a few extra labels and a pen, to the inside lid. 

I am smitten with everything vintage! I found inspirational for my project from my personal collection of apothecary bottles, I have collected over the years in my travels.

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments

Until Next Time............

Robin

Shabby Chic Decorative Tray-Spring, Happy Craft Challenge Blog Oct 1 2019

October 1 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here, to share a project with you, I made using a recycled tray,  and a digi stamp sponsored by
Ikes Art. Lilacs.

Fall is around corner in my neck of the woods, North East Ohio, however, Happy Craft Challenge Blog is Australia and  they are celebrating Spring!

When I received my digi, I knew what I wanted to do! I had just bought a small tray at my favorite second store. I painted it white, sanded some of the edges and then  went to work on my lilacs. Using a sponge blender pad, I applied DO ink -Wilted Violet and blended it out, peeled paint on the leaves, and then went back in with both colors and created some shading. After that was dry, I spritz it several times using a fine mist sprayer and allowed the ink to oxide and also picked up ink with a dry baby wipe to add some texture. I then fussy cut the piece out And set it aside. I wanted more texture to the try so I used a crackled stencil and DO Antique Linen and stenciled the bottom of the tray. While my tray was drying, I inked the canvas flowers I had in my stash with Wilted Violet, I used a stiff short bristle paint brush, which seemed to do the trick. The wonderful butterfly was die cut from fun foam and I added glitter for a little shimmer. I then began putting my piece together. Lastly I stamped the sentiment for a finishing touch.

What is your favorite flower, flowering shrub, or flowering tree in Spring?

Thank You very much for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments

Until next time.......

Robin

TaylorMadecards4U National Coffee Day Sept 29 2019

Sept 29 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Hello, Robin here from TaylorMadeCards4U, Inspiration team. I have a unique project to share with you for National Coffee Day, September 29 !

I chose to work with the Lion Coffee ATC  from TaylorMadeCards4U. Be sure to check out the Etsy store at the link above, as all coffee related digital images are 25 % off today through the 6th, Leave a comment for a chance to win a Coffee Blends Paper Pack! Winner to be announced on Sept. 7th!

I found this fabulous hanging photo frame at my local favorite resell shop! I love to hunt for items to recycle in my work. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and the proceeds goes to our local humane society!

                             I didn't do much to the frame, except to wipe it down real good.

                          I used a second ATC  in the set and made it so it could be switched out

To see other fabulous projects made by the team for National Coffee Day, please visit

                                                         TaylorMadeCards4u Blog

                        Thank you for visiting and as always, I appreciate your kind comments

                                                                      Until next time .........

                                                                              Robin

Coffee Lovers Mixed Media Wall Hanger- Cutting Cafes Digi Stamp for the Coffee Beans Challenge Blog

September 27 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Robin here creating for The Coffee Beans Challenge Blog, a brand new challenge blog! Please consider joining us on the blog for some fun, and show off your creations.

Thank You to our sponsor this month, the Cutting Cafe, for the use of The Coffee Word Shaped Card, Tune back in to see what we have created using another Cutting Cafe digi file, which I will keep a secret for now!

I have been a coffee drinker since 1975, I know the date of when my love affair began with coffee, because I was fresh out of high school with a cosmetology license. Armed with my licensed and excitement to follow my dreams in the beauty industry, I began hunting for my first position as a stylist in a salon. I landed that position on my first interview and so it began! Long days, starting early and ending late, gaining experience that could not be taught in school, I throw myself in the role as the new stylist. I swept up a lot of hair, did thousands of shampoos, rinsed perms, emptied trash, all of what was not my clients or my mess. You see, that is how you built a client base, by getting to know every client of the salon. Everyone I worked with drank coffee by the gallons and smoked. I never picked up the smoking habit, however, I sure did begin my long time love affair with coffee. I still today start everyday with a cup of coffee, and enjoy every last drop!

I started my project by recycling a very heavy piece of card board, that was part of the packing from the magnet register covers I buy at a local big box store, that I used to store my die cuts on. I try to recycle what I can in my projects, recycle, reduce, reuse.

I began by brushing on 3 different colors of acrylic paint to the cardboard, adding the darkest first and working towards the lightest last. After that was dry, I used a stencil with dots and added gold acrylic paint, by adding a bit of water to a puddle of paint, picking up the paint with a almost dry wipe and swirling it over the stencil. While that was drying, I fussy cut the word coffee, and added color to the word using distress inks and a sponge applicator. I inked all edges and set aside to dry. I created a coffee ring on the right side, and decided then to use a roughly ground instant coffee, mixed with a clear gel glue, for added interest, making sure I created some drips, and left some grounds for texture. I then added yet one more layer of texture by splattering the darkest color of the colors of latex paint over the project. After all was dry. I inked the edges of the card board, using walnut ink, and added punched photo corners. I finished of the project by punching small holes and stringing some good old fashion cotton string, for the hanger.

Are you a morning coffee drinker or all-day coffee drinker??

Thank You for visiting and as always I appreciate your kind comments.

Until Next Time.........

Robin

Taylormadecards4U Passport To School Sept 15 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Hello, it is Robin from the Taylormadecards4U inspiration team, sharing a tri fold folio.
School has been in 3 weeks here in north east Ohio. It is hard to believe summer is over! I have a grandson in kindergarten and his little brother started preschool this year. I have been walking down memory lane to my years in school, I can barely remember kindergarten, and preschool wasn't a thing when I was little. I do remember my elementary school principal carrying a 3 folded portfolio if you will. I decided to create a project using Taylormadecards4U, Passport to School

I hope you enjoy my tri fold folio as much as I did creating it

Thank You for visiting and as always, I enjoy your kind comments

What is one of your favorite memories from school?

Until Next time......

Robin

Happy Craft Challenge Blog Fabrika Fantasy Forrest Mouse Sept 1 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

Have I got a darling project for you today, using the Forrest Mouse from: Fabricka Fantasy  I am on the Off The Page team for Happy Craft Challenge Blog and really enjoy being involved with this blog.

I love to recycle items in my craft projects, this one I used a tea tin, I had just used the last tea bag the day before!

I began by covering the tin, in patterned paper. I stamped the sentiment, out twice, the buttercups, and the doo dads that are the set "Buttercup" from The Ink Road, stamp company. I then trimmed out the sentiment to cover the top of the tin, and adhered to the tin lid, and fussy cut out the rest. I adhered all pieces to the front of the tin and finished off the project with some dots using black acrylic pant.

I filled the tin with my favorite biscotti for a yummy gift with a treat!

Thank You for your continued support and as always I appreciate your kind comments.

Until next time..........

Robin

A Perfect Time To Craft Moon Gazing Box Hungry JPeg August 1 2019

Welcome Back Friends,

It is time again to share my project for A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge Blog, be sure to stop by  our blog, it is chalked full of inspiration and enter your creations for a chance to win!

This month sponsor is the fabulous Hungry JPeg

I chose to work with : To The Moon  

I love the moon, I always have! I can remember as a kid, always gazing at the moon. I enjoyed learning about the moon through my school years and remember vividly watching the news coverage when we landed on the moon, 50 years ago, and I am celebrating our landing again this year by watching the programs that are airing again!

I love walking under the moon. I live in Northeast Ohio, which is home to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I have a favorite spot I love to hike in and sit on the dock at Beaver Marsh and enjoy the moon in all her glory. In my bag, I always have a moon book, a constellation map, flashlight, clip board, and of course a snack, which was my inspiration for my project!

I began my project, by covering my box with the background papers from the kit. I used a black recycled cigar box, which I bought from my local cigar shop. 

I covered the sides of the box as well as the insides to give my box a polished look.

I then crafted a moon phase guide, using paper from the kit. and a mini clip board for notes from my gazing expeditions!

To finish off my box, I fussy cut the moon phases out from the kit, and the adhered them to the front of the box. I dress up the cover of my clip board with a sentiment about the moon, not included in the kit. After all was dry, I added some white gel pen around the sentiment and moon phases. Added a Moon Pie or two, to my box, for a yummy snack!

I hope I have inspired you to create a box of your own!

Thank You for visiting and as always, I appreciate your support and kind comments

Until next time.......

Robin