Kersten Christianson's Dreamy Gratitude Flag

Moon Gratitude Flags

by Kersten Christianson

#GratitudeFlag #Rubbermoon #Spirit

Supplies:

• Catch a Dream Stencil
• True Free Spirit Stamp, ML204G
• 4X6 cotton panels, background batik
• Acrylic paint
• Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate
• Ribbon trims
• Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pens, Glitter Gloss
• Beads, bells

My friend Gloria inspired me to try this out.  In our play with Gelli Arts and paper, we used a cotton panel to clean off the Catch a Dream stencil before moving on to different colors.  What we discovered was a really sweet imprint of stencil upon cotton.  Because Gloria is a madly creative artist quilter, she went on to spend several days stenciling cotton panels. I returned to her house yesterday to make a few panels.  Upon hauling them home, I decided they would make a fine stretch of Moon Gratitude Flags.

   

Remember how fun it was to finger paint as a child?  Using a Gel Printing Plate is nearly as enjoyable and almost as messy.  Add colors of acrylic to the plate, blend using a roller, and lay down your stencils.  On top of this, your cotton panel.  Take time to press in and around the cut outs of the stencil so that the image prints fully.  Too much paint and your image becomes too saturated.  Too little paint and your image is not defined.  Gloria suggested I work with dots of paint to achieve best printing results.  You can see here that while the flag isn’t in its finished form, I am starting to match it up to other material to finish out the back.

Here’s a close-up to illustrate the number of colors used along with a more balanced use of acrylics.  Oh, that sweet face!

Here’s another flag pictured with possible material background.  Sometimes the project isn’t ready for completion, as in this case, but the stenciled panels were such a joy to create.  At some point, I’ll add a thin layer of batting between each flag and its background material.  From there, I’ll quilt patterns throughout and add finishing details:  ribbon, beads, bells.  These will be best displayed in an open window through which the wind is invited.

As planned, I used my sewing machine to adhere the flag panel to a pretty piece of batik.  On this, I also added two strips of glitter ribbon, beaded fringe and various beads and bells.  I also stamped “True Free Spirit” using Sienna Brown acrylic paint to the front. On both dreamcatcher and text, I painted a layer of fine glitter using Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pens (Glitter Gloss). The flag spent the day in the sun and breeze.  And voila!  A perfect gift for a traveling friend returning home tonight.

ENJOY!

- Kersten