Donna T Crafting: AECP Level 3 Monoprinting Made Easy

Confession Time – About 9 months ago, I watched a video where the crafter used a Gelli plate to pull some gorgeous background prints. I was in awe of all this and that same week, I went out and bought a Gelli plate. And that plate has been sitting in my “to do” basket since. So, I was very excited to take this course. But, second confession…….I was procrastinating because I thought this would take forever and be so messy. I was SO wrong!!!

For this course, I chose three techniques to feature on my blog today. One was using mica mists for my first 2 cards. Then I used Ink pads and alcohol ink reinkers for my third card.

Card #1 and #2 – Mica Mists

First, I started by pulling out my Mica Mist sprays. I made several panels, each looking a bit different. I did all these in my splatter box with a paper towel under my Gelli plate.

For my last two panels, I laid down some gold pigment ink and then added the sprays on top of this. Clean up was fairly simple with a baby wipe between sprays and then mild soap and water afterward.

My first card used the gold pigment ink with the sprays and was pulled on simple copier paper. I added a white Altenew Garden Trellis Cover Die on top.

I then stamped and stenciled using the Altenew Build-A-Garden: Rosa Gallica set. I put this in the lower left corner on foam tape. The sentiment is also from the stamp set and was cut out using a fancy die I had in my stash.

I love all the shine and sparkle in the background and think this is just really pretty.

The second card using these backgrounds is using the first sheet I pulled on white 100 lb. cardstock. I used the Altenew Up & Away set. I stamped the smaller balloon and stenciled the colors for this. I added some additional colors using my alcohol markers. I also used my alcohol markers on the couple. I fussy cut these as I don’t have the dies and adhered these using foam tape.

I stamped the sentiment from this set directly on my background panel using black ink. Then I adhered to some colored cardstock and then on the A2 cardbase.

This is one of my favorite stamp sets with the balloons and think this turned out really great with the wonderful background.

Products Used:

Card 1:

Altenew Garden Trellis Cover Die

Altenew Build-A-Garden: Rosa Gallica set

Gold Pigment Ink Pad

Black Dye Ink

Gelli 5x7 Printing Plate

Brutus Monroe Chroma Mist - Sunrise

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain – Lumberjack Plaid

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Mica Stain – Winter Frost

Altenew Crisp Ink Pads – Misty Morning, Nimbus, Coral Bliss, Rhodolite, Red Jasper and Canyon Clay

Hammermill 100 lb. White cardstock

A2 white card base

Copier paper

Card 2:

Altenew Up & Away set

Black Dye Ink

A2 Rust card panel

A2 white card base

Gelli 5x7 Printing Plate

Brutus Monroe Chroma Mist - Sunrise

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain – Lumberjack Plaid

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Mica Stain – Winter Frost

Altenew Crisp Ink Pads – Misty Morning, Nimbus, Red Jasper, Peach Parfait and Dark Chocolate

Altenew Alcohol Markers – B003, B002, B027, BG07 BG09, BG3, C010, C015, G011, TG05, TG07, WG01, WG05, WG07, Y401, Y423, Y514, Y608, Y762, Y817, Y821, Y911, Y932

Hammermill 100 lb. White cardstock

Card #3 – Ink pads and Alcohol Reinkers:

For my third card, I started out doing a little experimenting and then changed directions completely.

I started by pressing my dye ink pads onto the Gelli plate. I used green on the bottom 1/3 of the plate and then used my coral/reds at the top. I spritzed with a little water from my mister. I then put the die cut pieces from the Altenew Craft-A-Flower: Epiphyllum around the plate (good side facing down into the ink). I then added a little bit more water and then covered with some cardstock and rubbed firmly.

When I removed the cardstock, I had something interesting, but not exactly what I was looking for. However, when I removed the die cut pieces, an idea started forming. I repeated the process, using the remaining die cut pieces and any parts of the previous flower parts that did not get inked. I used copier paper this time, but not really for any reason except that I might not be using that pulled print. I really like how these flower pieces were looking. However, I still needed a background.

That is when I decided to try the Alcohol reinkers on the Gelli plate. I cleaned up my plate and then added some drops from my Alcohol reinkers around the plate. Again, greens on the bottom 1/3 and coral and reds on the top. I spritzed with a little 91% alcohol to make move a bit and pulled using my cardstock. And I did not get what I wanted…….I had not really moved the ink around enough.

So, I decided to try again. This time I added a bit more alcohol and moved my plate around a bit so the color moved around. I also changed up my paper to use my Craft Plastic as it will move a little on there as well and this turned out much better. Plus I had some ink left on the plate. I spritzed with alcohol again, moved it a bit and then brought in one of the panels I did previously with the die cuts and added this color on top……it might be something useful in the future. I ended up doing one last round for good measure and have some really nice panels to work with.

I picked one of my craft plastic panels and used the Altenew Flowery Field Embossing Folder. I love how this looked, but decided to use my sanding block lightly over the raised areas to give a little more definition. It is very subtle, but I think it makes a big difference in the end.

I then went back to my die cut pieces and added a bit of shading using my Alcohol markers.

I put these die cut pieces together making the flowers and ended up using one on top of the similar embossed image on my panel. I love how this flower pops out of the card!!.