Pumpkin Time with Gel Plate Background

Today I’m sharing a card that features a technique that’s new to me – Gel Plate printing.

I was inspired, as I’m sure many other crafters were, by the video that Jennifer McGuire shared showing how she used a gel plate with distress oxides. I love the texture that the plate gives to a background, and how easy it is to use detailed stencils with a gel plate – something that I’ve struggled to use with traditional blending tools.

The gel plate I’m using is 6×6 inches. I chose this size as it’s a traditional background stamp size and will work with both of my usual card sizes of UK A6 and US A2.

For this card, I used three colours of distress oxide inks – Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin and Candied Apple. I added the colours in stripes on the gel plate, then used a brayer to smooth and blend the colours together.

I cut some pieces of the WOW Superior Smooth White cardstock to take my prints. As the name suggests, this card is lovely and smooth, and a good weight of 250gsm. I placed the card down on the gel plate and used a clean brayer to burnish it all over to pick up the colour. No two prints are ever the same and I love the lines and texture that can be achieved with this technique.

I cut my background panel down and added to the front of an A2 card base. I stamped a sentiment from the Hello Bluebird Pumpkin Time stamp set with Versafine Onyx Black ink, which gives a crisp sharp print against the oxide ink background.

For the ground, I had a leftover piece of white card that I’d previously embossed with WOW Colour Blend Verdigris embossing powder. Originally I planned to trim away the rough edge, but really liked the look of it, echoing the texture in the background, so decided to keep it. I adhered this piece to the bottom of my card.

I stamped and copic coloured images from the Hello Bluebird Pumpkin Time stamp set, plus some clouds and a pumpkin from the Hello Bluebird Fall Friends stamp set, then die cut them with the coordinating dies. I layered blank die cuts behind some of the images for dimension.

Here is a link to Jennifer McGuire’s post on gel plate printing, which inspired my background technique today.

Supplies

Affiliate links used where available

Dual Speed Heat Tool Shop at: UK \| USA	WOW Embossing Ink Pad Shop at: UK \| USA	Versafine Onyx Black Shop at: UK	Fall Friends Shop at: HB
Fall Friends coordinating dies Shop at: HB	Gel Press Reusable Gel Printing Plate, 6″ x 6″ Shop at: UK \| USA	Superior Smooth White Cardstock Shop at: UK \| USA	WL05 Colour Blend Verdigris Shop at: UK \| USA
Pumpkin Time Shop at: HB	Pumpkin Time coordinating dies Shop at: HB