I got so many positives about showing more of my desk I took even a broader picture of the mess for you today...take care piles of goodness have more stacked under it so careful and don't knock anything more to the floor because it is already loaded up too!
I have been fascinated by the Gelli Plate craze but not willing to put out the money to buy one. OMG! I couldn't believe the price of these little beauties! I did a web search and an 8"x10" is about $30 and that is without paying for shipping. I looked around online for recipes to create my own and kept coming up with the same stuff about how it wasn't shelf stable and how it would mold and rot. I found one recipe at Shaz in Oz blog that sounded promising but I was still concerned with mold and mildew on the plate. Sooooo....I researched a little more and came up with my own recipe. Alcohol, glycerin, and sugar are all microbial growth retardants so I figured I would use them all and It seems to have worked for me! Try making one and let me know what you think!
Vickie's Plate
4 oz Gelatin
1 c alcohol
1 c glycerin
1/4 c sugar
1 c hot water
1 c cold water
Mix gelatin in 1 c cold water till mostly dissolved. Add 1 c hot water and sugar and stir well till totally dissolved. Add alcohol and glycerin. Do not put your face over your mixing bowl cause the vapors can cause some respiratory issues if you have asthma. The alcohol evaporates out a lot. Pour the mixture into the container you want it to set up in. I used a 9"x13" plastic container with a lid. Refrigerate or just set out in a cold spot and wait a day or two for it to set up.
Here is what mine looks like now. It is 6 weeks since I made the plate and it hasn't molded or deteriorated at all. The yellow color comes from the gelatin I used!
I broke it yesterday washing it off in a little warmer then usual water and it cracked and broke in half!
So today I melted it down and refrigerated it and here is what it looks like now. If you need to melt it down run it in the microwave till melted...about 1 1/2 minutes. Let it set in a cool place till reset! I think I will use wet wipes to clean it up from now on!
Here is a picture of a couple of my prints:
I think my homemade plate does as good of mono prints as the more expensive plates.
I was in a tag swap this past month with an online Yahoo! group called the Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium. The group is very informative and a lot of fun. There is also a retail store associated with the group that carries items for sale to members only for a very reduced price.
It is a 1:1 swap where you are paired up with another member and you send one tag and get one from another member. Here is the tag I received from Cindy a couple days ago. The theme this month was cats!
Hi Vickie, Love your ribbon display/organiser! I don't think I've noticed it before? I also LOVE that cat reading stamp ... I bought it myself just recently :) (It stamps nicely on gloss card too.)
ReplyDeleteRe. the gelli plate ... home made recipes for this are nothing new. I came across one I had written out a long, long time ago (more than 20 years!). I will try and find it and send you a copy, although I fear it is under a few layers at the moment! I have seen lovely things made with them, but I don't think I would get enough use out of it to warrant buying.
Hope you are feeling better, and have a good week,
Thanks for stopping by earlier too,
RosA # 14
Hi Vickie, I'm so glad I started the catalogue process, finding things is a breeze. Every stamp is crossed reference, regardless.....most stamps fit into several categories.... I'm really glad you will have some help, it's a huge job but worth it.... Thanks for visiting, hope you have a great week and happy crafting... DeDe #47
ReplyDeletemm, Vickie, I left long comment not sure it went through in brief.. gelli plate recipe on my blog lasts for many, many years without mould in humid Oz.. and thought you might like to see my favourite rose as it is called Oklahoma :D
ReplyDeletehttp://www.justourpictures.com/roses/oklahoma.html
Shaz in Oz.x #29
weird huh that one went throguh no worries.. sigh..
ReplyDeleteHi Vickie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe, I will try it this weekend. I refuse to pay the high prices for things I can make with house hold ingredients. I found a great recipe for modeling paste, quick, easy and I already had all the ingredients. Smells good too LOL
Krisha #31
Hi Vickie. I'm really impressed with you making your own gelli plate....now all I need to do is to see what you actually do with it to get the fab results :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
A x # 38
I'm glad you're getting some lovely sleep, and your craft space looks amazing. I could spend hours poking around.
ReplyDeleteIn a weird coincidence, I too have made a gelli plate this week. I'm rather hoping mines of the permanent variety too.
Thanks for stopping by me desk.
Zoe #55
Hello Vickie. 8 hours sleep sounds blissful! Well done you! We were up at 4.30 this morning - er - again!!! What ribbons - I am positively drooling over here - such a lot of exciting goodies to stare at.
ReplyDeleteThanks for already visiting and for your encouraging comment.
Margaret #39
Hi Vickie, thanks for stopping by and leaving lovely comments. I have a gelliplate (got caught up in the craze) and now have so many background pages I have packed it away. I wish I had of done some research before reaching for the credit card. Your recipe is a great idea and great result.
ReplyDeleteSandra @8
I always love to come visit. Yes your space has become overrun but the truth is everything is so very close for you. Did not get caught up in the gelli stuff craze. Never even researched it; so I cannot critique your recipe. Have a great day and rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteHi Vickie - wow that IS a congested desk - but I can see the benefits of having EVERYTHING to hand :0)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous gelli prints and those tags are super cute.
Thanks for your visit. Have a happy week MMx #43
Fab fun desk as always. I actually sold all my Speccie Noir pens, many were drying out and I preferred my Copics. I'm now on the Graph It DT so also have Graph It pens which are excellent and work well with my Copics too. A wet room is a bathroom with no bath and no shower cubicle. It's all open plan with a seat & lots of grab rails. The flooring is all water tight and covers the whole floor the plug hole is in the middle of the floor. No trays to trip over etc. There will be a curtain and a waist high shower screen. Means I can shower independently with no help but I can have help if I need as it's all designed specifically. Very exciting!! Take care Zo xx 64
ReplyDeleteI purchased my Gelli Plate through Blick art supplies, and it was a little cheaper. However, I'm fascinated by the fact that you made your own, especially since it can be remolded if needed in the microwave. I love the prints you made with it too!
ReplyDeleteJust popping back with the recipe for modeling paste:
ReplyDeleteThis is where I found it.
http://gabriellepollacco.blogspot.ca/2013/06/a-tranquil-moment-with-new-websters.html
I made a double batch about 3 weeks ago and it is still like new.
Have fun with it!
Vicki, I couldn't find any glycerine when I was going to make my own Gelli. After begging people and leaving broad hints for THREE years, I finally broke down and let Bleubeard buy me one for Christmas. Yep, it was $40 with shipping. It was the ONE thing I've splurged on in the past couple of years. Everything else I buy is either on deep clearance or from the thrift store. I hope you have good luck with yours. I look forward to seeing how it lasts.
ReplyDeleteYou asked about my mists. You can check out the original post as I highlighted it in my WOYWW post, or check out the updated post here: http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2013/08/inspiration-avenues-fun-easy-crafts-week.html
I'm certain you have everything you need to make these. I got the mica powders on clearance a few years ago at Mrs O'Leary's. I paid no more than $1.00 for each of the large pots and $0.50 for the small ones. They languished because they had no binder in them, until I came up with a way to recycle them.
Thanks for visiting earlier and happy slightly belated WOYWW from # 1.
Like you I love to have everything at hand until I find myself with not enough room to work then I put everything away! ONly to gradually get it all out again!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tag and prints!
Debxx
That's plenty of room to create, just big enough for the piece of paper is big enough, lol! (Another woywwer told me she's a "push to the left, push to the right" crafter--she pushes the stuff on her desk and makes a little spot to work.)
ReplyDeleteThe whole mold thing is what put me off of making my own gelatin plate, too, so when the Gelli plates came out, I didn't even hesitate to buy one with free shipping on Amazon. It's been totally worth it! BUT now, I think it would be fun to have a really big plate, the size of a cookies sheet or more, and have been looking at recipes. Yours sounds great--let us know if it gets any mold.
Thank you for stopping by this week, and a Happy WOYWW to you!
:)trisha
#21 this week
with a BIG mess
Happy Belated WOYWW. Glad to hear you are getting some sleep. I have gone the opposite way and drastically reduced the amount of painkillers I take - normally just one at night. Changing what I eat - loosely based on Paleo, but with some healthy carbohydrates/dairy - seems to be helping with inflammation levels. I am also starting on juicing tomorrow. Love your desk and the ribbon in particular. Ali x. #56
ReplyDeleteI notice some similarity between the tag you made and the tag you got (besides the cat!). That just tickled me. I'm always impressed when people decide to make their gadgets, so kudos to you for finding a way to make a rot-proof gelli plate. Have lots of fun playing with it... um... if you can find room. I agree about stuff at hand is nice but only when you still have a place to play. Thanks for the visit earlier!
ReplyDeleteSleep is good whenever you can get it...so happy to hear you finally got some! I love your gelli prints. I finallly succombed and bought one, which I don't mind so much, but I've only played with it once and was not very impressed with myself. I'll need to try again. You are inspiring me. Hope you have a good week Vickie.
ReplyDeleteSara j #45
Hi Vicki,
ReplyDeleteYour desk is so full it would drive me crazy not having enough space to create on. I used to work like that and now I can't cope in crowded situations. You have more that 50 rolls of ribbon on one stick, made me giggle. Seriously though you should reduce the stuff on the desk and play more it will make your life a breeze and you will feel so much better. I love your kitty tag, really nice but that Gelli Plate you are going to love playing with it, I have one of the good ones and I don't regret it at all. Your home made one seems to be doing the job so stick with it girl. Nice to know they can be repaired too. I hope you FM and sleeping gets better soon, I know exactly how you feel. you need the sleep to repair from the pain of the FM. Stay happy, play heaps and create.
Thanks for visiting
Happy WOYWW
Eliza & Yoda 15
Hi Vickie, what a busy desk, ratherlike mine most of the time. Looked at your recipe for Gelli plate, where do you buy neat alcohol?
ReplyDeleteJust drooling over all those ribbons, beautiful.
Chris #57
I like any tips that help save money! Clever girl you for making an alternative gelli plate...hope you have a lot of fun using it :-) You have a lot of stuff!! The wider shot of the desk is great fun...you could use ity for a crafting Where's Wally type of game!
ReplyDeleteHugs. LLJ 51 xx
I have actually got two different Gelli plates, the small one and the middle sized one and they are very tough. I first used one at a Clarity Stamp workshop with Barbara Gray last year, and she had been using the same ones all summer, and the only treatment that was needed was a gentle rub with baby oil when they dried out a little. I really love playing with them, there are so many things you can use on them apart from the acrylic paints. Thank you for your visit this week. You will be glad to know that the helicopter has flown off for the time being, so things are more peaceful Have a good week. xx Maggie #2
ReplyDeleteHi Vickie. love the tags. I've bookmarked your Gelli recipe, I'd also bookmarked Shaz's, as she said it didn't go mouldy. I don't want to spend money on one that I probably won't use a lot, so a homemade one seems the perfect answer. Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #35
ReplyDeletehello Vicki good that your pain relief is helping- I've been suffering a lot lately and not much sleep. Never mind. I am impressed you made a gelli plate. I've thought about getting one but not sure I would do enough with it to justify the cost. Both tags are great. Sorry I'm late. Anne #63 ( I think)
ReplyDeleteClever doctor I say - anything that gives you good sustained sleep - if you aren't cumulatively tired, everything is so much easier to deal with in my experience. I like your gelli prints - are you in love with the producing and playing - or has your curiosity been satisfied and that's it? As for your desk..well it looks like mine will if I start to empty cupboards looking for something. I seriously need to pull it all back a bit!
ReplyDeleteI just love your desk - it is so cozy and like you said - everything is within reach. Cool gelli plates. I haven't tried one of those yet. Your bookmark has a cat stamp that I have - it just reminded me - I need to pull it out. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier. I hope you are still sleeping well. I know if I wake up and then go back to sleep - if I get back to sleep - I always sleep longer. April #22
ReplyDelete