Gelli Shoes for All

This year's Easter project was gelli shoes. Here is Audrey's pair. Audrey is nine years old and visiting Grandma from Indianapolis. She chose neon yellow high-tops from Target ($16.99) for her project for today. Pictured here are her shoes with the gelli plate printing. Her sister, Lindsey, made the shoes in the background. She is seven. She chose classic white canvas shoes ($12.99 from Target) to decorate. She used spring colors to make her shoes look unique.

This was a family project on the patio with Grandma, Mama, and Audrey and Lindsey. Here you can see all four pairs of shoes with Grandma's on the left, then Lindsey's, Mama's and Audrey's before the finishing touch of lettering was added the next day after the paint dried.

Everyone agreed that this was a great Easter project.

Lindsey (age 7)

Audrey's Shoes (age 9)

Stephanie's Shoes (Mama)

Rita's Shoes (Grandma)

Spring Break Stencil Fun with Gelli Printing

We're getting ready to have stencil fun this spring break!  Gelli printing is such fun with stencils. Here are some photos as we prepare...

Gellis--Back by Popular Demand

Great News! Not only was my Intro to Gelli Plates workshop brought back to Craft Fusion, but I got a message from Charmaine today that it already almost full!  It's scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 10:30 to 12:30 at Craft Fusion, 2986 N Alma School, Chandler, AZ. www.craftfusionaz.com

If you want to experience the newest technique in collage and mixed media, this workshop is for you. At only $20 for this introductory workshop, you too can play like a 6-year-old with paints and color. You can even get your fingers in it. The gelli plates, paints and papers are provided, as well as texture tools (found at home and "out and about"). If you haven't been initiated, you need to be!

If you NEED color, you need to learn about gelli plate monoprinting. It's called monoprinting because no print can be exactly duplicated. Each one is an individual, like you and me. The idea isn't perfection, it's creative imperfection. What could be more freeing?

If you have already purchased your gelli plate, feel free to bring it along with you, but I will have plenty with me and we will have them for sale. And remember, you get a discount if you are registered for the workshop.

If you have a specific color palette that you work with, you can bring it with you, but there will be plenty of paint, stencils, papers and mark-making and texture tools for everyone and information about the next series of gelli technique offerings. Call soon so that there is still a spot for you!

5 minute project

Here's a 5-minute project and the supplies I used. 

1" cardboard stencil set (I got mine at Ace Hardware.) Have I mentioned how much I love stencils of every kind and shape?
Dylusions Ink Sprays (Crushed Grape, Fresh Lime and Vibrant Turqouise)
3 Manila Tags
Canso Mixed Media Pad (I used my 7" x 10")
Golden Fluid Acrylic (Titanium White)
Foam Brush
Black Super Sharpie
Uniball Signo Pen (White)
Black Copic Multiliner #003
Copic Marker (Forest Green G17)
Neocolor II Water Soluble Crayons

This project is not my own creation. It comes from a 2-week FREE workshop provided by Carolyn Dube at http://carolyndubeartworkshops.com. 

This is a wonderful free workshop to provide creative expression opportunities and I highly recommend it, in fact, so much so that I've included a button on the left side of my blog to help you find it quickly and easily. So go there now and create!

Quilt Inspirations Post

Today the Lilies quilt that was awarded a 2nd place ribbon at the Arizona Quilters Guild 2013 Annual Show was featured on the Quilt Inspirations blog. Check us out at http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com/2013/03/fun-in-sun-day-7-of-arizona-quilters.html#

Catalyst Blades and Wedges

These are my newest toys for gelli printing...Catalyst blades and wedges. I bought one of each at my local art supply store, Utrecht in Tempe, AZ. www.utrechtart.com. They can also be ordered through Dick Blick at www.dickblick.com. They are both ergonomically correct and made of flexible silicone. They are designed for use with heavy body paints and are heat-resistant, which means they work well with encaustics, but I'm currently using them with my gelli plates to move paint around effortlessly and artistically. Made of FDA-approved silicone, they can be used in your kitchen, but these days I use most of my mixing skills for paints, not pastries. They clean up well with soap and water, and best of all, dried paints can be peeled off the blade or wedge surface in case you're like me and don't always clean up right away. The white "blade" is the 15 mm Shape 6 and the orange "wedge" is the W-05. If you're wondering, yes, the blade can be separated from the wooden handle so that it is easy to handle in your fingers for the gelli plate play.

Ribbon Winner

Tonight I accepted an award, a second place ribbon for my Lilies quilt at the Arizona Quilters Guild Annual Show. Here's a cropped version of it hanging in the show which goes over the weekend. www.azquiltersguild.org

It is based on a digital photograph and is 50" across and 35" down. It is on one sheet of fabric, not tiled like so many are done. It has a facing, rather than a binding.

Gelli Print IPad Cover is Finished

My Gelli Print IPad Cover is now finished! I love the cover flap that is made of my "egg yolk" print. What have you made lately with your gelli plate? (Y'all know I'm addicted!) The bottom fabric, the batik dots goes perfectly with the cover. The inside is an orchid batik. I used the same batik for the binding on the sides.

Image Transfer Workshop

Took an Image Transfer Workshop with Jack and Cat Curio. jackandcatcurio@gmail.com They are a wonderful teaching couple who specialize in vintage salvage and mixed media.

We did techniques such as acrylic gel medium, fabric transfers (nothing new to me since I've been teaching imagery on fabric for 20 years), CitraSolve transfers, packing tape transfers (my personal favorite), Lazertran Transfer paper (which I also loved and had not tried yet), and inkjet transfer with wax paper.

New Class at Craft Fusion

One of my new hangouts is Craft Fusion, www.craftfusionaz.com, where I'll be teaching my newest class, Intro to Gelli Prints. If you read this blog, you know how much I love this new way of creating. I write about it all the time, share techniques and tools, promote the works of others, and generally spread the word. Now I'll be introducing the geli plate monoprinting on paper. Review my earlier posts and see what fun so many of us are having. I'm sharing the thrill with even more arts enthusiasts. The first workshop is Wednesday, March 20th from 1:30 to 3:30 at Craft Fusion, 2986 N Alma School Suite 4, Chandler, AZ. Call Charmaine at 480-821-3758 to register. For this special intro class, you bring nothing except yourself and your creativity. 6" gelli print plates will be provided for students to freely play with techniques which I'll demo. I'll bring everything we need to play...oh, did I say "play" again? This is just too much fun! Don't miss out. The intro is limited to 10 so sign up right away. 

Any questions? Yes, you can purchase the 6" Gelli Arts Printing Plate, but we're inviting you to play first and then decide if you want to purchase (because I believe you'll be begging to have your own). Yes, wear old painty clothes or an apron, acrylic paint will stain your clothes. Yes, you can bring your camera to memorialize the fun. Yes, if we have a waiting list, we will schedule another class soon. And yes, these techniques are suitable for ATCs, tags, journals, collages, you name it. If you can think of it, you can gelli print it.

Goldie

Here is the progress of the next fish in the series, the goldfish.