Hello crafty friends!
Today I’m sharing a card that started as a forgotten gel press print and turned into something I truly love.
You know those prints you pull, set aside, and think, meh… maybe later? That was this one.
I originally pulled this green gel print and honestly wasn’t impressed. It sat in my pile until I decided to experiment with it again. This time, I added brayer marks using leftover paint from a recent gel printing session, and that’s when things started to click. The extra texture completely changed the feel of the background and gave it new life.
From there, I grabbed my PaperArtsy Seth Apter ESA33 stamp set along with some favorite WOW! Embossing Powder colors: Dirti Verdi, Midori Spice, and Cerulean. Embossing over a layered gel print adds instant depth, and these colors played beautifully with the green base.
Next came stenciling. I used the PaperArtsy Tracy Scott 418 stencil and applied the images with white acrylic ink. This step is key. The white layer acts as a visual pause and sets the stage for what comes next. Once that layer was fully dry, I went back in with pink and blue acrylic paints right over the white areas to help those shapes really pop off the background.
When I was happy with the layers and textures, I trimmed the piece down to fit an A4 card base and shifted my focus to turning it into an inspirational card. I added a simple hand-drawn frame to ground the design and finished it off with words from the **AALL & Create Motivation Station ephemera. Sometimes the right words are all a busy background needs.
This project is a great reminder not to give up on those “almost” prints. A few extra layers, some contrast, and a fresh perspective can make all the difference.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope this inspires you to dig back into your gel print stash and see what’s waiting to be transformed. Have a wonderful, creative week!
Want to find the supplies I used? I have listed them below. (Compensated affiliate links used at no cost to you.) Thank you for your support!
 PaperArtsy – Seth Apter 33 Shop at: TP |
 PaperArtsy – Tracy Scott PS418 Shop at: TP |
 WOW! Embossing – Clear Embossing Pad Shop at: WOW US | TP |
 WOW! Embossing – Seth Apter Dirti Verdi Shop at: TP |
 AALL & Create – Motivation Station Shop at: TP |
 Lavinia – Elements Dye Ink – Pixie Green Shop at: TP |
 Gel Press – Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: AZ | TP | Misc |
 Hero Arts – Wagner – HT400 Precision Heat Tool Shop at: AZ |
 Lavinia 5/8 Stencil Brush Shop at: TP | |
 Speedball – 2″ Brayer Shop at: TP |
Strangely Creative 
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