Enchanted Forest

I've been playing again!  This time I've been using things from my crafty stash that I have had for ages but haven't used before.  You know, those things that you just HAD to buy at the time - then put them away in your craft room and don't get round to using for a while, or a year!  One such item is my gelli plate,so when I saw this challenge it spurred me into action!  I created this project as an entry to'Country View Crafts Challenge Blog challenge,  http://countryviewchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/, this month's theme is 'Use Something New To You', and this is my first ever entry.  The stamps I used are some that were also bought a while ago but not used.  They are by Sheena Douglass from her 'Enchanted Doorway' and 'Always Floral' sets.  I used a Sheena embossing folder - 'Maple Leaf' and her stencil 'In the Forest'.  I also used a leaf stencil from Creative Expressions.  My gelli plate is a 'Creative Palette' by Stampendous.  I used acrylic paints, H2O's and inks in various colours as seen.  I started by creating the background panel with my gelli plate and a leaf stencil, applying yellow acrylic paint with a brayer.  I added some green paint by lightly rolling over the panel, the colour only catching in a few places giving a grungy distressed look to the artwork.  I then took the forest stencil and applied red paint with a stencil brush, it was easier and more effective than brayering.  I was pleased with the effect I had created, the stencil had been pushed into the paint giving the panel texture, but I felt that the white card showing through the leaves was a bit stark.  So I took a veined leaf stamp and stamped the image onto the white leaves, toning them down a bit.  Next I took a piece of acetate and stamped a leafy branch with black versafine ink  and heat embossed the image with black powder.  I turned the acetate over and painted the branch with H2O's, and when dry I added a coat of white acrylic on top of the painted image.  This made the colours of the H2O's show through the acetate more clearly.  I stamped the door and toadstool images onto smooth white card in black ink and heat embossed them as before.  I painted and cut them out, and cut out the acetate branch.  I matted the background panel onto green card, then layered it onto black card that has been embossed in a folder through a machine.  Aquamarine wax was rubbed over the embossed leaf pattern and polished before layering.  I shaped the door and toadstools with a ball tool then attached them to the panel with dimensional glue.  I attached the acetate branch with glue, putting it on the back of the painted images.  I really enjoyed creating this piece, and I LOVE my gelli plate!  I need a lot more practice, but I'll have a lot of fun doing it!