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Tuesday 2 April 2013

What a mess!

 I have been busy with some design team stuff - this is what my desk looked like when I had finished. Time for a tidy up I think.........




So desk clean (ish) I got out the gelli plate that caused so much mirth among my friends when I bought it at the NEC. I know little about this technique, my computer was playing up, so I couldn't search YouTube,  but I vaguely remembered that you put blobs of acrylic paint onto the gelli, so I squeezed generous blobs out...............




What's next? Ah yes, brayer the paint over the gelli plate. Cue: frantic search for a brayer. I know I have one, in fact I have two. One that is kept here in the UK and one that came over from the USA with the rest of my craft stuff. I have turned the house upside down and can't find one of them. I considered using my rolling pin, but on the assumption that, unlikely though it may seem, I may need it for pastry, I decided against that. So I used my fingers. Splodgy green and blue nails, not a good look, but never mind.......Note to self, I think less paint would probably work, and then I wouldn't get horrible blobs of green paint running down off the table onto my jeans......

Then I remembered that you are supposed to press stuff onto the gelli plate, like bubble wrap. Another house-wide hunt, not a scrap to be found, so I made do with the mesh thing that came with the dratted lovely gelli plate......



and the result. A muddy, horrible mess. Will I ever use these horrible artistic backgrounds? No way........


Determined to salvage something I tried again. By this time I had used a whole pack of baby wipes, and the paint had transferred itself to my face as well, or so Mike told me. It must have been when I was scratching my head in confusion....

This time I almost quite liked the result. I used hot pink, orange, and a pearly white Martha Stewart acrylic paint, then pressed a mask into it.  (Why I am giving instructions for this is a mystery, this is one project none of you are going to be interested in reproducing....)


I was determined to salvage something out of this marathon, so here is the card I made. Sorry if the picture is a bit dark, by this time it was so late the rest of the 
UK were all in bed - sensible people......


So the gelli plate has been packed away into a distant cupboard, probably to make friends with the two brayers that must be lurking there. There it will stay until I see some clever person doing something that looks so easy, and if the paint has disappeared from my nails/hair/jeans by then, I will have forgotten the trauma and will dig it out to have another go - if I can remember where I put it!

See you tomorrow x

29 comments:

  1. OMG, you crack me up!!!! I don't have a gelly plate and after your story, have no interest to get one. I'm still laughing and that's the important thing! Thanks! Brigitte

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  2. Your experience with the plate is much like mine using glitter. I had it all over my workspace, floor and body! It went away also.

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  3. I actually love the way this came out!!! Maybe you should pull it back out and make a few more :) Practice makes perfect!

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  4. What a funny story. The card is super despite your trials. I had bought myself a Gelli plate a while back but haven't used it yet. If I get anything decent out of it, I will let you know :)
    Hugs!
    Cec

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  5. Fun idea and way to play with something new. Love how it look on the card in these pink and oranges.

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  6. This just looks like too much fun! Love your beautiful creations! I think a messy desk just shows that your creativity is surging!

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  7. Hi Enfys! I thought the same thing, but I took a very inexpensive online gelli printing class with Julie Fei-Fan and I can't stop making monoprints now!!

    You might want to try using less paint, but the results were greeat anyway!

    Hugs,

    Carmen L

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  8. Hahahaha LoL What a state to get into :-D I have never used a gelli plate. I did love the card you made. It's very pretty.
    Perhaps it was a little too much paint ??!!
    Does the gelli go bad or is it there for life ??
    I'm sure you will have another play sometime x

    Hugz
    IKE

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  9. Oh My, that does look like a rather messy process and you may very well be correct that less paint would have worked fine.

    However, with all that being said, I do like the end results. The patterns are definitely unique, and the light pattern over the top of the darker pattern is a very nice look, not to mention the perfect blend of colors together.

    So, I say BRAVO Enfys! Even with all the fuss and mess, you still found a way to make a delightful card like only you can! Way to go! (*wink*)

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  10. Thank you for making me giggle my socks off at 7:16am :)

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  11. Oh En you do make me giggle!! I have never seen a geli plate before, will have to google that one!! but I have to say I am loving the flower card,its like tie dying,so pretty.
    huge hugs Lou xxx

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  12. Hi Enfys I agree you never know whats going to come out after playing about, but I love the end result of your second attempt, they look stunning. Just think of all that clearing up. hugs Shirleyxxxx

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  13. Love your post Enfys - so reminiscent of many, many arty things I have tried and discarded! I think your second attempt is really pretty, maybe it's the girly colours, and the card is just fab. Pat x

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  14. BRILLIANT I haven't got mine yet can't wait - am looking forward to it but am guessing my first efforts will probably go along these lines lol

    what's that sayin? oh yes practice makes perfect.

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  15. That sure gave me a giggle this morning:) Hope those nails are clean now lol
    I love the card btw, it turned out lovely
    Anne x

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  16. Loved it, have to admit I don't quite "get" the gelli plate thing, and I definitely don't brayer unless forced to, so with you on both counts there! However having said that I did like the card.

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  17. Very very funny! Looks too messy for me...by the way, I can't find my brayer either! Wonder if there is a brayer thief about.

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  18. I've never heard of a gelli plate but I like the final card. How do our crafting sessions turn so traumatic?

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  19. Ha ha, love your description of making this card. I only wish my disasters would turn out looking as good as yours!

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  20. Fabulous card from all the stuff on your gelli plate. A little paint goes a long way. Still I love the finished card. You did good.

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  21. I bet you never thought you'd never UN-enable us. Thanks for the warning. I just don't want to work that hard for a background.

    Kathy Wyatt

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  22. Hi En...what a hoot you are...well done you for having a go with your Gelli plate and I have to say the pink flowery card is stunning...hope we are going to see lots more Gelli creations...hugs kath xxx

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  23. I also bough ta Gelli plate at the NEC and guess what - it has the same rules as buttered toast does when you drop it - it lands paint side down with a splat!!!Enjoy :)

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  24. I also bought a Gelli plate at the NEC. Guess what? It has the same properties as buttered toast when dropped - it falls paint side down with a splat!! Good job I no longer have a carpeted floor! Enjoy yours ;)

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  25. I hope you were able to get cleaned up and move on to the next project that was more fun! However the card is adorable!
    Barbara in AZ

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  26. This is so funny. The card turned out wonderful! Just keep playing you will get it all worked out. Oh your grandchildren will love to play with this. LOL Just have a spray bottle and a roll of paper towel to clean up after them. LOL

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  27. Just love the finished card. Even though there was lots of mess, looks like you just may of had some fun creating this beauty.

    Hugs, CyndiU

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  28. The card turned out pretty. If you go to Scraptime.ca you can search for gelli plates and she has a few videos using them. Maybe the next time it will be easier and neater, LOL.

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  29. I'm sorry....but I'm laughing my head off!!! i would have LUV"D to a fly watching you have a go at these geli plates!!!! just a little to much paint and no brayer and what to stick on it???? Oh My!!did that dang thing come without instruction.....YOU ARE FABULOUS!!!!! don't ever change..life would be boring!!!!

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I love reading your comments, thank you for taking the time
Enfys x