You Can Change The World ~ Gel Press Fall Card

While we are still experiencing 90 degree weather in California, I do see some signs of Fall across the U.S. I love Fall, like many of you. I love the colors, the crisp air, the festivities surrounding the season and more. My husband is from Minnesota and one day I’d love to get back there during the turning of the season to see ‘the colors.’

I thought I’d share with you a card I created with Fall in mind. I used my beloved Gel Press’ to create this card which plan on sending to a friend to encourage and uplift.

It was fun getting intentional with my Gel Press plate. Sometimes it’s fun to play and be surprised by the print you pull with your Gel Press plate. Other times, it’s nice to plan a little as I did with this card. I was looking to go with Fall colors and a Fall forest type of feel.

Here’s the how to;

Supplies Used:

• Acrylic Paint (see the colors I used in photo below)
• 5 x 7 Gel Press Plate
• Additional Gel Press plate to use as a palette for your paint (any size will do)
• Misti Stamping Tool
• Cardstock
• Misc. Leaf Stencils
• Misc. Leaf or tree stamps
• Sentiment Stamps (I used Pink Fresh Studio’s ‘You Can Change the World’ Stamp Set)
• Sponge (cosmetic type or sea sponge)
• Paintbrush
• Brayer

Instructions:

Start by choosing some Fall acrylic paint colors. Pull out your Gel Press 5 x 7 plate and another Gel press plate of any size to as your palette.

Begin by placing your 5 x 7 Gel Press plate down on your Misti stamping tool. If you don’t have a Misti, that’s okay, just use the plate by itself. I will share however, that I LOVE MY MISTI tool. It makes stamping so easy and gets it perfect almost each time!

Coat your 5 x 7 plate with a couple of shades of yellow or gold using your brayer.

Using the other plate (not your 5 x 7), lay down a small amount of paint in different colors. With different hues of brown, paint some trunks and rocks near the bottom of your plate. Later you’ll see in the print that the paint brush provides lines that look like woodgrain and a tree trunk.

Add some leaves by using acrylic pain with stencils and stamps. You can use just about anything that might give the appearance of leaves. When using acrylic paint and stamps, I always keep water near by to drop the stamps in until I can wash them. I don’t want the paint to dry in my stamps. Stamp or use a cosmetic brush to apply paint through stencils.

Using a cosmetic sponge and paint, stencil some plants/branches.

Allow your painted plate to fully dry. Place the substrate you wish to print on, in this case cardstock, inside your Misti and hold in place using the strong magnet.

Next spread out some white or off-white paint on your palette plate and roll onto the painted Gel Press plate. Make sure your brayer is fully coated before you touch your painted Gel Press plate otherwise your brayer will lift the paint and beautiful picture you created.

Give your plate a coat of white or off-white paint. You don’t want the layer too thick but not too thin. If you can see the image slightly underneath, that’s a good basic rule.

Flip your Misti and press down on the substrate right away. The substrate might lift and that’s okay as long as you don’t shift it. Then press the substrate down onto the gel plate. You can use a clean brayer if you wish to push the paper/substrate onto the gel press or smooth it with your hand. Slowly peel away the paper/substrate and separate it from the plate. Viola.

On the home stretch. Allow your print to dry completely. Place it back in the Misti with the magnet bar. Then center the sentiment stamp face down where you’d like it on your card. Next close the Misti so it lifts the stamp. Ink up the stamp with embossing ink and stamp it on to the print. Next remove the print and while the embossing ink is still wet, cover it with embossing powder. Lightly remove the excess and save to put back in the bottle. Heat until the powder is melted.

Trim the print, mat on another color of cardstock and place atop the folded blank card or folded piece of cardstock.

Looking for more Gel Press fun? You might enjoy this POST as well. I love the sentiment stamp signifying ‘change,’ the theme of Fall, and the colors. What’s your favorite season?

Warmest creative wishes!