MY FIVE FAVORITE GEL PRESS PRODUCTS - And they are on sale August 26th - August 30th!

 Hey everyone! Today I'm sharing my 5 favorite Gel Press products and GUESS WHAT...they are on sale!  Gel Press asked me to make a list of favorite products, share with you why I love them and then let you know that for a limited time, they will be 20% OFF on their site! How awesome is that!

My first pick is the Impressables Designer Series REPEAT CIRCLES GEL PRESS. When I first opened this Gel Press I immediately filled it with color and lifted the circles off to create a relief.  It's my absolute favorite thing to do with this press.  Each print is a work of art, perfect for a little square frame to hang on your wall!  LINK TO THE REPEAT CIRCLES GEL PRESS: https://bit.ly/3McaBp5

My 2nd pick is the 6" SQUARE Gel Press. I take this one with me when I travel because it's large enough for my art journal and small enough to fit in my art backpack. I love using stencils with it and creating large tiles for decoupage or prints to fill my art journal!

LINK TO THE 6" x 6" GEL PRESS: https://bit.ly/3WPVzKM

For my third pick, it was the 6" ROUND GEL PRESS! In my personal opinion, using this for photo transfers makes them even more special! Even a boring transfer can look wonderful when it's printed in a circle format.  LINK TO THE 6" ROUND:  https://bit.ly/4czO0h5

The 4th pick was the smaller 4" ROUND GEL PRESS.  So darn cute and just a blast to use to make colorful circles on anything and everything.  Heck, make your own wrapping paper with this one! I like layering colors and creating fun, modern art pieces with this little number!

LINK TO 4" ROUND GEL PRESS:  https://bit.ly/3X8dKN4

My fifth and final pick is the 3" x 5" GEL PRESS.   Grab a stack of index cards and go crazy making pretty little postcards and notecards to send to your friends. Working small can be fun, quick and much easier than working on larger surfaces. I always suggest this one to my friends who want to dabble but just aren't sure if they'll love it.  Guess what, they always grab a bigger size after a few days! LINK TO THE 3" X 5" GEL PRESS: https://bit.ly/3WVpMrN

Check out all the amazing Gel Press products here: https://bit.ly/4cvtDS3

Make sure to check out the sale, too!

Much love, Mark!

For years I've been hitting the dollar store for inexpensive frames to makeover.  When I lived in my tiny East Village apartment in NYC I covered the walls (salon style) with TONS of small 99c store frames filled with postcards and art that I bought on the street. I would paint the frames in different colors, add beads and cardboard to them and find fun papers for the matting. I loved my "broke art student" decor...and still do!  These malachite frames are currently part of my decor and I got all the frames at the 99c store.  A little hot glue and paint and you have something amazing!  Now get out there and MAKE YOUR MARK!

Watch how to make them here!

Everything I used for this project:

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://bit.ly/3uHBnjU Xyron Creative Station: https://bit.ly/2yuW31n RE-DESIGN WITH PRIMA Silicone Moulds: Regal Trimmings https://bit.ly/3AFhF7s?aff=59 Etruscan Accents Silicone Mould: https://bit.ly/3PY6FI4?aff=59 Re-Design with Prima Decor Wax: https://bit.ly/3Bl2UZE

Decor doesn't have to be expensive, just brave and bold!

See you soon!  Love, Mark

 

Fabulous Fabric Tape

 I have EVERY kind of tape you can imagine!  Not kidding. Boxes and boxes of it and when washi tape became popular I went NUTS. When going through my tape the other day I realized there was one tape I didn't have and that was fabric tape....so I made some with my Xyron Creative Station. If you ever need to tape something together, come on over....I've got your back!  Check out how I made it in the video below and don't forget to MAKE YOUR MARK!

Love the way this looks on practically everything!

My Xyron Creative Station turns anything into a sticker...even fabric! 

I used smaller pieces in my art journals.

Watch how to make fabric tape here!

OR watch it on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/l1TtmNoVVNQ

Xyron Creative Station: https://bit.ly/2yuW31n Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95

What can I say? You're stuck with me!

Have a wonderful day, everyone! xo, Mark!

Gorgeous Happy Mail Ideas!

Ask anyone who knows me...I love to write letters.  I'll stick anything inside of an envelope and glue almost anything to the outside.  If it looks like an absolute crazy person put it together, well, then you'll know it's from me.  I'm obsessed with mail and how our postal system works and I love that you can slap a stamp on something and that it takes a journey across the sky to someone you love.  This particular project reminded me of Gustav Klimt, one of my favorite artists.  I love his use of gold leaf in his work and I thought these envelopes, with their metallic gold patterns, gave that Klimt-esque feeling.  Do you like to send Happy Mail? I'd love to hear about what you make in the comments!  Sending all of you big hugs and a nudge to get out there and MAKE YOUR MARK!

The bottom of a votive candle glass and some sprigs from my garden 

make the most beautiful faux wax seals!

I used my Gel Press to get all of these amazing colors and patterns!

Everything I used for this project:

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95 DecoArt Gold Paint: https://bit.ly/3dQbqmA & https://bit.ly/36kH8UY Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Stencils I used: https://amzn.to/3jWwoUP

Watch the video here OR

watch how I make these envelopes on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/PxmkKffTuIU

Nothing like getting a beautiful, handmade card in the mail, right?!

Hot glue with my "M" seal...Just love that one!

This seal was made with a brass button attached to a small dowel!  

Write on, my crafty friends!

Beautiful Happy Mail Ideas

You might know by now that I love happy mail.  I love making it, sending it and getting it!  These Gustav Klimt inspired pieces are from my latest batch.  I even went faux wax seal crazy with hot glue and foliage from my backyard.  I used the bottom of a flat drinking glass and some good, clear hot glue from Surebonder!  It's a great way to seal a letter and it looks just beautiful!  Why not make someone's day and send them a little hello with a stamp on it?  I'll bet you'll get one in return!

My stack of Klimt inspired stationery

Hot glue "wax" seals using the bottom of a glass

Why not add a seal on the card inside, too!

Love the look of this little daisy!

Everything I used for this project:

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95 DecoArt Gold Paint: https://bit.ly/3dQbqmA & https://bit.ly/36kH8UY Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Stencils I used: https://amzn.to/3jWwoUP ART SPRAYS...Put these in a spray bottle: https://amzn.to/3jWNBNV MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make this Klimt inspired happy mail here!

Surebonder makes colorful glue stiks in every color you can think of!

Make someone's day and send out some happy mail!

Paper Lanterns with Gel Press

Summer is almost here and you're going to want to make your outdoor space as magical as possible.  I used my favorite Gel Press printed works of art for this lantern project!  If you have a favorite piece, photocopy it several times OR use all different patterns and colors!  Just a little glue and some long coffee stirrers is all you'll need!  Check out the video below.  Now get out there and Make Your Mark sweet friends!

Glowing and gorgeous!

All along the pathway in my backyard!

Working on my Gel Press

Everything I used for this project:

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95 Americana Acrylics: https://amzn.to/2UFQwgQ MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Long coffee stirrers: https://amzn.to/31sKByw

Watch how to make them here OR

Watch how to make them on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/C37Ph_ABkRU

I love the geometry!

Happy Summer, possums!

International Postcard Swap!

I'm hosting another POSTCARD SWAP!  I hope you'll join our artists from all over the world who are exchanging stacks of 10 for 10.  I've posted the rules below. 

Upcycled, layered & colorful!

Watch how I made my postcards here OR

Watch the video on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/OS3cTGrhsUI

RULES:

Join our international POSTCARD SWAP! The theme for this swap is UPCYCLED, LAYERED & COLORFUL! Use your imagination!

*THE FIRST 40 PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP (and send me a screen shot of their paid participation fee AND their mailing address) GET A 5" X 7" GEL PRESS!

To be eligible you must send a screenshot of your paid participation fee to me at MarkMontanoNYC@aol.com with (GEL PRESS CONTEST) IN THE SUBJECT! Please include your mailing address in the email. We are going to try to get these out quickly so you can use them for your cards if you want! *Contest opens at 7 a.m. PST Friday morning, September 25th, so entries before that won't be considered BUT you can get everything prepared beforehand to email me at that time.

UPCYCLED 4" X 6" MIXED MEDIA POSTCARD SWAP RULES:

1. There is a $10 fee to participate in the swap in the US and $15 if you are participating from another country.

This covers the cost of envelopes, organizing with my assistant, packing and 1st class postage (with tracking) for sending the postcards back to you.

Please use my PayPal.me account here: paypal.me/MarkMontanoDIY *Use the FRIEND TO FRIEND option when sending the participation fee.

2. Postcards are to be 4" x 6" in size (no smaller or larger) and no thicker than 1/8". Create any kind of art you want! Make them colorful, sparkly, upcycled and something you're proud of.

Deadline is November 15th, 2020 meaning cards need to be here with me by November 15th.

3. Everyone submits 10 cards and gets 10 different cards in return. If you want to send 11, that's GREAT! *On rare occasion a card is destroyed in shipping OR a participant's cards get lost in the mail and arrive late...I keep sets of cards for them as well just in case and an extra is always appreciated.

4. Please sign your postcards on the back so people know who made them and include a social media handle so that you can make some new friends! You could also clip a business card to each postcard. Just let your new friends know who made it.

5. Make sure that you print your return address CLEARLY so that we can easily address your package and get it back to you without a problem. We ship everything in 6" x 9" manilla envelope. If you want to enclose a return envelope, that's awesome, too!

6. Please (try) to use an upcycled material like cereal box cardboard, newspaper, phone book pages, thin corrugated cardboard, magazines or old book pages. Whatever you toss out that can be incorporated!

7. Please put 4" x 6" pieces of wax paper between each card so that they don't stick together. Sometimes heat and humidity during transit can cause some paints to stick together. Wax paper will insure everything is pristine.

8. Send postcard packages to my studio: Mark Montano 2126 Cove Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90039

9. Deadline is November 15th, 2020 meaning cards need to be here with me by November 15th

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU MAKE!

A few of the postcards I'm exchanging!

Feather Earrings

Now that we're wearing masks all the time, earrings need to be impactful and BIG!  These feather earrings are perfect for making a statement even if half of your face is covered up.  My sister-in-law loves them and gets compliments on them all the time, so I know this to be true.  Now, you could use denim, a heavy canvas fabric or vinyl like I did to make the shapes.  Whatever you have on hand. Once the paint is on and dry, you won't have a problem fringing the edges.  After all, vinyl is just paint on fabric!  Make exciting accessories, my fashionista friends....and always MAKE YOUR MARK!

Feathered and fabulous!

The chain and turquoise give it some terrific movement!

My vinyl sheets after they're painted...Time to add some gold flecks!

STUFF I USED

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

Chain: https://amzn.to/2UOdqlV Earring wires: https://amzn.to/37xPQit

Turquoise Beads: https://amzn.to/3fpjvgy

Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass: https://amzn.to/2UPX1h0

DecoArt Multi-Surface Satin Paints: https://amzn.to/2UNdiTQ

My favorite hole punch: https://amzn.to/2TCG34P

 Watch how to make them here or

watch the video on my Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/4w59zALPJ-w

Cut out the shapes

Love the different patterns and textures!

Would look great with silver findings, too!

Ready to wear!