Instructions 

When you don't have a lot of time but you still want to get arty, the Ranger Gel Plates are a great way to create great backgrounds in your journal.

Step 1: Today we’ll be working in the Large Dylusions Journal with some of the stencils from Dyan’s new release and Ranger’s Gel Plates.

Step 2: In the center of your page place the heart stencil from the Dylusions Stencil & Masks Classics set. Tear a sheet of copy paper in half and place a piece at the top and bottom of the stencil, taping it down. This will protect the rest of your page from paint while gel printing in the heart.

Step 3: Mount the 3.5” x 6.75” plate from the 3 Pack Assortment set onto the Dylusions Journaling Block. Apply Dylusions Pink Flamingo paint onto the gel plate and then stamp it down onto your journal page over the heart.

Step 4: Lay the small Dylusions Coins stencil on top of the heart stencil. Apply some Dylusions Postbox Red paint onto the Gel Plate and again stamp down onto the stencils.

Step 5: Now you have a polka dot heart and may remove the stencils and copy paper from the page.

Step 6: Cover the gel printed heart with the heart mask from the Dylusions Stencil & Masks Classics set. Use some folded tape to keep the mask in place. Make sure your paint has dried first.

*Tip: stick the tape to your clothing first to get rid of some of the stickiness so it does remove paint and/or paper from your journal page when you remove the mask.

Step 7: Now you will be using the 9” X 11” gel plate. Apply some Dylusions Slate  Grey or Dina Wakley’s Elephant paint to the plate. Around the outer edge of the gel plate add Dylusions Blue Lagoon Paint. Once you have it brayered and mixed, press your journal page onto the Gel Plate to collect all that paint!

If you have something large enough to mount it to, you may use the same technique as we did with the smaller Gel Plate. Bringing the plate to the page.

Step 8: This next part requires a few steps. Apply Dylusions Black Marble paint to the Gel Plate and place the Dylusions Stencil Blocking on top. Grabbing a scrap piece of paper remove just about all of the black paint.

Step 9: With the Blocking stencil still in place brayer on some Dylusions Balmy Night Paint. Let this dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 10: We are going to go back in with some grey again. Brayer on some Dylusions Slate Grey or Dina Wakley Elephant paint on top of the dried Balmy Night.

Step 11: While the grey paint is still wet, take a scrap piece of paper and remove some paint creating a distressed grungy look. How much you remove is up to you. We don't want to take too long doing this step.

Step 12: Remove the stencil and immediately press your journal onto the gel plate to get all the paint. It helps if you rub the back of the paper with a  good amount of pressure.

Step 13: All you need to do now is add a fabulous quote from the Bigger Back Chat – Black stickers! You may also add some outlining around the heart and stickers with a black and white paint pen.

Final Words: Using the Gel Plate in your journal is a great way to get a page done quickly without sacrificing looks!