My First Attempt at Gelli Printing

This was a bit of an experimental card. It was my first time using Frantage and my first time using my Gelli plate. Taking both of those things into consideration, I'm pleased with how it turned out.

I'd just got the tree stamp for Lesson 15 and was watching a Frantage show on Create and Craft. Hubby was reading but the demo caught his attention and he told me to order some. I wasn't going to say no, so I was straight on the website and ordered the Bronze and Green Encrusted Jewel kits.

I started off by stamping the image in black pigment ink, adding clear embossing powder, and heating it. I masked off the trees and added some blue for the sky then created a bark effect on the tress with the texture stamps that come with the Lesson 15 kit.

Then it got interesting. Most of the Frantage demos I've seen have just applied it randomly to a card as an embellishment. However I thought it would be great to give texture to the trees and land. Unfortunately it wasn't that easy. Using a paintbrush to try and herd the grains of embossing powder into the design, getting it to stay where I wanted it, then heating it it before it moved again was a challenge to say the least! It nearly got flung out of the window on more than on occasion. Embossing powder is not going to get the better of me though and I eventually ended up with rather funky trees.

I thought they needed an equally funky background, so out came my new Gelli plate. This was another challenge. I got the Gelli out and put it on a Teflon sheet, as the instructions tell you to. One minute I was happily applying the paint with my brayer, the next the blooming thing was on the floor (that wasn't the word I used at the time!). Paint all over the carpet and fur and fluff all over the Gelli. So Lynne's Top Gelli Tip is - Don't do that - it's a nightmare to clean up!

After that I proceeded with a bit more care and was soon printing away.

This is a photo of my desk after I'd finished. In the bottom right you can see the stencil that I made. I cut this out of textured card on my Cameo from a design bought from the Silhouette Store. The green I used is Emerald from the Daler Rowney System 3 paints that Claritystamp sell. I also used System 3's Metallic Copper and Rich Gold to tie in with the Frantage.

The finished print is in the middle, on the Gelli, and either side of it are the first prints from the plate. The print I've used is what is left on the mat after that. I built up the finished print by repeating this process.

The print at the back on the left is the very first print I did. It wasn't good!

I didn't realise it would at the time but the textured card stencil gives its texture to the finished print. This was printed on to completely smooth white card.

There you go, that was my first play with my Gelli plate. Since then I've had a couple more goes and made two very different cards. One in bright yellow and orange and a pastel one that's for my Mum's birthday. I'll blog them both later this month.

Don't forget that Maria Simms is on Create and Craft tomorrow (Tuesday 16th April) for Claritystamps - Take 2. It will be such a treat getting Clarity shows twice a month and I'm really looking forward to seeing what Maria has to show us.

Stamps Used

Making A Point Kit

Lynne

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