GELLI PRINTING AND PAN PASTEL CLASS

I took an Amy Flowers' class at my local scrapbook store over the weekend to learn how to print from Gelli plates and how to work with Pan pastels which are "creamy" pastels not prone to flaking like more traditional pastels.  I absolutely love how my 8" x 8" print turned out.  The underneath layer utilized inexpensive acrylics dropped randomly on a Gelli printing plate and gone over with a brayer being careful not to over mix the paints.  I actually had quite a bit of white space on my 8" x 8" clay board surface after I pulled the first print.  Working with deli paper (wax side up), I cleaned my brayer by rolling it over the first piece of deli paper until my brayer was wiped clean.  Next another sheet of deli paper is placed over the Gelli plate wax side down and another print is pulled from the printing plate.  After all the paint is pulled from the printing plate, I then stamped random images on pieces of the now dry deli paper.  Randomly tear the deli paper in pieces and glue the torn pieces over your original canvas board print using gel medium.  The deli paper becomes transparent as you glue it and layers from your original print will show through.  The focal point on the print is a tag which was created with a stencil overlay over which a Versamark embossing pad is used to ink the tag which is under the stencil.  Using Pan pastels and a finger, smear various shades of pastels over the tag.  The Versamark is super sticky and the pastels will now be adhered to your "painted" tag.  Once again, stamp some images on your tag - when dry, buff and adhere on to your printed plate with matte medium.  Voila!  Here's my class project which was completed during the 2-hour class:

Finished Print with Tag Added

I was at first not happy with my original print because it had lots of white unprinted areas on it, but, after layering the stamped deli paper pieces on top, it worked out to be better than I had imagined!

WORLD OF COLOR ROUND ROBIN - MY BOOK

After choosing my color theme, rust and purple, here's my book starting with the beginning and showing the result.

Finished front with all elements adhered

Side ribbon binding

Layout before adhering elements

PRAYER FLAG SWAP ON ART 42

I recently joined a 5/5 Prayer Flag swap on Art 42 .  Here are my designs that utilize digital kits from Deviant Scrap's "East Meets West" and "Take My Picture" collections.  I also used Tim Holtz's vintage circus paper (Prayer Flag #4) and collage elements from Teesha Moore (Prayer Flag #1), as well as Stampers Anonymous' "Dream" stamp along with two smaller stamps from Michael's $1 collection.  After composing my collages on paper, I scanned my pages and printed them on muslin sheets designed to work with inkjet printers.  The images on the fabric are permanent as are the images stamped utilizing Stayz-On, my favorite go-to ink.

Prayer Flag #1

Prayer Flag #2

Prayer Flag #3

Prayer Flag #4

Prayer Flag #5

String of Prayer Flags

All that's left to do before mailing is add a ribbon at the stop for hanging and some ribbons trailing from the bottom. 

MY SPOKEN SOUL ATC'S

Here are some of my favorites from this online class which finished up yesterday.  I learned lots of new techniques - these cards were created on an ordinary pack of playing cards which were first sanded and then covered with clear gesso.  I loved the surface texture of the gesso and had lots of fun playing with the new Distress Paints line from Tim Holtz, manufactured by Ranger Industries.  I loved taking this class from Artful Gathering and used this opportunity to play with the paints, as well as images from digital kits at Deviant Scrap.

VINTAGE BUNTING SWAP

I've just completed my buntings - there are only four of us in the swap, but I'm thrilled with how mine turned out.  Can't wait to see how everyone else interpreted this theme - my theme was Vintage Gypsy.

Vintage Gypsy Bunting

MY HOME IS MY CASTLE ATC SWAP

I joined an ATC swap hosted by Marion Bockelmann in Germany "My Home is My Castle."  Using new techniques I learned in a class I'm taking with Artful Gathering - "The Spoken Soul" taught by Mary Jane Chadbourne, here are the ATC's I created specially for this swap.  Please note that the images I used are from digital kits created by Hidden Vintage Studios and Tumblefish Studios sold by Deviant Scrap.

Party Animal

Poster Girl

THIRD ROUND OF ALTERED BOOK SWAP

JoAnn's theme is "Into the Forest" - I decided to use a steam-punky image hunting for mushrooms in the forest.  The images are from Deviant Scrap's "Collector" digital kit.

The Collector

I added bark, moss, Glossy Accents dimensional adhesive, and two small bottles filled with grass and seeds.  The niche was cut out prior to decorating and pages were adhered to the posterior book cover to make it sturdy and stable - matte medium was used to adhere the niche pages to each other, as well as the back cover.  I wanted to keep it for myself (but I didn't)!

ASIAN INFLUENCE ATC SWAP

Here's my digital ATC for the Asian swap on Art 42:

Asian Princess

All images used are from Deviant Scrap's East Meets West and Somerset collections.

CASABLANCA ATC SWAP

I'm hosting a series of movie-themed ATC swaps on Art 42 featuring "Casablanca" is the first in the series.  I hand colored a black and white picture of a movie poster utilizing Distress Inks from ink pads diluted with a bit of water:

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart

The next movie swap is posted on Art 42 and is a 3/3 ATC swap featuring "The Wizard of Oz."  The ATC's for this swap are due in my mailbox on or before April 30.  There should be lots of fun images for this swap!

BOHEMIAN CHIC JOURNAL

I'm participating in an altered book round robin for the next six months, and here's the book I've created for the swap.  I've made my journal using white card stock, my tie dye paper towels left over from printing my tags a few weeks ago, and dyed matching ribbons for the binding.  I added two paper towel scrunch flowers and a few beads to both the front cover and ribbon binding.  Each participant will decorate 2 - 3 pages in her style as well as add charms and beads to the binding. 

Front

Close-up of Tie Dye Paper Towel Flowers

The journal was constructed totally from scratch using a technique from Traci Bautista's "Retro Rags" DVD that I purchased from Creative Catalyst Productions.

TIE DYE TAG SWAP

I'm hosting a tie dye tag swap in my Creative Block Yahoo Group (Stampers Anonymous), and I've been playing around with Distress Ink and Distress Stains and paper towels to make a printing sheet for "tie dyeing" my tag backgrounds.  This is a version of Traci Bautista's paper towel printing outlined in her DVD titled "Retro Rags: Funky Fabric Books" using watered-down acrylic and/or watercolor paints.  (I purchased my copy of the super fun DVD at Creative Catalyst Productions).  I printed approximately 24 tags in about 40 minutes using this technique.  After printing, let the paper towels dry, iron to set the colors, and you may use the paper towels for paper roses, fusing to Wonder Under for journal covers, or gluing to card stock using PVA glue or Elmer's glue.  After gluing to card stock, spray with an acrylic fixative for journaling or use in collages.

Tie Dye Tags for Creative Block Yahoo Group Swap

My Tie Dyed Tag Stash

Group #1

Group #2

Paper Towel after Printing and Drying

*See bottom of blog for instructions.

FAVORITE ATC SWAPS

Here are some of my favorite ATC's from swaps I've either hosted (*) or participated in:

Nick Bantock Style ATC - Art 42

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*Valentine ATC Swap - Creative Block

Charlie Chaplin Pop Art Style - Art 42

*Grisaille ATC Swap - Art 42

ASIAN POST CARD SWAP

Nothing's better than Asian along with cigar bands!

January Postcard for Kindred Souls Yahoo Group