My Grandmas Teacups

Welcome to all my friends visiting from the Gecko Galz blog. Today my tags are featured on the blog and you are likely here to find out how they were made. I love the vintage metal look of these tags. It reminds me of an old Victorian Copper Ceiling. It's hard not to go all Victorian when Christmas come to the blog. Its everything I love, lavish laces, ornate decorations, fresh pine swags and bows, It is my favourite era this time of year. Vintage Tag How To: The tags were created using a cover weight white cardstock. I used the tag die from Heartfelt Creations Snow Kissed Flake and Tag. Using the round Tim Holtz ink sponger I applied Faded Jeans, Ground Espresso and Forest Moss to the tag. I tried to colour a triangle shaped area of each colour. Next  I lightly misted the tag with water to activate the ink. Use a damp paint brush to mix the ink to achieve your desired pattern. While the tag is still damp, gently put it in your chosen embossing folder. I used the leaf ...

Hello Everyone! We want to welcome everyone to the Gecko Galz 6th Annual Blog Hop This is your Eleventh stop on a wonderfully Wicked Blog Hop !  We have 16 AMAZING blogs for you to visit this weekend, each with some gorgeous projects created using the Gecko Galz collage sheets that we are giving you for FREE! Each blog you visit will have another free Gecko Galz Collage sheet for you to download, the one here is "Winter Wonderland". Also make sure you leave a message on each blog site you visit and on the last blog there will be a phrase that you will email to us to be entered in our drawing for a wonderful treat pack.  So sit back, relax, take your time and enjoy the hop! We have FOUR amazing prizes up for grabs: ·        First is a Gecko Galz shopping spree for $100! ·        Second prize is a $50 Shopping spree with Gecko Galz. ·        Third...

September! Do you remember what September was like as a child. The freshly sharpened box of 24 new pencil crayons, the white eraser still wrapped snuggly in its protective cellophane and the brand spanking new pair of indoor running shoes that you tried on every couple of days just to feel how nice cushy they were. Good times. My children have a staggered start this year, they are each attending a different school this year. My oldest son started Tuesday, my wee munchkin will start next Monday and my daughter will head off the week after that. As you can imagine it has had me in a tailspin getting everyone organized. That left little time in the studio. I decided to take the beautiful image contributed by Gecko Galz on the road with me, so to speak. I used my Samsung Galaxy tablet and Auto desk Sketchbook Pro to colour the digital image, creating a wonderful fall picture. Be sure to grab your copy of the image and stop over to the Gecko Galz etsy shop for more adorable digital desi...

Hello friends. Have you been enjoying your summer? I have been so busy shuttling kids to and from activities the time flew right by. I do have to apologise to you though. I messed up. In an effort to be the super efficient Mom that can juggle her blog while sitting with her kids at a splash pad.....well, I did not notice that the blogger app inverts the month/date for posts when it send them. So I am sitting in the shade under a lovely tree enjoying the breeze and watching the kiddies puddle under the spouts, feeling rather proud of having set my blog post to run on July 8th. Little did I know it was all messed up. So in case you were not able to get the July stamp due to my faux pas I thought I would post a link to it here and you can go back and grab it. In fact I feel so bad for the mix up that I will go back and put a link to each of the free stamps donated by the amazing Leanne Seed of Gecko Galz. Be sure to go check out all the other digital yummies in their Etsy shop.  Gecko...

Whoosh...we are in July already. In case I did not glance at the calendar the temperature would have tipped me off anyway. The cute image from Gecko Galz brings to mind all things beachy and summer. I had a blast using it on my summer themed art journal page. Download your free copy and let the summer creativity begin.

"There is something magical about the blank, cream-colored pages of a new art journal, isn't there? It always feels like a fresh start, filled with the promise of slower, more intentional creation. This layout is my very first in my new journal, and I’m thrilled to share it as my July submission for the Gecko Galz Design Team theme 'Sun, Moon, Stars.' I wanted this piece to feel ancient and celestial, like an page from an astrologer’s dusty notebook. To get this effect, I moved away from passive creation and had a wonderful time experimenting with physical tools: rich, deep ink markets (the pink is my favorite, naturally!), vintage-style stamps, intricate stencils, and—the real star—texture paste. If you have never used texture paste in your journal, you must try it. I love how the dimensional paste catches the light when I am journaling with a cup of tea by the window. It makes the paper feel substantial and layered, which is exactly the aesthetic we crave." ...

This is the first in a series of mixed media tutorial that I will be doing to help creatives that want to jump in to creating mixed media masterpieces but are not sure where to start. I think it is important to use the materials that you have on hand when you are first beginning as you may find that it is not for you, and there is nothing worse than spending your craft budget on materials that you won't use again. A quick search on Pinterest or Youtube will yield a swathe of recipes for Gesso, texture paste, mod podge, paint sprays and more. Though sometimes it is actually cheaper to buy the product ready made rather than buying jugs of the ingredients, if you have everything on hand it makes sense to make your own pastes and sprays. So let's begin on our mixed media exploration. Lesson 1: Gesso When you are feeling comfortable be sure to create this project along with me. You can get the free image from Gecko Galz here

This is the first in a series of videos introducing the basics of creating mixed media projects. Be sure to subscribe to the Youtube channel to be notified as soon as the next episode is posted.

Can you believe it is June. Holy time flies. I only have a few more weeks before not one, but two of my little ones graduate and are off to high school. I feel like I just finished my Mother's Day projects and here we are quickly approaching Father's Day. The theme therefore for the Gecko Galz Challenge is quite timely. "Man O Man". Post pictures of your masculine cards, layouts or otp projects to the challenge facebook group for your chance to win fabulous prizes from the Gecko Galz shop.  Gecko Galz Challenge Group Here is an example that I made using Gecko Galz Images.

I know, it's May....but really now is the time to decide on what you would like to give the teachers,EAs, bus drivers, and team coaches in your child's life. I have a huge list of people that support my children during the school year and that makes it really important to start early so that I have time to finish all the projects and don't end up running out last minute and buying gifts that are less meaningful and definately more expensive. During the next couple of weeks I will be posting projects that I have been working on. I hope you find some inspiration to get your end of school year planning in gear. My first project uses a plain canvas tote, a burlap flower, a lace table runner, a bit of bling and Tattered Angels glimmer mists. You can watch the tutorial here:

Hey guys. Well, this collaboration turned out to be quite the undertaking. Why is it that just when you need the internet to be speedy it slows down to a painfully slow process. It took me a whole weekend to get all this video uploaded. I was getting a bit worried that I was not going to be able to get all the links added on time. I hope you enjoy it. Be sure to visit all the other talented designers on our first collaboration video hop for Canvas Corp Brands Creative Crew. Our theme was "Rainbows".

If you are like me you are constantly making cards and yet when an occasion arrives it seems you have no card that fits. I mean, I tend to create Sympathy, Congratulations, Christmas and Birthday cards in large numbers but I more often am sending a "thinking of you" or "thank you" card. My new plan is to create a bundle of cards that can have a sentiment stamped as they are needed. Its my attempt at getting....gasp....organized. This is the first card for my stash of ready when I need it cards.

Happy Mother's Day to all of your wonderful women out there. This post will be brief as it is in fact Mother's Day that I am writing it as I have had some issues getting my network to cooperate with me this week. It took just over 35 hours to upload a youtube video...bleh. This is my Mother's Day layout. Enjoy! Here is your free image from Gecko Galz:

One of my favourite finds from Scrapfest this year was the incredible diecuts from Southern Ridge Trading Company . I was amazed at the finite detail that Karen was able to obtain in her designs.  I decided to start on the other side of the auditorium and by the time I made it to Karen's display there were already many empty boxes where customers had stocked up on the oh so cute embellishments. These are the items that I bought and I am itching to get creating with them. In fact I fell so deeply in love with these designs I applied to become a design team member (fingers crossed) and I am going to stock some of the designs in my store. Feel free to get me to order in any you would like from Karen's site.

I know these pictures are far overdue but I have literally not had a moment to sit at my computer and put a proper post together in weeks. I love these pictures of my partner in crime Juanette Fillery and I. As I wrote in a post last year , I have been unable to attend Scrapfest for several years. It had become for me another huge hurdle that I just could not overcome. I was afraid returning to Scrapfest would hurt too much, make me remember how much I miss my friend Rebecca who used to attend with me every year. I know that Rebecca was watching over us on April 9th as our bus load of fabulous ladies hit the road to Kitchener. I was so blessed that Rebecca's mother-in-law decided to come with me. I think it was good for both of us to make the return together. A big shout out to Nicole at McCoy transportation who opted to upgrade our bus rather then take any risk with a bus with a minor issue. We loved the extra space (more room for our shopping treasures). Our bus drive...

I apologise. This week has been hectic with the final details of our bus trip to Scrapfest in Kitchener this weekend. I am so excited to have some of my absolute favourite papercrafters coming for the trip. A big shout out to Nicole at McCoy Bus line who did a fabulous job at getting our little adventure off the ground. Also, a huge thank you to my friend and Co-Hosts Cathy Dafoe and Angie McColeman for finding the fabulous ladies that are travelling with us. A special thank you to Lisa Sales Furtney the owner of Scrapfest for all her help in making this trip possible. That being said, here is you beautiful free stamp. Enjoy!

Bloom Where You're Planted: DIY Egg Carton Roses Originally, I created these for a flower challenge, but they quickly became a staple in my craft room. They make the perfect addition to a Spring Fairy House or even as an end-of-year teacher gift or a beautiful Mother's Day surprise. How to Make Your Vintage Blooms There is something so satisfying about taking a simple cardboard egg carton and seeing the potential for a garden of roses. These egg carton roses have become one of my favorite "slow crafts." They are incredibly easy to make, but the result is a sturdy, textured bloom that looks like it was plucked from a vintage hat or a Victorian shadow box. The Tutorial What You Will Need: Paper Egg Cartons (the cardboard kind) Sharp Scissors Hot Glue Gun Paint, Inks, or Sprays (I love Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist!) Step-by-Step Instructions: ...

Its getting close to Easter. If you still have a few people left on your card list, this is a lovely Easter Card that can be created in minutes. Materials Needed: White card base Green cardstock coloured image (I used the Gecko Galz bunny stamp and coloured it with Spectrum Noir Markers) Embossing Machine (I used my cuttlebug) Embossing Folder Circle Die Scalloped Circle Die Large Blossom Greenery Bow Ribbon Button How To: Emboss the coloured cardstock using your embossing folder and adhere it and the ribbon to the card base, ensuring the ribbon end are tucked securely behind the cardstock. Put the circle die directly on the coloured cardstock and wrap the back of the card base behind the cutting plate. Use the scalloped die to cut a frame for the circle and adhere it. Arrange the image on the inside of the card so that it peeks through the cut out area and adhere it. Add your large bloom, bow, greenery and button to finish off the embellishment

We are hopping again here at My Grandma's Teacups. This time we are welcoming guests from the  #BBCCBTEAMUP Welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoy my creations made using a combination of products from Bella Blvd and Canvas Corp Brands. This adorable bunny is ready for his big day thanks to the cute products from Bella Blvd and Canvas Corp Brands.   I know you are very busy hopping now, but be sure to come back this week to find the how to information for both of these projects. Thank you Bella Blvd and Canvas Corp Brands for sponsoring this super fun Blog hop. Rules: 1 – to be eligible for the prize please leave a comment on one of the Facebook, instagram or Canvas Corp Brands Blog Post and use the  #BBCCBTEAMUP 2 – prize will be chosen randomly from all of the comments based on the  #BBCCBTEAMUP 3 – prize is open to USA and International hoppers 4 – retail value of over $100 ...

Join the My Grandma's Teacups Community! Subscribe for Papercrafting Magic Spring Crafting Inspiration & Memories Welcome to the archives! There is nothing like beautiful Spring artwork to get your crafting mojo going. This project was originally created for a special community event, and while the "hop" has ended, the inspiration lives on. I hope you find some fresh ideas for your next papercrafting project here. Our community of creators continues to be my biggest inspiration every day! Note: This post was part of the 4G Blog Hop. Some external event links may no longer be active, but the tutorial content remains for your creative enjoyment. Join the MGT Newsletter   Join the Tea Circle Get vintage papercrafting tutorials & journaling prompts in your inbox. Subscribe & Get My Freebies Reader Favorites 📖 25 Aesthe...

This is my sample for the Gecko Galz Challenge for March which required the creation of a MOO. This of course required a google search on the topic first to see what in the world a MOO was. I have become acquainted with ATCs, inchies, and twinchies but this was my first MOO ever. Moo - 1-1/8" x 2-3/4" rectangles Wasn't that helpful? I searched the forums and that pretty much sums it up. They are attributed to the tiny business cards made famous by the print company MOO . Makes sense right. Here is my first attempt at a MOO. It was challenging to decide how to use the precious space available. I don't believe I have said MOO this many times since reading my little ones Mr Brown can Moo can you, by Dr Seuss. I have a feeling that book may make a comeback at storytime tonight. Ok, so get out there and create a MOO. Its just as much fun to make as it is to say. Be sure to share your pictures. MOOs are meant to be shared.

Finding the Mojo: A Spontaneous Sympathy Card Yesterday, my work table was covered in half-finished projects that I just could not muster the mojo to work on. I decided instead to do the logical thing: push them all off to the side and start something new!  My little guy’s program coordinator (who is amazing) had a funeral to attend, so I decided to make a simple card to leave on her desk. Well, that was at 10:00 AM. By 11:45 AM, as I was rushing out the door for an appointment, I realized I had overdone it just a bit. Showers and combed hair are totally overrated anyway. I did at least take the time to brush my teeth! Throwback Note: Revisiting this project from the 2015 archives! It's a great reminder that sometimes the best creative spark comes from a spontaneous act of kindness. ❦ Continue Your Creative Journey Get vintage papercrafting tutorials & journaling prompts in your inbox. ...