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Jan 15, 2022

Lovebirds with a Heart and a Gelli Print Fail

Happy Saturday! It's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and Mervi's turn to host! Her chosen theme this week is "Add a Heart". We have a wonderful prize from Pearlywinks who kindly donated a £15 store voucher and there is a second prize of a pretty Bee Crafty stamp.

Love the theme but struggled with my card as I wanted to give my Gelli Plate another chance so I am sharing two cards, the second one being the "Gelli Print Fail". 

Both cards using similar products.


I started out by inking Bristol Vellum card front using Dusty Concord and Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide inks then I stamped the Penny Black image - So Tweet, which is one of my newly acquired PB stamps when it was on sale  - using Versafine Onyx ink. I also stamped this again on a post it note then fussy cut to use as a mask. 

Next I used two stencils, Penny Black Hypnotic and Tim Holtz's Checkerboard from this set. The birds were then colored with some Distress inks, but I decided to use some colored pencils too which I kind of regret now as I liked it more before I added the pencil coloring. 

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The music note stamp is an oldie from a Whiff of Joy stamp kit (no longer available) and the sentiment is another oldie from Whimsy Stamps (no longer available). 

The larger heart was done with a die from the Avery Elle Hearts Frame die set and I thought it needed something else on the top left so I added Penny Black's String of Hearts die cut. 



Below is my Gelli Print fail. I've had my gelli plate for many years now, in fact I went to search my blog for gelli plate and it looks like I've had the plate since 2014. Sad to say it's been sitting mostly unused on my shelf :-( But I did find this card on my blog that I actually liked made with a gelli print background. On that card I had used acrylic paints and I remember it was a pretty messy project.

I think you can see for yourself what is wrong with the card/ background. I just CANNOT get a nice smooth brayer inking. I've always struggled using a brayer, even before using the gelli plate.



In any event, I brayered Dusty Concord and Tumbled Glass ink first, then decided to add some Blueprint sketch ink too. 



I used the same stencils as I did on the card above, this time directly on the gelli plate instead of inking. Wasn't too thrilled with the outcome but thought I'd continue on. I used the same bird stamp So Tweet and colored with Distress inks and Zig markers. And I used the retired French Script background stamp and same music note stamp I used above. A different sentiment here, this one is from the PB set So Very Much, and the hearts are from the same Avery Elle set I used on the first card.  

I actually was going to stamp and color just the birds again, fussy cut and then add to the card, but as my luck was on this day, I got an ink smudge from the purple stamped music note onto the (what should have been) white card base, then decided to ink the card base using the same purple ink to hide the smudge. At this point I decided I wasn't a fan of the now purple base and there was just too much I didn't like and so I had started the card at the very top. LOL. Do you have any crafting days like this?

If you have any gelli plate tips to share, please do so in the comments or leave me the names/channels of your favorite gelli plate artists below. I'm not yet ready to give on this tool!  



Thanks so much for visiting!

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I'm linking up here:
Penny Black Saturday - PB Stamps and opt. Something New  // A Gem of a Challenge - AG // Crafty Calendar - AG // Cut It Up - AG // Aud Sentiments Challenge - AG // Craft Rocket Challenges - Dies // Cardz 4 Galz - New Stash (birds stamp is new to me) // C.R.A.F.T. - New (new to me PB Stamp) // Moving along with the Times - Feminine // TIME OUT Challenges  - In Love // Simon Says Stamp - Stencils // Ike's World - AG with Sentiment // Everybody-Art-Challenge - AG // A Place To Start - AG // Crafting Happiness Challenges // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges - AG // 

Always Anything Goes and Link Parties

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Creative Moments // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Dare to Share // Sunday Showcase - First Sunday with Ada and Mireille  //  Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge //  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life // 

56 comments:

  1. In my book there is never a fail with Gelli Plates, it's impossible to know what you are going to end up with and they all fit in somewhere, I absolutely love the way your "fail" turned out.

    If your not happy could be as simple as being a bit too heavy handed with the brayer, or maybe your not using a soft or wide enough one (for years I've used the 6" speedball). A spritz of water can help shift/merge the colour to soften the lines. Not meaning to teach you to such eggs, but it's exactly what I hear at demos all the time and theres usually a simple fix.

    I think both versions are lovely for this weeks theme and each have their own carm.

    B x

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  2. Beautiful love birds, fabulous stamp and lovely colouring.
    I haven't use my gp much either, but had one online course, and got some great tricks.
    Next I try to use the achool inks with it. I always do the background first ( many the same time, cause the mess), then I stamp over it - or whatever I'm creating. More practice...and time, have a happy weekend;-))m

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    1. Thanks so much, Mervi. I will surely give it another try. I don't have any alcohol inks yet to try.

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  3. Beautiful card!
    Have a great day!
    Marilyn💖

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  4. Beautiful stamps and cards. What type of brayer are you using - some are too harsh. Try a speedball brayer with smooth rubber and always clean it thoroughly.

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    1. Thanks Lynn. Yes that is the brayer I have. Think I may be too heavy handed with it as Brenda suggested could be a reason. Will keep trying.

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  5. Hi Ellie, your cards are adorable .. they are both lovely but the first one is really outstanding.
    It is spooky you should be posting about gelli plate woes … I got my first gel plate for Christmas and had my first go at using it on Thursday .. not successful at all. I also brayered DO ink but then added some spatters of different colours DO by watering it down on my palette and flicking with a fan brush. I also had a bit of a problem with a non smooth finish, though I guess I need to practice .. I agree with Lynn that a soft rubber brayer is key .. luckily I read that before I got mine for Christmas. My main problem was that the background colour looked totally washed out. I would really appreciate any tips you can gather too … I do t have alcohol inks or Lavinia Elements so need to stick with the DO’s for now xx

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    1. Thank you Pauline. Wishing you the best of luck and much success with the brayering and gel plate. Yes I have a speedball rubber brayer, I had researched too when I had first purchased the gel plate. But there must be something I am doing wrong. Practice is probably the key word.

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  6. Both cards are adorable but I know we crafters are very critical of our own work and once we've seen a little mistake in a design our eyes fixate on it and then there's nothing we do can to stop it. At least you are using your Gelli Plate and experimenting with it, I must confess that I won mine in a Lavinia challenge 3 years ago and it has sat in the box on the shelf ever since - I think I'm a little frightened to try it out.
    Lorraine

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    1. Thanks so much, Lorraine. The backgrounds I've seen others create with the plate are always so fabulous! I think I need to practice with it when I am not even thinking of making a card.

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  7. Hi Ellie . . . I like BOTH cards.
    LOVE my gelli plate. Yes, sometimes I make prints I'm not keen on . . . but sometimes those ones can look better chopped down smaller for projects or ATCs, or used for die cutting or punching shapes from. I also put a WASH of white gesso over stronger prints that I'm not so keen on and then stamp on top, and voila - your background becomes just that . . . a background and the stamping over the top draws you eye. KEEP GOING with your GP - experimenting is key! Lots of You Tube videos too. Really LOVE Teresa Morgan's videos as she shows you the end results of her GP sessions.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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    1. These are great tips and ideas, Sarn! Thank you so much!! Will check out Teresa Morgan's videos!

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  8. Oh, these cards are absolutely stunning! I especially love the first one!

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  9. I definitely have stamping days like that! I love the top card; it is just beautiful.

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  10. Beautiful card.
    Thank you for joining us at CRAFT Challenge Blog challenge. Good luck Ginny DT for
    CRAFT Challenge Blog
    My Blog As I do Rodos

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  11. I've never done gelli print and can't see anything wrong with that second card. They both look amazing to me. I love the detailed layered look and the birds are so sweet.

    Thanks for sharing your awesome project with us at Cut it Up!

    Evelyn
    http://mylittlecraftblog.wordpress.com

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your kind comment! I know sometimes we think something should look a specific way and then aren't happy with the outcome. Maybe a few more tries and I will like my gelli prints!

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  12. Hi Elli,
    A sweet little card, love the colours.
    Thank you for sharing your card crafting skills with us at CRAFT challenge -theme being New Year.
    Https://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com
    I look forward to seeing many more of your challenges.
    With kind regards
    Sue CRAFT DT
    Blogspot handmadecardsbysb:wordpress.com

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  13. Wow... what a fab card! I like your cute birds and the layered background is really nice. Thanks for playing at Time Out Challenges!
    - Shauna

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  14. It's a beautiful couple! Love your cards! Thanks for sharing at EAC! Christin

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  15. Sweet! Thank you so much sharing at Crafting Happiness Challenges.
    Janis
    Blog, Pause Dream Enjoy
    Owner & Design Team, Crafting Happiness Challenges, Anything Goes
    Design Team, Let’s Craft & Create
    Design Team, Christmas Crafts All Year Round

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  16. Pretty little love birds! I adore all of your beautiful cards but my favourite is the first one. I do love your fabolous colouring and the very nice background paper. I also like your using of the pensils because it seems as if you can see the feathers. And those notes and the hearts are wonderful eye-catchers.
    Thanks a lot for sharing at the current EAC challenge.
    Hugs Uschi

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  17. Ellie, both of your cards are precious and adorable, little treasures. I think we all sometimes forget that what we do is experimenting and risk-taking and it should be. Everything I make includes something somewhere I covered up or just said to heck with my preconceived notions. But then my art is unique for better or worse, lol, and never looks like when others do it. Have a good week! xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your inspiring words, Aimeslee. You are so right about some of your work just being little experiments.

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  18. So beautiful! I love the colors chosen, coloring and detailed background! Stunning! Thanks for participating in A Gem of a Craft Challenge! ~Michelle, DT Polkadoodles

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  19. Awwww... Both delicious and SO sweet!! Adorable cards!!

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  20. So beautiful.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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  21. It is so sweet, thank you for joining us at the MAWTT challenge xx

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  22. This is such a sweet creation!

    Thanks for sharing at both MAWTT and Creative Moments,

    Hugz Tinz

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  23. Both Cards are beautiful in their own way - I have yet to 'break out' my gelli plate... one day
    Stay safe
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  24. Love the background you have created.
    Thank you so much for entering our challenge this week at CRAFT Challenge, looking forward to see you again next challenge.
    Hugs Sheryl xx CRAFT DT

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  25. Both are so beautiful. I struggle with a gelli plate I must confess.
    So glad you have shared this with us at 613 Avenue Create.
    Please come back again!
    The best of luck with your entry.
    Jackie, DT member at 613 xx

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  26. Gorgeous, love the backgrounds, so many details. Thanks for sharing with us at 613 Avenue Create. DT Vesna

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  27. Stunning cards, the backgrounds look amazing!
    Thank you for joining us at Polkadoodles Gem of a Challenge! Jane S (DT) Paper, Pencils & Pretty Things! xxx

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  28. so soft and beautiful, love the gentle colors and the sentiment!

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  29. These are both gorgeous!

    Thanks for sharing both at Creative Moments and MAWTT,

    Hugz Tinz

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  30. Both cards are beautifully composed and presented! Love, love the palette and that wonderful blended background! Thanks for sharing with us at 613 Avenue Create!
    Hugz,
    Chana Malkah, Owner

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  31. Beautiful cards. Absolutely delightful!

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  32. Beautiful! Thanks for playing along with us at Time Out Challenges!

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  33. Very sweet and loving card. Thanks for joining us at LTCCB
    Tina DT

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  34. Lovely creation! Beautifully colored and perfectly embellished! Thanks for sharing with us at A Place To Start!
    Hugz,
    Chana Malkah, Owner

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  35. Your card is gorgeous… thanks for joining our ‘For a Lady/Girl’ challenge over at Moving Along With The Times. Hope you will join us again. Good Luck.
    Diane Louise, Team Leader MAWTT xx

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  36. I love both your cards. In particular the gelli pull one. I love using my
    Gelli Plate - now! I think I had it gathering dust for about 10 years before I even opened the packet. Lots of tips on you tube...

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  37. very nice. Thank you for sharing with us over here at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and best of luck with your entry.

    Annette DT / Admin / Registered Owner for https://worldwideopendesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com/


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  38. Very pretty cards! Esp love the stenciled background on the first card! Thanks for sharing with us at Penny Black Saturday Challenge. I hope you will join us for the February Challenge too. ♥ Sue Kment

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  39. Beautiful creation! Thank you for sharing with us over at The Creative Crafters. We hope to see you again.
    ~ Sherry DT/Admin xx

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  40. Another beauty! thank you for entering the february challenge at Creative Moments
    leona

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