BE Happy

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge has an ANYTHING GOES challenge this week, you can join in the fun with absolutely anything, scrapbook page, altered art, quilting, journaling, cards, you name it we would love to see how you are inspired this week.

I decided to unwrap my Gelli plate which had been in its packaging for over six months, how embarrasing! I did not want to look at any videos or step by steps I simply wanted to play in my own way and see where inspiration took me. I began with Fired Brick Distress Paint, simply applying a little paint at a time.

I took a book page which we were given in our STAMPtember® art journaling kit and adhered it to a piece of thick white card using Multi Medium Matt. Stamped the Prima Doll onto the text paper with black Archival Ink.

I then stamped the Prima Doll onto a piece of scrap paper cut out and created a mask. Placed the mask over the stamped image and then began to decorate using the Gelli plate.

The Distress Paints are a lot more liquid than other acrylics but I also loved that as this also gave wonderful interest to the card. Simply brayer the paint over the Gelli plate.

I also repeated the process with Broken China Distress Paint, as you can see the Distress Paint does not give even coverage over the plate but the results are equally pleasing.

White card was then placed over the Gelli plate rubbed over with my hand and then removed. As you can see the Distress Paint also gives a wonderful mottled background which you will see I use throughout my artwork.

I then applied Claudine Hellmuth's Classic Teal acrylic paint to the Gelli plate and this time you can see that this paint gives a more solid coverage over the plate (remember you can always take away any excess paint should you add too much).

To add more texture to my background I scrunched a piece of scrap paper and then dabbed it onto the painted Gelli plate and then removed.

I then placed a sheet of white card over the plate and removed. I love this effect, the scrunched paper really adds wonderful texture to the background.

I then applied a coat of Modern Red paint over the Gelli plate and then die cut five circles from white card using the Spellbinders Standard Circles Large die, placed the circles onto the plate and then re applied the coloured card in the previous step to the plate.

I was very pleased with this result. This is quite addictive!

I then added some background stamping to the decorated piece using the background stamp from the Tim Holtz Classics 4 stamp set, using Classic Teal and Modern Red paint to add the tone on tone stamping. I added a touch of black stamping using black Archival Ink and the Distressed Quilt stamp.

The background stamping really finishes this piece for me, I love it. Time for some decoration.

This is the completed card which I created for my daughters birthday and she loved it.

Her dress is also a piece from the decorated card which I love it almost looks tie dyed. The circles are the masks I used on the Gelli plate, nothing was thrown away.

I die cut a mini tag using the Tiny Tabs and Tags Die and added it to the side of the card adding 'Be' die cut using SSS Be Sentiments and Die set. I also added the sentiment to one of the circle die cut masks.

I also had a piece of scrap paper that I had scrunched and brayered over to remove some of the excess paint and I used that to die cut a flower using the Spellbinders Spiral Blossom 3 die, again this looks tie dyed, love it. I also love the tone on tone stamping.

The black stamping really pops against the background and I think the Dolls work perfectly with the artsy backdrop.

 I then decided to create a second card using the Distress Paint backgrounds I created using the Gelli plate.

This is the text paper decorated with Distress Paints applied to the Gelli plate. I also used the Crafters Workshop Mini Circles Grid Template on this piece adding Black Soot Distress Paint to the plate. I decided to add a touch more detail to the background using the Ranger scraper and Broken China Distress Paint. Simply dab the scraper into the paint and then add to the background.

Apply the paint directly to the background.

I repeated this process randomly around the background.

Here is the completed card.

I added circles of paint using Broken China Distress Paint and a lid from one of the paints again to add a further layer of interest.

I die cut hearts from one of the decorated pieces we created using the Distress Paint, die cut using the SSS Large Hearts Die and then added machine stitching through the centre of each heart.

I also added a touch of background stamping using black Archival Ink for yet another layer of interest. 

Lace ribbon has been added to the bottom of the card and machine stitched into place. I also added tiny random pieces of lace to the background along with BE happy stamped onto more Gelli plate backgrounds.

Her dress was painted with Broken China Distress Paint. I love how the book pages can be seen on the doll, tiny details like this make me happy!

I still had lots of pieces left to create a huge tag.

The Doll is actually the mask we created earlier from scrap paper, she looks fabulous and you would never know she was a piece of scrap paper after all the layers of acrylic paint that have been applied.

The tag has been covered with a piece of the Gelli pate background created with Distress Paint and once again I have added random stamping. I have added three tiny hearts to the doll die cut using the SSS Mini Hearts Craft Die.

More hearts have been added again die cut from Gelli plate backgrounds and once again machine stitching has been added through the centre of each heart. BE happy has also been added, perfect I thought for my daughter.

I think I will be using my Gelli plate a lot more from now on, these backgrounds have been wonderful to work with.

To complete, I also added stamping to the ribbon.

For more great ideas please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects. Remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Have you visited the Simon Says Stamp BLOG, pop along  for wonderful inspirational ideas, tutorials and videos.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Products Used:

Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Classics 4 Stamp Set

Unity Stamp Distressed Quilt
Tim Holtz Alterations - Tiny Tabs and Tags Die
Simon Says Stamp Be Sentiments 
Simon Says Stamp Be Sentiment Craft Die 
Simon Says Stamp Large Hearts Set Craft Die
Simon Says Stamp Mini Hearts Craft Die 
Distress Paints - Fired Brick, Broken China, Black Soot
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Acrylic Paints - Classic Teal, Modern Red
Black Archival Ink
Claudine Hellmuth Multi Medium Matt
STAMPtember® Art Journaling Kit
Prima Flowers Doll With Peasant Dress
Spellbinders Standard Circles Large 
Spellbinders Spiral Blossom 3
Crafters Workshop Mini Circles Grid Template
Ranger Craft Scraper