A Blue a Blue a Ballooooon….

A Blue a Blue a Ballooooon….

 Hello there!
Thursday’s blue right?
So let’s get the old Gelli Plate out and make a cool blue frame..
Lay your Gelli on a piece of square white card, 
for lining up the top piece in a minute.
Spread some Titanium Buff Acrylic paint over the plate with your brayer, and lay the oval centrepiece stencil into the centre of it!
Then lay the Dotty wave stencil over the top.
Copy paper next, so you can apply pressure
Lift off the copy paper and the Dotty Wave, 
but leave the oval in place when you pull the print.
That way your centrepiece will be lovely and white.
Now for some dark blue…
But before you start on the next layer of paint, attach the oval  centrepiece to the actual art work with some masking tape or blue tack where the white oval is now, all ready to set down in the wet paint. Spot the blue-tack..

Spread the blue ( I think I used a little turquoise here, too)
with a brayer. 
Lay the Leafy Swirl stencil into the wet paint, then a sheet of copy paper next, blot well and lift off the copy paper, so it looks like this.
Now remove the leafy stencil.

Provided you have covered up the white oval with the oval centrepiece, when you lay the artwork with the dotty pattern down, rub and lift, the oval aperture will still be there.
So now we have a fab frame, all ready to fill!
Always happy when this happens, too. Still got a bit of the pattern on the Gelli Plate? Let it dry, and we’ll come back to it….
Let’s add a little shade with Stonewashed and a 
make-up sponge first. The oval mask helps of course!
Now we can begin….

Stamp the Hot Air Balloon in Watering Can Archival

Cover up the outside with the framer.

Use the brush with Willow and Stonewashed around the 
edges of the oval.
Build up the colour by going round and round and round 
with the tip of the stencil brush

Add the smaller silhouette balloon. 
Perhaps ink blot plot, so that it’s not so dark. 
Draw around the oval with a fine black pen.
Colour in the Balloon with Distress Markers

Nice! 

 Hang on though! Remember this? 
Add a little Buff Titanium Paint straight on top.

Bluetiful!!!
Arty backdrop made from the leftovers.

There we are: two in one…
The Gelli Plate Rocks!
Thanks for dropping in.
with love,

59 thoughts on “A Blue a Blue a Ballooooon….

  1. I can't wait for my balloons to arrive to have a go at this one. Then it might be lesson two for Bec and Merlin. It is such a detailed tutorial, it is almost like having you in the room. xx Maggie

    1. Only too long for you to have to compile, Barb! 🙂 Perfect for those who are trying to emulate your work! Looking forward to the arrival of my balloon stamp even more now… Love 'n' hugs xx

  2. Such a beautiful card, this stamp is so lovely to work with …there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. These tutorials are so useful because we can refer back to them and follow step by step in our own time .. I just had my seahorses today and I know I have your blog to refer back to on my laptop in my craft room ..it's wonderful …just need more hours in the day like everyone else who crafts xxx Annie

  3. Tutorial too long!!!….NEVER!…. You explain it so well, like a good recipe book Barb, you take us step by step, so if we follow we can go back to the exact point – theres a thought for you – a book of tutorials, think about it – you won't have to do much as you already have so many from this blog!! I love this balloon – its Around the World in 80 days era, I love the frame too – I had the small gelli for Christmas – already had the bigger one but think I will use the smaller one more! So when I get my balloon I will be trying this one for sure xx As ever a blog that is a delight to read x

  4. Morning Barb…cuppa time again and no it's not too long!
    I agree with you that it is a beautiful balloon…I love the shape and the patterning. Kim is right about it being an Around the World in 80 Days balloon.
    I had my Gelli Plate out on Sunday and couldn't pull a print I liked. So I went back to basics and I was away….I now have a stack of gelli prints all ready for me to turn into projects!!! Love and hugs to you. xxx

  5. Hello Barb, fab step by step instructions, as I am still getting used to my gelli plate, but loving it. These 2 examples really make me want to go play and forget about work, they are amazing. Don't have these balloons, both have the original set of 3, so am going to try with those. Have a great day. Bx

  6. Beautiful and such a wonderful detailed tutorial. I haven't got the stamp, but I have got the Gelli plate and stencils, so can improvise. I did enjoy playing with the Gelli plate a couple of days ago!

  7. The more I read your blog Barbara the less I want to go to work! Really want to stay at home and play. If only I could find a job that would pay me for not working! 🙂

  8. I love my gelli plate! Will be trying this with it for sure. Thank you for bringing the gelli plate to c&c and showing us how to use it. I would never had attempted it without you! It is so addictive once I get my stash out to make a print I can't stop and now I have a pile of them………… Probably should use them on something.Xx

  9. Another great card .how I look forward to your Blog every day ! made my first card on Saturday with the gelly., but still cant get it into my head how to do the different layers . will keep trying . think yesterdays card was wonderful . Must buy the set at the end of the mouth , xxp

  10. It's perfick ! Love this and I almost have everything so I can definitely have a go, can't wait to order the Hot Air Balloon stamp it's fabulous, thank you again for the wonderful tutorial xx

  11. Ooohh this is gorgeous! I always read your blog when I get to work in the morning or at lunchtime and all it makes me want to do is rush home and play in my craft room for the rest of the day! It's sooooo unfair ;-))

  12. How could you possibly think 'too long!' Never in a million years, your fan club would wade through a missive the size of the bible! Always useful, always interesting and always fun!!! Carry on regardless…….PLEASE PLEASE

  13. Morning Barbara, never too long when it is quality information….and the photo tutorials work really well….like a mini lesson…in fact you have started a trend and simple blogging will be a thing of the past….we will all be doing mini Barb posts…….have a good day….oh stunning project btw…love these stamps….Jo. X

  14. Good Morning Barb!
    I love this blog, and I really love the designs on the Balloon!
    I don't yet have the Gelli Plate, but when I see what you have produced ….I am curious to have a go, and see what I can manage!
    Love Marg

  15. Hi Barb,
    What a fabulous blog and definitely not too long. I really appreciate the time you take and these "tutorials" are brilliant for us to follow you step by step. As today is really horrible outside, I think I'm just going to have to play and guess what I'll be attempting! I haven't got this balloon set, but have got your original ones so will give it a go with those. Think I'm going to batch make a load of different backgrounds too. Thanks Barb. Love Alison xx

  16. Definitely not too long for me neither. Love reading your blog everyday. Love using my GP, and create different artwork with it. Now that I have the idea of the "leftovers", it gets even better.
    Laurence xx

  17. both projects are lovely. the colour combo is right up my street. i resally like the contrast in the 2 prints, one sharp and bright and the other somewhat more distressed and vintagey. great work……hugs xx

  18. Hi Barbara. Another beauty. I don't have a Geli plate…yet, but the more I see you using it the more I want one! Loving the balloon stamps. Please, please don't ever think your blogs are too long, we all love them with all of the step by step pics etc, they are brilliant. Take care.

  19. What a lovley idea i havent got an oval but got the heart stencil that comes in the club and you get the heart cut outs with it so I will have a little crafting play later today to see what I can come up with my gelli plate and paints with thank you barbara for the fabulous inspiration have a good day sheila xx

  20. Love this, will have to try I have the gelli plate and some paints but not the stamp so would have to improvise and use a different but its good to be different. Will have to try and not to think about trying I keep telling myself I will have to try I will have to try.

    Hugs
    CraftyJace

  21. Probably most of us need a good step by step tutorial, so certainly not too long. The balloon stamp is lovely as are all the filigraphy ones, they have lots of uses. Had to buy some more storage today for my evergrowing stash of Clarity items, so think you are right when you say we have probably got most of the things needed. Thanks Lynne xx

  22. Really lovely 'Gelli plate' art. Spent ages in the Brower's Bookshop in Portmadog (it's an art shop as well) trying to convince myself I didn't really need every shade of acrylic paint. Fortunately for my purse my daughter phoned my mobile and I had to leave the shop to talk to her. Purse saved by chattering daughter again!

  23. Lovely Barbara,
    I have the leafy swirl stencil and the small leafy stamp-I think the stamp is probably THE most used stamp I have and although I haven't got the gelli plate yet I still use the stencil-I love the design and I love this creation,
    Thank you!
    XxRuth

  24. Fantastic as usual Definitely not too long, I'm always left wanting more when I come to the end!! Never read a blog before I heard about yours on c&c. Now I read it every day and it's always informative,funny and just makes me want to get in the craft room and have a go. Even on a bad day I feel better, thank you so much you are a wonderfully inspiring lady xx

  25. Beautiful work! I have a big birthday this year and I want a Gelli plate and some Clarity stencils! I have paints and paper already, of course, and stamps too, thanks for sharing Barbara. Your work is wonderful and inspirational xx

  26. Its not too long Barbara, I thought my current one was a too long then I realised that Blogger had just repeated some of the photos?? I think people like to see a good visual tutorial and this tells them exactly what to do. Hey not a bad Gelli Print either!!! xx

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