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Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Gelatos Play


Well, I did it again!  I forgot to take pictures of the cards I made & sent out in a hurry the beginning of the week - 3 birthday cards, 2 belated! Oh well, those WERE to have been the subject of today's post, but obviously that won't be happening.  One of the cards was made using papers similar to those shown above, so I decided to talk about my "playing with Gelatos" that resulted in those papers.

It started with some backgrounds I'd seen posted on the Paper Wishes Message Board that had been done using gelatos, embossing folders, and a sanding block.  The process is pretty simple:
  1. Scribble gelatos on your card stock.
  2. Blend with a baby wipe.
  3. Place in an embossing folder and run through your machine.
  4. Let dry - then sand lightly to remove color from the raised areas.  
That's pretty much what I did in the examples in the next couple of pictures - though I only sanded some of them. 


I experimented with a variety of colors & different embossing folders.  I really like this technique.  It's quick and easy and since I used a fairly wet baby wipe, the card stock was damp when it went through the machine so the embossed image was GREAT!  You can see on the blue one below what it looks like when you REALLY sand off the top layer.  The red one below was one I tried on glossy card stock.  Not the best, as the Gelatos could rub off if you tried hard, but they actually held better than expected. 

On the last one - the green one, you can see that I tried something a little different.  I had started thinking about how I might color a second sheet of card stock in a similar color and create coordinating focals.  I decided on some greetings/messages.  I stamped them with VersaMark ink and heat embossed the messages with white embossing powder before scribbling with Gelatos and blending with the baby wipe (didn't use an embossing folder with this one).  You can see a better view of it in the picture below:


Well, that embossing reminded me of my Color Me papers from HOTP (and similar product from other companies).  So, I just HAD to try it with some of those. The picture below shows a couple samples: 


I found I really wasn't as happy with the ColorMe papers done this way.  I've decided that when it comes to this type of product, I preferred to scribble the color on my craft sheet & pick it up with a water brush to apply it.  This allows me to be more precise in my application.  The picture at the top of this post shows several done with the water brush (they were from a ColorMe card topper set (HOTP).

Well, there's some of my gelato play.  Hopefully I'll soon find time to use some of these in cards (and remember to take pictures this time)!!!

HD Christmas Classics - Xmas Greetings #5


The last card in this set is an interlocking gate fold card.  

MATERIALS:
  • 5" x 6.5" white card blank
  • Hunkydory Christmas Classics - Christmas Greetings Topper Set
  • Turquoise & Gold Foiled paper - not sure who makes this and it's not really Christmas paper, but it goes SO WELL! (I got it in a paper swap).
  • Light aqua glimmer paper

METHOD: 
  1. Card Base - Score 2 1/2" from each edge and fold with edges just meeting in the middle as for a standard gate fold. Crease well with bone folder.
  2. Background - Cut patterned paper to 5" x 6" - then cut in half so you have two pieces that are 2.5" x 6". Glue in place on the card front - aligning with the top of the card.  Cut 2 1/2" pieces of the border strip & glue below paper.  If some of the card still shows below the border, trim card blank to fit.
  3. Interlocking Focal & Sentiment - Center frame and glue to just the left side of the card.  Center focal inside frame and glue to just the right side of the card.  Add sentiment to frame and glue just to frame and left side of the card (making sure no glue from this step can touch the right side of the card!).
  4. Inside (see below) - Cut a piece of glimmer paper just smaller than the inside of the card.  Glue in place.  Cut remaining strip of patterned paper in half lengthwise and add as border on either side.