Two Challenges & One Gelli Plate Background

Today I have two cards for you . . . first, the challenges.  The first challenge, is the Muse Challenge #153 and the person who supplied the Muse this week is, Tracey McNeely who supplied this wonderful card for inspiration.

I was struck by the three beautiful flowers in the left corner, leaving the rest of the card with lovely, white space and was reminded of a card I made just days ago when I was practising my colouring, so I decided to use the same image again.  I coloured it much the same, but mounted it differently, as I wanted to demonstrate it was indeed a different card, but also I wanted to use the lovely sketch provided by Jen Timco over at Freshly Made Sketches for challenge #224 and this is her sketch

 I turned the sketch through 90 degrees and flipped it and now here is my card for both challenges.

The second card today was made from one of my Gelli plate backgrounds I made yesterday.  I kept it simple in order to let the background become the focal piece, so I cut it at a quirky angle and added a simple sentiment from the Mama Elephant 'Everyday Greetings' stamp set.  Here is that card

Thank you for visiting today.  Have a wonderful weekend my friends!  Hazel xx

** ADDENDUM ** 

After posting this, there was a number of questions about my geli plate, so here, to help further readers, is my refined recipe (I found a number of them on the internet and adapted them), this is what worked for me!

I can't say for sure that it is the same as a Geli Plate but it works as well as a regular gelatin plate and it won't mould or rot.

 

Here is the USA & UK recipe:  I have converted and added the measurements for the Western European folk (measurements in brackets)

 

6 Tablespoons gelatin (7 packets) - I used 100 grams, as I could only buy loose and that was the smallest size, but it worked fine!

1 1/2 Cups water (UK 355ml)

1 1/2 cup glycerine (UK 355ml)

 

I dissolved the gelatin in the glycerine then added the boiling water but you can just mix it all up and microwave it for a minute . .  easy!

 

 A few  tips:

 

• Make sure whatever you use as a mould, make sure the bottom is perfectly flat (mine had a bit of a ‘bump’ in the middle and it comes out on all the prints)
• When changing colours, just wipe the surface with a baby wipe, or damp cloth and go on with the next colour
• If you can find something with a lid, you will be able to put the plate back in after use for storage.  When you have finished, just wipe clean with a baby wipe or damp cloth, let it air dry and store for next use.
• If it gets too beat up, cut or scratched (used & abused) just clean it and melt it for 1 minute in your microwave on high and reset it!

 

Muse Challenge #140 & A 'Stash Card'

Hello all you lovelies out in blogland.  Today - well last night, to be honest - I made this card for the Muse Challenge #140  and the Muse was supplied by the very talented Ardyth Percy-Robb and this is her fun card

I was inspired by the black and white design with the eye catching pop of red, so this is what I came up with.

 

 

 

First I cut the front panel with one of Mama Elephant's 'Trio Landscape' die, spread some Dreamweaver translucent embossing paste through Simon Says Stamp 'Dots & Stripe' stencil and while it was drying I stamped the sentiment from Hero Arts 'Peace Poinsettias' stamp set and die-cut the Poinsettia with a Marianne Dies Poinsettia die set, used an embossing tool to give it some  dimension and sponged with some Versafine Cardinal Red ink to add some shading and then made it up.

When the embossed piece was dry, I assembled the whole thing and finished off with some WOS on the Poinsettia and some black Stickles to the centre and three dots of it to balance the design!

While I had my supplies out and had a card cover die just arrive, I made up a second card (not for the challenge, just for my Christmas stash)  and this is it.

 

Thank you all for visiting and for all your lovely comments, which really brighten my day!  Have a great one!  Hazel xx

Another - New To Me Challenge - Muse Challenge #139

Today's card is for another 'new to me' challenge.  Which is the Muse Challenge #139  and the muse card this week is from Tracey McNeely and this is her Muse Card

I loved the soft look of those beautiful flowers and the layout, so this is my card based on those elements.

For this card, I used:

WPlus9 - Sunshine Layers die set
Stampin' Up - Painted Petals stamp set
Clearly Besotted - Fancy Sayings stamp set
Stampin' Up - Pearls

Thank you for your visit today and your very welcome comments.  I appreciate every one!  Have a lovely crafty day!  Hazel xx

PS  I have started on cataloguing my dies and am up to number 124 . . . but I am doing these more slowly, hence my ability to participate and post!