Life Lessons

 Hello and Welcome

I'm grateful to have a long weekend with time to play.

I have been taking a Gel Plate Printing class from Vicki Boutin. 

Although I have used the Gel Plate for many years now, it's good to refresh my memory and better yet, learn some new tricks and ideas for using it.  It's been a great class so far, 8 lessons in all and great time spent with her wonderful community.  

BTW, all her lessons are recorded so you can sign up for the classes at anytime.  She is doing them live on Monday and Thursday nights for a few more weeks.

No, I am not affiliated with saying this...just thought you may want to try them out.

This was one of the prints I did last week when we were experimenting with our Gel Plate, water and a stencil.  I love this fun stencil called Round Fragments from A Colorful Life Designs.

So here's what I did to create my card.

• I cut a white piece of cardstock to use as my front panel.  I got out my Gel Plate and brayer and some Basics Acrylic paint.  
• I squeezed a small amount of paint onto the plate, then brayered it all over, covering the whole surface of the plate.
• Next, to add some texture and interest, I added some water to help break up the paint.  It gives such a fun and interesting texture to the background.
• I placed the Round Fragments stencil over the plate and pressed it down carefully, trying not to get my finger marks onto the plate.  (At this point, I rubbed a piece of cardstock over the plate to lift off the paint....this is not the print I used for this card but will be kept for future use.) 
• I removed the stencil, then rubbed a piece of cardstock over the plate to create this pattern.

These are just some of the positive and negative prints I pulled in the class.

You can see the one I'm using in the top left hand corner.

• Next, I got out some scraps of white cardstock to cut the sentiment from Frantic Stampers.  I cut it out 3 times and glued them together.  The sentiment really looked flat against the stenciled print, so I decided to jazz it up a bit.  
• TIP: <<< I covered another scrap piece of white cardstock with some clear packing tape.  I die cut the sentiment again from that.....it gave a nice shine and added stability to the die cut sentiment.  I glued that onto the stack of 3 I had done before >>>
• I glued the stenciled panel onto another piece of white cardstock, then pop it up onto a heavy white card base with some foam tape.
• I glued the sentiment and the hearts over the painted panel.

Here is the stencil I used for my card:

Round Fragments

Discount Code for A Colorful Life Designs

*Just use the code KarenFan10 to get a discount on stencils and masks.

(affiliate)

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Adding my card to these challenges:

Simon Says Wed.- ANYTHING GOES

Challenge Up Your Life- CIRCLES

Supplies

Stamps- none

Inks- none

Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook- Waterloo, Ont.)

Accessories and Tools- Geli Arts Plate; Speedball brayer; Basics Acrylic Paint; stencil- ACLD;

die- Frantic Stampers; clear packing tape; Spellbinder Platinum die cutting machine