Hello and welcome! I am back with my week 3 make as Guest Designer for the month of January for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. Oh what a blast this has been and I do hope that you have enjoyed my makes 🙂

This weeks Monday challenge is ‘Alcohol’

This week we would like you to use something ‘alcohol’ on your creations, this includes alcohol ink markers, or you can choose to use images of alcoholic drinks eg, wine, beer etc

The lovely folks over at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a FABULOUS $50 voucher to shop at the  Simon Says Stamp Store! All you have to do is take out your crafty supplies, make something following this week’s prompt, and enter over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Blog Challenge. You can join 5 times so you could have 5 chances to win! How AWESOME is that!! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance to win! Woo Hoo!! Good Luck to everyone! The Design Team is looking forward to seeing your crafty makes and will pop around to visit you ASAP!

First and foremost, I must apologize. While preparing to go to the Creativation Show in Phoenix, Arizona I accidentally deleted all the step by step shots from my phone. Thank goodness I had made a video of my process (gel printing is so much easier to video than explain, IMO) and could grab snapshots from the footage, just in case you would rather not watch the video…… So let’s get making 🙂 On a 8×10 gel plate I randomly placed Tim Holtz stencils (THS004, THS019, THS056, THS091, THS103) wanting them to overlap (don’t mind my colorful stencils, the acrylic paint on them will not affect this technique).

Next I am dripping Alcohol Inks ( Sunshine Yellow, Flamingo, Patina Valencia Wild Plum

Occasionally brayering the inks to help move and break up puddles. You will want enough ink to have it move along the stencil plastic, which will kind of like outline or pool along the lines (see hard to explain, lol). Inks under the stencils are going to take a little bit of time to air dry, so leave undisturbed for approx 15-20 mins depending on how much ink you have applied.

 

Once dry, remove stencils. Apply small amounts of acrylic paint (I have used Golden Iridescent Pearl and Titanium White but most brand paints will do) and brayer to create a thin layer on top of the inks. Keep in mind that this will be the background and Alcohol Inks are transparent so the paint will effect the coloring.

 

 

Work fast when applying the paint layer and place cardstock onto plate while paint is still wet. Due to such a thin layer the paint is going to want to dry pretty quickly and in order to pull up the layer of Alcohol Inks you will need wet paint contact with cardstock.

Isn’t that GORGEOUS!!! I love this technique and how you get a negative and positive effect from the stencils. And the way the inks blend and merge together!!! Amazing, nothing like pulling up one of these gel prints 🙂

 

I decided I wanted a more solid colored print to add as accent on the card. So I added Wild Plum and Valencia to the lower portion of gel plate, brayered and then used Reflections (words/numbers must be mirrored to read properly with the print) and Craze & Planks  stamps to add some interest.

 

This pull is a wonderful example of how the alcohol inks with their transparency send gel prints to a whole new level.

 

In my studio I have a 5″ x 7″ frame that I use to help me decide what potions of a print my eye likes best. Here I have picked this area that has both some round elements and vertical lines. I have cut out the second print using the largest Stitched Circle Framelit

For this spray focal point I have used Funky Festive and Traveler Words Thinlits with the prints and Metallic Jewel Cardstock (the orange piece). A couple more close ups …

 

Here is the final card …

Here is the video …..   if you like how to videos, be sure to check out my channel 🙂

 

 

I do hope I have inspired you to use “Alcohol” somehow in your next make and submit it for the Monday Challenge. While there, be sure to check out all the Design Team makes, they are always so inspirational and often has me in complete awe of all their talent.

Thank you for joining me and as always, have a blessed day! xo xo