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Gelli Printing® with Seed Pods for Let’s Play

How to use seed pods for gelli printing in an art journal- video by Carolyn Dube

Inspiration can come from anywhere, including the everyday.  I have walked by the tree below for weeks noticing the abundance of seed pods but it wasn’t until I was hit in the head by one of the branches that I realized how much fun they would be Gelli printing®!

Yes, my muse literally hit me in the head with this month’s theme for the Let’s Play videos.  Ordinary things can be fantastic starting points for play.

What is Let’s Play?  It’s all about rediscovering the ability to play. Each month I share a specific strategy that helped me recapture the freedom and fun of play.   This month’s theme is being inspired by the everyday.   You can see more of the Let’s Play series here.

How to use seed pods for gelli printing in an art journal- video by Carolyn Dube

In the video, you’ll see me Gelli printing® directly in my art journal with the layers building up to make a vibrant background!

Watch Gelli Printing with Seed Pods on YouTube.

Giveaway! Leave a comment telling me what everyday things inspire you to get entered in the $50 Dick Blick gift certificate giveaway (more details below).   I’d love to see what you’re creating- share it with us all in our Facebook community!

Here’s the art journal page…but it won’t be staying like this for long!  I’m going to be finishing up this page in a video next week!  Subscribe to my YouTube channel or get signed up for my newsletter to be sure you see it!

How to use seed pods for gelli printing in an art journal- video by Carolyn Dube

Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!

This month's Let's Play theme is all about being inspired by the everyday

Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.

Sharing your play:   I, and a whole bunch of others, would love to see what you’re creating!  We’re sharing it in the Facebook group called A Colorful Place to Play. Why Facebook?  I’ve listened to your feedback about how and where you’d like to share your play instead of the link parties.

Monthly giveaways:  Leave comment on any (and all for more chances) of the weekly Let’s Play blog posts to be entered and one winner each month will be chosen by random.org.  Want more chances to win a $50 gift certificate to DickBlick.com?  Pin any of the images from the page or share about it on Facebook- then come back and leave a comment telling me what you did and you can have more chances to win! Giveaway closes the Sunday, July 31st at 11 pm EST and the winner will announced on the blog the following Monday.

Congrats to Margaret Price, last month’s winner!

{ 39 comments… add one }

Leave a Comment

  • Becky Smith July 4, 2016, 10:07 pm

    Cool idea! I’m looking forward to seeing the completed journal page.

  • Michele Haderer July 5, 2016, 8:04 am

    I’m on my way to the Farmers Market today, and will be looking for some inspiration for a play session! Now that I think of it, I have some kale in the fridge that might make some interesting prints! Thanks Carolyn, you never fail to inspire me!

  • Sharon Rawson July 5, 2016, 8:23 am

    I am new to Gelli printing and I am loving your videos. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into them!

  • Sue G July 5, 2016, 9:07 am

    I love how this turned out, what a cool print those seed pods make!

  • Theresa Zanassi July 5, 2016, 9:18 am

    Hmmm…branches of ferns, maple leaves, oak leaves…..all of those things come to mind. I may just have to go “scavenging.”

  • Jean Marmo July 5, 2016, 3:49 pm

    I have passed a tree almost daily with pods like these when I walk with my husband while he golfs! I always wondered wheat I could do with them. Now I know. Last week I picked some seed like clusters to use but they dried up before I could. I am determined to try again!

  • Julie Hulver July 5, 2016, 4:37 pm

    I am obsessed with leaves!

  • Melinda D. July 5, 2016, 6:58 pm

    I love paper that was meant to be discarded — claim tickets, clothing tags, but most of all, take-out coffee sleeves. I started saving the ones from Starbucks for Gelli printing because they were corrugated on the inside, and then I discovered Panera’s were dimpled and Dunkin’ Donuts had a triangle pattern. Now I can’t pass up a new coffeehouse without checking out their sleeves.

  • Carol Loumeau July 5, 2016, 9:28 pm

    I have a faery garden and a Gnome Home in my garden. I have been painting two bridges to go over my river bed. To mimic the stone in my river bed, I painted faux stones on the bridges and outlined them in black (mortar). I used a silver sharpie pen to draw footprints (fairy) across the stones and added a sign: Caution, Faery Crossing

  • Phyllis Y July 5, 2016, 11:45 pm

    This is making me look at leafy lettuce in a whole new way. Hmm . . .

  • Kristiina July 6, 2016, 3:45 am

    I just looked at some leaves the other day… Now I’m actually going to have to do pick them and try 🙂

  • Jen Reardon July 6, 2016, 6:07 am

    Love this idea! Shared with my sister on FB. Can’t pin any images. Have printed with ferns and leaves in the past and love nature inspired work.

  • connie felton July 6, 2016, 9:45 am

    i really enjoy all that you try out in your studio my inspiration comes from everyday life in my artroom or my animals. keep the new stuff comming.

  • Jamie Martin July 6, 2016, 1:18 pm

    I’m so into sunsets!

  • Jamie Martin July 6, 2016, 2:02 pm
  • Joni July 6, 2016, 7:21 pm

    Ephemera from my daily life inspires me!

  • MelodyJ July 7, 2016, 4:46 am

    I love your journal page.

  • Annie July 7, 2016, 4:58 am

    I like to use flowers, leaves, stones, shells and all kind of other things.
    I’m also very inspired by nature colours of a sunset or autumn forest.

  • Lissa July 7, 2016, 8:13 am

    My vegetable garden in the early morning and all the wonderful insect life that goes on. I love going out really early with a jar of iced coffee, skectchbook, or,paints, and work in the garden and relax. Unfortunately I was not able to put in my veggies this year. I am planning for next year!

  • magdalena fernandez July 8, 2016, 5:25 pm

    LUV THIS!

    • Debra Feldman-Stein July 8, 2016, 11:37 pm

      I love color and drawing and love this page. And live very close to a Blick store!

  • Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith July 9, 2016, 7:57 am

    These pods make great patterns – I’ll be on the lookout for them!

  • Mary L Hockett Thoma July 9, 2016, 8:53 pm

    Carolyn, I looked closely at the pods without scrolling down to see the tree and the pods. That’s a redbud tree, the Oklahoma State Tree. The heart shaped leaves would make some interesting printing too. Love your inspiration piece. Your thinking cap is always on turned up full blast.
    are

  • Mary L Hockett Thoma July 9, 2016, 8:56 pm

    I did a double take on the pods…those are redbud tree pods, the Oklahoma State Tree. It has beautiful heart shaped leaves with nice veins for some interesting printing too. Great inspiration piece. Your thinking cap is always on turned up full blast.

  • Titbelsoeur July 10, 2016, 3:47 pm

    Your page is awesome ! I have used a lot of things on my gelli plate, like coffee pads, egg box, bottle caps, orange bags, and I am waiting for leaves falling from the trees to make new prints…
    it is so much fun to think about using house things to make prints !
    (sorry for my English, it is not my mother language)

  • Jodi July 12, 2016, 11:51 am

    So cool! I like saving styrofoam ( from the landfill) and creating my own faux gelli plates of different shapes and sizes.

  • Janis in ID July 13, 2016, 6:31 pm

    What a fun idea using the pods!! I don’t have any trees with pods, but I did do some stamping with a lettuce core several months ago. It was so much fun!!
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com
    HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

  • Janis in ID July 13, 2016, 6:33 pm

    Pinned here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476114991839111483/
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com
    HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

  • Angie A July 15, 2016, 4:08 pm

    Wow! I’m gonna have to try this. This is so creative!

  • Heather Hart July 17, 2016, 1:37 am

    My daughter and her artistic abilities inspire me to do more creative things in my coloring and crafting!

  • Heather Hart July 17, 2016, 1:37 am

    My daughter and her artistic abilities inspire me to do more creative things in my coloring and crafting!

  • Jamie Martin July 24, 2016, 4:48 pm

    I wanna see when its done.

  • Deb Fortin July 25, 2016, 6:03 pm

    I love those pods, they make such a cool print on you page in both the positive and the negative versions. I noticed that you dont appear to use a plexi or acrylic backer to support your gelli plate . is that because you used a smaller one?
    I am a fanatic about leaves. any size any type, any version, print, stamps, stencils, scrapbook paper, photos.
    I just found a skeleton oak leaf in my laneway yesterday . I have carefully put it aside till i figure out just how i’ll use it in my art. but i WILL use it.

  • D.Ann C July 26, 2016, 1:03 pm

    I like the impressions where you see the seeds! I always collect fall leavesc acorns, and other unusual seeds thinking I’ll do something with them, but mostly they sit around and look pretty.

  • Jamie Martin July 26, 2016, 8:43 pm
  • Jamie Martin July 27, 2016, 8:57 am

    I’m gonna try to paint a river today, but with extra water.

  • Jamie Martin July 28, 2016, 7:13 pm

    Finna go see the vid

  • Jamie Martin July 29, 2016, 4:38 pm

    Inspired by the hailstorm today.

  • amanda whitley July 31, 2016, 1:22 pm

    the seasons inspire me and my art. i love using fall colors and nature in the fall and white, red and green in the Winter