Gelli Plates - DIY

I thought I would get on board the Gelli Plate train, without the expense of having to purchase one - for this size it would have been around £30, which seemed quite expensive for trying something out and not knowing whether I would really use it often enough.  

I came across Linsay - The Frugal crafters website and YouTube channel and she goes through the technique of making your own gelli plate - the ingredients including - gelatin - (6 sachets) and 2 bottles of glycerin cost me in total £8

Tada! Here is the one I made, measuring approximately  7.5inch x 12inch

Home made Gelli Plate

I managed to find a storage container for it at our local £1 store and I placed an A4 sheet of acetate on the bottom and top of the gelli plate which stops it from drying out.

Here are some of the prints I have made so far...

By using several layers of paint and stencil, masks and tools to make marks I have enjoyed creating the different layers on the papers.

 Some have come out looking quite interesting and I will be taking them a bit further by creating an image from them, or use them as background papers.

If you come back on for Tutorial Tuesday, I will show you how I made and have been using the Gelli Plate, who knows perhaps you can make one of your own and open up new ways for creating backgrounds.

Gratitudes and Celebration - Week 40 - Triumphs and Trials

Trials will come, but then so will triumphs...

Life has its ups and downs, we have problems they are fixed or sometimes not, we ask for help, we find a way, solutions present themselves and sometimes we experience the grief of loss.

After losing my brother to cancer last year and my best friend to a brain tumor three years ago, while continuing to look after my mother with dementia I sometimes felt numb.   I still do feel numb at times, on automatic pilot, not wanting to believe that they are gone.  With the mother I thought was invincible and who seems to be disappearing before me I find that I busy myself in practical activities that ensures her health and well-being are taken care of.  

I am still going through what seems like a trial I never thought I would have to face, I have to learn to navigate the territory that comes with grief and sadness and at unexpected times my thoughts are consumed with the loss and the continued loss that dementia brings. But laughter exists, mums playful spirit prevails and in the midst of it she can bring joy to the situation.

As I deal with each day at a time I find comfort in being grateful for the small things that can bring a smile, as do reminiscing and sharing childhood antics.  I celebrate the gift of healing of what can seem like a broken heart that will come with time. 

What small thing can you find to be grateful for in the midst of whatever situation you are in right now? 

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

Spring Cleaning lessons learnt

I have been busy clearing out, cleaning, de-cluttering and decorating all at the same time.  It has been years since I really had a clear out.  I did a mini challenge last year or was it the year before, called 'clearing the clutter' and I overwhelmed myself with what I wanted to do, I wasn't realistic about what I had and what I could do.  I tried to clear a major area every day and the reality is that some of the areas needed a whole month to themselves.

Having learnt the lesson (not) we decided to clear the whole house, decorate all while I was moving my mum into new accommodation and clearing her flat of items - many of which had been there for over 30 years, and I had grown attached to.  My mums move is sorted, still sorted out some of her paper work, she is in a smaller flat adapted to her needs, it is light and spacious, and was the right move for her at this time.

With the place being upside down it was difficult to keep my blog up, my phone broke, my computer crashed and it was very weird not having access to the internet, you really realize just how much you rely on technology.  Rather than get anxious about it I looked at it as a bit of a break and time to reevaluate direction, but also prioritize what was important.

I have been creating and trying to keep up with the creative courses that I signed up for.  With everything happening at once I was forced to also pace myself differently with the courses, you can't paint in dust and with drilling going on.  

I started a book binding course last week, which gets me out of the house one day a week for the next 5 weeks.  It has been a long time since I did a course I had to travel to.  But it has been really great, there is only 4 of us so the pace is good, we cover quite a bit in the 3 hours.  I will show you what I have made next week - I have made two sewn books so far.  I am finding the course very therapeutic and it is great learning the techniques and being able to get feedback straight away.  I think it was what I needed at the moment.  Eventually I want to be able to create bound books filled with memories of my mother and filled with stories that normally get forgotten so that generations to come can be inspired by her journey.

For now back to the clearing as the dust settles, tomorrow I will share some images and get back on track.  Do share what changes you have had to make as you move into a new season.

Gratitudes and Celebration Journal - Week 39 - Your best

You deserve the best for your life

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

When you think of your life what one thing do you think that you have done that brought out the best in you that celebrated who you really were?

What is your best and what do you think that you deserve out of life?

You get out what you put in and why wouldn't you want to make it your best effort.  Why would you want to give half measures – you would only be cheating yourself so If you are going to do something, do it to the best of your ability.  You appreciate when someone else has done a good job, how far would you go to make sure that your efforts came from a place of giving without expecting anything in return. Wherever you are, whatever you have, If everyone in the world did one act of kindness it would make a big difference around the world.

   

I am grateful and celebrate today that I have something I can give whether through my words, art or physical, and I can make a positive difference in the life of someone else.

What will you do to improve your circumstances and bring a blessing into the life of another?  Make a list of 12 things and start doing something every month, then increase it to weekly, then daily,  a smile cost nothing to give but can be priceless to the recipients life.

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!