Eileen Hull - Gel Press Collaboration - Calendars for 2022

Happy Healthy New Year everyone!  Wow - another year gone by - here's hoping 2022 goes a little better than 2021 did.

This month several of Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team is collaborating with Gel Press - using their products to create papers to use with any of Eileen's Sizzix Dies.

So, I have not created much with Gel Plates and the little I did try didn't work out too well.  So when I signed up for this collaboration - I did a deep dive into YouTube videos looking for techniques where I found lots of inspiration.  I wrote down the steps for the projects I liked and had the supplies for, and went up to my craft room with several sheets of technique instructions.  The trick is, to just play, don't think you'll have a finished project at first try (although maybe you will!)

I am very happy with what I finally ended up with after a couple of hours of playing, but I do have to say there was a lot of trial and error, trying colors that didn't work out together, trying stencils and die cuts that didn't give a good print - so I will tell you that if you are new to this like me -  just keep playing!! - trying different techniques and variations of inks, paints, papers etc.

Here is what I consider my first successful project using a 6" square Gel Plate, a 4" brayer, inks, a stencil listed below and Eileen's Display Stand Sizzix Die.

This wonderful Display Stand die can be held two ways so I made two calendars to show the two positions.

One of the videos I watched used Elements ink in Olive and Distress Ink in Ripe Persimmon so I got those out to try.  I recently purchased this wonderful stencil called Milky Way by A Colorful Life Designs and thought it might look interesting on a 'pull'. 

 

First I rolled the brayer over the Olive ink pad and then brayered over the Gel Plate to get even coverage - very little ink is needed.  Next, I laid the stencil over the inked Gel Plate and pressed over the stencil with my fingers to be sure it was flat against the gel plate.   Then I inked a foam make up sponge with Ripe Persimmon and pounced over the open areas of the stencil. 

And when I 'pulled' off the print - I had this beauty!

I decided to try other ink colors while I was playing. 

  

Below is the pull (print) using Olive Elements ink on the Gel Plate and Speckled Egg Distress Oxide ink sponged through the stencil.  The blue totally blended into the green looking more like a monoprint - but will make a nice background for something.

Below is Olive Elements Ink background with Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide ink sponged through the stencil.  I tried to use colors opposite each other on the Color Wheel.

Below is another one that came out a monoprint even though it's two different colors -  Henna Elements Ink background with Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink through the stencil. 

(the Persimmon blended totally with the Henna, you'd never know it was there)

And this one below is Mermaid Lagoon Distress Oxide background with Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink through the stencil.  I used this pull for my 2nd calendar.

I cut my Gel Plate panels to fit the two panels I wanted to cover on the Display Stand die cut.  

I didn't want to cover up the beautiful print too much, so just added 3 strips of Little Gold Stars Washi tape from Alexandra Renke, the Mini Tear off Calendar from Taylored Expressions and a Metallic Sticker/Quotations from Tim Holtz/Idea-ology.

Look at the wonderful detail on this print! 

Here's the back of the Display stand - holding it this way.

Here is my 2nd Calendar holding the Display Stand the other way.

I used the pull that is Mermaid Lagoon Distress Oxide background and Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink through the stencil.  The sentiment is from Tiny Text by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, the Little Red Hearts Washi tape is Alexandra Renke and the clear red hearts are from Honey Bee Stamps.

I off-set the sentiment and calendar so I didn't hide the pretty 'flow' of the stenciling! 

(my husband hates when everything isn't lined up evenly!)

A close up of the detail on this pull. The Mermaid Lagoon ink printed much lighter than it actually is and didn't show the watery look the Olive Elements ink did on my first calendar.  I think DOX inks print lighter than Distress Inks? You never know what you will get until you try it! 

So I'm quite happy with the way my first Gel Press projects look and am eager to 'play' some more!  I'll be back next week with another collaboration post!

Have you done any Gel Plate projects?

Check out Eileen Hulls Blog every Wednesday this month to see what others on her Inspiration Team have done using Gel Press Supplies and Eileen's Sizzix dies!  

Stamps:  Tiny Text - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous

Paper:  White, Terracotta Tile - Papertrey Ink, White Little Sizzles Matboard - Sizzix

Ink:  Olive Elements - Lavinia, Ranger Distress Ripe Persimmon, Ranger Distress Oxide Mermaid Lagoon, Obsidian - Altenew.

Accessories:  Display Stand Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, 6" square Gel Plate, 4" brayer - Gel Press, Milky Way Stencil - A Colorful Life Designs, 2022 Mini Tear Off Calendar - Taylored Expressions, Little Gold Stars Washi, Little Red Hearts Washi - Alexandra Renke, Red Hearts - Honey Bee Stamps, rubber make up sponge.