HYCCT1530 Amazing You- Tough As Nails

Hi Again Friends!

This card was created for the Splitcoaststampers’ “Hope You Can Cling To” HYCCT1530 Yvette’s “Tough As Nails” Challenge to create a card with construction related materials or use construction related stamps, etc.

I decided to use a Gelli Arts® print that I had created a while back using acrylic paints, Stampin’ Up! Classic Inks, Encore!™  Ultimate Metallic Ink and the Sizzix® Tim Holtz® Alterations Patterns Embossing Folder.

I sure hope you have a chance to visit the HYCCT1530 gallery and check out all of the wonderful designs for this challenge- very unique and fun!

I have not ventured into the video making aspect of stamping yet but there are many Gelli Arts® Printing Plate videos describing the basics for monoprinting.

I currently own the 6” square Gelli Arts® Printing Plate and have used it primarily with embossing folders for the printing and texture.  

Below are the basic steps I take to create this type of background print.

Using a brayer, roll Gold and Silver paint onto the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate and spread to cover the plate.

Lay a piece of watercolor paper or cardstock onto the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate and lift off, lay another piece onto the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate for the ghost print.

Add a few drops of colored acrylic paint (I used a dark midnight blue, green and mauve), spread the paint with the brayer onto the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate.

Use the Big Shot™ to emboss a piece of thick cardstock with the Sizzix® Tim Holtz™ Alterations™ Pattern Texture Fades Embossing Folder.  

Lay the embossed panel (with the raised part of the embossing downward) onto Gelli® Arts Printing Plate, press into the plate and lift up (this action will remove some of the paint for the print design), lay down one of your prints created in the first steps above onto the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate, press with your hands to lift up and if there is enough paint remaining, press the second print into the paint on the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate, smooth over the back with your fingers and lift again.

FYI- I am using very old Folk Art Deco® Acrylic Paints that I have had for years, so they are thin and dry quickly so I usually can only obtain one print after pressing the embossing folder onto the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate.

You can repeat the steps above to build up more layers but I have found that one or two layers give me enough depth for this type of background, plus you will have a bonus print with the embossing folder panel that you are using as the "stencil" will have enough paint and interest to be a print as well :-)

Once the panel is dry, you should be able to see the outline in the paint of the embossing folder that was used as a stencil, match up the stenciled Gelli® Arts print into the actual embossing folder and re-emboss with the Big Shot™.

Add Encore!™  Ultimate Metallic Gold Ink over the raised embossed areas (I just rub the embossed panel over the ink pad) and set the ink with the Heat Tool.

Trim the completed Gelli® Arts Printing Plate panel, add the hardware label with the brads (representing nails) along with the stamped sentiment and twine and mount onto the Basic Black card front to finish off the card.

To me, the metallic inks with the acrylic paint from the Gelli® Arts Printing Plate make this paper look like metal, the pattern embossing folder reminds me of triangles and other items used in the wood shop along with blueprints (even though this embossing folder was meant to represent dressmaking,  which in itself is a form of construction with “nails”- finger nails that is- lol!):-)

So here is my card for the "Tough As Nails" Challenge- are you playing along yet?

Stamp Sets:  Express Yourself

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black, Encore!™ Ultimate Metallic Gold; Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink, Various Acrylic Paints (Folk Art Deco®)

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories: Big Shot™, Sizzix® Tim Holtz™ Alterations™ Pattern Texture Fades Embossing Folder, Gelli Arts® Printing Plate, Brayer, retired Antique Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware, Natural Hemp Twine

Thank again for stopping by- I have a few more challenge cards to post this evening.  

Have a blessed weekend, my friends!