Colorful Newspaper Earrings - With Gel Press

There are not many printed newspapers out there anymore, but when I get a grocery store flyer or a stack of old local papers, I always grab some for my projects. This is a simple paper mache craft that is light as a feather and also hard as a rock when it's dry!  When you paint it with a Gel Press, you'll get some amazing effects!  Make earrings or a funky necklace and definitely go color crazy since summer is right around the corner!  Say it with me, sweet friends...Use what you have and always Make Your Mark!

 These fit perfectly in a regular envelope, so pop a pair in the mail for a friend!

Mix shapes and colors and layer, layer, layer!

I used 5 pieces of newspaper and then topped it off with my painted sheet

STUFF I USED

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95

Americana Acrylics: https://amzn.to/2UFQwgQ

Triple Thick Gloss Glaze: https://amzn.to/2UIrD4e

Learn to make paste here: https://youtu.be/3mkrHgiYXG8

MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make them here

OR

Watch the video on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/brqy2FXAeUQ

 Contrast bright colors with tiny black dots

Now, get out there and rock that runway!

Newspaper Flowers DIY

Not long ago I saw some colorful newspaper flowers made by kids on Pinterest and have not been able to get them out of my head.  There was something about the up-cycling, the wild abandon with color and how joyful they looked that just inspired me.  I immediately pulled out my Gel Press (best way to get tons of colorful paint on paper) and started experimenting on newspaper sheets.  It was addicting!  The paint on the paper made it into an amazing craft material.  Next, I cut some patterns and started stitching them together.  Pretty soon I had an adult version of newspaper flowers that could adorn almost anything!  Grab some newspaper and start crafting....

and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Gift bag magic!

Try them on a wine bottle!

The more color the better!

Watch how I made mine here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Acrylics

Plastic Gems

Gel Press

Newspaper

Optional:  Sewing Machine

DecoArt Craft Twinkles and Glamour Dust

Flower pattern

Print on standard copy paper

HERE'S HOW

1.  Squirt Americana Acrylics on your Gel Press and spread the colors with a brayer making sure to keep it color blocked by rolling off each color before you spread it

2. Press and pull newspaper sheets laying them flat to dry

3.  Coat the sheets with Craft Twinkles and Glamour Dust to give them a glittery sheen and sparkle

4.  Trace the 5 different sizes of flowers and the leaves on a sheet (or 2 depending on how big your Gel Press is)

5.  Pin the pressed sheets in stacks and cut out several of the different sizes of flowers

6.  Stack the flowers largest to smallest

7.  Optional:  Stitch lines emanating from the center on the smallest flower

8.  Place the small flower back on top of the stack and stitch (or glue) the entire stack together right in the center

9.  Stitch down the center of a stack of 3 leaves

*You could also glue a line down the center of a stack if you don't have a sewing machine

10.  Glue (with hot glue or white glue) a plastic gem in the center of the stack on the smallest flower

11.  When the gem is dry, crunch the flowers, one by one, around the gem

12.  Glue curling ribbon and the flowers on gift bags, wine bottles, wrapped packages or toss them around your dinner party table!

 Gift ready!

Recycle, reuse, repurpose!