Collage Tree by Tam

Good morning creatives.

Tam here today to share my Art Journal Page for the current 

'Mark Making and Gel Printing Challenge'.

For this one I used my large Dylusions Journal.

I had so much fun, firstly creating the leaves on my Gel Press, and then putting down all those marks to make that tree.....

LOVE LOVE LOVE the colour....

So let's take a look at where I began....

I have so much fun and surprises when I create with my gel press, but to be honest, I'm a little overwhelmed by it, I feel unsure of what I'm doing, so I usually need a little push to get it out.

Love that this challenge did that.

So firstly, I created a whole heap of papers using PaperArtsy Paints and a few different stencils including TCW Botanical Dream 12x12 and TCW Blooming Garden 12x12.

Two of my favourite 'go to' stencils.

I also used a Texture Plate by Carabelle called Lines and Circles.

Oh and of course my brayer, and gel plate.

For the Paper Artsy paints, I recently visited Vicki at the gorgeous Scrap Matrix store and she opened a Paper Artsy Order whilst I was there. I snaffled up some of the gorgeous new Paint colours and a few that were missing from my stash.

The colours I used were 'China', 'Deep Sea', 'Weathered Copper', 'Dirty Lime', 'Limelight' and 'Bouganvillea'.

Above are my fave prints from the session. 

As I knew that I wanted to create a bunch of colours, and cut them out into leaves, I went for quite a few of the blockier prints. 

As I said before, I sometimes feel a bit unsure with my gel prints.....that whole

'I have no clue what I'm doing' feeling.  

The beauty of this one was it didn't matter, I knew I was gonna cut them up into smaller bits so that seemed to give me freedom, and a 'let's just see what happens if I do this' attitude.

And I was happy with the results.

See that second from the right print? See that cat paw print??

Yep my Maisy must have walked across my gel plate....I didn't notice it until I pulled it up. Lol! 

It's actually a pretty good print. 

Will definitely be using that somewhere.....

Ok, stop rambling, time to cut out a whole pile of leaves from the prints.....

Aren't they gorgeous?!?!?

All that colour!

To a few of them, I added some painted marks - mainly dots and little dashes.

Time to get on with the background of the Art Journal page.

I selected paint colours that reminded me of the sky.....'Aqua Duck Egg', and 'Aquamarine'.

I painted them all over.

Once dry I added some white paint over the top.

Then whilst the white paint was wet I wiped it off through the TCW Ocean Window 12x12 stencil with a wet nappy wipe.

Here's what I was left with....

I then painted in a tree using 'Snowflake' paint.

I just free handed it.

I then went in with a black paint pen, adding swirls and doodles.

Time to adhere the leaves using 'Soft Matte Gel'.

I then added a border with a few scribbles....

Just love that glorious colour....

I then added a quote in the trunk of the tree

"Can you paint with all the colours of the wind"

Ta-da!!

I had so much fun making a collage....it reminded me of being a little girl.....sticking and pasting.

When's the last time you got creative?

We'd love you to enter our 'Mark Making/Gel Printing Challenge'.

Just head to our Scrap Matrix Shares Page and add your creation, and let us know what products you used that are available from the Scrap Matrix Store.

I look forward to seeing them and I'll be back a bit later in the month.

Luv Tam

xx

'Beautiful Day' by Elisa Ablett - September Inspiration

Hi everyone,

Elisa here from the design team for Scrap Matrix, thanks for stopping by the blog today to check out my latest project based on the September challenge at Scrap Matrix Shares.

September Challenge - Be Framed - Scrap Matrix Shares Group

Let's get to it!

USING YOUR GEL PLATE TO CREATE A FRAME FOR YOUR LAYOUT

HOW???? 😧😧😧

Here is my second creation for Scrap Matrix design team for the month of September, a very colourful and vibrant Spring inspired project. 

I wanted to show you how you can use your gel plate (whether it be square or circle) to create a solid base frame for your photo and then add embellishments to further frame around your photo.

TIP- be adventurous with using any sort of framing design on your layouts, it does not have to be the normal sort of frame, use a solid base, use embellishments to hug your photo, use colours to your advantage. Be creative and unique!

Products used from Scrap Matrix - 

idea-ology-cling-foam-stamps-24-pkg-cutout-floral

Funky Fuschia Dylusions paint

Distress Stains, distress ink pads and dylusions paints.

http://scrapmatrix.com/dina-wakely-media/

http://scrapmatrix.com/ayeeda-water-ink/

To create your background - 

Step 1 - Start with the light green colour on your gel plate first. Use paint, ink, sprays or stains, or even swipe a distress inkpad over the gel plate and then spritz it with water then place your paper over the top and gently rub the back of the paper. Peel the paper back carefully and let dry

Step 2 - Add your funky fuschia dylusions paint to your gel plate in a haphazard way starting from the bottom of the gel plate. Then tip the gel plate up and stamp over the top of your green coloured background stamp.

Step 3 - Add some splatters of each colour over the top and let dry.

Step 4 - Using your Dina Wakely Circle stencil and a distress tool, blend ink through your stencil mainly in the bottom right hand side of the coloured circle background. Add some gold splatters.

Step 5 - Using a versafine or archival black ink pad stamp foliage stamps around the bottom half of your layout, maybe even layer them up and around a bit further to frame your background circle a bit more.

Step 6 - Using different mediums stamp all your flowers and leaves using the Tim Holtz Ideology stamp set. I used Funky Fuschia dylusions paint, Twisted Citron Distress inkpad, Mowed Lawn Distress Stain, Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inkpad, and Spiced Marmalade as well. Mix and match them, let them dry and then fussy cut in front of TV! It's essential :-) 

Step 7 - Emboss your metal leaves using Ranger Black Embossing Powder, fussy cut out a stamped butterfly or use a chipboard butterfly inked black, and twist your wire ready for putting your layout together. 

Here are some close ups for the finer details!!

That's it from me today, I hope I have made you think outside the box when it comes to frames on your scrapbooking layouts and designs. 

Make sure you leave me some love xx

Elisa 

Gel printing and Scrapbooking with Elisa Ablett

Hi everyone

Elisa here from the design team with my first share based on the new monthly challenge over at Scrap Matrix Shares group.  'Textures and Layers'

So lets talk Gel Plates!! do you have one and use it for Art Journalling? Not sure how you can use it on a scrapbook page ? My layout below uses a gel plate plus different types of paper to create a layered background for my mixed media layout. 

To start I gathered together plain white cardstock and deli paper and a glossy white paper much like yupo paper. I also used a lovely triangle stencil from 13 arts to use on my gel plate prints.

I created about 6 different monoprints using my dylusions paints, using the stencil as a mask, i waited for my prints to dry, i then fussy cut my triangles out. With the background I tore my brightest prints and layered them in the bottom left and middle right of my page, gluing them layer by layer. The deli paper i used a clear drying glue stick to avoid wrinkles.

Add some stamping and stenciling over the top to create further layers and texture.

I also added some splatters with Blue Bayou Mica Powder with a bit of water. With the extra liquid i created I painted my chipboard title as well :-) 

I am thinking about doing a process video to show you how I create my prints, let me know if you all would be interested 👍👍

Some close ups of the finer details for you - 

Products used from Scrap Matrix - 

http://scrapmatrix.com/gel-plate-8x10/

http://scrapmatrix.com/dylusions-paint/

http://scrapmatrix.com/aall-stamp-set-10/

http://scrapmatrix.com/6x6-13-arts-triangles-color-basic/

http://scrapmatrix.com/hazy-days-elements-6x12/

Blue Bayou - Primary Elements - Mica Powder

http://scrapmatrix.com/primary-elements-mica-powder-10oz/

That's it from me today 

Hugs 

Elisa xx

'You can never have too much happy' by Elisa Ablett - Monoprinting to make a mixed media background!

Hi everyone, 

Elisa here from the design team with my latest layout based on the new challenge for Scrap Matrix , 'to use all things RANGER' on your layout' 

Now this is a fabulous challenge as there are heaps of lovely Ranger products at Scrap Matrix, from all the Distress Ink range, Dylusions, Dina Wakely and Tim Holtz. 

Click on this link to have a look at all the lovely Ranger goodies that Vicki from Scrap Matrix has in store - http://scrapmatrix.com/brands/

Here is the link to the challenge group - Scrap Matrix Shares

Here is my layout for the challenge :-) 

I wanted to incorporate gelli plate printing which is my new 'love' in the background and as much Ranger as possible, so I pulled out my trusty Dylusions paints in bright colours - London Blue, Lemon Zest, Polished Jade, Squeezed Orange and Fresh Lime with a variety of Dina Wakely stamps and Ranger stencils.

TUTORIAL TIME!!

This is how I made the background with my Gel Press Gel Petites.

 Firstly ! gather you supplies, brayer 4 inch hard rubber speedball, your gel press plates, and your chosen colours of paint from Dylusions and definitely a craft messy mat underneath!

Next using your brayer (i smooth a teaspoon amount of paint onto my mat then run the brayer over it til it is covered- you only need a tiny tiny bit of this paint) run your paint filled brayer over your gel plate shapes until the paint is smooth and even.

Next step - you can do it two ways. Firstly you can tip your piece of paper over the top of your shapes and smooth the back with your hand OR you can pick up your gel plate with paint on it and tip gently onto your paper and press gently like a stamp.

Next! this is one of my favourite techniques -  before you load your paint onto your gel shape place a stencil over the top of the gel shape and then brayer your paint over the top, once you have even coverage then gently lift your stencil off and press your paper onto your gel shape.

Another technique is to spray Dylusions sprays over your stencils onto a piece of mixed media cardstock as per the photo above then use your painted gel shapes loaded with paint over the dried sprayed paper as per the photo below.

Gather together your favourite Ranger Dina Wakely stamps!

Load up your stamps with black versafine ink and stamp over the top of your dry monoprints and then fussy cut your shapes out.

Here are all my examples of my stamped monoprints with my gel plate shapes!

Next step - creating your background on your page and putting it all together!

Using your black Dylusions spray and a water spray bottle, take the lid off your black spray. Spray water down the middle of the page and then add drops of the black spray to the water pooled on your page. Then tip your page from side to side gently. Add more black liquid and more water if necessary. Using a heatgun dry your background, add splatters of black dylusions spray by tapping the lid and inner tube of the lid from the spray onto your page.

Layer your fussy cut mixed media shapes until you are happy with the design and stick down.

Add punchinella, a die cut black square and some black cotton. I used 3d foam mounting tape to mount my photo over the frame. Ink your chipboard pieces, I used Scrap Matrix wood cogs and 13 arts Chipboard title.

I also splattered silver watered down mica powder on the layout and painted on my inked title and cogs to give it a little grungy sparkle!  you could try Primary Elements or Opal Magic Mica Powder from Scrap Matrix.

Here are some close ups of final layout.

Thats it from me today!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, make sure you leave me some love :-) 

Hugs 

Elisa Xx