How to Brighten Someones Day!

I have recently discovered a wonderful group on Facebook called ' From The Heart'  This groups is dedicated to getting Happy Mail out to senior citizens and shut ins.  Many of you have tons of cards that are just hanging around, this would be a great way to just send them and make someones day a little brighter!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you give this some thought!

Ginny M

Word Art Wednesday and a Freebie

Hi Everyone, I wanted to share this weeks wonderful Word Art from Word Art Wednesday!  I'm not on the Design Team but I am on the I love the Word team!!  This weeks there is a special devotional and of course a great Scripture gift and if you join in the challenge you may win a prize!

Here is my card for the Challenge!

This card was a happy experiment!  I printed on a 110# base in a pale Ivory. It was just a random base I grabbed and put in my printer.  I wanted a very simple card to go with this verse and image.  I wasn't even sure if it would go through my printer because it was already folded!

and here is my gift for you, the image merged with Karen Murry's verse!

Thnkas for stopping by and I hope you play in the Word Art Wednesday challenge too!

Ginny M

Gecko Galz Trick or Treat Blog Hop With an Extra Sweet Freebie Here! And a word about the Studio's future.

Hello Everyone!

We want to welcome everyone to the

Gecko Galz 8th Annual Blog Hop

This is your Thirteenth stop on our Tricks and Treats Blog Hop! 

We have 18 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 down load, the one here is my pick for my readers, the beautiful

"BIRD SONG ".

Here are the sweet cards I've made with this sheet 

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 $75 Shopping spree with Gecko Galz.

·        Third prize is a $50 shopping spree!

·        And our Grand Prize ONE FULL YEAR of Gecko Galz PRODUCTS!!! This includes the 6 new collage sheets each quarter, a new stamp set each quarter, 2 new paper packs each quarter, a ATC collection each quarter, and one jewel it collection!

 This is a $150 value!

First of all, you will need to visit all 18 blogs and leave a comment on each blog :) **This is important so we know you have been to all the blogs **. Collect the phrase at the end of the hop on the Fripperies and Butterflies site there will be a link to email the phrase to Gecko Galz at geckogalz2014@gmail.com.

This enters you in the contest. On October 31st we will randomly draw the 4 winners and email each of you, then we will post the winning names on the Gecko Galz blog site.

For an extra chance to win make a purchase from the GECKO GALZ ETSY STORE between the 26th of October and the 30^th of October and your name goes in again for a better chance of winning (each purchase you make that weekend gives you another chance to win) 

Now have fun visiting each Blog

Gecko Galz

Katie Lamb

Kelley Biser

Patti Fisher

Vicki Romaine

Cathy Norton

Margaret Ashby

Michele Storms

Laurie Davis

Cathy Frailey

Darlene Wright

Carole Jones

Ginny Maxam

Kasia

Gerri Herbst

Leslie Turner

Amanda Hamilton

Leanne Seed

This is my LAst post as a designer for Gecko Galz, It has been a great year working with the team!  I have enjoyed the beautiful graphics and challenges.

Thank you all for being apart of this chapter and now, Forward!

Ginny M  

Where Maxam Made Studio is going

Hi everyone, Tomorrow is my last post as a Design Team Member 

I have left the design team world that I have been working in for the 7 last years and want to focus on the  Ministry of Encouragement through card making.

Along with my life with Steve I now have my mom living with us and 

I have taken on work outside the home approximately 30 hours a week doing private duty for seniors with various forms and levels of dementia.  It is very demanding and fulfilling.

And because I am not a spring chicken and because I want to enjoy the wonderful life and family I have been blessed with my blogging will take a lesser priority, I want to continue card making tips and tricks and share things about the ministry of encouragement and encourage you in yours by providing things for you at no cost - as I have in the past. 

My goal is to blog once a week and have a few fun images for you and a 

technique or showcase. 

To start this off, here are two printables for you that I have done for my card making ministry.  These are free for you to use and make cards to sell.

Thank you for stopping by and continuing the journey In Christ  with me

Hugs,

Ginny M

Tutorial: Making Napkin Cards

Here is a fun tried and true old fashioned card making technique. Long before we had all these sumptuous patterned papers we had gorgeous napkins! For depth of color and interesting texture, you can't beat them especially for the money! Most you you may have done these so this will be an ‘Oh Yeah’ moment! Have fun!

You can start with any size paper napkin - I like to pick min up at Tuesday Morning, they have a wonderful selection and are usually marked down

Separate the printed surface from the tissue backing - these napkins are usually 3 layers

I cut my panels to fit a light weight piece of cardstock

I drizzled glue on the card stock and then added my napkin panel

I found it was easier to keep the light and floaty napkin on the table and then place the gluey paper on it

Gently smoothed it a little bit - remember the napkin layer is very fragile

I gave it a few minutes to set up and the just added a puddle of Lineco glue. You can also use Elmers or any white PVC glue. There are a few different products for this that have different results. what you want it a glue that will dry clear and smooth.

I pushed it over the entire image with my finger - gently

I let the glue dry - I went to work and came back to it at night. You want to give this at least 4 hours to completely dry

Next I trimmed it out on my paper cutter

See what a nice gloss and texture this has! it feels really nice too!

From my one napkin I made 4 cards

With these cards, I just pulled the sentiment/verses from my stash, added a little white highlighting .

Fro this card, I used a border punch

I hope you give this a try, it is really lots of fun! It is also economical!

Have a great day,

Ginny M

Gecko Gals and A Digital Get Well

I love digitals for making beautiful cards when my time is on a budget, Today I needed a quick and masculine Get Well card.

I printed the butterfly in two sizes

Fussy cut, glazed with clear sparkely nail polish and added to the printed and dry embossed back ground

I printed a little tag and hand stamped the sentiment.

Here are the Gecko Gal  Images  I used:

Halloween paper pack

Frightfully Delightful Icons

Thank you for stopping by! 

Ginny M