As an adult, of course, what enters my mind, aside from a visceral reaction to that hideous hippy font on them, is the large pile of questions I have about how many kittens were draped onto branches and ropes in attempt to create this oddly not inspiring paper "meme" of that past. Knowing what I know about cats, there's no way that it took less than 40 billion kittens to pull this off, because we all know Photoshop hadn't been invented yet.
It's FAR more humane to drape STAMPED kitties across a string for an adorable and animal friendly sentiment with a MUCH improved font. So that's what I'm bringing you today, along with some other fun stuff.
It's time for my monthly Gel Press video, and I wanted to see if I could refine last month's technique, which was to use the Gel Press with layering stencils. So I employed a printmaking trick in conjunction with the MISTI this month to get the stencil prints as perfectly aligned as possible, while last month, I just placed it all by hand.
This resulted in some really beautiful images I'll be sharing on my blog over the next few weeks.
The card today was actually my test image. I wanted to see if my trick worked, so I created a hinge with my MISTI, marked my stencils, pulled a print, lifted the stencil off, and put the paper back down to overlay the ghost print and check alignment. It worked like a charm, so you'll see multi-colored samples in the video - but I liked the test so much, I wanted to use with my little hang in there kitties from this Get Well Wishes stamp set with my monochromatic test print. I printed all the backgrounds in the video with my beloved Niji Splash Inks. I used these stitched strips for the sentiment. After I stamped the image onto the print, I stamped it again on cardstock, and fussy cut the kitties and birds after coloring them with the Copics listed below, and paper pieced them onto their little line. Before gluing them down, I went around the edges with my Gasenfude pen to make sure no white showed. I also used this pen to extend the line to the edges of the print. Aren't they the cutest?
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These little guys are part of a fun, month-long collaboration between My Sweet Petunia and Joy Clair. Anywhere you see this graphic, leave a comment and you will be entered to win prizes from both companies - Joy Clair is giving away 2 $25 gift certificates, and My Sweet Petunia will give away winner's choice of an original or mini MISTI.
So here is my video of the process - the trick is simple, but life-changing. Even if you're not using layering stencils, just the ability to register a print in exactly the same spot every time, using all three sides of the MISTI, will make for much neater prints and ghost prints.
Since I'm not blogging all of the cards in the video today (you'll see them soon) - I'm listing the supplies for the other cards in the YouTube description, and I'll list them here on the days that I blog the other cards.
Click here to watch the video in HD on YouTube.
So hang in there, little kittens - it's FURRIDAY, and Caturday is around the corner!
Loveyameanitbye.
awesome video.
ReplyDelete1. Your nails look beautiful
2. LOVE the outcome with the gel press. I would not have thought of that
3. Love the hanging kitty card
4. What even IS splash ink??? You are bad for my budget!
**not listed in order of importance**
Awww!!! Adorable and sweet card!!! I loved your video! Thanks for sharing your amazing technique!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea with the hinged cardstock! You know they had to use kittens for those posters because an adult cat would have handed them their eyeballs on a platter, lol. Gorgeous backgrounds!
ReplyDeleteI used to dabble some in linoleum block printing. I even made a registration platform for my printing efforts, which actually worked pretty well. As I recall, it was just a 1x12 or 1x14 board piece with two 1x2 pieces attached to form a 90-degree corner to place my printing blocks. Then all I had to do was use push pins to pin my paper to one of the 1x2s to keep it aligned while I pulled my prints. That phase of my artistic career didn't last all that long, though. I guess I just got burned out with carving my blocks! I do still have the registration frame, though, but it's nice to see that Iliana made one for us to use with gel printing! :) Thanks so much for sharing your technique, Lydia! :) ~ Andrea
ReplyDeleteAwesome technique! Putting a gel press on my wishlist! Cathy x
ReplyDeleteLovely prints and colors, but I don't need one more tool in my studio! Really, I don't... lol
ReplyDeleteThe kitties got my attention! Love your card! Hoping to try a gel press at some point - love the gorgeous background!
ReplyDeleteOhh those cats are adorable and the background is so cool! Love it!
ReplyDeleteAdorable!
ReplyDeleteThese cats are so so cute !!
ReplyDelete[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]
I'm a cat person so you really caught my attention! I love your cards; the cats are darling. Thank you for teaching me a new technique! It's something I would have never thought of and something I really want to do. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards and prints! How smart to use the Misti to assist in alignment. I'm still laughing at "Perfection is for serial killers".
ReplyDeleteGreat background for these cute cats.
ReplyDelete