I created this card using Lavinia stamps, a Gel Press Printing Plate, and VersaFine Clair inks.
~The good thing about wind chills ranging from -31 to -53, where I live, is that I have no desire to go outside. I just want to hunker down, with the Hallmark Channel in the background, and work on cards. The bad thing, it’s -31 to -53. Today, as I write this, there’s a blizzard. It amazes me that I’ve seen two people out snowblowing and shoveling today, and it’s -31 wind chill with winds blowing at 27 MPH. My all time best is -21, winds 8.~
This was the first time I used a gel plate. I had watched videos, and there seemed to be endless possibilities in the prints I could make with this.
I used a brayer to apply Wild Honey distress ink across the entire surface of the gel plate; then Barn Door across about 3/4 of it. I sprinkled Gamboge Brusho on the gel plate and spritzed the surface with water. Next, I placed a piece of watercolor paper on top; smoothed the surface of the paper with my fingers to make sure it was completely inked; and pulled the paper off to achieve the print for the background.
I created the sun by using a circle mask, a mini blender, and Summertime VersaFine Clair ink. I die cut a circle, from a sheet of acetate, with a Spellbinders circle die. (what’s nice about acetate is that it makes it easy to determine where to place the sun, as it’s clear.) I positioned the circle and shaded the ink around it with my mini-blender.
Next, the Lavinia images were stamped, and the sun was outlined with a Gelly Roll pen and Wink of Stella. I also used the Gelly Roll pen to add sparkle to the fairy’s wings. I sprinkled Iridescent Gold Brusho SprinkleIT over the sun and carefully spritzed a little water on it (I wish you could see how it sparkles). One-half inch Scor-Tape anchored the watercolor paper and cardstock to finish the card.
Materials Used:
- Strathmore Watercolor Paper, Cold Press, 140 lb.
- Black Cardstock
- Orange Cardstock Base
- Lavinia stamps: Make a Wish (fairy), Dragon Pods, and See a Fairy. (Tracey Lavinia Dutton is the artist of the Lavinia stamps.)
- Tsukineko VersaFine Clair: Nocturne (fairy); Fantasia (dragon pods), Morning Mist (verse) and Summertime (to create the sun)
- Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Barn Door and Wild Honey
- Gel Press Printing Plate, 5 x 7
- Brayer
- Colourcraft Brusho Crystal Colour, Gamboge
- Colourcraft Brusho SprinkleIT, Iridescent Gold
- Tim Holtz Tonic Stamp Platform
- Ranger Mini Blending Tool/Foam
- Ranger Mister
- Spellbinders Nestabilities Standard Circle, LG, S4-114
- Fiskars Procision Rotary Bypass Trimmer (12”)
- Martha Stewart Scoring Pad; Fiskars Dual-Tip Embossing Stylus
- Wink of Stella, Clear
- Stardust Gelly Roll Pen, Sakura, Clear
- Scor-Tape: 1/2″
- Johnson’s Baby Oil (To clean the gel plate, I first used baby wipes; then washed it with dishwashing liquid; put some baby oil on it; and wiped off the excess.)
- Baby Wipes/Paper Towels
Thanks for checking out my card and website! Have a Fairy good day!!!
Diane