DIY Planner Dividers Using Gecko Gals Ephemera

Are you a planner addict? I used to be. When I worked in an office and had meetings to attend and important tasks to complete. After I began working from home I fell away from using a planner and graduated to the big calendar on the fridge and post it notes on my computer. Very professional.

The truth is I missed having my planner. I still have countless meetings and tasks that in hindsight are far more important than the ones I was responsible for in my twenties.

Last year I printed many of the lovely printables I found on pinterest. I found that it was costing me as much in ink as it would to just break down and buy a planner.

This year I decided to go with the "Color Crush" planner from Webster Pages. It is beautiful. I love the monthly and weekly calendars, there is plenty of space to write in. The downfall, I wish there were more pages for capturing ideas. So it looks like I will need to go back to Pinterest to find a few more add ons.

The one thing that I did love about my printed planner from last year was the dividers that I had made. Having my favourite images right in my planner is very inspiring to me.

Last year I used my Cricut Explore to cut out the pages and then just adhered to images I liked. This year I decided to get a bit more savvy and I uploaded the beautiful images from Gecko Gals directly into the Cricut Design space and used the print then cut and slice features to create beautiful layered dividers.

This week I will begin a mini series to walk you through uploading digital images to Cricut Design Space, Using the Slice feature and Print then Cut to create these beautiful planner inserts. Tell all your friends that got a Cricut Explore for Christmas to join us as I show you how to used each of these really fun features.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter as I will be sending out freebies this year and you wont want to miss out.

Happy New Year!

January Challenge: Gecko Galz "All that Glitters"

Happy New Year Friends. I hope that your holidays were wonderful and that you are looking forward to 2016 with an optimistic view. The holidays were busy around here as well. It's always busy when the children are home from school, my husband is home from work and everyone we know seems to pop over to say hello. Its a wonderful time of year that reminds me of our many blessings.

Between Skylander quests and origami overseeing, I had a chance to get a tiny bit of creative work done.

I created this beautiful card using the new High Society paper from Gecko Galz. The exact paper is HS09. I also used the beautiful image from the Pretty Portraits 2 Collage sheet.

You will need:

1. 5x7 card base or cardstock to create one
2. Red cardstock of your choice (I used Bazzil)
3. Glitter glue
4. floral spray (I found mine at the dollar tree in with the Christmas decorations and chopped it up)
5. rolled roses 
6. handmade hat pins

Making the Card:

1. Cut your red cardstock to 4 3/4 x 6 3/4 to create the large mat
2. Cut the High Society paper to 4 1/2 x 6 1/2
3. Cut red cardstock to 3 3/4 x 2 3/4 to create small mat
4. Cut image to 3 1/2 x 2 1/2
5. Create two rolled roses. I used the CTMH Artiste Cartridge and then inked them using Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in scarlet and cranberry.
6. Adhere large red mat to base.
7. Adhere design paper.
8. Arrange flower spray and paper roses and adhere to card.
9. Adhere focal image to small mat and attach to card using foam squares.
10. Insert hat pins under the edge of image or spray and adhere.
11. Using a fine tip glitter glue, trace the flourishes on the design paper.
12. Allow to dry completely.

Enjoy!

Gecko Galz Seasons Greeting Challenge

Aren't the challenges on Gecko Galz so much fun. I wish that I had known about them sooner as I am having a blast creating all these new styles. 

This challenge was of course a Christmas Challenge. I really like the way it turned out. I find challenges that don't limit colour choice are much easier for me.

Material Used:

• Gecko Galz Oh Christmas Saying OCS09
• Do Crafts Denim Lace
• American Crafts Cardstock
• Close To my Heart Colonial White Card Base
• Close To My Heart Artiste Cricut Cartridge Rolled Rose
• Ebay Leave
• Old Paper Distress Ink
• Crayola Pencil Crayons 
• Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers
• Stickles
• Flat Back Pearls

1. I always start by colouring my focal image. It sets the tone for the whole card. Depending on the colours that come out of it determines what supplies I will use on the card. 
2. Double mount the focal image on dark and then lighter blue cardstock creating a 31/2x31/2 square.
3. Cut a piece of cream cardstock 4 1/2 x 3 3/4 (I ran mine through my cuttlebug to add some dimension). Ink the edges with Old Paper Distress ink and attach it to a piece of dark blue cardstock.
4. Attach the blue lace to the blue and cream layer, securing the lace on the back with a piece of tape. Attach the layer to  the card base.
5. Using Foam squares attach the focal image to the card base. Be sure to add a bit of extra pressure where the foam squares attach to the lace. 
6. Arrange your leaves and rolled flower to the bottom left corner. Add three half back pearls to the bottom right of the focal image.

Ta-Da....you are so creative!

Gecko Galz Gold and Cream Colour Challenge

Admittedly I rarely work in gold. Its just so flashy and I tend to lean...bend...hang right over on the muted vintage coloured side of things. It is always fun though to pick up a challenge and run with it. You would have laughed if you had seen my husband's face when he came home from work and saw the gold foil card on my bench. I think he wondered if I was having a midlife crisis. Truly, that's how predictable my colour palette is.

Materials:

• The card is 5x7 and I used a card base from core'dinations.
• Colonial White Cardstock from Close To My Heart
• Gold glitter mac tack from the dollar store
• Berry Sprig from the dollar store
• Cream Coloured Lace from Do Crafts Madame Payrauds collection
• Focal Image Gecko Galz Angelica Stamp A06
• Green leaves from ebay

1. First I coloured the image using a combination of coloured pencils and spectrum noir markers. I like the contrast that you can create with the shiny gold pencil crayon and the deep blue inks. 
2. Once the image was coloured I set it aside for a moment and took the gold foil and attached it to a 51/4x 31/4 piece of cardstock. Trim the focal image to 5x3 and adhere it to the foiled cardstock.
3. Next I cut a 5x7 piece of cardstock and covered it with foil. You could put it directly on the card base if you are brave. I am not, so I used the extra cardstock.  Cut another 6x4 piece of cardstock and and mount it to the gold foiled piece. Attach these to your card base.
4. Cut a 5 inch piece of lace and layer it on the left hand side of the card.
5. Using foam squares attach the mounted focal image to the card base.
6. Arrange your berries and leaves in the bottom left corner and you are done. 

See how crafty you are.